LENTEN PRETZELS

It has been passed down through the ages, that some time between the late 300's and the 600's a certain monk was preparing a fasting bread meal of flour, water, and salt for his brethren.

In a humble gesture to remind his brother monks that Lent was time of prayer, he decided to fold the little dough strips into the shape of the customary position of prayer in that day: arms crossed at the chest.

This gave the bread the traditional shape of the pretzel we know today.

This baked item was called "bracellae", which, in Latin, means, "little arms". Later the Germans are said to have derived the word "bretzel" from that Latin and of course, we know that we now call it a "pretzel".

Interestingly, pretzels, once they started being baked "hard" rather than the "soft bread" they started out as, they became a common staple that was often given to the poor.

Many families continue the tradition of offering a pretzel at every dinner plate, to remind family members that Lent is upon us and is a time of prayer.

You can use a regular pretzel from a bag. Or, for a more authentic type, you can use Danielle Bean's Lenten Pretzel recipe, found here: LENTEN PRETZELS

My children have noticed that the folds of a pretzel leave three spaces, thus further calling our minds toward God in the Most Holy Trinity...three spaces in ONE pretzel...Three Persons in ONE God!

Another way to remind your family that Lent is a time of cutting back, pruning, emptying, fasting, and abstinence...is to give up meat. Meat has always been seen as a "luxury" food. Thus, we "do without" it in order to offer our sacrifice to God, depriving ourselves of this particular JOY on our tables.

One downfall of this during Lent can often be that families indeed make a meatless meal, but they will fall into a habit of just replacing it with some scrumptious and delicious tasty vegetable, seafood, or pasta meal instead. We must ask ourselves if this is truly a sacrifice.

If Lent is to be a time that is plain....simple...bare basics...minimum....then why would we just "fancy up" our dinner plates with all the new and tasty meatless meals out there?

One of my best friends offered me a wonderful alternative to this some years ago. My family
is truly enriched by it and so I'd like to share the idea with you today.

Instead of creating new and wonderful meatless meals during Lent, serve what you would normally have served WITH the meat...and leave a conspicuous EMPTY SPACE on the dinner plates where the meat WOULD NORMALLY BE. This is a visual reminder of your fasting and
abstinence. In other words, if you would regularly be serving meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn...then JUST serve the mashed potatoes and corn and leave an empty space where the meatloaf would be.

This way of abstaining from meat, is, in my opinion, much more fruitful and conducive to the purpose of the Lenten Season.

I encourage you to make this a new custom in your home this year:)

CHILDREN'S STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The beautiful devotion of the Stations of the Cross is TRULY one that is most dear to my heart.
It is a "Walk with Jesus" along the Via Dolorosa (Latin: Way of Grief or Way of Sorrow/Suffering). With prayer, meditation, and (usually) slow walking to each of the fourteen Stations, we enter in to the Passion and Death of Our Lord, as He took His agonizing steps toward Calvary. Each "Station" depicts a scene from these hours and prayers and meditations are shared as we pause to reflect and unite our hearts TO HIS. Typically, a verse is sung in between Stations as the processions moves forward.

One of the greatest blessing of our home in the beautiful woods of Pennsylvania has been our freedom and ability to draw closer to God...it is so easy to find HIM in the silence and serenity of the woods. As soon as we moved in and we walked the trails of the woods, I looked at the trees along the way and exclaimed, "Stations of the Cross! We could build an outdoor Stations of the Cross here!" And we did just that...we develop it a little more each year and hope to one day add a bench and some prayerful statues at the final Station which overlooks our creek at the bottom of the hill in the woods. The kids and I have worked VERY hard, beautifying each tree where a Station is hung...we cleared out brush and weeds and added a half circle of stones...Our son, Jacob, built a huge and beautiful wooden cross which he carries to lead our procession...he then steps inside each stone circle as we gather 'round and offer the meditation prayers. We have a purple ribbon tied around each tree and a small wooden cross nailed to the trees above each Station's picture. (We laminated them with contact paper so as to be durable in the elements).
Every Friday during Lent, we open our home to anyone who wishes to come and walk the Stations with us in the woods...many times, other homeschooling families will join us and if they are able, stay for a small, plain snack (no festive treats during Lent) and some fellowship.

Our Stations of the Cross brought me MUCH comfort just a few years back, when our babies were so small and getting to Church on Fridays was IMPOSSIBLE. This way, even though we couldn't be at our parish, we could still make "The Way of the Cross" in our very own wilderness!

