TurtleMom's Space

Great and Holy Thursday

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:02:34 GMT

From St. John Chrysostom: Homily LXXXIV. on Matt. XXVI. 51-54.

See how many things He doeth that might awaken them. He cast them to the ground, He healed the servant’s ear, He threatened them with being slain; “For they shall perish with the sword,” He saith, “who take the sword.” By the healing of the ear, He gave assurance of these things also; from every quarter, both from the things present, and from the things to come, manifesting His power, and showing that it was not a work of their strength to seize Him. Wherefore He also adds, “I was daily with you, and sat teaching, and ye laid no hold on me;” by this also making it manifest, that the seizure 484 was of His permission. He passed over the miracles, and mentions the teaching, that He might not seem to boast.

When I taught, ye laid no hold on me; when I held my peace, did ye come against me? I was in the temple, and no one seized me, and now do ye come upon me late and at midnight with swords and staves? What need was there of these weapons against Him, who was with you always? by these things teaching them, that unless He had voluntarily yielded, not even then would they have succeeded. For neither could they (who were not able to hold Him when in their hands, and who, when they had got Him in the midst of them, had not prevailed) even then have succeeded, unless He had been willing.

After this, He solves also the difficulty why He willed it then. For, “this was done,” He saith, “that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”30083008   Matt. xxvi. 56. See how even up to the last hour, and in the very act of being betrayed, He did all things for their amendment, healing, prophesying, threatening. “For,” He saith, “they shall perish by the sword.” To show that He is suffering voluntarily, He saith, “I was daily with you teaching;” to manifest His accordance with the Father, He adds, “That the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

But wherefore did they not lay hold on Him in the temple? Because they would not have dared in the temple, on account of the people. Wherefore also He went forth without, both by the place and by the time giving them security, and even to the last hour taking away their excuse. For He who, in order that He might obey the prophets, gave up even Himself, how did He teach things contrary to them?

“Then all His disciples,” it is said, “forsook Him, and fled.” For when He was seized, they remained; but when He had said these things to the multitudes, they fled. For thenceforth they saw that escape was no longer possible, when He was giving Himself up to them voluntarily, and saying, that this was done according to the Scriptures.

And when these were fled, “they lead Him away to Caiaphas; but Peter followed, and entered in to see what the end should be.”30093009   Matt. xxvi. 57, 58. [Abridged and altered.]

Great was the fervor of the disciple; neither did he fly when he saw them flying, but stood his ground, and went in with Him. And if John did so too, yet he was “known to the high priest.”30103010   John xviii. 15.

And why did they lead Him away there where they were all assembled? That they might do all things with consent of the chief priests. For he was then high priest, and all were waiting for Christ there, to such a degree did they spend the whole night, and give up their sleep for this object. For neither did they then eat the passover, but watched for this other purpose. For John, when he had said that “it was early,” added, “they entered into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover.”30113011   John xviii. 28. [Compare Homily LXXVI. 1, and the note there.—R.]

What must we say then? That they ate it on another day, and broke the law, on account of their eager desire about this murder. For Christ would not have transgressed as to the time of the passover, but they who were daring all things, and trampling under foot a thousand laws. For since they were exceedingly boiling with rage, and having often attempted to seize Him, had not been able; having then taken Him unexpectedly, they chose even to pass by the passover, for the sake of satiating their murderous lust.

Wherefore also they were all assembled together, and it was a council of pestilent men,30123012   συνδριον λοιμν; cf. Ps. i. 1.and they ask some questions, wishing to invest this plot with the appearance of a court of justice. For “neither did their testimonies agree together;”30133013   Mark xiv. 56, 59. [The passages are combined.—R.]so feigned was the court of justice, and all things full of confusion and disorder.

“But false witnesses came, and said, This fellow said, I will destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.”30143014   Matt. xxvi. 60, 61. [The citation is very free, not agreeing with any one of the evangelists, according to our authorities; but it seems to combine terms from several passages.—R.] And indeed He had said, “In three days,” but He said not, “I will destroy,” but, “Destroy,” and not about that temple but about His own body.30153015   See John ii. 19–21.

