Endurance, Part II

This evening, we had a chance to practice our physical, mental and spiritual endurance.  Before we began, Jessica shared a little about St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes.  Then we took a walk around the parking lot praying the rosary.  I think Jessica certainly had to show some physical endurance as she attempted to lead the rosary walking backwards.  

Afterwards, we let the girls run around for a bit and then headed back inside to do some physical endurance.  Jessica had the girls do some physical activities such as sit ups and bracing themselves against the wall and holding themselves up.  They were having a good time trying the activities and even some of the moms joined in.  

After getting all riled up and excited, we had to practice some mental and spiritual endurance as we spent two minutes meditating and looking at a picture of Mary.  It was hard to stay focused after getting all excited.  

It was a good meeting to be able to put into practice some of what we learned at our next meeting.  Also helped us to be able to complete another one of the activities in the book.  

Endurance - Wreath IV

We are not going in order with the book this year.  We were trying to match things up with what is going on with our year.  It just made sense to move things around.  Hopefully it won't confuse anyone too much.

Last Monday began our first official meeting for the new year.  It felt great being back and I could tell the girls were happy to be there.  I handed out their passports for the year and gave them the hand-outs for Endurance and the United States.

Jessica is in charge of the meetings for the month and she sent me all of her notes!!  I am going to go ahead and just post them as is.

Before I post them, I'll post the craft.  We made God's Eyes.  Jessica and her daughter had the popsicle sticks already glued together.  The girls got to pick out their yarn.  As she explained it, since St. Rose - Philippine Duchesne loved the Indians, this was a perfect craft.  God looks with love on people everywhere.

Endurance

• Think of sport events (triathlon or marathon) Also it's a virtue. Difference between perseverance and endurance is that endurance usually attached to different or unpleasant situations.

• EVERY martyr and lots of saints would list endurance as a virtue they possessed. went through lots for Christ.

• We, however, are not always so committed. We are often quick to abandon God's will when it becomes too hard too uncomfortable. We may be convinced of our need to be more generous to a neighbor, but if they respond to our kindness with grumpiness, we storm off, thinking "that's what I get for being nice!"

• Too often we lack endurance because it is just too hard to always be nice, always follow Jesus, but that is what we are called to do. He reminds us "if anyone wants to come with me, he must forget himself, pick up his cross and follow me"

• It comes from Fortitude, Helps us face really tough stuff. Helps us stand in the face of danger without attacking it or seeking to alter or change it. We are called to different things that we cannot change and endurance is what we rely on and what God gives us.

• In truth, we may never be asked to endure anything. For many of us, our lives are ones of relative comfort and ease. We do not know hunger or cold or danger. In recent times, the phrase "first world problems" has been created. This is a rather casual response to complaints from those who have "nothing to wear" or "nothing to eat" when in truth the closets and cupboards are full - they just don't want what they have.

• So many times now we feel we are entitled to (have a right to) so much and doing without is something we "endure". Too often we may encounter people (or worse yet, BE the people) who feel they are enduring the lack of a phone, new car, trip to Disney, etc.  Our family situation, income, or something else may be preventing us from having “what everyone else has" and we are enduring such difficulty as a result. This is not the case. Endurance is the virtue for danger, pain or the threat of death- not the inability to go out to dinner when we want.

• (That being said - People have to work hard if they want things in life. Can't just think you are entitled to everything in life.)

• Some of us ARE being asked to endure. There are those of us who endure real pain and suffering through an illness or disease that affects us or a family member close to us. Or a recent natural disaster. Let us keep our minds focused on what these virtues really mean and help others know as well.

• Many had to endure it all. Paul challenges Timothy "You have followed my teaching, my way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love and endurance."Paul knows suffering, for he endured it all!" He quiets his critics with the list of all he's endured, from beatings, to floggings, to imprisonment.  This is of great help to us, for while we hope we are never asked to endure a beating, we know from our verse there is “a time of trial which is coming.

1. Helen Keller quote- "With endurance and determination we can help to better the lives of those around us"

·         Saint - St. Rose - Philippine Duchesne

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (Feast day - November 18) Born in Grenoble, France, in 1769.

Rose joined the Society of the Sacred Heart as a sister.

In 1818, when she was forty-nine years old, Rose was sent to the United States.

She founded a boarding school for daughters of pioneers near St. Louis and opened the first free school west of the Missouri.

71-she began a school for Indians, who soon came to call her "the woman who is always praying". 

Her biographers have also stressed her courage in frontier conditions, her single-mindedness in pursuing her dream of serving Native Americans, and her self-acceptance.

She died in 1852. This holy servant of God was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

We worked on/will work on the following activities:

#3  Passports

#6 We will be trying a form of endurance spiritually and physically next time we meet. (Me- look up patron saint of athletes)

#9 Create list together of individuals or situations that illustrate endurance. We all make list and write it down so we can turn to this during moments of discouragement and inspire us with new endurance.

(Ideas from lesson pulled from Wreath IV Leader's Guide.)

Around the World with the Saints

I am so excited about something we are adding this year to our program.  We are giving each girl a "passport" to travel around the world with the saints.  They will learn about each saint and a little bit about each country. 

We are using photo albums that I got at the Dollar Tree.  Of course I had to snaz them up a bit by adding some vinyl on the fronts (any excuse to use my Silhouette).  The girls all posed for their passport pictures at our first get together. 

I kept things pretty basic for our first country.  Perhaps I'll become more creative as the months go by.  I think we could add some interesting facts about different cultures.  It will be neat to see how many Catholics live in each country.

The second page each month will be on the saint of the month and some basic information about her life.  It will also include the bible verse.

My daughter still likes to look through the scrapbook that we made the first year we were in Little Flowers.  I thought the girls would enjoy having something they look through.  I will share more pages as the year goes on.

Off To A Great Start!!!

 

And so begins a new year for our Little Flowers group.  I'm going to force myself to do a better job documenting our meetings.  Things just sort of fell apart last year.  I think we are off to a great start.  We had two new girls come to our kick off / information meeting and they signed up to join.  This brings our group up to 11 girls.   I think that's a good number.  

We started off with our prayers and then went around the room to introduce ourselves.  I let the girls introduce themselves and then introduce their mothers.  They had to share something about each of them.  Always interesting to hear what kids will come up with to share.  Then we had some snacks and just visited for a while.  I made devils food cupcakes with swords and St. Micheal toppers to celebrate Michaelmas Day.  

Then we had the girls go to one room and the moms to another.  I had sent out an email a few weeks ago for the girls to be praying for our new priest.  Most of the girls brought those prayer totals with them and then they made a spiritual bouquet to give to him.  We had offered up our beginning prayers for him just in case some of the girls hadn't done it, they could still make him a flower.  The flowers were attached to yummy brownies because let's face it, who doesn't love a little treat as well. When the girls finished the bouquet, Jessica had them playing a game to help get to know each other better. 

Meanwhile, in the other room, we were all about getting things set for the year.  We voted on opening up our tea party to all the ladies of the parish.  We also decided we were up to having another sleepover.  Although no one ever get enough sleep, the girls just love it!!  Then I basically went through the registration packet and discussed some of the activities that we have planned for the year.  

The time just flew by and it was time to close with our prayers.  Of course, none of the girls were ready to end which I guess is always a good thing.

Our first official meeting starts next Monday.  We can't wait for another great year!!