No woods at your house? You can do the same thing by hanging the images of the Stations around the house...placing one in each person's bedroom, down the hall, and throughout! It makes a lovely procession!

Today, I'm sharing a Children's Stations of the Cross Kit for you to make at home! It is an EASY CRAFT and it is a way of inviting even your littlest ones to celebrate and join in this solemn and beautiful devotion. Using this Children's version is much quicker...thereby making it easier to hold the Littles' attention.

I hope you will join us in this Lenten devotion this year:

Children's Stations of the Cross Kit:

A friend gave this to us some years ago...I love its simplicity. It's tangible...because the children can HOLD each item while praying the prayers...and yet, it's short and to the point so as not to wear out the attention span of young ones. Our family uses this kit while sitting in a circle. We pass each item around so that each person gets a personal moment to hold it and reflect while the "leader" reads the meditations.

Needed:
Small box (labeled and decorated for "Stations of the Cross")

Items to fill the box...basically one item to represent each of the fourteen stations.
Our kit includes:
1)a piece of string to represent the rope used to tie Jesus' hands
2) small wooden cross for the cross He carried
3) bandaid to place on his bruised knees
4) a picture of Mary, His mother, whom He met along the way
5) a small heart (ours is wooden and painted red) to represent the generosity of Simon the Cyrene in helping Jesus carry the Cross
6) a small white cloth to represent the cloth used by Veronica to wipe Our Lord's face
7) another bandaid for the wounds of His second fall
8) a tissue to comfort the weeping women
9) a third bandaid for His wounds
10) a purple cloth to represent his cloak
11) a nail
12) a crucifix (for His death on the Cross)
13) a picture card of The Pieta (Mary holding her lifeless Son) to represent when Jesus was removed from the Cross
14) a rock to represent the stone rolled in front of the tomb

We have someone name each station
while the item is being passed around the circle, and the "leader" gives a brief explanation/reflection of the station and then says: "We adore You Oh Christ and we praise you"
and the group answers: "because by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world".

When the item has just about made its way around the whole circle, the next station is announced and the next item passed.

You could add a closing prayer of choice to finish.
If you like, you could end by singing a closing hymn of your choice.
You could also have EACH member of the family create one of these boxes, and then they would just hold their own item, rather than passing ONE throughout.

Below are two links for you. The first offers a nice colored chart with images and titles of each of the fourteen Stations. The second leads you to a site that offers a wonderful and thorough explanation of this devotion, including its history and instructions for taking part. You can even take part online right at the site!

http://www.stmartinsanglican.ca/stations.htm

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/stations-prn.html

Please share benmakesten with any friends and family whom you think might enjoy or benefit from these Lenten posts. We are dedicated to SHARING THE JOY OF OUR FAITH and to helping you get the MOST out of your Lenten journey.

Lent is a time of CONVERSION...we look inside our hearts, then we look at Jesus, the way He lived, His virtues, His actions, His words...and we ask ourselves how closely (or not) we are imitating Him as OUR MASTER...we then open ourselves to penance and CHANGE...so that we may have a conversion of heart in order to grow in holiness and be prepared to celebrate HIS SACRED RESURRECTION!

If you have ideas, questions, customs, crafts, recipes, or traditions that you'd like to share please leave a comment below, or visit OUR FORUMS! We LOVE to hear your thoughts!

An Invitation to You from My Daughter Laura!

Just a quick note to share with you that my sweet daughter Laura, 14 has felt called into a new
blogging venture that she hopes you will share with all the teen girls in your life!

Laura wanted to offer a special place for the teen girls of the world; a place where they can go and know that someone is there to greet them who understands their struggles. She also wants them to know that there are resolutions to the struggles...and that each of those resolutions begins with JESUS.

Laura has written a BEAUTIFUL poem which she has placed in the sidebar of her new blog. (I hope you will stop by and read it even though you might not be a "teen girl")

She has lots of fun plans for this new place as well such as:

1) A once-a-month "Modest Outfit Meme" where girls can send in photos of their favorite modest outfits and then voted on their favorites in the comments!

2) A monthly "challenge" posted at the top of the page. (This month's is: Write a prayer and offer it for a teen in your life)

3)Mondays posts will feature a new "struggle" topic with thoughts on struggles common to teen girls and practical advice and ideas of how best to deal with them.