What then doth the high priest? Willing to press Him to a defense, that by that he might take Him, he saith, “Hearest Thou not what these witness against Thee? But He held His peace.”30163016   Matt. xxvi. 62, 63. [Freely cited; the beginning is from the language of Pilate; chap. xxvii. 13.—R.]

For the attempts at defense were unprofitable, no man hearing. For this was a show only of a court of justice, but in truth an onset of robbers, assailing Him without cause, as in a cave, or on a road.

Wherefore “He held His peace,” but the other continued, saying, “I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of the living God. 485 But He said, Thou hast said. Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy.”30173017   Matt. xxvi. 63–65. [In verse 63, “the living God” occurs twice, peculiar to this Homily: in verse 64“of heaven” is omitted. In other details the citation agrees with the received text.—R.] And this he did to add force to the accusation, and to aggravate what He said, by the act. For since what had been said moved the hearers to fear, what they did about Stephen,30183018   Acts vii. 59.stopping their ears, this high priest doth here also.

3. And yet what kind of blasphemy was this? For indeed before He had said, when they were gathered together, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand,”30193019   Matt. xxii. 43–46.and interpreted the saying, and they dared say nothing, but held their peace, and from that time forth gainsaid Him no more. Why then did they now call the saying a blasphemy? And wherefore also did Christ thus answer them? To take away all their excuse, because unto the last day He taught that He was Christ, and that He sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and that He will come again to judge the world, which was the language of one manifesting His full accordance with the Father.

Having rent therefore his clothes, he saith, “What think ye?”30203020   Matt. xxvi. 66. He gives not the sentence from himself, but invites it from them, as in a case of confessed sins, and manifest blasphemy. For, inasmuch as they knew that if the thing came to be inquired into, and carefully decided, it would free Him from all blame, they condemn Him amongst themselves, and anticipate the hearers by saying, “Ye have heard the blasphemy;” all but necessitating and forcing them to deliver the sentence. What then say they? “He is guilty of death;” that having taken Him as condemned, they should thus work upon Pilate thereupon to pass sentence. In which matter those others also being accomplices say, “He is guilty of death;” themselves accusing, themselves judging, themselves passing sentence, themselves being everything then.

But wherefore did they not bring forward the Sabbaths? Because He had often stopped their mouths; and moreover they wanted to take Him, and condemn Him by the things then said. And the high priest anticipated them, and gave the sentence as from them, and drew them all on by rending his vestments, and having led Him away as now condemned unto Pilate, thus did all.

Before Pilate at any rate they said nothing of this kind, but what? “If30213021   John xviii. 30. [R.V., “an evil-doer.”]this Man were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up unto thee;” attempting to put Him to death by political accusations. And wherefore did they not slay Him secretly? They were desirous also to bring up an evil report against His fame. For since many had now heard Him, and were admiring Him, and amazed at Him, therefore they endeavored that He should be put to death publicly, and in the presence of all.

But Christ hindered it not, but made full use of their wickedness for the establishment of the truth, so that His death should be manifest. And the result was the contrary to what they wished. For they wished to make a show of it, as in this way disgracing Him, but He even by these very things shone forth the more. And much as they said, “Let us put Him to death, lest the Romans come and take away our place and nation;”30223022   John xi. 48. [Freely paraphrased.]and after they had put Him to death, this came to pass; so also here; their object was to crucify Him publicly, that they might injure His fame, and the contrary result took place.

For in proof that indeed they had power to have put Him to death, even amongst themselves, hear what Pilate saith: “Take ye Him, and judge Him according to your law.”30233023   John xviii. 31. But they would not, that He might seem to have been put to death as a transgressor, as an usurper, as a mover of sedition. Therefore also they crucified thieves with Him; therefore also they said, “Write not that this man is King of the Jews; but that He said it.”30243024   John xix. 21. [The citation is accurate; “it” is supplied by the translator to complete the sense.—R.]

But all these things are done for the truth, so that they might not have so much as any shadow of a defense that is surely shameless. And at the sepulchre too, in the like manner, the seals and the watches made the truth to be the more conspicuous; and the mockings, and the jeerings, and the revilings, wrought again this self-same effect.

For such is the nature of error: it is destroyed by those things whereby it plots; thus at least it fell out even here, for they that seemed to have conquered, these most of all were put to shame, and defeated, and ruined; but He that seemed to be defeated, this man above all hath both shone forth, and conquered mightily.

