Nothing Ordinary

"Either we learn to find our Lord in the ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him." 
~St. Josemaria Escriva

Here we are are, back in Ordinary Time, this short stretch between Christmas and Lent.  It can be tempting after the busyness of Advent and Christmas to put away the decorations, set aside seasonal devotionals or practices, and assume that there is nothing particularly special about Ordinary Time- but that is far from the truth.  Ordinary Time doesn't mean boring- it calls us to order, to growth, to everyday holiness.  Ordinary Time allows our faith to flourish in the normalcy of life, where Christ has always been and always will be.

It is good to have the unique Seasons of Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter to shake us awake with the monumental events at the beginning and end of Christ's earthly life, but He (and we) certainly did a lot of living in between.  During this Season of Ordinary time we soak up Christ's miracles, His teachings, His call to His followers.  We find ways to be his disciples not just in extraordinary situations, but in each ordinary moment.

Just as I decorate my home for Seasons like Advent and Lent, I try to make the decor to also reflect the Season of Ordinary Time.  Lots of green as a reminder of the growth we are called to, prints and pictures of Saints whose feast days we celebrate, and quotes from Mass readings are on frequent rotation in my home.

I just took down my Christmas decorations last week, and thought you might like to see a few of the corners of my apartment that I dressed up for Ordinary Time.  Rotating out the art with the Seasons also helps me appreciate it with fresh eyes, and I always love "shopping" my apartment and simply rearranging what I already have in a new way.  (More tips on that in this post.)

When possible, I've tried to link to items in these photos if you see something you'd like for your own home. This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase something, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

First up, here's a favorite reading spot in my living room.  The fabulous chair my mom found at our favorite local thrift store- it has giant flowers in the best shade of blue and green, and while a bit crazy and threadbare, I love it.  The end table was made from an old card catalog and holds just a small portion of my pens and markers, making this a great spot for Bible Journaling.  But the highlight is my Mary Consoles Eve print, which to be honest, I have on display no matter the Season. It just tends to move locations.  So much prayer and symbolism are packed into this piece of art, and I know it has impacted countless people. Meditating on the Incarnation is fitting all year round.

-"Mary Consoles Eve" Print by Sr. Grace Remington from Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey.  Can be purchased here.
-Vintage blue flower print chair and card catalog-turned-end-table.


Next up, in my bedroom, I have a beautiful little cabinet I found last summer at a flea market and am using as a prayer space.  I've already changed out the items on top for display quite frequently, and I think this is my favorite yet, probably due to this gorgeous standing Crucifix.
*HolyArt sent me this product in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own, and I only recommend things I love and hope you would too.

On my cabinet, I've got some green plants (Philodendrons are the only thing I can keep alive for extended periods of time- #farmersdaughterwithablackthumb) to remind me of the growth of this Season, as well as a beautiful wrapped canvas of Raphael's Disputation of the Holy Sacrament.  That painting kept popping up in events in my life last fall, and I knew I needed to have a copy of my own.  There are so many layers of meaning and so much to contemplate in this painting.

And I just added this standing Crucifix to my collection.  It is made of natural, carved ashwood, and the detail is stunning.  The two-tone wood is simple and yet profound.  I'm so pleased with the quality and the customer service of those I've worked with at HolyArt.  Their site has literally thousands of unique Catholic items- from statues and jewelry, to liturgical accessories and food from monasteries around the world.

-Vintage Lives of the Saints book and milk glass bowl-turned-planter.
-The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament by Raphael from ArtCanvas on Amazon (also can't say enough about their customer service! I had a minor problem with an order, and they bent over backwards to quickly remedy the situation and upgrade my original order.)
-Natural Wood Standing Crucifix from HolyArt.

The wood grain is visible in the Corpus and each little carving adds to detail that creates a stunning overall effect. It arrived well packed and in perfect condition all the way from Italy! The quality of construction and classic design means this is an heirloom piece I plan to enjoy for many, many years to come.

Someday I hope to have a fireplace mantle to decorate, but until then, I decorate the tops of my antique bookshelves.  This one is especially pretty as two of the shelves hold my vintage book collection, organized by color.  (I just can't do it with all my other books though- they are organized by topic and then author so I can find and use them quickly!)  On top of this shelf, I've got mu Louisa May Alcott book collection, which reminds me of cozy winters, a snowy scene painted by my uncle, a print with the line from Jane Austen's Emma, "There's nothing like staying home for real comfort," and a Mary and Baby Jesus statue that belonged to my Great- Grandma- it has 1901 written on the inside!

-Vintage book collection.
-Winter painting done by my uncle.
-Home print by Carrot Top Paper Shop.
-My Great Grandmother's Mary & Baby Jesus statue.

And on the top of my other bookshelf is my letterboard, which I change out with the Seasons.  You can see some other examples using the hashtag #katiesletterboard.  My favorite (fake) boxwood wreath is perfect for Ordinary Time, and I absolutely love the Immaculate Heart tin ornament my sister got me for Christmas.  As I researched it to find a link for you, I'm realizing that it's done in the style of a milagro or ex voto, and now I'm intrigued and plan on doing more research. ( If you know more about this custom, I'd love to hear from you!)  This quote from Psalm 84 came up in my prayer last week, and seemed like a perfect verse for this first part of Ordinary Time.  It especially reminds me that all of these outward expressions of decor and liturgical traditions should ultimately help us orient our lives so that we are not just welcoming Christ into our homes, but into our hearts.