4) Monthly "hair-do" parties...sending in modest hairstyle pictures, real or cut out of magazines.

5) Fun surveys updated often in the sidebar!

AND MORE!

Laura has named her new blog: A Teen Girl's Struggles/Solutions and she invites YOU to invite all the teen girls you know to pay her a visit! (Of course, she always welcomes YOUR visits too!)


P.S. Tomorrow's post will return to my Lenten theme! Hope you'll pay a visit!

UNTO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN

February 17th marks the first day of this Liturgical year's LENTEN SEASON.
This day, for many Christians, in known as "Ash Wednesday".
It falls on the Wednesday 46 days before Easter (We say that Lent has 40 days because Sundays are not included, since SUNDAY is NOT a penitential day, but the Lord's Day of rejoicing!).

The faithful gather at their churches and take part in a beautiful service. The priest or minister has ashes prepared that are made from the burning of Palm branches from Palm Sunday, the year before. Often, these ashes are also mixed with the sacred Oils of the Catechumens (oils that have been blessed and used for anointing in Baptism).

The priest or minister usually makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of each person while praying words over them taken from Genesis 3:19 "Remember man that you art dust and unto dust you shall return".

Traditionally, the ashes are left visible on the forehead to "wear off" on their own, rather than being wiped off or washed away.

The sign of the cross shows the world that we are followers of Christ.
The ashes are our sign of humility, acknowledging that our bodies are God's creation, brought out of the earth and set to return there at death.

The beautiful cross of ashes is also symbolic...it is our "sackcloth" like that worn by the Israelites as they wandered the desert for 40 years (hence, the 40 days of Lent). We acknowledge that we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence...fasting usually meaning that only 3 meals are taken in the day; two small and one main...water to drink and nothing in between meals.
Abstinence means that we refrain from eating meat (many Catholics continue this tradition on all Fridays throughout the year...and if they don't abstain from meat, they make another form of penance or sacrifice on Fridays, honoring it as the day the Lord laid down His life for us).

Small children, pregnant women, those with health issues, and the elderly are not expected to take part in fasting or abstinence.

I always have such a special JOY when we have a new baby and he/she receives ashes for the very first time!

Please know that if you are not Catholic, you are still WELCOME to come into any Catholic church and take part in this beautiful service that begins our LENTEN JOURNEY together! Many protestant churches also participate in this ritual.

I hope you'll come back tomorrow to learn about the Stations of the Cross...and a great idea for making a VERY SPECIAL set for CHILDREN ... our family uses our children's kits EVERY year and we are always so blessed and enriched by the experience.

See you tomorrow!
We are buried in snow...almost 30 inches now!!! It is over our two dogs' heads!!!

The Journey Ahead

For many, February 17th will begin a new Lenten journey.
I was so humbled and happy last year, when a family I met through blogging and on the Homeschool Lounge (who were not a Catholic family) wanted to unite in spirit with us for this beautiful season, and thus, went out to research more about Lent so that they could take part!!!
It was so wonderful to be connected in this very special way and I thanked God for bringing new people into my life with whom I could share the JOY of our Faith!

Others beside Catholics celebrate Lent as well.

I am really looking forward to "going out into the desert" this year...a time of respite, a time of penance, a time of deep prayer and reflection, and a time to grow closer to Jesus as we head toward the holy remembrance of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

One of the great blessings of homeschooling, is that we are COMPLETELY FREE to incorporate and celebrate OUR FAITH in ALL THAT WE DO...God is WELCOMED in our classroom and we include Him in each and every subject!

The next few posts here on benmakesten will be focused on the Lenten journey. I will include many of the customs and traditions that my own family enjoys during this sacred time and hopefully, I will offer you some ideas that you can use at home to experience a fruitful season of preparation as you journey toward EASTER SUNDAY!

Today, let's start with a simple explanation (for those who are unfamiliar) of LENT:

Lent is the season of 40 days leading up to the great celebration of Easter.
40 days symbolizes the time that the Israelites wandered in the desert, and also the time that Our Dear Lord Himself spent out in the wilderness, alone, in deep prayer before His great sacrifice to come.

For Catholics of the Roman rite, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which, this year, will be February 17th. (I draw the distinction between rites because for some others, such as the Byzantine rite, Lent begins on a Monday and the ritual uses holy oils rather than ashes).