Let us not then everywhere seek victory, nor everywhere shun defeat. There is an occasion when victory brings hurt, but defeat 486 profit. For, for instance, in the case of them that are angry; he that hath been very outrageous seems to have prevailed; but this man above all is the one subdued and hurt by the most grievous passion; but he that hath endured nobly, this man hath got the better and conquered. And while the one hath not had strength to overcome so much as his own disease; the other hath removed another man’s; this hath been subdued by his own, that hath got the better even of another’s passion; and so far from being burnt up, he quenched the flame of another when raised to a height. But if he had minded to gain what seems to be victory, both he himself would have been overcome; and having inflamed the other, he would have occasioned him to have suffered this more grievously; and, like women, both the one and the other would have been disgracefully and miserably overthrown by their anger. But now he that hath exercised self-control is both freed from this disgrace, and hath erected a glorious trophy over anger both in himself and in his neighbor, through his honorable defeat.

4. Let us not then everywhere seek victory. For he that hath overreached hath conquered the person wronged, but with an evil victory, and one that brings destruction to him that has won it; but he that is wronged, and seems to have been conquered, if he have borne it with self-command, this above all is the one that hath the crown. For often to be defeated is better, and this is the best mode of victory. For whether one overreaches, or smites, or envies, he that is defeated, and enters not into the conflict, this is he who hath the victory.

And why do I speak of overreaching and envy? For he also that is dragged to martyrdom, thus conquers by being bound, and beaten, and maimed, and slain. And what is in wars defeat, namely, for the combatant to fall; this with us is victory. For nowhere do we overcome by doing wrongfully, but everywhere by suffering wrongfully. Thus also doth the victory become more glorious, when we sufferers get the better of the doers. Hereby it is shown that the victory is of God. For indeed it hath an opposite nature to outward conquest, which fact is again above all an infallible sign of strength. Thus also the rocks in the sea, by being struck, break the waves; thus also all the saints were proclaimed, and crowned, and set up their glorious trophies, winning this tranquil victory. “For stir not thyself,” He saith, “neither weary thyself. God hath given thee this might, to conquer not by conflict, but by endurance alone. Do not oppose thyself also as he does, and thou hast conquered; conflict not, and thou hast gained the crown.30253025   [The following clause is omitted in the translation: “Much better and stronger art thou than thine antagonist.”—R.] Why dost thou disgrace thyself? Allow him not to say that by conflicting thou hast got the better, but suffer him to be amazed and to marvel at thy invincible power; and to say to all, that even without entering into conflict thou hast conquered.”

Thus also the blessed Joseph obtained a good report, everywhere by suffering wrong getting the better of them who were doing it. For his brethren and the Egyptian woman were amongst those that were plotting against him, but over all did this man prevail. For tell me not of the prison, wherein this man dwelt, nor of the kings’ courts where she abode, but show me who it is that is conquered, who it is that is defeated, who that is in despondency, who that is in pleasure. For she, so far from being able to prevail over the righteous man, could not master so much as her own passion; but this man prevailed both over her and over that grievous disease. But if thou wilt, hear her very words, and thou shalt see the trophy. “Thou broughtest in unto us here an Hebrew servant to mock us.”30263026   Gen. xxxix. 17. It was not this man that mocked thee, O wretched and unhappy woman, but the devil that told thee that thou couldest break down the adamant. This thy husband brought not in unto thee an Hebrew servant to plot against thee, but the wicked spirit brought in that unclean lasciviousness; he it was that mocked thee.

What then did Joseph? He held his peace, and thus is condemned, even as Christ is also.

For all those things are types of these. And he indeed was in bonds, and she in royal courts. Yet what is this? For he was more glorious than any crowned victor, even while continuing in his bonds, but she was in a more wretched condition than any prisoner, while abiding in royal chambers.

But not hence alone may one see the victory, and the defeat, but by the end itself. For which accomplished his desired object? The prisoner, not the high born lady? For he strove to keep his chastity, but she to destroy it. Which then accomplished what he desired? he who suffered wrong, or she who did the wrong. It is quite plain, that it is he who suffered. Surely then this is the one who hath conquered.

