Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Wisdom of Sirach

The heart of a man changes the expression of his face;
Either for good for evil.
The mark of a heart filled with goodness is a cheerful face,
But the invention of proverbs requires laborious reasoning.
Chapter 13 Verses 24-25

Friday, May 16, 2008

Triplets!

If you don't get over to St. Brigid Farm blog very often you should check it out. I have just posted pictures and the story of Firefly's kidding.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

a really neat blog

I came across a really neat blog last week called Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. It is really fun to find other Orthodox mom's moving down the same path.
She had a Mother's Day contest so I entered, random number drawing. I WON! I never win anything. Thank you, Sylvia.
Check out her blog...it's great!

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

laziness

A post at The Thrifty Oreganic titled Editorial on Laziness started me thinking about sloth/laziness in general. It is no secret that I struggle with this in the homemaking arena. I have many excuses and blame "things" rather than my inability to "just do it". My biggest distraction is the computer!!!! But truly I don't do much on the computer/internet. I really don't. I WASTE TIME, stall the inevitable. Whenever I mention being lazy to some people, such as my mom, I always get this strange look and she says "You are NOT lazy. Look at everything you do." But that's where I jump in and say "do? But that is where you are wrong. Yes, I have a lot TO DO, but most of it doesn't actually get done."
One of things that I gleaned from St. Paisius Monastery when we were down there was there organization and schedules. They had lists and check lists everywhere! I loved it. My hope and prayer is that I can bring some of that into my own home. I have so many dreams of WANTING to DO so many wonderful things on this farm and I KNOW that it IS attainable....people do it all the time but only when they don't struggle with sloth!
Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers website has these 5 quotes listed under the title of "sloth":

...to acquire good habits it is necessary to perform a greater number of right deeds, than the number of evil deeds required to establish bad habits; for bad habits take root more easily, since they are aided and abetted by the sin living in us, that is, by self-indulgence. Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare



Flee idleness and laziness; stand on guard watchfully, in all things peering closely at your thoughts, and wisely arranging and conducting the activities, demanded by your position. Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 19)

Having once tasted the pleasure of inaction, you begin to like and prefer it to action. In satisfying this desire, you will little by little form a habit of inaction and laziness, in which the passions for doing nothing will possess you to such extent that you will cease even to see how incongruous and criminal it is; except perhaps when you weary of this laziness, and are again eager to take up your work. Then you will see with shame how negligent you have been and how many necessary works you have neglected, for the sake of the empty and useless 'doing what you like'. Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 20)

Never delay in undertaking any work you have to do, for the first brief delay will lead to a second, more prolonged one, and the second to a third, still longer, and so on. Thus work begins too late and is not done in its proper time, or else is abandoned altogether, as something too burdensome. Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 20)

The good servant(4) receives the bread of his labor with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. First Epistle Of Clement To The Corinthians, Chap. XXXIV

Look at that 4 out of the five quotes come from Unseen Warfare! I guess I really ought to read that book.

I also found this quote under "laziness"....it really got my attention!!!!!
When our good and all-gracious Lord and Master sees people too lazy in their exercises, He lays their flesh low with sickness, an asceticism with less toil; and sometimes it also cleanses the soul from evil thoughts or passions. St. John Climacus, "The Ladder of Divine Ascent," (Boston: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1978), Step26: On Discernment of Thoughts, Passions and Virtue

Maybe next time I post I can tell you all about my lists I'm making.

I know that I still want to write about my trip to Arizona during lent. I'm waiting for pictures and words. :) For some reason I'm having a hard time bring forth words to describe this trip. It was so amazing.

Last but certainly not least....
Today we commemorate St. Alexis of Toth
the confessor and defender of Orthodoxy in America.
O righteous Father Alexis,
Our heavenly intercessor and teacher,
Divine adornment of the Church of Christ!
Entreat the Master of All
To strengthen the Orthodox Faith in America,
To grant peace to the world
And to our souls, great mercy!


Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Quote

Many teach their children about worldly politics, others teach them to speak foreign languages: French, German, Italian, and in this spend no trifling sums. Others endeavor to teach them commerce and other arts. But hardly anyone teaches them to live in a Christian manner. However, without this, all learning is nothing and all wisdom is madness. For what does it profit a Christian to speak Italian, French and German, if he lives in an ungodly manner? What use is it to be skilled in commerce and the arts if one lacks the fear of God? God will not ask you whether you taught your children French, German or Italian or the politics of social life--but you will not escape divine reprobation for not having instilled goodness into them. I speak plainly but I tell the truth: if your children are bad, your grandchildren will be worse, and the evil will thus increase...and the root of all this is our thoroughly bad education.


St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Christ is Risen!

Happy Bright Week!!! Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!!

Now that Holy Week is behind us I decided I wanted to share about what an amazing week Holy Week is in our Orthodox Tradition. I have some non-Orthodox family and friends that may find it interesting to read about what it is we do during this awesome week of our Lord's Passion...my favorite week of the entire year!
After spending 7 weeks focusing on changing ourselves, we turn our attention from us to Him and all he endured for us during the week leading up to Pascha (Easter). ( Much of the descriptions of services, etc. I found on the OCA website.)
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we have 2 services each day and each day has a theme. Monday is the sterile fig tree which yields no fruit and is condemned. Tuesday the accent is on the vigilance of the wise virgins who, unlike their foolish sisters, were ready when the Lord came to them. Wednesday the focus is on the fallen woman who repents. We focus on the Gospel readings that lead us through this week of Christ's life and we also concentrate on reading the Old Testaments reading that prophecy them.
On Holy Thursday each service is focused entirely on the Lord's Last Supper and his betrayal. In some Churches they even do the actual act of washing feet. All hymns have these themes as well.
When Thy glorious disciples were enlightened at the washing of their feet before the supper, then the impious Judas was darkened by the disease of avarice, and to the lawless judges he betrayed Thee, the Righteous Judge. Behold, O lover of money, this man because of avarice hanged himself. Flee from the insatiable desire which dared such things against the Master! O Lord who deals righteously with all, glory to Thee (Troparion of Holy Thursday).
Great and Holy Friday begins with the Matins service late on Thursday night with the 12 Gospel Readings. This is what I read about it...
The main feature of this service is the reading of twelve selections from the Gospels, all of which are accounts of the passion of Christ. The first of these twelve readings is Jn 13:31-18:1. It is Christ's long discourse with his apostles that ends with the so-called high priestly prayer. The final gospel tells of the sealing of the tomb and the setting of the watch (Mt 27:62-66).
The twelve Gospel readings of Christ's passion are placed between the various parts of the service. The hymnology is all related to the sufferings of the Saviour and borrows heavily from the Gospels and the prophetic scriptures and psalms. The Lord's beatitudes are added to the service after the sixth gospel reading, and there is special emphasis given to the salvation of the thief who acknowledged Christ's Kingdom.
We build a "tomb" in the center of the Church during Holy Friday. In the afternoon the priest carries Christ from the Cross sets Him in the tomb in what is one of the most moving services I have ever attended in my life. He is laid in the "tomb" as we sing...
The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Your most pure Body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb.
On Great and Holy Saturday we celebrate Divine Liturgy in the morning. It is a somber yet hopeful celebration of Liturgy because we know Christ lies dead, yet he is alive. He is in the tomb, but already he is "trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life." There is nothing more to do now but to live through the evening of the Blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps, awaiting the midnight hour when the Day of our Lord will begin to dawn upon us, and the night full of light will come when we will proclaim with the angel: "He is risen, he is not here; see the tomb where they laid him" (Mk 16:6).
We then rise at midnight to begin the amazing celebration of Christ conquering death.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face!

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (Troparion)

This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Christ is Risen!!!!
Indeed He is Risen!!!