"The Way of the Will"

As I've been preparing for our year I picked up a book called "Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning". I really love Charlotte Mason philosophy of education and this book has been very enlightening. One of the chapters called "The Way of the Will" was particularly illuminating. Not so much with regards to education, but with regards to my own spiritual struggles. That being said, I want to add here quickly that this book could be very enlightening to anyone with children, not just those that home school. But this chapter could be enlightening to anyone!

Children have a will that is underdeveloped. (And after reading this I believe, so do I.) I was curious when Charlotte spoke of the importance of developing and training the Will of the child.
First of all, what is the Will?...
The Will is part of the soul of every man. But can we define it? If the Will is such an intrinsic part, how is it that so many people go through life without a single definite act of "willing"? Doing what everybody else seems to be doing (convention), fitting in with the crowd (custom), seem to steer the course of the average man. He may get up, dress, breakfast, follow his morning's occupation, eat his fast food lunch, and relax in the evening with this television without any act of choice.
What we do know about the Will is its function to choose, to decide. And you may have noticed that the more difficult the decision--and the weaker we may sense our will power to be--the more strenuous an effort it takes to decide. All around us opinion are provided for us. Advertisements bombard our senses until we gravitate toward convenience, convention, and covetousness. To follow the crowd and the way of least resistance seems to be all we need to get through the day.
But what is necessary of every man is character, and character is as Charlotte speaks of it--finely wrought metal beaten into shape and beauty by the repeated action of the Will. We who teach should make it clear to ourselves that our aim in education is less good conduct than good character. We may mold good conduct in our children, but it is of value to the world only as it has its source in character. To have a strong, virtuous character, we need a strong, vigorous Will.
Every assault upon the flesh and spirit of man is an attack, however insidious, upon his personality--his Will.

It is discouraging how crime and promiscuity have risen, but there will always be persons of good Will among us--God's remnant--who resist the general trend. Our duty as parents and teachers is to turn out into the world persons of good Will.
Parents keep a child's Will weak by constant suggestion. By suggestion Charlotte means deciding everything for our children--with nagging reminder--instead of giving them little bits of responsibility, room to fail, and consequences to face. Some called it "feeling the pain of decision."

What we do with the Will is voluntary. What we do without the conscious action of the Will is involuntary (habit). the Will's function is to "choose", and with every choice we make, we grow strength of character.

The power to Will is a slow growth, but it grows stronger as it is put to use. Charlotte tells us that the Will is the controller of the passions and emotions, the director of the desires, the ruler of the appetites. The Will builds its muscles as it is exercised. Every time a child represses the urge to have a fit, to hang his head in self-pity, or snatch something he wants away from another child, his Will is exercised and grows stronger. (Adults as well? I think so.)
It should be pointed out that a turbulent (impatient, fitful) person is not ruled by Will at all, but by impluse, passion, and desire. To lose control is a sign of a feeble Will.

The simple Will, what our Lord calls "the single eye", would appear to be the one thing needful for straight living and serviceableness. But always the first condition of the Will, for good or ill, is an object outside of self. By degrees we may come to realize that just as "to reign" is the distinctive function of a king, so "to Will" is the function of a man. A king is not a king unless he reigns, and a man is less than a man unless he Wills.

Tuesday Stichera, Tone 8

One stanza of the stichera last night was particular moving to me. Set to tone 8 brings it much more beauty.

When the Ewe-lamb and Virgin beheld Thee, her Lamb,/
led to the slaughter,/
she followed after Thee with tears, and cried aloud:/
"Wither dost Thou hasten, O my Child?/
Let me go with Thee, O Jesus most sweet,//
for I cannot bear not to see Thee, O my Jesus!"

Thank you...

...to all those who voted for my moms Robin video. She won!
Check out all the winners here...there were 5 winners.

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary

I found this article on the OCA website. It is VERY good and well worth the long read. I had never read much of this before.



The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary: After the Ascension of the Lord, the Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian, and during his journeys She lived at the home of his parents, near the Mount of Olives. She was a source of consolation and edification both for the Apostles and for all the believers. Conversing with them, She told them about miraculous events: the Annunciation, the seedless and undefiled Conception of Christ born of Her, about His early childhood, and about His earthly life. Like the Apostles, She helped plant and strengthen the Christian Church by Her presence, Her discourse and Her prayers.

The reverence of the Apostles for the Most Holy Virgin was extraordinary. After the receiving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Apostles remained at Jerusalem for about ten years attending to the salvation of the Jews, and wanting moreover to see the Mother of God and hear Her holy discourse. Many of the newly-enlightened in the Faith even came from faraway lands to Jerusalem, to see and to hear the All-Pure Mother of God.

During the persecution initiated by King Herod against the young Church of Christ (Acts 12:1-3), the Most Holy Virgin and the Apostle John the Theologian withdrew to Ephesus in the year 43. The preaching of the Gospel there had fallen by lot to the Apostle John the Theologian. The Mother of God was on Cyprus with St Lazarus the Four-Days-Dead, where he was bishop. She was also on Holy Mount Athos. St Stephen of the Holy Mountain says that the Mother of God prophetically spoke of it: "Let this place be my lot, given to me by my Son and my God. I will be the Patroness of this place and intercede with God for it."

The respect of ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved what they could about Her life, what they could take note of concerning Her sayings and deeds, and they even passed down to us a description of Her outward appearance.

According to Tradition, based on the words of the Hieromartyrs Dionysius the Areopagite (October 3), Ignatius the God-Bearer (December 20), St Ambrose of Milan (December 7) had occasion to write in his work "On Virgins" concerning the Mother of God: "She was a Virgin not only in body, but also in soul, humble of heart, circumspect in word, wise in mind, not overly given to speaking, a lover of reading and of work, and prudent in speech. Her rule of life was to offend no one, to intend good for everyone, to respect the aged, not envy others, avoid bragging, be healthy of mind, and to love virtue."