Knowing then these things, let us follow after this victory, which is obtained by suffering wrong, let us flee from that which is got 487 by doing wrong. For so shall we both live this present life in all tranquility, and great quietness, and shall attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might world without end. Amen.

Concerning the Jesus Prayer: From the Jordanville Prayer Book (1996 ed.)

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:09:16 GMT

In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians the Apostle Paul says: Pray without ceasing. How, then, is one to pray unceasingly? By often repeating the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." If one becomes accustomed to this appeal, great consolation and the need to continually make this petition will be felt within, and it will be carried on, as if of itself, within one.

Although in the beginning the enemy of the human race will offer hindrances to this, by causing great weariness, indolence, boredom, and over-powering sleep, having withstood all these with the help of God, one will receive peace of soul, spiritual joy, a benevolent disposition towards people, tranquility of thought, and gratitude toward God. In the very name of Jesus Christ a great and graceful power is inherent. Many holy and righteous people advise how one can often, almost without interruption, perform the Jesus Prayer.

Saint John Chrysostom says: "It is necessary for everyone, whether eating, drinking, sitting, serving, traveling, or doing anything, to unceasingly cry: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,' that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, descending into the depths of the heart, may subdue the pernicious serpent, and save and quicken the soul.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner": let all thine attention and training be in this. Walking, sitting, doing, and standing in church before the divine service, coming in and going out, keep this unceasingly on thy lips and in thy heart. In calling in this manner on the name of God thou wilt find peace, thou wilt attain to purity of spirit and body, and the Holy Spirit, the Origin of all good things, will dwell in thee, and He will guide thee unto holiness, unto all piety and purity."

Bishop Theophanes the Recluse: "In order to more conveniently become accustomed to the remembrance of God, for this the fervent Christian has a special means, namely, to repeat unceasingly a brief prayer of two or three words. Most often this is: 'Lord, have mercy!' or 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.' If you have not yet heard of this, then hear it now, and if you have not done it, then begin to do it from this time.

"Those who have truly decided to serve the Lord God must train themselves in the remembrance of God and in unceasing prayer to Jesus Christ, saying mentally: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.'

"Through such practice, by guarding oneself from distraction and by the preservation of the peace of one's conscience, it is possible to draw near to God and to be united with Him. For, according to the words of Saint Isaac the Syrian, 'Without unceasing prayer we cannot draw near to God' (St. Seraphim of Sarov)."

Saint John of Kronstadt likewise frequently counseled the doing of the Jesus Prayer.

= = = = =

As we enter the last 2 weeks of the Fast, it behooves us to redouble our efforts - fasting, prayer, almsgiving, attending services. Behaving like Orthodox Christians. Watching our tongues - what we say. Watching our thoughts - what we think. Yes, what we think. We should guard our thoughts. If a suspect thought appears, we should reject it immediately. Logismoi are the precursors of temptation and fall. The words of the serpent were the logismoi that instilled in Eve the desire to disobey the commandments of God.

Again, let us redouble our efforts. Try harder.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Great Lent begins March 10

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:12:00 GMT

So the week of March 3 - 9 is known as Maslenitza or Cheesefare week. Sunday, March 9 is Cheesefare Sunday - and is the Sunday we hold Forgiveness Vespers.

We begin Great Lent on Cheesefare Sunday, before we begin Fasting! It is a service that anticipates what we will be doing in the month and a half to follow. We have prayers of repentance, asking God's forgiveness and asking each other's forgiveness. And we go to each person in the Church, bow down before him and asking forgiveness. He (or she) in turn, bows down before us and asks our forgiveness. The response is, "God forgives," we give the kiss of peace and reconciliation, and move on to the next person. We are not done until we have gone through the entire line of people. It is extremely moving. Men, women and children finish this service in tears and gulping sobs. For we realize that we have sinned against even the people we know least, and even the smallest of the members. And they, in turn, have sinned against us, however inadvertently. To have a 2-year old ever so seriously bow to the floor before you and say to the best of his ability, "Forgive me, my sister in Christ," is stunningly moving. And to have that same 2-year old embrace you and say, "God forgives," releases something deep inside. I cannot explain better.

Since we are unable to attend anymore, we clasp each other's hands and aks forgiveness. We ask our family and friends for their forgiveness over the telephone. And, yes, I even ask forgiveness via e-mail - especially on the Orthodox Lists to which I belong.