The next post in this Lenten series will tell you more about Ash Wednesday...for now, I'd like to keep the focus on LENT itself:

Lent is a beautiful gift, a time of reflection, preparation, meditation, penance, healing, spiritual growth, and journeying ever-closer to OUR LORD.

The tone of Lent is SOLEMN, it is SACRED, it is QUIET and PEACEFUL. Therefore, those who celebrate this season often remove the loud, busy, festive distractions from their home life.
Purple, the color of royalty and penance, is often displayed about the home; some even remove the usual decorations and pictures from walls and shelves, giving the house a more "empty" look to symbolize our journey "out into the wilderness".

Many make sacrifices in reparation for our sin and those of the whole world. (More about this to come)

It is an opportunity to draw near to Christ...to open our hearts and minds to His message...to claim ourselves as "belonging to Him" and to be willing to CHANGE...to HEAL...to work on self-mastery and improving the state of our souls so that we will be better prepared and ready to REJOICE in the celebration of EASTER!

I hope that if you are Catholic, you will find many ideas here to enrich your Lenten journey.

And I hope that if you are not Catholic, you will be encouraged to take these ideas, and this beautiful season, and incorporate it into YOUR faith life and YOUR family life in a way that helps you increase in faith and strengthen your soul...and grow closer to your Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Since PRAYER is a huge part of Lent, I'll close this post by sharing a link to my friend Tammy's blog. She writes about a great website where you can download prayers, psalms, and reflections right to your I-pod (I don't have one, but if I did, I'd use this for sure!!!)

May the Lord bless each and every visitor to benmakesten, and may He draw you nearer to Himself through the beautiful traditions of LENT!

Here are a couple more links for learning more about LENT:
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0527.html

http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/

THREE SPECIAL LINKS FOR YOU, MY BENMAKESTEN FRIENDS!

Don't all girls love to get FLOWERS?!?
Wives and daughters especially love to get flowers from husbands and Daddies, right?
Well, my Daddy sent me "SOME SPRING" as his subject line in the e-mail stated.
It thrilled me SO VERY MUCH, that I had just had to SHARE THE JOY and pass it along to all of you!
Those who live in areas that have been cold, dreary, rainy, or icy and snowy will especially appreciate it I think.
No matter WHERE you are, know that I send you this bit of "SPRINGTIME" with LOVE in my heart and thanksgiving that you are part of my life!
Now, what you do is:
Click the link...which will then open a page that is BLACK on your computer.
To get your SPRINGTIME...point your mouse/cursor at the screen and begin to click ANYwhere and EVERYwhere...for even MORE FANTASTIC FUN....click/hold/and DRRRAAAAGGGG your mouse/cursor all over the screen.
WHAT A LOVELY SURPRISE YOU WILL GET!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so happy and thankful to my Dad for brightening up my day like this!
I hope YOU all enjoy it too!!!!!!!!! CLICK HERE!

That's just the FIRST link I'm giving you today.
There's another one...a very special one as well...particularly if you are a homeschooling mother...and even MORE particularly if you are a homeschooling mother who has ever felt overwhelmed, doubtful, or worried that she is doing a good job or that her efforts are not adequate enough for her children to succeed "out in the world". This link takes you to a post from a mom in West Virginia, USA (who happens to be one of my dearest friends) where she relays a message her grown, married, Registered Nurse-daughter shared with her regarding how she feels about her past home-education. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!
Thank you, Angel, for sharing this poignant, inspiring story with us, that we may be hopeful and diligent in our vocations!

The last link leads to my kids' answers to this question:
"What's your favorite part about WINTER?"

These three links were given to you for your enjoyment...a little respite in your busy day...a way to say that I appreciate your presence here and thank you for each visit you make to benmakesten.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Once Upon a Time...

A big hearty WELCOME to Anne and Erin, benmakesten's two newest friends!!!
I hope that everyone will visit their blogs and offer them a friendly "hello".
Anne and Erin, MAKE YOURSELVES AT HOME !! I hope to hear from you in the comments and invite you to browse around our sidebar and visit some links that might interest you! Maybe even travel to the bottom of the page...ha ha...I like telling people that...who ever goes all the way to the bottom of a blog page? (Actually, I do it all the time but that's just me, LOL) Anyway, we are really glad you are both here to be part of the benmakesten family!!!

And now...a little story for your day...


