When did She ever hurl the least insult in the face of Her parents? When was She at discord with Her kin? When did She ever puff up with pride before a modest person, or laugh at the weak, or shun the destitute? With Her there was nothing of glaring eyes, nothing of unseemly words, nor of improper conduct. She was modest in the movement of Her body, Her step was quiet, and Her voice straightforward; so that Her face was an expression of soul. She was the personification of purity.

All Her days She was concerned with fasting: She slept only when necessary, and even then, when Her body was at rest, She was still alert in spirit, repeating in Her dreams what She had read, or the implementation of proposed intentions, or those planned yet anew. She was out of Her house only for church, and then only in the company of relatives. Otherwise, She seldom appeared outside Her house in the company of others, and She was Her own best overseer. Others could protect Her only in body, but She Herself guarded Her character."

The circumstances of the Dormition of the Mother of God were known in the Orthodox Church from apostolic times. Already in the first century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her "Falling-Asleep." In the second century, the account of the bodily ascent of the Most Holy Virgin Mary to Heaven is found in the works of Meliton, Bishop of Sardis. In the fourth century, St Epiphanius of Cyprus refers to the tradition about the "Falling Asleep" of the Mother of God. In the fifth century, St Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem, told the holy Byzantine Empress Pulcheria: "Although there is no account of the circumstances of Her death in Holy Scripture, we know about them from the most ancient and credible Tradition." This tradition was gathered and expounded in the Church History of Nicephorus Callistus during the fourteenth century.

At the time of Her blessed Falling Asleep, the Most Holy Virgin Mary was again at Jerusalem. Her fame as the Mother of God had already spread throughout the land and had aroused many of the envious and the spiteful against Her. They wanted to make attempts on Her life; but God preserved Her from enemies.

Day and night She spent her time in prayer. The Most Holy Theotokos went often to the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord, and here She offered up fevent prayer. More than once, enemies of the Savior sought to hinder Her from visiting her holy place, and they asked the High Priest for a guard to watch over the Grave of the Lord. The Holy Virgin continued to pray right in front of them, yet unseen by anyone.

In one such visit to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and announced Her approaching departure from this life to eternal life. In pledge of this, the Archangel gave Her a palm branch. With these heavenly tidings the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with the three girls attending Her (Sepphora, Abigail, and Jael). She summoned Righteous Joseph of Arimathea and other disciples of the Lord, and told them of Her impending Repose.

The Most Holy Virgin prayed also that the Lord would have the Apostle John come to Her. The Holy Spirit transported him from Ephesus, setting him in that very place where the Mother of God lay. After the prayer, the Most Holy Virgin offered incense, and John heard a voice from Heaven, closing Her prayer with the word "Amen." The Mother of God took it that the voice meant the speedy arrival of the Apostles and the Disciples and the holy Bodiless Powers.

The faithful, whose number by then was impossible to count, gathered together, says St John of Damascus, like clouds and eagles, to listen to the Mother of God. Seeing one another, the Disciples rejoiced, but in their confusion they asked each other why the Lord had gathered them together in one place. St John the Theologian, greeting them with tears of joy, said that the time of the Virgin's repose was at hand.

Going in to the Mother of God, they beheld Her lying upon the bed, and filled with spiritual joy. The Disciples greeted Her, and then they told her how they had been carried miraculously from their places of preaching. The Most Holy Virgin Mary glorified God, because He had heard Her prayer and fulfilled Her heart's desire, and She began speaking about Her imminent end.

During this conversation the Apostle Paul also appeared in a miraculous manner together with his disciples Dionysius the Areopagite, St Hierotheus, St Timothy and others of the Seventy Apostles. The Holy Spirit had gathered them all together so that they might be granted the blessing of the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and more fittingly to see to the burial of the Mother of the Lord. She called each of them to Herself by name, She blessed them and extolled them for their faith and the hardships they endured in preaching the Gospel of Christ. To each She wished eternal bliss, and prayed with them for the peace and welfare of the whole world.

Then came the third hour (9 A.M.), when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to occur. A number of candles were burning. The holy Disciples surrounded her beautifully adorned bed, offering praise to God. She prayed in anticipation of Her demise and of the arrival of Her longed-for Son and Lord. Suddenly, the inexpressible Light of Divine Glory shone forth, before which the blazing candles paled in comparison. All who it saw took fright. Descending from Heaven was Christ, the King of Glory, surrounded by hosts of Angels and Archangels and other Heavenly Powers, together with the souls of the Forefathers and the Prophets, who had prophesied in ages past concerning the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

Seeing Her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God My Savior, for He hath regarded the low estate of His Handmaiden" (Luke 1:46-48) and, rising from Her bed to meet the Lord, She bowed down to Him, and the Lord bid Her enter into Life Eternal. Without any bodily suffering, as though in a happy sleep, the Most Holy Virgin Mary gave Her soul into the hands of Her Son and God.

Then began a joyous angelic song. Accompanying the pure soul of the God-betrothed and with reverent awe for the Queen of Heaven, the angels exclaimed: "Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee, blessed art Thou among women! For lo, the Queen, God's Maiden comes, lift up the gates, and with the Ever-Existing One, take up the Mother of Light; for through Her salvation has come to all the human race. It is impossible to gaze upon Her, and it is impossible to render Her due honor" (Stikherion on "Lord, I Have Cried"). The Heavenly gates were raised, and meeting the soul of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Cherubim and the Seraphim glorified Her with joy. The face of the Mother of God was radiant with the glory of Divine virginity, and from Her body there came a sweet fragrance.

Miraculous was the life of the All-Pure Virgin, and wondrous was Her Repose, as Holy Church sings: "In Thee, O Queen, the God of all hath given thee as thy portion the things that are above nature. Just as in the Birth-Giving He did preserve Thine virginity, so also in the grave He did preserve Thy body from decay" (Canon 1, Ode 6, Troparion 1).

