Treasured Spiritual Practice :: Creating an Altar

 
To the right of my marine-blue, 45+ year-old rocker recliner sits this little pine end table.  We refer to it as my heart table because there is a heart cutout on each of the 4 sides below the tabletop.  Up until last week, it held my wooden, spiral Advent wreath that Mary on her donkey and I walked for the 11th time last month. When it was time to put them up, I took great pleasure in creating this little vignette that will be watching over me in the next little while.

Smiling fondly as there is so much significance tucked in my little vignette, each piece speaks to me on a heart and soul level every time I look over at it, whether I realize it or not.  Sharing these thoughts here as intentionally gathering it all together was/is very much a treasured, spiritual practice.

I was smitten with the granddaughter snuggled up next to her grandmother the first time I laid eyes on the figurine and the two of them are never far from my line of sight.  It felt time to bring them back to the forefront for a little while, serving as a quiet, constant reminder that my beloved ancestors are never far away.

Once, when my “Guardian of the Home” angel was sitting in front of our lamp and facing out, a friend commented that it looked like she was blessing Bert and Ernie, my crutches.  I loved my angel before my friend’s comment and now I treasure her even more.  Her presence reminds me that angels are always gathered around protecting hubby and me, and our home.

The sweet little framed block found me recently and I love it’s gentle reminder “Be who you are & be that well”.  Gingham fondly reminds me of both my mother and my beloved grandmother so they are both smiling out at me from my little vignette as well.  (One year my grandmother made 16 smocked, gingham dresses, one for each of her granddaughters.)

My sweet snow angel, all dressed in white was a Christmas surprise from a dear friend.  And, of course, Gabriella, my rubber ducky angel had to make a guest appearance.  Grinning because she doesn’t stay parked there as the two of us are often elsewhere, always on the lookout for the places where I’m already held.

My “Grace will lead you home” block has been standing in its place since arriving 2-1/2 years ago.  I fondly nicknamed my Higher Power “Mama Grace” twelve years ago so she’s right there smiling out at me, too.

Visiting Mary after daily mass one day in December 2019, a mere 2-1/2 weeks before losing my father, I “just happened” to look down and saw this stray wood chip.  I was amazed by how much it looked like a hand so I brought it home with me.  A friend later commented that it's shaped like how someone holds their hand over our head when blessing us so it, too, has been a longtime anchor in my little table altar space since.

The angel dressed in pale orange was a Christmas gift from hubby, selected from my wish list.  (Grinning as there is almost always an angel on my wish list!)  This newest lovey is holding an hourglass and her skirt gently whispers to me “Be Patient with your Journey", dear heart.

Sweetheart angel next to her was a delightful surprise from hubby 6 Valentine’s ago.  He happened to see her in the card shop and wondered if I might like her.  Smiling as he had NO idea how much I would come to treasure her.  I love how she role models what it looks like to stand in my truth and offer what I have.  She’s not over-reaching nor does she cower.  She just quietly, steadily, simply stands in her truth and in her life, trusting it is Enough.

And, of course, she smiles fondly, the lace placemat with a piece of denim fabric underneath captures and mirrors my farmer’s daughter, country gal’s heart.

Blessed be.

❤️


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