Once upon a time, a happy homeschooling mother awakened before her family (since she always strove to emulate that wonderful Proverbs 31 woman ::SMILE::) and realized, on her way to start the coffee pot, that her husband, usually gone off to work hours before this time, was not only still at home, but was sleeping on the couch!!!!

Thinking he must have been SO exhausted from all of the snow-removal work he has been doing during the long hours of the night, she enlisted the help of her sweet Little Peanut and said quietly, "Sweetie, go wake your papa and tell him that he is a little late for work".

In the meantime, the happy homeschooling mother got the coffee started and went off to shower, dress, and make the bed as always.

Upon returning to the kitchen, her husband greeted her, and the other Littles began to teeter down the hall and into the room with morning smiles and hugs. The happy homeschooling mother's husband informed her that since he's been out for so many nights plowing snow, and he will be headed out again this afternoon, he decided to take the morning off and spend some time at home.

"But I don't want to get in the way", he said. "Please don't let me keep you from doing school."

Narrator: ANYONE WHO HOMESCHOOLS IS LAUGHING AT THIS STATEMENT FOR THEY MOST LIKELY KNOW THAT IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO "DO SCHOOL" WHEN DADDIES ARE HOME FROM WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The happy homeschooling mother glanced at her husband and then caught sight of the faces of her children at the breakfast table; now all wide-eyed and hopeful.

"Well", said the mother. "It's so nice to have you home that perhaps we'll just take the day off too...how about it kids?"

Shouts of JOY and JUBILATION now filled the air as the Littles ran to awaken the Bigs and tell them this hot-off-the-press-and-really-great-news!

Such is the blessing of the homeschooling life. And thus, another ordinary day of school routines, filled with handwriting, essays, vocab quizzes, Algebra, and the study of the properties of Matter turned into:

Making paper dolls

Playing "I Spy Word Scramble" ::sheepish grin from the happy homeschooling mother who threw this game in to get some Spelling practice anyway, hee hee hee::

Older kids making hot cocoa on the stove and homemade molasses cookies together

And the happy homeschooling mother getting EXTRA laundry done, scrubbing the bathroom, AND decluttering and cleaning her desk in the kitchen, while Daddy:

Took the Littles out to play in the snow, cleaned and prepared his truck and plow for tonight's storm and enlisted the help of his son to sweep the build-up of mud and twigs that had been tracked into the basement.

Everyone was free to take naps, write letters to friends, do a little blogging (even though it wasn't a scheduled computer time!) and watch a movie in the middle of the day!!!

The happy homeschooling mother sneaked a few moments to herself as she sat contentedly upon her bed, folding clothes and listening to the bustling activity and laughter coming from the kitchen.

Science experiments were still enjoyed, as the family gathered 'round the table to begin the "RAISE YOUR OWN SEA MONKEY" kit that their pen pals (SAHMinIL's kids) sent to let Joey know they'd been thinking of him as he recuperated from his concussion!

As this story went to print, the happy homeschooling mother and her children bid their father good-bye and "good work" as he went off to Washington DC to await the big snow...and they made plans to meet in the kitchen at 3 pm to watch super-chef Jacob whip up some homemade pepperoni pizza for supper!

The happy homeschooling mother felt thankful that she was learning to "let God lead the moment" and had not become totally and completely flustered that her husband had messed up all her school plans for the day; but instead, WENT WITH THE FLOW and had a super-fun, laid-back, really nice day with her family, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ THE END ~

IN THE MOMENT

First I'd like to welcome ANGELA, the newest friend of benmakesten! So happy you are here Angela and I hope we'll hear from you often in the comments! You'll find lots to inspire you in the links of the other benmakesten friends...some wonderful bloggers out there!!! And I hope you'll take some time to peruse the sidebar as well...I try to link you to things that will enrich and inspire your daily journey! WELCOME ABOARD!

Jennifer Hartline shared a WONDERFUL post, which is especially poignant to anyone who is a mother at home with small children each day. In her post, Jennifer mentioned one thing that really caught my attention and lingered in my heart. That is, that frustration and stress and an overwhelming feeling of "I QUIT" doesn't usually set in directly because we do not wish to be caring for our children or that we don't want to BE with our children (even when they misbehave)...but rather...it sneaks up on us when we want to be doing something else in the moment; rather than what God has put before us.