Kissing the all-pure body with reverence and in awe, the Disciples in turn were blessed by it and filled with grace and spiritual joy. Through the great glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos, the almighty power of God healed the sick, who with faith and love touched the holy bed.

Bewailing their separation from the Mother of God, the Apostles prepared to bury Her all-pure body. The holy Apostles Peter, Paul, James and others of the Twelve Apostles carried the funeral bier upon their shoulders, and upon it lay the body of the Ever-Virgin Mary. St John the Theologian went at the head with the resplendent palm-branch from Paradise. The other saints and a multitude of the faithful accompanied the funeral bier with candles and censers, singing sacred songs. This solemn procession went from Sion through Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane.

With the start of the procession there suddenly appeared over the all-pure body of the Mother of God and all those accompanying Her a resplendent circular cloud, like a crown. There was heard the singing of the Heavenly Powers, glorifying the Mother of God, which echoed that of the worldly voices. This circle of Heavenly singers and radiance accompanied the procession to the very place of burial.

When the procession reached the Garden of Gethsemane, then amidst the weeping and the wailing began the last kiss to the all-pure body. Only towards evening were the Apostles able to place it in the tomb and seal the entrance to the cave with a large stone.

For three days they did not depart from the place of burial, praying and chanting Psalms. Through the wise providence of God, the Apostle Thomas was not to be present at the burial of the Mother of God. Arriving late on the third day at Gethsemane, he lay down at the tomb and with bitter tears asked that l he might be permitted to look once more upon the Mother of God and bid her farewell. The Apostles out of heartfelt pity for him decided to open the grave and permit him the comfort of venerating the holy relics of the Ever-Virgin Mary. Having opened the grave, they found in it only the grave wrappings and were thus convinced of the bodily ascent of the Most Holy Virgin Mary to Heaven.

On the evening of the same day, when the Apostles had gathered at a house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God appeared to them and said: "Rejoice! I am with you all the days of your lives." This so gladdened the Apostles and everyone with them, that they took a portion of the bread, set aside at the meal in memory of the Savior ("the Lord's Portion"), and they exclaimed : "Most Holy Theotokos, save us". (This marks the beginning of the rite of offering up the "Panagia" ("All-Holy"), a portion of bread in honor of the Mother of God, which is done at monasteries to the present day).

In giving birth you preserved your virginity,
In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos.
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life,
And by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.
(Troparion)

Two days on the beach this week...

A week ago today, we took some dear friends to Fay Bainbridge State Park on a beautiful sunny day and played on the beach for several hours. Here (from left to right) are Patrick (our guest), Charissa, Kelsey, Joseph and Nicholas. The spent the afternoon digging, splashing, running and getting very dirty. But they had a blast and slept very well that night!

At one point during the day Liz came running up to get her camera all excited saying, "Charissa caught a fish! She just reached into the water and caught a fish with her bare hands. A perch. I've never known anyone to do that!"
When we first got to the beach Nicholas sat in the sand just enjoying the warmth of the soft sand. He was watching the sand intently as it ran through his fingers. Then he started asking questions as he watched the sand move. He'd look very closely at it at times. "What's sand?"


Mud! Mud is always fun!

Then yesterday we went back to the same beach but this time we went with some friends from Church. Ellen's grandson, Riley, has been visiting all summer and this is his last week here before going back home to Virgina. Riley is on the far left. The kids had such a blast once again.

Joseph loves to dig in the sand and decided to bury himself.


We had the treat of seeing a bald eagle come flying out over the water and back again to this tree, twice. If you click on the picture you can see it close up. Bald eagles are so beautiful and majestic looking.

Food is Your Best Medicine and Orthodoxy

This book I'm reading, Food is Your Best Medicine, is an extremely fascinating book. I'm not one to read books that are so detailed medically/scientifically but this book is downright fascinating. I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book and as I'm reading the chapter on the functions of the kidney and what makes it function properly and what makes it function improperly, something occurred to me that I must share with my fellow Orthodox. The main theme of this book is that our bodies don't function properly when filled with toxemia or toxins that we've ingested via the rich, refined, overcooked, UNnatural foods we eat everyday. Our internal organs or FILTERS begin deteriorating or become overwhelmed with the work they need to do and can't filter the toxins out of the body as they should. Everything we eat our body doesn't need, those things we don't need in our body are the toxins it needs to eliminate. These toxins are what causes disease when not eliminated properly.
His remedy for having the healthiest body possible is in what you eat! If you eat as naturally as possible, uncooked fruits and vegetables, or vegetable broth and fruit juices, and moderate amounts of meat that is lightly cooked then your body will be healthy and normal (in the true sense of normal). When the body is overwhelmed with toxins his remedy is to “fast” on vegetable broth and fruit juices to cleanse the system. I wonder if you can guess what I might be getting at with regards to Orthodoxy.

In the Orthodox cycle of fasting periods and feasting we have been given the natural means to cleanse our bodies periodically. We are to fast from the richest of foods and to consume what should be natural and cleansing.

Community

Xenia Kathryn's recent blog post has spawned some great comments and then thoughts in my own head....Community. Without taking the time to have links to past blog posts I'm certain that I have blogged more than once regarding my thoughts on “community”. It is so important and lacking, beyond words, in our present society. I also know that I love my little farm and would love to expand it to much larger boundaries. Would this mean that I would have to leave my “community”? As is noted in the post it seems as though for one to have acreage and grow a “farm” one must leave “community” behind. Even though I am close to Church, I live in an area where the Church community itself is spread as far as it could go. If I ever want to grow my little farm bigger (as in acreage, etc.) I know that I will not be able to do this in Western WA as the cost of living here is far too great. I know it isn't as high as in such places as California but it is much higher than such places as Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, etc. James and I have become very aware of the fact that we could sell our home here in Western WA (after living here for awhile longer to gain more equity and of course wait for the market to come back) and go to the Midwest somewhere and buy a house nearly free and clear. How appealing is that? But would I have to leave all ideas of community behind? Hmmm....not sure I really want to do that. I crave more of a close knit Orthodox Community.
I do know of one blog post I did awhile back that included the coolest Icon written of an Orthodox “Community”. Is it too much of an unrealistic “dream” that something like this could exist? I don't know. Maybe if I “build it they will come”.