-Immaculate Heart tin ornament here on Amazon. (But says it is currently unavailable.  A kind reader sent a link that she found it here!)
-Gray letterboard from Hobby Lobby, similar here.
-Vintage sewing machine drawer.
-Boxwood wreath, similar here.

How do you mark Ordinary Time in you home and heart?  I'd love to hear back from you in comments, or tag me in a photo of your Ordinary Time decor on Instagram!

Keeping Advent {giveaway & discount!}

All this month I'll be posting about resources to help you live, learn, and celebrate the coming season of Advent.  Today I'm sharing how I decorate my home for the Seasons, and next Monday I'll have a post about how celebrating Advent doesn't require kid-centered activities.

I happen to love decorating for the Liturgical Seasons, but it isn't something that I came by naturally.  Even though I immerse myself into living the Liturgical Year, I thought for a long time decorating or having certain traditions in my home for the Season was reserved for families with small kids.  For the past few years, I've been intentionally working on bringing the Seasons into my home.  Because I am rotating things as each new Season comes in the Church year, that area of my home looks fresh and different, drawing my attention and making me think about the meaning of the Season we are in.

As we are preparing for Advent, I thought I'd share a few practical tips for bringing the Liturgical Seasons into your home no matter if you are single, live alone or with roommates, are married, have small children, or a growing family.

• Keep it simple:  Choose one or two locations in your home you'd like to rotate out decor to match the Liturgical Year.  If you have too much to move, pack, and store, and you have items all over your house, it is harder to make time.  Some common places that would work well are your kitchen or dining room table, a mantle, a special shelf in your living room, or your home prayer space.  I don't have a mantle, so I usually decorate the top of my bookshelves and I also have something on the center of my kitchen table.
• Choose a few special items:  For each Season, invest in something particularly meaningful that will immediately call to mind what we are celebrating.  These would be more investment items that you will reuse each year. For Advent, get an Advent Wreath. Christmas, a special Nativity set.  For Lent, maybe find or make a crown of thorns, and for Easter have a special banner or floral arrangement.  For Ordinary Time, I work in a green wreath to remind me of the growth of this Season.
• Reuse items creatively: With the special Seasonal pieces above, I then arrange my decor with items I keep out all year.  Books, vases, candles, etc. all work together for various Seasons.  Flowers and greenery (real, fake, and dried) are always a part of my displays. I also have a letterboard and a chalkboard in two places in my home that I change the quotes on frequently.  And one of my favorite conversation starters is the bowl of Scrabble tiles I have kept on my kitchen table over the past ten years or so.  I sometimes will use the letters to display a word, but more often they are just in a bowl that matches the color scheme of the Season and people love to pick them up and play with them as they are gathered around the table.
• One Frame & Many Prints: One more simple thing I do is rotate the art in a few places in my home.  This sounds complicated, but really is quite easy.  Over the years, I have been collecting beautiful 8 x 10" prints from various artists I love.  I have cute frames hung in my bedroom, the living room, and next to the bathroom mirror.  As I get new prints, I just layer them in the frame, and then as the Seasons change, I pull down the frame choose a new print (no hunting to find where I stashed it, no worrying it will get bent or damaged) and rehang.  Instant Liturgical refresh!

Speaking of those lovely prints, I thought I'd show you an example of how I'll switch up my Advent and Christmas decor.

*Just Love Prints provided me with a free Advent print in exchange for an honest review. I only recommend things that I have used and love, and these opinions are entirely my own.

I love this "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices" print from Just Love Prints.  It is sweet and simple and is a line from one of my favorite hymns.  I also think that it works well for both Advent (as we hope in the coming Savior) and Christmas (as we rejoice that He has come).  With this print in my favorite gold frame (rotating out my current Ordinary Time choice), I'll place it on my kitchen table next to my Advent wreath and bowl of Scrabble tiles.  Last year I pulled out Scrabble letters to spell the theme for the four weeks of Advent (hope, peace, joy, love) and displayed them next to the wreath.

Another simple tradition that is meaningful for any age involves the Nativity set.  I set up my Nativity set the first week of Advent, but I only place Mary and Joseph inside.  Each week, I add a few more figures, but Jesus doesn't come until Christmas.  It's a great reminder, that just as they are all looking and waiting for Jesus, I need to stay focused and watching as well.

Come Christmas, Baby Jesus arrives, and then I'll keep this print up through Epiphany.  

I'd love to hear from you: How does your home reflect the Liturgical Seasons, especially if you don't have young kids involved?  If you do have children at home, what traditions do you have that are most special to you as an adult?

Yay for decorating! To help you get started or to add to your collection of Liturgical Decor, Just Love Prints is offering a special discount to Look to Him and Be Radiant readers!  Stock up on prints for the various Seasons or get started on your Christmas shopping!

Visit the Just Love Prints Shop here.

Promo: Take $5 off any order of $25 or more with code BERADIANT5. 

Expires January 1, 2018.

Aaaaand I've partnered with Just Love Prints to offer you this lovely giveaway!  Head over to Instagram for your chance to win a St. Teresa of Avila print, Bloom Where you are Planted" Magnet, "Be Not Afraid" temporary tattoo (In St. JPII's actual handwriting!) and a "Wise Men Still Seek Him" Magnet.  The giveaway will be open tonight 11/9/17 starting at 5 p.m. CST and will close Saturday, 11/11/17 at 11:59 p.m., so don't miss your chance!