It's not that we resent being at home with our children..after all, it's our vocation! We are blessed! However, sometimes we forget to be led in the Spirit for our moment to moment living. In the backs of our minds, we have "things"....."things" that we want to be doing, that we feel we need to get to...that we tell ourselves are necessary (and some of them may well be)...so instead of accepting what God has before us in that instance...we want to tell GOD what our schedule is for the day...and when it's not going as planned...BOOM...stress...frustration....anger...tears.

When I say it is not going as planned...I mean...not going as WE have planned.

Let us remember that God allows each circumstance in our day for HIS GLORY and for OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

I read a quote (wish I'd remember who said it...I'll get back to you on that part)

"Hardships are discipline and God disciplines those He loves"

The more-trying moments of our day are meant to help us grow in holiness.

If only we could embrace EACH moment today...even the rough ones...and realize that God is with us...and that HE is in control.

Don't let your mind be rushing off to another activity or something you'd "rather" be doing...Place all of your attention and JOY and devotion IN THE MOMENT GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU RIGHT NOW.

If you're a mom at home with small children...that moment might repeat itself a hundred times a day...wiping a nose...cleaning up a spill...rushing a toddler to the potty...picking up a thousand legos ... THAT'S OK...THOSE are the moments God has allowed for you today...keep your focus...give it your all...and leave the rest to HIM!

HEEELLLLPP!

Dear Friends of Benmakesten!

HELP!

Recently, I visited a marvelous blog where the author had a post (not sure if it was current or in the archives) for a BULK/ALL PURPOSE cookie recipe. She makes a huge batch of this and then turns it into five different cookies at a time by adding different ingredients to the main recipe!!!!!!!!!!!!

I printed the recipe...and....LOST IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I'd bookmarked the blog (JUST IN CASE) but I don't see it in my bookmarks either!

I YOU are that lovely woman who has this wonderful recipe, or if you recognize whose blog I'm talking about, PLEASE EMAIL ME RIGHT AWAY!!!!

We were REALLY looking forward to using this recipe and wanted to save it to make "gift packs" for people (giving them a batch of the cookie dough and adding several ingredients in pretty jars to the basket so that they could make various kinds of cookies at once)...........and I have ruined it by misplacing the printed recipe :(

Our last hope is that SOMEONE knows whose blog this was OR knows the recipe!!!!!!!

Instill a LOVE OF COUNTRY

These flowers are to WELCOME GARDENIA, another new friend of BENMAKESTEN!
I met Gardenia when she commented on a recent article I wrote over on Catholic Chicks website:) You'll want to visit her and her sweet daughter, "Flower" when you have a moment for their blog is a delightful place! (And right now, they are sharing some VERY pretty St. Valentine's Day decorations all around their house!)


I am so thankful to each and every visitor that comes our way, and most especially to those who sign on to follow this blog. I have been blessed in so many ways by your visits, comments, participation, personal emails, cards, and notes! It is a JOY in my life to share this space with you! Please know that I treat your visits here as though you have come through the front door of my very home...I WELCOME you and hope that you feel "right at home" while you are here:)


If you read this post a few days back, you will know that I have been feeling a bit of trepidation as to my husband's chosen word for the New Year: CHANGE. ::scrinches face up in fear::

Well, it seems that the Lord is on-board with my husband, for He is sending me little messages of preparation everywhere I turn! I have been praying that God be in my heart so that as my husband begins to share more detail about WHAT exactly he wishes to change (::scrinches face up in fear again::) I will be open to and supportive of his ideas and needs. A newsletter to which I'm subscribed from Lifestyle Homeschool arrived
in my inbox yesterday. The title of this month's edition? "ACCEPTING CHANGE"
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! YIKES! God doesn't waste any time does He???????
After I read Belinda Letchford's words of insight and wisdom on the topic, I popped over to my good friend Colleen Spiro's blog for a visit. (Remember that I "credit" (i.e. blame, LOL) Colleen for this whole thing as she introduced me to the idea of a one-word New Year's resolution in the first place!) Upon arriving at Thoughts on Grace, I was greeted with a post entitled, "CHANGE TODAY" !!!!!!!!!
Okay, okay Lord....I GET the picture....now if only someone would tell me WHAT I am suppose to change I can move forward here!!!!!!!!!! ::smiles because she knows that all is well that rests in the Hand of God::

Scroll down to the next post for a GREAT give-away contest being held by the lovely Colleen Martin, of Martin Family Moments blog!