In the meantime, the mister and I have decided to work much harder at creating this little farm into a self-sufficient place. The outcome we hope to achieve is debt-free (or as close as possible to that term we can get) self-sufficiency and greater community. THIS IS HARD WORK! And work I'm slowly learning to do, out of desire and necessity. It may be years before we see that final result. And it may not be in Western WA where the final result takes place.

To All My Portland Blogging Buddies

I am hoping to head your way to attend this retreat in October. I'm on a fairly strict budget and was wondering if anyone has space to put me (and maybe one other person from my Church) up for one night. We are hoping to carpool several of us but I don't want to ask too much so maybe I could find a bed, sofa, cot or floor for at least one or 2 of us. You don't need to feed us.

Thanks so much!!

You can email me privately....
susansophia.f [at] gmail[dot]com

Another Book

After reading The Thrifty Oreganic post on Bieler Broth and the book recommendation therein, I ordered the book from the library and received it in lightening speed time. The book is called "Food Is Your Best Medicine" written by Henry G. Bieler, M.D. originally published in 1966.
I've just read the section inside the front cover titled "To the Reader" and I cannot wait to really get into this book! Here is what it says....

To the Reader:
As a practicing physician for over fifty years, I have reached three basic conclusions as to the cause and cure of disease. This book is about those conclusions.
The first is that the primary cause of disease is not germs. Rather, I believe that disease is caused by a toxemia which results in cellular impairment and breakdown, thus paving the way for the multiplication and onslaught of germs.
My second conclusion is that in almost all cases the use of drugs in treating paitiens is harmful. Drugs often cause serious side effects, and sometimes even create new diseases. The dubious benefits they afford the patient are at best temporary. Yet the number of drugs on the market increases geometrically every year as each chemical firm develops its own variation of the compounds. The physician is indeed rare who can be completely aware of the potential danger from the side effects of all these drugs.
My third conclusion is that disease can be cured through the proper use of correct foods. This statement may sound deceptively simple, but I have arrived at it only after intensive study of highly complex subject: colloid and endocrine chemistry.
My conclusions are based on experimental and observational results, gathered through years of successfully treating patients. Occasionally I have resorted to the use of drugs in emergency situations, but those times have been rare. Instead, I have sought to prescribe for my patients' illnesses antidotes which Nature has placed at their disposal.
This book deals with what I consider to be the best food and the best medicine.

Thank you, Carrie, for the introduction.

Reason # 1....

...for keeping a somewhat tidy house AND for getting dressed by 9AM (at least out of the stained barn clothes that were randomly put on at 4:50AM). We side-tracked home-executives need to have these reasons presented to us every once in awhile.

1. DD might accidentally call 911, scream into the phone and hang up. The operator then might call back and not believe that everything truly is alright and he just might send the law enforcement to check on you. This very friendly law enforcement agent just might insist on searching your house to make sure that there is truly no danger lurking about.


If you have experienced first hand a good reason for "keeping a somewhat tidy home and getting dressed by 9AM", please share with me (either here or in your blog-let me know you did). Because as I said above, we side-tracked home-executives need to have these reasons presented to us from time to time. It really inspires one to persevere in their vocation. :)

Any ideas or resources?

I'm looking to do character studies/education with my kids. Hands on, in depth (as in depth as you can get with young children), character unit studies, maybe with an Orthodox understanding.
Does anyone have any ideas or resources for such things? Orthodox or not?

I'm really looking for some good hands-on, daily application and positive reinforcement ideas. Role-playing, maybe.

Thank you!

Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Troparion - Tone 4

Emulating the Lord's self-abasement on the earth,
You gave up royal mansions to serve the poor and disdained,
Overflowing with compassion for the suffering.
And taking up a martyr's cross,
In your meekness
You perfected the Saviour's image within yourself,
Therefore, with Barbara, entreat Him to save us all, O wise Elizabeth.



Oh most Holy, St. Elizabeth, Please pray unto God for me.

Vote for this video.

My mom made this video and it is in a contest at Birds and Bloom. If you like it go here to rate it and help her win!

Our 5 Month Science Project

In March we collected a bucket full of frog eggs from our pond. I cannot find my pictures of this bucket full of frog eggs anywhere! In Feb/Mar we had computer die and used one temporarily and then got a new one so I have no idea where they are. Anyway, you can see a picture here of what our frog eggs looked like as they started transforming. When we collected them it was a big glob of small, perfectly round dots. Then they started transforming into what you see in that picture. They seemed to change so slowly.
The eggs began to hatch ever so slowly into what we learned to be pollywogs.
One day in April or May the girls pulled out the old aquarium and set up a wonderful environment for them. They transfered a couple dozen tadpoles into the tank. This gave them a more natural environment.
Over the last couple weeks we've excitedly watched the tadpoles change shape and slowly grow their jumping legs. And Sunday afternoon we excitedly found our first full frog with no tail left. We now have 5 frogs and more to come. Here are several pictures that show the various stages of tadpoles and frogs we have in our tank.

A tadpole with 2 legs.

Charissa is holding a tadpole with 3 legs forming.

Here you can see the stages beautifully. On the left is a tadpole that hasn't even started forming legs yet but has eyes and the oblong body. On the right are 2 beautiful little frogs with just stubs of tails left.

These 2 pictures are my favorites. I caught the frogs resting on the leaves.

