Responding to a call from their religious education program, the Halsmer family turned last weekend’s snowstorm into an opportunity for prayer and teamwork.
The St. Patrick Church family made a “frozen rosary” in their driveway. The Our Father beads were made by freezing water with food coloring in balloons. The Hail Mary beads were made of snowballs. And the cross was made from freezing water in bread pans and a wooden form.
“Once all of the pieces were ready, we shoveled part of the driveway and as a family, we placed all of the pieces of the rosary,” said Christina Halsmer in a text describing their process.
All three of her children took part: Christopher, 9, Alyssa, 7, and Caitlyn, 4.
“The kids had fun,” she said. “It was our love of Mother Mary mixed with a little bit of science.”
St. Patrick’s director of children’s formation, Joanie Hendricks, said she asked families to send pictures of something they made in the snow that reflects their faith.
“I honestly wasn’t sure anyone would respond,” she said in an email about the project. “So imagine my surprise when I opened my email to find this gorgeous frozen rosary in my inbox! I was truly stunned and so thrilled to see those proud little faces beaming in the snow.”
