1. Thanks to a former homeschooling aunt and her encouragement to start praying the Stations of the Cross at home with my young children, I’ve found a meaningful way to help my preschooler journey with Jesus to the cross this Lent.
Here’s what we’re doing to bring the stations into our home: I light a candle and then I read a brief description of each station, say a prayer, and finally ask my daughter to find an object from a small box. The small objects symbolize each station and provide something visual and tangible for her to hold in her hands. We reviewed the stations for the first time using this method last week, and out of the blue yesterday she actually asked to “do those stations” again.
I’m using the following objects to represent each station:
Station 1
Pilate condemns Jesus: A red string (because Jesus’ hands were bound)
Station 2
Jesus carries his cross: A cross made from two Popsicle sticks
Station 3
Jesus falls for the first time: A Band-Aid (to remind us of how much Jesus was hurting when he fell)
Station 4
Jesus meets his Mother: A rosary (to remind us of Our Blessed Mother, the pain she endured watching her son suffer, and that she remains close to Jesus even now and can bring our prayers, joys, and sorrows to him)
Station 5
Simon helps Jesus carry the cross: A small piece of white felt with the letter “H” drawn on it (“H” stands for “help” and is a reminder that we should always seek to help others)
Station 6
Veronica wipes Jesus’ face: A cloth with a drawing of Jesus’ face on it (Here we discuss how we must reach out to others and see Jesus in all things)
Station 7
Jesus falls for the second time: Another Band-Aid
Station 8
Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem: A tissue (to remind us that Jesus is always here to comfort us and to wipe our tears away)
Station 9
Jesus falls for the third time: a cutout of my daughter’s hand made of cardstock (serves as a reminder for us to lend a helping hand to those who fall since we could not be there to lift Jesus up when he stumbled)
Station 10
Jesus is stripped: A piece of purple felt (the piece of cloth represent Jesus’ garments. I chose purple since this is the liturgical color for repentance and preparation. We talk about how Lent is a time to prepare for the joy of the resurrection.)
Station 11
Jesus is nailed to the cross: A nail
Station 12
Jesus dies: A small crucifix
Station 13
Jesus is taken down from the cross: A postcard of Michelangelo’s Pieta (We talk about the sorrow Mary must have felt holding her dead son in her arms and yet, she remained faithful, believing in God’s eternal promise.)
Station 14
Jesus is buried: A stone (to remind us of the sealed tomb that enclosed Jesus’ body)
Station 15
Christ rises from the dead: A picture of our Risen Lord resplendent in his victory over death!
2. What I’ve come to refer to as the “interminable incubating” continues as does what the medical community defines as “early labor.” It’s been almost one month and counting now since I was told the baby’s birth was imminent. I’m walking around with a fully engaged baby, a cervix that’s almost halfway to the point of complete dilation, and fully effaced.
There’s some success in the fact that I haven’t given birth yet since the baby has had more time to grow healthy and strong (I just hit the 38-week mark and my second child was already in my arms for over a week at this point after premature dilation), but the real success lies in the fact that my tendency to be completely anal is waning (somewhat), and I haven’t gone absolutely insane wondering when baby will fall out (though I have taken to gnawing on my nails). Yes, gravity has turned from foe to friend. Nothing like the unpredictability of babies to help a control freak like me relent and turn things over to God. It’s fitting that this is all happening during Lent.
3. We’ve narrowed down our list of names for our newest addition after my oldest child suggested that perhaps the baby was waiting until we at least had something to call her other than “baby.”
Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms’ small successes at Faith & Family Live!
Kate, CONGRATULATIONS. You have been in my prayers in a special way, and I so appreciate your sharing that Stations activity. I’m going to try to pull it together so I can do it with my preschooler too (and perhaps a friend and her preschooler). Can’t wait to “meet” that baby! :)
Kate- great job. I love the stations activity- thanks for giving the details! I’m going to try and get it set up for tomorrow. It is simple enough to get my 8-yr-old to help set it up. I will keep baby and mommy in my prayers today.
Thanks Kate, I will definately try out your stations this week! It’s tough with a 5/3/1 year old to put it in a way that they understand and is fun.
The Stations of the Cross sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU for listing the Stations of the cross! This is wonderful!!! THANK YOU!!
Praying for you and your baby. It can’t be much longer now, can it? We;re ALL behind you.
Again, so grateful for the stations! God Bless!
Kate,
The Stations are fantastic! I’m going to pass the link to our homeschool group. Truly sweet!
And, wow! Looks like your nearly halfway through labor!! Praying for you, my dear. Soon, very soon, a delightful little bundle of joy will rest in your arms!
Not that I’m hoping you make it that far, but Good Friday would be a really neat day to be in labor. What a day to unite your suffering to Christ!
Janet
You might as well pictch a tent in front of the hospital because that baby is going to fly right on out any minute!! I’ll pray that you have a safe and healthy delievy, wherever that might be! Seriously, I won’t be surprised if you end up with a home birth! :)
PS. Those stations are great! Thanks for posting!
I love your home Stations! One suggestion: Light 14 small tea light candles at the beginning and then have Maddy put them out one at a time after each station. It is a beautiful illustration of the the darkness we are in without the Light of Christ.