A Book

My uncle recently told my mom about a book he read and found to be extremely helpful after he was diagnosed with diabetes. She decided to read and then immediately told me about it. So I checked it out at the library and so far am very impressed. The title of the book is The Schwarzbein Principle: The Program.
I've only just started reading it but I really like it so far. I agree with it completely. For the last couple years I've been trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle and in so doing have read a great number of books and internet sites regarding food and health. I became quite convinced after reading Food Smart by Cheryl Townsend that what I ate had great impact on how I feel.
Here are some of my favorite things she has to say....

The Schwarzbein Principle: Degenerative diseases of aging are not genetic but acquired. Because the systems of the human body are interconnected, and because one imbalance creates another imbalance, poor eating and lifestyle habits, not genetics, are the major cause of degenerative disease.

The key is to embrace the concept that health is more important than weight and to understand that once you are healthy, you can and will lose weight.

I could write much more but I 'll leave it at those 2 little quotes. It really is a great book and if you are at all interested in your health I highly recommend it.

Home School

Home schooling thus far has been a learning experience for ME. I started out homeschooling Kelsey and then put her in 1st grade in November of that year. Charissa started out in public school, attending K and 1st grade. When we moved from the 'burbs we took the leap back into homeschooling and it has been interesting to say the least. It is a far more colossal job than I imagined but at the same time I know it is the best for us. We just finished our 2nd year and the girls had their annual assessment done by a certified instructor. And despite the lackadaisical schedule we kept this year they actually moved forward in their academics! Kelsey is above grade level in everything and in a couple things way above grade level. Charissa is above grade level in everything except math, which she really doesn't like. Maybe there is something to be said about a more unschooling approach.
All of that to say, I hope to spend more time sharing with you what we are doing in our home school adventures.
I'm researching some curriculum for this next year. The children LOVE history and so I am thinking about going to a history based classical approach and found a curriculum I am hoping will work well for us. I'll tell you all about soon.
Except for a little math, we are taking the next month and a half off to be outside! Lots of gardening, farming and raising frogs. :)

More on CFL's

Okay, I know James has this on his blog but maybe not everyone who reads my blog reads his.
Not long ago I wrote this about CFL's and now James came across this speech made by Congressman Ted Poe....I love it!

I got my Travel Swap package!

Back at the end of May I entered to be part of a travel swap. Today I received my wonderful package from my partner, Xenia.



Xenia mapped out a road trip for me from my house down to Arizona to visit two WONDERFUL monasteries. She put in 3 stops along the way to meet some of her family and visit some Churches. This was all on the map book she created. There were 3 smaller packages within the big one. The first is a package put together of St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Monastery memorabilia. This package included an icon card of St. Anthony and one of "The Mother of God of Arizona". There was also a package of pistachio nuts and numerous picture prints of St. Anthony's. The 2nd little package was put together of memorabilia from St. Paisius, my 2nd stop in AZ. She included the booklet Akathist to the Mother of God: Nurturer of Children!!, an icon card of St. Paisius and prints of the monastery and sisters. She also included in swap package homemade beeswax candles and a travel sewing kit!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, XENIA!
What I was so tickled pink about in this whole thing is how the package I sent her was amazingly similar. She'll tell you about soon, I'm sure.

Thank you, again!

Now, Sylvia, my daughter is BEGGING to do one of these with another child her age. What do you think? A child travel swap?

Many Years!!!

Despite our bad news I MUST SAY....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND MANY YEARS TO MY BELOVED!!!!


I LOVE YOU more than words!

It's better for the environment but what about you?

James has a similar post but just cannot let this one rest. I'm pretty mad about this and really don't understand. We are all pushed to buy these new environmentally friendly light sources. The EPA says, "Making this change will help to use less electricity at home and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change." and, "If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, in one
year it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes. That would prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of about 800,000 cars."

BUT IF YOU BREAK ONE!!!....here is what is necessary to clean it up.....(the bold is my emphasis----if you don't read all of it at least read the bold, you'll really get the idea.)

Appendix E: Revised Cleanup Guidance
Page 1 of 1
What if I accidentally break a fluorescent lamp in my home?
The lamp contains a small amount of mercury, but you can clean this up
yourself if you do the following:

• Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust throughout the area and could potentially contaminate the vacuum.
• Keep people and pets away from the breakage area until the cleanup is complete.
• Ventilate the area by opening windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before returning to begin the cleanup. Mercury vapor levels will be lower by then.
• For maximum protection and if you have them, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the sharp glass.
• Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a
glass container with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar. A glass jar with a good seal works best to contain any mercury vapors inside.
• Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. You can use two stiff pieces of paper such
as index cards or playing cards to scoop up pieces.
• Pat the area with the sticky side of duct tape, packing tape or masking tape to pick up fine
particles. Wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel to pick up even finer particles.
• Put all waste and materials into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup
that may have been contaminated with mercury. Label the container as “Universal Waste - broken lamp.”
• Remove the container with the breakage and cleanup materials from your home. This is
particularly important if you do not have a glass container.
• Continue ventilating the room for several hours.
• Wash your hands and face.
• When a break happens on carpeting, homeowners may consider removing throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred as a precaution, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women.
• Finally, if the carpet is not removed, open the window to the room during the next several
times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.
The next time you replace a lamp, consider putting a drop cloth on the floor so that any accidental breakage can be easily cleaned up. If consumers remain concerned regarding safety, they may consider not utilizing fluorescent lamps in situations where they could easily be broken. Consumers may also consider avoiding CFL usage in bedrooms or carpeted areas frequented by infants, small children, or pregnant women. Finally, consider not storing too many used/spent lamps before recycling as that may increase your chances of breakage. Don’t forget to properly recycle your used fluorescent bulbs so they don’t break and put mercury into our environment.



Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture, or is it just me?


