For the hours leading up to our departure time (early enough to pick up Daddy and drive to our sister parish about an hour away—or more during rush hour), we are working through Matushka Emily's list of things to do to celebrate this feast with children. I printed it off and put it in my Cycles of Grace (seasonal home management) Notebook #5. I've got most of it checked off—what practical and doable ideas!
For an icon of Transfiguration to display on my rotating art wall, I wish I had something that matches my collection of icons generously given (once-upon-a-time) by Mary. However, instead of just wishing, I created my own in a similar style using this icon from www.oca.org:
Then for an icon for the kids to color (or paint, as we like to do), I downloaded a line drawing of the icon for the Transfiguration (scroll down the page to select the appropriate icon) from the OCA's Department of Christian Education website:
I grabbed a couple of matching white wire baskets (one for each girl) that used to house bath toys and gave them a good wash. Then I threaded some blue and white ribbon through the holes around the middle of the basket and made a little off-centered bow. I resisted the urge to add any more decoration since they looked so simple and beautiful the way they were. We'll stop at a grocery store for grapes to fill those baskets on the way to church this afternoon. Maybe I'll even get a photo of them at some point.
I also hunted around on the Antiochian Archdiocese website and found our collection of hymns (mostly byzantine style). I located the Major Feasts page and scrolled down to the Transfiguration Series to download a PDF of music including the troparion for the Feast of Transfiguration. We sang this at lunch time with our meal prayers. We've also been playing our copy of Kh. Gigi Shadid's Celebrate the Feasts CD, paying special attention to the song about the Transfiguration. (I love her CDs!)
Wow! I feel like I'm back! I in no way planned to be this proactive about finding ways to celebrate the Transfiguration with my girls today. Matushka Emily just made it so darn easy and I just jumped in! It's been fun, and we'll finish it up tomorrow with a special evening meal and lots of blessed grapes!
A Blessed Feast to you all!
You must have had a burst of energy! Wow! I really hope it holds out until you get home tonight...(c;
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful. I agree, Matushka's suggestions were great.
That is impressive!
ReplyDeleteI really need the Cycles of Grace. I have to get in a better habit of teaching my children about the feast. Today it was just a matter of getting them to pronounce the feast correctly. Transfiguration, not "transtigfugation" :)
how exciting! what a blessing! I hope you have a lovely Feast!
ReplyDeleteAnd now that it's the sixth:
ReplyDeleteJoyous Feastday!
As a follow-up to this post, Liturgy went well, even though it was a very late night and has left us sleep-deprived for the rest of this week. The girls were decent, even though I felt like I had to be telling someone not to do something every other time I turned my head... but maybe that is just how it is with three. We sneaked up to the front to see Sayedna bless our grapes and my 5-year-old was vibrating with excitement about it since they both had brought their own baskets up to the table. Very cute to see.
ReplyDeleteEven though they don't participate as much as I'd like at every service, it is helpful for me to see them get excited over special feasts when we do some extra advanced special prep. :)