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Suggestion Saturday (an idea for homeschooling and family life)

Have a "Patriotic Party"
Whether you enjoy this with just your own family, or invite some other families to
join you, it is a fun and easy way to instill a love of country in your children.
The modern world has become very "self-focused" and often times, youth today are completely unaware of the true sacrifices and efforts made by others on their behalf so that they may live a life of FREEDOM.
Do your children know the anthem song of your nation?
A friend of mine uses Patriotic songs for handwriting practice! Each month, her children learn a song of our country by practicing the lyrics on paper in their best handwriting!
They then research the history/making of the song!
Decorate your home in the colors of your flag.
Share stories of your nation's beginnings and pray for the current needs of its people.
If you live in America, make sure that you teach your children the proper form and etiquette for displaying the American Flag. (If you scroll down the sidebar here on benmakesten and click on the American Flag image you will see, you'll find a GREAT site for ALL SORTS of activities and lessons involving the flag!)
THANK GOD FOR YOUR COUNTRY and teach your children to do the same!
Sing its songs, enjoy snacks and foods particular to your region, celebrate the Founders and leaders of your nation and allow your children to develop respect and love for their homeland.
It's sad to say, but in many schools today, the most basic and traditional songs and lessons of our nation's history are no longer being taught.
It doesn't have to be that way...YOU can celebrate Patriotism right in your very own home!
As adults, we don't always agree with our nation's politics or the decisions or actions of its leaders...but please don't let that keep you from inculcating a LOVE OF COUNTRY in the hearts of our youth...after all, THEY are the future leaders of your home-land...and they'll be more likely to want to serve it well if they've had a love and respect for it from their childhood.

Colleen Martin's Super-Duper Give-Away!

Ever been to Martin Family Moments blog? If so, then you know how DEAR the Martin family is...if not...you should go there...you will love it...SUCH adorable children they have!!! Colleen Martin is a super-woman who runs some astronomical distance, like SEVEN miles at a time...WOW!

Right now, she's inviting you to join her very first, VERY exciting give-away, which runs until February 13th because she wants the delight of announcing a winner on St. Valentine's Day!

Here's a link to see the GREAT PRIZES! You can win a cute little refrigerator ornament that is a "Softie Saint"...also, the MOST adorable apron I've ever seen...AND, that's not all....Colleen is also throwing in a $10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts, or the coffee place of your choice if there's not a DD near you:)

This post is actually gaining me a SECOND entry in this great give-away! Visit Colleen and JOIN THE FUN TODAY!

WHOOP! WE MADE IT! WHOOP! WE MADE IT!

This little sticky note (isn't it cute?) is for the newest friend of benmakesten!
Lisa is actually a friend of mine in person and lives a stone's throw away from me :)
I am so happy to see her here on benmakesten...although I know she is not feeling well right now, so, "Lisa...I hope you are a little better today and that you will have a swift recovery"! (For those of you who enjoy reading Seeking a Vocation blog, Lisa happens to be Sadie's mother!)



We are THRILLED that thanks to all of you wonderful people our new Homeschool Faith and Family Life fan page on face book made it to 50 fans!!! (We actually have 51!!! It says 52, but one of those is MOI, ::SMILE::) Thank you all so much on behalf of Tom and myself...we hope that you will continue to share the page with friends and family....maybe we'll shoot for 75?!?

Off to visit friends today! YAY! I love Fridays! School work is all done for the week, house is spruced up (enough to hold us over until Saturday chores) and the rest of the day is ours to do as we please...it's almost like another weekend day for us...we often DO still work on school projects, arts and crafts, and research...but just knowing that we don't HAVE to and can zip off for a play date when we want...it's a great feeling!

I hope you will not mind me redirecting you to THIS POST I have written for Catholic Chicks website for now, while I zip off to sip hot tea and scoot my children off to play so that I can hug my dear friend Angela and bask in her wisdom and fellowship for a few hours! I think you'll enjoy the post...(especially YOU Nancy...for some reason, you kept coming to mind as I wrote it)...it is about the SIMPLE and SWEET days of family life.

IN MEMORY (second post today)

This post is dedicated in honor of the memory of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger Crew, whose attempted flight to the moon ended in a tragic disaster when the system malfunctioned due to ice build-up and the shuttle exploded before the eyes of many who looked on; including the young school teacher, Christa Mcauliffe's, parents and students.

Sometimes, something is so confusing, so unexpected, and so heartwrenching, that it etches itself deep into your heart and mind forever.

The explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger is just such a moment for me.