By the way, in our situation just a small tip of the bulb broke off and was easily cleaned up but this happened in the boys' play room. So this afternoon, about 18 hours later(the boys were not allowed in this room at all during this time), I went to clean up and throw away anything within 3 feet of the bulb and found a pile of dead insects!! I might exaggerate a little but what the heck!
Look at all these little bugs...dead. From mercury? UGH! (click it to enlarge)

Another AMAZINGLY good podcast!

Close to Home: Despair
" "Poor me" can be the common sentiment during Great Lent but we have so much reason not to despair!"

Wisdom of Sirach

Chapter 22 Verses 1-2
A lazy man may be compared to a filthy stone,
And everyone hisses at his dishonor.
A lazy man may be compared to the filth of manure;
Everyone who picks it up will shake it off his hand.

Note attached to verse one says:
A powerful condemnation of laziness. The filthy stone was used like toilet paper--which explains verse 2.

A Must Listen To

Clutter, Confusion and Contentment

I joined the travel swap...

...over at Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. To get the details and how to join the swap go here or click the picture above. It really does sound fun!! I didn't quite understand until I went here to look at pictures of someone who did a travel swap once before. You can see the different things people send out to their swap partner.
So join in the fun! Who knows...maybe you'll make a new friend.

Look what I got in the mail.

I'm stuck home today, this lovely Resurrection Sunday ( the last of the Paschal Sundays) because strep throat is running rampant in my home. Actually, we are now on the mend but one child hasn't been on antibiotics long enough to go out in public and I have 2 that haven't gotten it and I just want to make sure they aren't going to before letting them out.
So I am home and can't wait to tell you what I got in the mail yesterday.
In early May I submitted an entry for this contest and I won! Yesterday my prize came in the mail directly from Sylvia of Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. She made this for ME! It is absolutely gorgeous!!! Thank you so much!!!

Look at the cute little wooden clothespin used as a bookmark. Little did Sylvia know that I REALLY needed many of the quotes she put in the journal. God used her. Thank you, Lord.

There are several quotes, handwritten throughout the journal.

I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet. Either a prayer journal OR a farm journal! I can't decide.

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

Contest

Check out the contest on my farm blog.

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.

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!

Having Fun

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!

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

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!!!

Bridegroom Matins Kontakion

You know that this is the last hour, O wretched soul,
And fear the cutting of the fig tree.
Work diligently therefore at the talent given to you
Keep watch and pray:
Let us not remain outside the bridal chamber of Christ.

Bridegroom Matins

Behold, the bridegroom comes in the middle of the night and blessed is the servant whom he shall find watching, and unworthy the servant whom he shall find heedless. Take care then, 0 my soul, and be not weighed down by sleep that you will not be given over unto death and be excluded from the Kingdom. But rise up and call out: Holy, Holy, Holy art T hou O God, by the Theotokos have mercy on us
(Troparion of the First Three Days).

This is really my first experience with Bridegroom Matins. I've just never really had the opportunity to attend.
It is one of the most beautiful services, it is solemn yet exciting because we are anticipating what is to come.
I love it!!! And I'm so glad that I get to participate in all 3 Bridegroom services. Glory to God!!

I'm home but BUSY!

I'm home! It is good to be back home with my family and my farm. But I had an amazing time on my Lenten pilgrimage to AZ and my visit to 2 separate monasteries.
I want to share lots of pictures and share my experiences with you all but it might have to wait until after Pascha. Holy Week is upon us and we will be in Church more often than not, along with the many preparations for the coming feast.
If I'm not back before then, I pray this week of our Lord's Passion be an amazing blessing to you all.
Oh, how exciting....only 6 more days!!

Pictures finally and "I'm leavin' on a Jet Plane"

Yes, I finally have pictures from my last pilgrimage the day I leave on my new pilgrimage.
Please pray for Liz and I as we travel by boat (me), car (lots of driving in AZ) and plane. As mentioned before, we will be heading to first St. Anthony Greek Monastery and then over to
St. Paisius Serbian Monastery early Sunday morning in time for Liturgy. We get to see our dear, dear friend Sr. Brigid whom we haven't seen since she left to become a novice 2 years ago.
We come home on a 6:00AM flight Wednesday morning.

Here, finally are pictures from the pilgrimage I took my girls on...to St. John the Forerunner Monastery in Goldendale, WA. We took our dear friend, Hannah.

Above the girls are at the stream behind the monastery and it was the first time they'd seen this because they are usually there in the summer when it is just a dry creek bed. They were so excited to see the water flow. Below they are on the bridge to an area they called Archangel Michael, which is the area that has the shrine pictured below.

Below is the outdoor shrine. There are some logs laying around as benches. It really is very beautiful. It would be neat to have this on a corner of my property.

They had 8 baby goats and here is the one they fittingly named Oreo!

Aaron, this is the picture you wanted to see. I was corrected in the what that headband is used for. It is actually a slingshot and it is easily pulled off the head and transformed into a weapon...the slingshot. He is quite good at it. :)

Parenting

Parenting has got to be by far the most difficult thing I have ever done. Day in and day out there are so many decisions to make and I can't help but constantly feel that based on the specific decision I make, it could make or break anything and everything that I have decided up to that point. Lately, I have been doubting myself far too much. I have overwhelming fears that MY sinfulness is going to greatly hinder my children's path to salvation.

I had a particularly difficult day yesterday and so had some deep discussions with James last night. It was good.
Then this morning after prayers, I read the scripture readings for today, I felt that God spoke to me. In each passage the very first verse or two jumped out and spoke to ME.

He said...
Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
“ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand;" [Isaiah 42:5-6]

Genesis 18:20
Okay, so I was SUPPOSE to read Genesis 18:20 next but when I went to copy it for this I discovered that I did not read that but read Exodus 18:20 instead. But it is what spoke to me so I think I need to say that God directed me here.
Then He said...
And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. [Exodus 18:20]

And He said, "Do that with...."
A gentle mind with humility is better than he who divides soils with the arrogant. [Proverbs 16:17]


Glory to God for all things.