Lent approaches! Let us prepare! Let us wash our faces and look forward to the Pascha of Our Lord!

The Eve of the Nativity of Christ

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 14:55:57 GMT

Yes, I KNOW you think it is January 6th! But to us who are on the old Church calendar, it is Dec 24th! And tomorrow is the Nativity.

From St. Ephraim (or Ephrem) the Syrian:

'The exalted One knew that Adam had desired to become a God, so he sent his Son
who put Adam on, to give him his desire.'

            The Son of the most High came and dwelt in me, and I became His mother.
            Just as I gave birth to Him - a further birth, so did He give birth to me - a second birth:
            He put on His mother’s robe - her body, while I put on His glory.

            Among the saints none is naked, for they have put on glory;
            nor is there any clad in fig leaves, or standing in shame,
            For they have found through our Lord,
            the robe that belonged to Adam and Eve.

            O children of the baptismal font,
            babes who without spot have put on fire and Spirit,
            preserve the glorious robe that you have put on from the water.
            Whoever puts on the robe of glory from the water and the Spirit
            will destroy with its burning the thorny growth of his sins.

May you have a glorious Feast!

A Friend Needs HELP!!

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:23:17 GMT

Dear readers - I won’t do this kind of thing very often.

A friend is in desperate need. At this holiday season, please visit her website and consider ordering some of her Christmas cards. They are Christmas cards not your “generic” “holiday cards.” There is also a beautiful matted print of the for sale.

If you are in the market for cards or gifts, these are wonderful and economical options. Purchasing them will help this struggling young Orthodox Christian woman.

If you are still shopping for gifts, a matted linoleum block print is, again, an economical and lovely gift. And it will directly assist someone who literally is struggling to survive.

The Abstracted Icon

A boxed set of 10 Cards w/ envelopes is $12.50

The Abstracted Icon

The Virgin and Child Art Print is 4″ x 6″ on fine art printers paper makes a subtle and divine comtemplative statement to any decor. Price: $12.50

The Abstracted Icon

Thank you - the commercial is over, but the need is still there . . .

Welcome to December!

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:51:02 GMT

This is the month that normally welcomes in Winter - officially. However, with climate change going on (IMNSHO due to a sun cycle of magnetic activity), weather is warmer than susual. Don't think there will be any "white stuff" this month or next.

Recently we've been watching the Police Academy series. There is just enough plot to the things to allow them to string a bunch of sight gags and slap stick stunts together. Some work better than others, but on the whole the series is basically amusing with some belly laughs (which I enjoy thoroughly) interspersed.

The Nativity Fast has begun. We are fortunate to have a number of fish, wine and oil days in this fast. I'll post some of the ol' Curmudgeon's delicious fish recipes if I get a chance.

In case you are wondering, I did not put in the Icon for the Nativity yet. It isn't Nativity yet! We celebrate on the Old Calendar, so December 25 falls on January 7th of the Civil Calendar. I'll put up the Nativity Icon on Dec 25, Civil Calendar, however, in anticipation.

Spiritual reading this fast is, once again, Mary: The Untrodden Portal of God. My priest gave it to me several years ago, and I have read and re-read it - particularly during the Nativity Fast. The Theotokos is our most precious and strong example of how to deny our selves and to follow the commandments of God. So during this season of preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, it is appropriate to read of the obedience of His Mother.

"We can judge the Church’s attitude towards women by the high position accorded to the Most Holy Mother of God. The Church glorifies Her more than all of the saints and even more than the angels. She is praised in hymns as ‘more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim’. The Holy Virgin is the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church - it is in Her person that the Church glorifies motherhood. Motherhood is an integral part of woman’s dignity and it may be noted that those Protestant churches that have entrusted to women the celebration of the Eucharist and other priestly functions neither venerate the Mother of God nor pray to Her. Yet the church community deprived of the Mother of God loses its fullness in the same way that a community deprived of the priesthood is not a complete Church. If fatherhood is realized in the person of the hierarchy - the episcopate and the priesthood - then motherhood is personified in the Church in the Most Holy Mother of God.

