Advent Unplugged Wrap-Up

This Advent I linked up with other bloggers and took intentional steps to "unplug" from social media as well as make this season a time of reflection as we prepared for Christmas. You can read about my goals for Advent here and how it was going about half way through here.

After mass this afternoon, we will officially begin celebrating the birth of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ! It seems Christmas is sweeter this year because of the steps I took to make it reflective. Below are a few updates on how this Advent went for me:

I really appreciated not having the Facebook app on my phone. I found I wasn't as distracted from what was going on in my own house and conversations with my husband and I was using the time when I was nursing to read things that were enhancing my life in some way. I'm really not convinced that I'll download it again. In full disclosure, there have been a few times where I did use safari to go on FB for one reason or another, but it definitely wasn't the norm. As I said last week, I think there was more addiction to this form of social media than I originally thought; so glad that it became more apparent to me so that I can avoid being that "into" it again. 

The Relevant Radio app was actually only used a handful of times, but I found it fruitful when I did tune in. I'm excited to keep using this as a way to learn more and grow in my faith and am grateful that it was part of this Advent season for me.

Being aware of the daily readings allowed me to follow along with the Advent season and gave me something to reflect on each day. This is something I have done intermittently in the past, but I really hope to keep this as a part of my day from now on. 

Setting aside time for Brandon and I to reflect upon quotes from Padre Pio and a corresponding bible verse was also helpful. We talked about things we wouldn't have otherwise and it was a good reminder each morning and evening that Advent is a time for reflection and preparation and prayer. 

Last week in a meeting someone asked, "Are you all ready for Christmas?" 

"I still have presents to buy and wrapping to do. But I'm really not feeling stressed. Advent was a time of preparing my heart for Christmas and remembering the true reason for the season, and I'm just really looking forward to Christmas."

Thanks to Haley for providing the inspiration to unplug and be intentional this Advent, and for hosting this link-up.

Have a very, very Merry Christmas. I wish you and your family many blessings as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!

~Danielle

Advent Unplugged: Week 2

I intended on publishing a post or two this past week. I even started one and saved a few other ideas. But, what can I say? This season of life is one that is filled with caring for a little boy during the day who happens to be a bit needy...he's such a baby! My nights have been spent knocking things off my to-do list which seems so long this time of year and spending some quality time with the hubs. There's something about the cold, dark nights that make me just want to curl up on the couch. And so my writing has been neglected and I just have to be A-OK with it.

But how is my Advent going? Have I stayed true to my goals of being "unplugged"?

Delete facebook from my phone. I have remained true to this promise and have not even logged into facebook via safari! This is a big deal and the longest I have stayed away from FB via the iPhone since it's been in my possession. I have to say, there is a peace that has come with this decision. When I have a moment to actually use the computer, such as during nap time, in the evening, or when baby is happily playing on the floor, I'll log in quickly to check notifications and peruse my news feed for a few minutes. Then I close the browser and am done. A stark dichotomy from reading every post until I come to the last one I recognize. Perhaps I was more addicted to this form of social media than I realized, but I'm glad to be taking strides to walk out of that fog.

Download the Relevant Radio app. I haven't used this app as much as I originally thought that I would, but what I have been able to listen to has been really fruitful and on my mind for days! If you have this app and are looking for great insight on what it means to be humble, you may want to listen to Fr. Boniface Hicks podcast on Humility. It can be found under "The Inner Life" in "Podcasts."

Read/listen to daily readings each day. Over the last week I can only think of one day where I never went into Laudate (which is a fabulous Catholic app if you've never heard of it!) to read or listen to the daily reading, psalm, and Gospel. This simple, intentional step allows me to make the connection of the day to the greater liturgical season of Advent. God constantly extends huge amounts of grace to us through the readings and I believe I'm taking a small step this Advent to accept these graces, something I've been praying for lately. What a great reminder of the somberness of Advent as we wait for the celebration of Christmas.

Reflection as a family. Brandon and I continue to use our little "Advent Reflections with Saint Pio of Pietrelicina" booklet every morning and evening and have really enjoyed them! They are super-duper short, though, and I'm yearning for a little more depth and braininess this Advent, so I'm also borrowing The Infancy Narratives by Pope Benedict XVI as something I'd like to read over the next two weeks! I'm only about 6 pages in but already have learned something! (Did you know that exegesis means a critical interpretation of a text?)

Advent is nearing it's halfway point. While I'm making progress on my "goals," I'm hoping that as this somber season continues I'll feel a little less anxious and a little more at peace. Hope you get the opportunity for some intentional reflection as we await the coming of our King!

Check out Haley's page to see how others "Advent Unplugged" are going!

~Danielle

Advent Unplugged: Week 1

Advent is upon us and this year I'd really like to honor this part of the liturgical year for what it should be: a time of intentional preparation, anticipation, and reflection as we wait for the celebration of the birth of Christ!

I'm linking up with Haley over at Carrots for Michaelmas for "Advent Unplugged" and have come up with my own plan for unplugging, primarily from Facebook, during this season as well as making an intentional effort to infuse my daily life with opportunities for reflection.

My Advent Plan:

Delete facebook from my phone. If you're keeping up with my posts, you'd be confused right now because didn't I just delete it about a month ago? Yes, yes I did. But it found it's way back to my phone when I wanted to easily upload a few photos to facebook. The app makes it about 33 times easier than trying to do it using Safari. Soo...the plan is to allow myself to upload photos to facebook using the app on Sundays, if I wish. Otherwise I just automatically scroll through the news feed while I'm nursing and I'm positive there are better uses of my time.

Download the Relevant Radio app. So...maybe this seems counter-intuitive to the whole "unplugged" thing. But my father-in-law had been telling me how much he likes the programming on Relevant Radio and it seems like an easy way to infuse some intentional programming into my life. I'm someone who really needs to be taking in information throughout the day, which is why I default to Facebook so often. With just me and a 7 month old at home, I know that I can still fully meet his needs and be present to him while listening to a radio show or two. And it's surely better than looking at my phone screen.

Read/listen to the daily readings each day. This liturgical season is full of readings that should fill us with anticipation, reminding us that our entire lives are actually "Advents" for the promise of heaven! In his homily on Sunday, the priest pointed out that the daily readings really don't talk about the first coming of Christ in Christmas until around December 18th! Instead, they point towards the second coming of Christ, that which we're all still waiting for. Reading these each day (or listening to them via the Laudate app...I know...more "plugged" but I can do it while holding Silas or getting ready in the morning!) will allow me to remain focused on Advent, the season at hand, instead of getting swept away in all things Christmas too soon!

Reflection as a family. Brandon and I are going through a little reflection booklet together. And it's an actual book--not something online for once! It's actually quotes from the writings of Saint Padre Pio coupled with a bible verse. We each read the page for the day separately when we eat breakfast in the morning (Brandon's up and ready early and I sleep as long as little man will let me!) Then at dinner we read it aloud and talk about if it struck us in anyway.

As Advent continues I'll update on how well my adherence to the plan is going!

Hope your Advent is off to a reflective, intentional start!

~Danielle