I remember it as though it happened yesterday. My sister-in-law and I were serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to our babies who were two years old at the time.
As we scooped them up to watch "the big rocket go to the moon" our JOY, along with that of thousands of other on-lookers, turned to pain, shock, and sorrow as we watched the entire crew fall to their death in the sea below.

Today, we honor the memory of:

Michael J. Smith

Ronald E. McNair

Ellison S. Onizuk

Judith A. Resnik

Gregory B. Jarvis

and

Christa McAuliffe

May their families be comforted today and may they each rest in the heavenly peace of God forevermore.

The following link is the ABC News broadcast of the attempted flight.
I debated as to whether or not to show it to my children or include it in this post.
I decided to do both as it is a tragedy of monumental proportions in our nation's history.
Sometimes life brings grave suffering. This was such a time.
I caution readers that the video is "live" from 1986 and it does show the demise of the shuttle. However, it also contains beautiful images of the crew and poignant commentary from those who knew and loved them.
I leave it to you to discern whether or not you wish to view it or share it with your family.

Beauty in the Blogosphere

There are so many places to visit in the blogging community that bring JOY, INSPIRATION, and the BEAUTY of SIMPLICITY to my days.


Today I am presenting the LOVELY LADY~LOVELY BLOG award to some women who shine with beauty in their blogs and who inspire me in my daily life.


To accept this award, recipients should do the following things:

1) Save the image and upload it to display in your sidebar

2) Present the award to five people

3) Publish a post presenting the award which names your 5 recipients and tells what you like about each of their blogs/websites.

Benmakesten would like to present the LOVELY LADY~LOVELY BLOG award to the following five people today:

1) LAURA from Goose Hill Farm: Visiting Laura is like being invited into the coziest country home you can imagine...filled with family love and tasty treats! Laura's strong faith in the Lord emanates from her posts and her "still-girlish" love for "her man" Skippy is so endearing and sweet :) I am always uplifted when I visit with Laura...(and I am quite partial to her NAME as well since I have a daughter with the same :)

2)Allison from Broken Fortress: This young woman, who is engaged to married soon, shines with the virtues and qualities that all mothers wish to instill in their daughters: modesty, innocence, strong faith, compassion, purity, grace, elegance, kindness, and JOY. Allison is definitely a nonconformist in her generation of the modern world and it is lovely to see someone her age with the beautiful and traditional truths of the Church etched in her heart as her "road-map" for life. I wish her MANY joys and blessings in her future life with Steve...and I thank her for sharing her heart with us as she ventures into many new territories in life:)

3)Tammy from He Equips the Called blog! Tammy is very new to blogging and has beautiful visions for where she wants to go with it all...sharing a love of her Faith in CHRIST, a love of family and homeschooling...and a passion for homesteading and traditional/simple lifestyle choices in cooking and decorating and daily life in general.
I have known Tammy for years in person and she is the godmother of BEN, the namesake of this blog. I know that Tammy will inspire and bless all who visit her in the blogosphere, just as she uplifts and inspires ME in our daily lives!

4)Jennifer, from Homespun Love! Another of my "real life" friends, and fairly new to blogging, Jennifer has been QUITE busy taking care of her sweet new son Daniel these days. Her blog reflects her love of crafting, quilting, crocheting and the like. Intermingled with her beautiful works of art, Jennifer shares her wonderful thoughts and insights on the beauty of being a child of God and the every-day ups and downs of family and homeschooling life. Each time I read something Jennifer has written, I always glean a bit of hope, understanding, and JOY for the journey:)

5) Joscelyn, from Seeking a Vocation blog! I didn't deliberately choose people I know in person...but it does so happen that this recipient is a young friend of mine in "real life" too! Joscelyn, who also writes under the pen-name of "Sadie" is about as "LOVELY" as they come. She is a young maiden of the Lord...devoted to her parents, brothers, sisters, parish, and friends, and preparing her own heart for an entrance into the Poor Clares' convent in Virginia come next winter! Joscelyn exudes wisdom and insight FAR beyond her years...her writings are filled with grace and BEAUTY and one can not help but feel more closely drawn toward Jesus with each visit to her blog. Confident and sure, yet meek and kind as well, this young lady is the epitome of what the award is all about :)

Congratulations Laura, Allison, Tammy, Jennifer, and Joscelyn! I hope you enjoy your awards and I thank you for being LOVELY LADIES with LOVELY BLOGS!