A new year

‎"Out in this, God's beautiful world, there is everything waiting to heal lacerated nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to please and content the soul that is torn to shreds with duty and care."

~Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford Comstock

I never make New Years resolutions. I know myself too well.

However, I do plan to make more of a concerted effort in a couple areas of my life this year. I won't bore you with the list, but I'll share that one thing I do hope to do, is stop staring at this silly screen so much. Oh, I'm not interested in a debate about computers and the internet. I agree that both can be good...and bad. I'm just weighing in on the bad side of the argument at the beginning of this year.

Neither my soul, nor the souls of my children, are greatly benefited from the internet. And this I must seriously consider.

May your new year be blessed!

The feast continues!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Oh dear, how could I have forgotten to post Nativity pictures!

Well, there are millions of pictures, but I'll spare you and just post a few.

I pray your week is lovely and that you are continuing the feast!

Head coverings

In the Orthodox church, it is a pious custom for women to cover their heads in church. If you follow this custom, here is a wonderful link for different ways to wear head coverings. They have even included step by step directions!

One of the reasons I like the styles shown on this page is that for women with little children, loosely fitted head coverings can be a challenge. The styles shown are this page are close to the head, tightly wrapped and away from the face. Very practical.



Image: "Girl with a pearl earring" by Jan Vermeer

Guess who came to town?

We had a visit from Vladyka JONAH last Wednesday. He was in town for Nativity and decided to join us for Vespers.

It's always a joy to have him here.

Eis polla eti despota!

Christ is Born!

Glorify Him!

Lots of joy, here in the south. It's been a beautiful weekend. We have so much to be thankful for.

Blessed week to you as we continue the feast of the Nativity of our Lord!

Waiting quietly

It's time to sign off for now. We'll spend the next week and a half cooking, cleaning, making gifts, attending services and trying to keep a quiet spirit for the remainder of the fast.

May your days be filled with peace and joy as we await the feast of the birth of our Lord!

Joyous feast!

Joyous feast of St. Herman of Alaska!

O blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
North star of Christ's holy Church,
The light of your holy life and great deeds
Guides those who follow the Orthodox way.
Together we lift high the Holy Cross
You planted firmly in America.
Let all behold and glorify Jesus Christ,
Singing his holy Resurrection.

Ma

‎"Sometimes it is hard to be resigned to God's will. We all had scarlet fever in our place on Plum Creek, and for a while it was hard to get along. But I'm thankful that all the children were spared to us. Mary's a great comfort to me, Brother Alden. She has never once repined." ~Ma Ingalls

I'm loving these books right now more than I ever have. The girls are enthralled as well.

New read

I am currently reading Remember Thy First Love by Archimandrite Zacharias, and it's a good one. As in, a really good one.

Here's where you can get it.

More on St. Nicholas

Me: "So, ladies, what do we know about St. Nicholas?"

Thea: "THAT HE'S A CHILD LIFE SAVER!"

Hope your day is beautiful, filled with the joy and wonders of this great saint!

Blessed Feast!

S' prazknikom! A blessed and joyous feast of St. Nicholas!

Want to read more about the real Santa Claus? Go here.

Thou wast revealed to thy flock as a rule of faith,
an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence,
because of thy lowliness, the heights were opened to thee,
because of thy poverty, riches were granted to thee.
O holy Hierarch, Father NIcholas,
intercede with Christ our God
That our souls be saved.

Vesperal troparion

Just because

A blessed weekend to you all!

More prayers please...

Please pray for my god daughter Svetlana. She fell and broke her ankle (quite badly) which will require a couple of surgeries to fix. She is with child and has six sweet one's at home to take care of.

She and baby are doing well. I know that they would appreciate all the prayers you can send their way.

Prayers...

Can I ask you to remember these people in your prayers? Their little baby Lucia is fighting Trisomy 18.

Also, there are two monasteries that could really use your prayers and your financial help:

The Nativity of our Lord Women's Monastery in Kemp, Texas.

And The Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael in Canones, N.M.

The Nativity of our Lord has a need for people to make regular donations to help keep the monastery going until they are able to be self sufficient. St. Michael's has a more immediate need to make the monk's cells warm for the winter. I'm sure that they could use regular donations as well.

Just think, if 100 people sent each of these monasteries $10 a month, that would be $1000 a month for each monastery. What a blessing that would be and what a huge difference it could make in their ministries.