Home's

Today I would like to share with you some scenes from our Epiphany celebration in our home.
The celebration starts our the night before with the placing of our shoes ready for the Epiphany gifts.
Each year these are basically the same:

Gold = Gold Coins
Frankincense = Tea
Myrrh = Cloves or I have used a small stone
Jelly beans = The reason for the Jelly Beans is to show all of the blessings we have in Christ
The symbols for this are:
Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made,
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black, white, brown, yellow and red is for the children He made
All of these colors receive the grace He gave,
Purple is for the hour of sorrow,
Pink is for the new tomorrow.

I do so love to see the current baby's little shoes filled for the first time - it is a memory I treasure each year, a blessing I am thankful for.
Morning arrives and after another waiting game for Corbyn the opening of the symbolic gifts can commence
Trahaearn with his first Epiphany gifts
His first taste of chocolate, just a little one mind you
The wise men had arrived at the manger after traveling from one side of the lounge room  the East
We then transform the Christmas Crib to a Throne for the Child King on Epiphany.
This will be our 'stage' for the presentation of the gifts by the 'Three Kings' who find the beans in the Epiphany cake after dinner.
The capes and crowns for the lucky Kings
Jesus sits Enthroned
The Gifts ready - Gold Frankincense and Myrrh
Our chalkboard summery of the day- courtesy of Anna-Lisa this year.
The cake made by Rogan with the beans inside....just waiting to be chosen
Corbyn for once wasn't interested in the cake. He kept running his hands through it scrunching it up saying "I hope I get to be a King", sadly there was no been in his cake though.
Here are our Three Kings, Oh yes there are four this year. As it turned out two of our older children graciously gave the thrill of acting as the kings to Corbyn and Myffwyn. When it was obvious that ALL the younger children would be doing this, Arwen decided she wanted to be a king too.
This was not a problem. We quickly found another cape and crown and a small glass jar for a gift and we have ready.....The Four Wise Men
So each of the Kings proceeded forward to present their gifts to the Child Jesus. Moran was first and is always so sure of herself in this area.
Arwen was so cute
Corbyn was so excited
Myffy was a little embarrassed and so proceeded quickly
"Thank you for being here tonight"
Arwen kept giving Jesus a kiss 'cause she loves Him'
Jesus with all His gifts arrayed around Him
Afterwards while older children finished cleaning up each of the younger children help Jesus and then proceeded to dance around to the music that was playing
Very loved Child
Reflux baby Jesus - you can tell when a family has a reflux baby in the family as this is the way you hold them
More cuddles for  Baby Jesus

Tonight we used this  blessing for our home after the cleaning up and  and the Presentation of Gifts~

Priest:	Peace be to this house.
All:	And to all who dwell herein
Priest:	From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
During the Magnificat below, the room is sprinkled with holy water and incensed:
All:	My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever.
All:	From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
Priest:	Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and  forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead and lead us not into temptation,
All:	But deliver us from evil.
Priest:	All they from Saba shall come
All:	Bringing gold and frankincense.
Priest:	O Lord, hear my prayer.
All:	And let my cry come unto Thee.
Priest:	Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
All:	Amen
Priest:	Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee-- Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
All:	And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.
Priest:	Let us pray. Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.
Bless each room with incense and Epiphany Water. Write the Magi’s initials, connected by Crosses, and the year’s numbers over the front door with the blessed chalk, like this: 20  G+M+B  04

Information on the Gifts

I pray you enjoyed this glimpse into our celebration this year.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Tomorrow we celebrate the first of the major feasts of our family circle - Epiphany.
Tonight we have set out the shoes we do each year for the gifts to be placed in.
Nothing huge or expensive but items that hopefully represent the  celebration of Epiphany or Three Kings Day.


We will mostly follow what we have done in past years as described in these posts and I am resolved to spend a lot of the  day reading with the children and preparing for the Three Kings Play


Apart from this the major excitement for the children is the finding of the three beans in the King Cake, Oh yes I had better cook this as well as doing those special snuggling and reading too.


We will be taking our Christmas decorations down, boo hoo, and the tree, sigh. It actually becomes a very deserted looking home as we take away the trappings that have helped us remember this special season.


So from our home to yours have amost blessed Feast day as we come to the end of this Christmas Season!!


"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path." Matthew 2: 1-12


An Epiphany Prayer~
Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.
As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!
Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance. As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?
May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people.
We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen.

Blessings to you and your homes,