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.

55 Maxims for Christian Living

Fr. Christopher sent this out in an email. The podcast can be found here.

55 Maxims for Christian Living
by Fr. Thomas Hopko

1. Be always with Christ.
2. Pray as you can, not as you want.
3. Have a keepable rule of prayer that you do by discipline.
4. Say the Lord's Prayer several times a day.
5. Have a short prayer that you constantly repeat when your mind is not
occupied with other things.
6. Make some prostrations when you pray.
7. Eat good foods in moderation.
8. Keep the Church's fasting rules.
9. Spend some time in silence every day.
10. Do acts of mercy in secret.
11. Go to liturgical services regularly
12. Go to confession and communion regularly.
13. Do not engage intrusive thoughts and feelings. Cut them off at the start.
14. Reveal all your thoughts and feelings regularly to a trusted person.
15. Read the scriptures regularly.
16. Read good books a little at a time.
17. Cultivate communion with the saints.
18. Be an ordinary person.
19. Be polite with everyone.
20. Maintain cleanliness and order in your home.
21. Have a healthy, wholesome hobby.
22. Exercise regularly.
23. Live a day, and a part of a day, at a time.
24. Be totally honest, first of all, with yourself.
25. Be faithful in little things.
26. Do your work, and then forget it.
27. Do the most difficult and painful things first.
28. Face reality.
29. Be grateful in all things.
30. Be cheerful.
31. Be simple, hidden, quiet and small.
32. Never bring attention to yourself.
33. Listen when people talk to you.
34. Be awake and be attentive.
35. Think and talk about things no more than necessary.
36. When we speak, speak simply, clearly, firmly and directly.
37. Flee imagination, analysis, figuring things out.
38. Flee carnal, sexual things at their first appearance.
39. Don't complain, mumble, murmur or whine.
40. Don't compare yourself with anyone.
41. Don't seek or expect praise or pity from anyone.
42. We don't judge anyone for anything.
43. Don't try to convince anyone of anything.
44. Don't defend or justify yourself.
45. Be defined and bound by God alone.
46. Accept criticism gratefully but test it critically.
47. Give advice to others only when asked or obligated to do so.
48. Do nothing for anyone that they can and should do for themselves.
49. Have a daily schedule of activities, avoiding whim and caprice.
50. Be merciful with yourself and with others.
51. Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath.
52. Focus exclusively on God and light, not on sin and darkness.
53. Endure the trial of yourself and your own faults and sins peacefully,serenely, because you know that God's mercy is greater than your wretchedness.
54. When we fall, get up immediately and start over.
55. Get help when you need it, without fear and without shame.

I'm back...but not for long.

The girls and I had a wonderful time at the monastery. (I hope to have a couple pictures soon...I have to rely on James' laptop to get them and I just plain forgot to transfer them to this pc.) The weather was perfect!
We helped the sisters a little each day with a new task. On Tuesday we raked and raked pine needles off of their big lawn. It only made me glad I don't have a big lawn. On Wednesday we cut dried flowers for soap. And on Thursday we cut and folded little tiny tags for soap. Kelsey Anna and Hannah were quite the troopers. They attended all but one 4:30AM service. Charissa and I did the first one and found that Charissa is just not ready for that kind of asceticism (good excuse for me, eh?) so we slept. I did rise fairly early though and took advantage of a VERY quiet guest house. It was a long time to be away from home though. Too long away from the boys (all 3) and away from my animals. I couldn't wait to get back to attending the livestock. They have goats and chickens at the monastery but they don't like help with them, much to Charissa's chagrin.
As stated in the title, I'm not back for long. On Friday the 11th, I hop on an airplane with my good friend Liz and we head to AZ. Our plans were to visit St. Paisius Monastery and our good friend, the novice, Sr. Brigid. I haven't seen her in over 2 years now and it will be so fun to do that. St. Paisius didn't have room for us on 2 of the nights we were going to be in AZ so we decided to extend our pilgrimage and visit St. Anthony's Greek Monastery as well. I feel unbelievably blessed to have this opportunity. And boy, to think, THREE monastery pilgrimages in one Lenten season. Unreal! Never again (oh, maybe 15 years from now) will I have this opportunity!!!

Thank you, my sweet husband for granting this opportunity to me. And I will take this time now to say Happy 14 blessed, growing, loving and amazing years!!!! We've come a long way! And may God grant us many, many more to come!!! I love you!!!

As we come nearer and nearer to the close of Lent I want to share this great verse I found in today's Proverbs reading. It is the answer to our struggles of fasting....all we need to do is gather more often for meals together!
Better is a dinner of herbs with friendship and grace, than a fatted calf with hostility. Proverbs 15:18

May your Lenten journey finish with great renewal.

A Pilgrimage

Tomorrow morning I'll be taking my girls and a friend of our families daughter and we are headed to St. John the Forerunner Monastery for 5 days!!! It is our first pilgrimage together like this and I am really excited and feel really blessed that we have this opportunity. My mother-in-law is coming today to stay with the boys all week (all three boys), bless her!
Please pray for our safe travels over the water, over the mountain passes and through the woods. With ferry (and potty breaks) it's about 5 hours.
See you Friday.

Today's reading from Isaiah

I found today's reading fascinating. And with reading the footnotes in the Orthodox Study Bible I learned some new things.

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. The house was full of His glory. Around Him stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory." The lintel was lifted up by the voice of those who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said, "Woe is me, because I am pierced to the heart, for being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips; for I saw the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes!" Then one of the seraphim was sent to me. he had a live coal in his hand, which he took with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth, and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips. Your lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is cleansed." Isaiah 6:1-7 (today's reading was actually through verse 12)

Footnote: Isaiah's vision has strongly influenced the development of Orthodox Christian worship. For the Church, like heaven, has an altar, a throne, smoke from the incense, and believers singing "Holy, holy, holy," the thrice Holy hymn.
Footnote: A live coal touching the mouth: Isaiah experiences a symbol of the Eucharist, which is taken from the altar to be served to the faithful. In fact, after an Orthodox priest receives communion, he quietly quotes the seraphim's proclamation.(v.7)

Back to the grind...

Not what you may think but a different kind of "grind".
The grind of managing my household without any other help from another adult like person. For the past 6 weeks I've had either my mother here or James. While he was in Uganda my mom was here to help out with managing household duties. Then she went home and James had 2 weeks off before having to head back to work. He helped out with the kids tremendously. But now here I am, today the first day in 6 weeks.
I am reminded about how "managing my household" is an ongoing struggle for me. Reading through my archives it is quite unbelievable how often I posted about needing a schedule/routine and about household duties and failing at it all. Always seeming to be the biggest hurdle of my life.
So, I've come to a conclusion...it is not just a matter of "managing my household" but a deeper matter of the heart.
I shall pray.

From the Wisdom of Sirach:
Like the sun rising in the Lord's heaven
Is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house. (26:16)

Wisdom of Sirach

I've been reading our new Orthodox Study Bible and a friend directed me to the great Wisdom of Sirach. I have been thoroughly enjoying it. There are some great snippets throughout and I thought that I would start sharing them here.

One of my favorite James blogged but here it is again and I'll continue with it.

Do not hate hard work, especially farming, which was created by the Most High.
Wisdom of Sirach 7:15

Later in the chapter it goes on to say...
Do you have cattle? Take care of them; and if they are profitable to you, keep them.
Do you have children? Correct them, and make them obey from their youth.
Do you have daughters? Watch carefully over their chastity, and do not be too easy on them.
Give a daughter in marriage and you will have completed a great work; but give her to a man of understanding.
Wisdom of Sirach 7:22-25

Joseph lost a tooth!

I think it has been nearly 2 weeks now, but I couldn't get a picture on here. Right before daddy returned from Uganda Joseph lost his first tooth. We kept hushed about it until he got home and Joseph went running out to greet daddy with a huge smile on his face to see if daddy would notice. It was really fun!!
The best part of this picture though, is not the missing tooth but those big beautiful blue eyes! I just love them!

Forgiveness

As we enter into this Great and Holy Lent I bow before you and ask forgiveness of any offense, in knowledge or in ignorance. May God forgive us all.

I leave you with this from the service of Forgiveness...

Your grace has shown forth, O Lord:
the grace that illumines our soul.
This is the acceptable time!
This is the time of repentance!
Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,
that passing through the Fast, as through a great sea,
we may reach the Resurrection on the third day//
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls!

For Joy and Gladness

Met. Kallistos Ware mentioned the reading from this past Friday being in Zechariah and some quote about fasting. I didn't catch it all just made note to read it. So Friday came and found myself reading this verse in Zechariah. I thought it was a great passage to share as we step forward into Great Lent.

Thus says the Lord Almighty: 'The fourth-month fast, and the fifth-month fast, and the seventh-month fast, and the tenth-month fast shall be for joy and gladness and in good feasts to the house of Judah. And you will rejoice, and you will love truth and peace.' Zechariah 8:19 (emphasis in bold added)

Met. Kallistos Ware on "What is Lent"

We were blessed last night to attend a pre-Lenten talk in Seattle with guest speaker Met. Kallistos Ware. I've never heard him speak. He talked about Lent and I took notes. I thought I would write out my notes on here to share with all. I really enjoyed his talk and hope that I can take it to heart and use it to make this Lent a wonderful growing time.
Remember these are my notes. They weren't written in full sentences, or word for word. These are tidbits that grabbed my attention.

What is Lent really about?
"Lent" mean springtime and linked to "long and lengthening".

The Life-giving triad of Lent:
1. Fasting--
*it brings the body into the domain of the spiritual life
*it is spiritual as well as physical
*fast from not only food but from sin---all fleshly members of the body need to participate

2. Prayer
*goes hand and hand with fasting, cannot do one without the other

3. Action-Almsgiving-Acts of mercy, Love and Compassion

Story of a nun that helped the Jews hide in Europe and gave her life to save another. She was known to say "When we face judgment, we will not be asked how strictly we fasted, or how diligently we prayed but we WILL be asked if we fed the hungry or if we clothed the naked or gave to the poor."

All three of these are about personal relationships.
1. Relationship to self
2. Relationship to God
3. Relationship to others

Quoted and talked about the Gospel from Meatfare which I noted to self to reread.

Lent is the season of repentance.
Repentance is "reverse perspective", a different way to look at self and others.
Using the story of prodigal son we see three stages of repentance.
1st Stage:
Prodigal son comes to self.
*self-knowledge
*a great understanding
*waking up from a dream
*waking up from an illusion
*recentering
*seeing "where I am"

2nd Stage:
Prodigal son realizes he can go home.
*new hope
*true repentance is daughter of hope and denial of despair
*we must also forgive ourselves

3rd Stage:
Prodigal son went home.
*true repentance is doing something NOW..today...not yesterday, not tomorrow, today!

Confession
If you go regularly, during this Great Lent do so with extra special preparations. If not in the custom of going regularly..GO. We must prepare!
Share your thoughts and struggles with your father confessor. By holding them in, concealing them, they will only multiply.

I hope and pray that at least something out of this will grab your attention and you may be blessed by the words of Met. Kallistos Ware as I felt I was.

As we approach Great Lent I pray you all will grow in the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He's Home!!!

Happy Dance!
Happy Dance!
Happy Dance!

He's already tucked in bed, sound asleep, after traveling for 24 hours with a couple 2 hour naps being it for sleep in that time. He was plum tuckered out.

Be we are all rejoicing that daddy is home!!!!
Thank you for your prayers!