"The Orthodox Church glorifies the Mother of God as Ever-Virgin (aeiparthenos). This term was upheld by the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 533 and emphasizes the virginity of the Mother of God before, during and after Christ’s Birth. She is also called Most Holy, Most Pure and Immaculate. The Orthodox Church follows early church tradition in believing that the Holy Virgin after Her death rose again on the third day and was assumed bodily into heaven like Christ and the Old Testament saints Enoch and Elijah.

"Very little is said in Holy Scripture about the Holy Virgin: her place in the New Testament is very modest, especially if we compare it with the place she occupies in the life of the Church. The veneration of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church is based not so much on Scripture as on a centuries-old experience of many people to whom, in one way or another, the mystery of the Holy Virgin was revealed.

"The Mother of God stands at the head of the host of saints glorified by the Church. The veneration of the saints and prayers addressed to them is an ancient tradition of the Church preserved from apostolic times. Accusations that the Church worships people on the same level as God, thereby breaking the commandment ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve’, are unjust. Greek theology makes a clear distinction between worship (latreia) of God and veneration (proskynesis) of the saints. The latter are venerated not as gods, but as people who have attained a spiritual height and who have become united with God. The saints are closely connected with each other and with Christ. In venerating the saints we venerate Christ, Who lives in them." [taken from THE MYSTERY OF FAITH: An Introduction to Orthodox Dogma and Spirituality by Hieromonk Hilarion Alfeyev of the Holy Orthodox Church of Russia.]

May all have a spiritually profitable Fast and see the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Remember Our Soldiers!

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:04:54 GMT

According to internet lore, this was put together by a 15 year old girl. All I have to say is it brought me to tears!

Drought in GA

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:56:56 GMT

Georgia is experiencing the worst drought in decades.

Governor Purdue asked all the Churches in the state to pray for rain.
Following is a Prayer in Time of Drought from and Orthodox Patriarch (Patriarch Callistus, d. 1363).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A Prayer in Time of Drought
by Patriarch Callistus of Constantinople

O Master, Lord our God, who heard Elijah the Tishbite in his zeal for Thee and commanded the rain to hold itself back when it was about to be sent to the earth, and then later granted it fruit-bearing rain by his prayer! We beg Thee, O Master of all: from the depths of Thy own goodness, liberally give rain to Thy inheritance. Overlooking our sins, send down Thy rain upon thirsty places in need. Gladden the face of the earth for the sake of Thy poverty-stricken people, children, livestock and all others looking for Thee to give them food in good time -- for Thou art our God, the God whose nature it is to have mercy and to save, and we send up glory to Thee, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We here in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are suffering from a lack of rain. Without a large influx of rain between now and then, sometime in January Atlanta will be OUT of water! We in that area already are having to forego watering lawns (not a problem for us - we hate grass anyway) and washing cars (except at approved carwashes that recycle water). We are asked to conserve by not flushing the toilets as much, not showering or bathing as frequently, not washing clothes unless we have a full washer's worth. But soon even this won't be enough.

Many businesses have had to shut down, with resultant hiatus in employment and paychecks for those working for those companies. Many people are drinking bottled water, but this will soon be too expensive to buy.

The water-based recreation industries (fishing, boating, swimming) are taking a big hit - especially around the lakes. Other tourism and recreation areas (Lake Lanier, Lake Alatoona, Callaway Gardens, Chattahoochee National Forest, Okeefenokee State Park, etc) are also down, leading to marked decrease in income for the entire state. All the ancillary industries - fast foods, bait shops, sports equipment stores, motels, etc - also take hits.

This all adds up to PEOPLE losing jobs, losing incomes, losing their homes, families breaking up etc.

Please keep us in your prayers!

I'm an ENTP on the Free Jung Personality Test!

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:21:36 GMT

And it's pretty accurate!!

ENTP - "Inventor". Enthusiastic interest in everything and always sensitive to possibilities. Non-conformist and innovative. 3.2% of the total population.

Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

For Those Born 1930-1979

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:05:36 GMT

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms.......

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them - CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, share it with your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

Cats in My Life

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:08:04 GMT

When I was very young, my first cat was a blue-eyed white cat whom I names "Blue Princess." Now, blue-eyed white cats are "supposed" to be deaf, but this one wasn't. She could hear my call, "Here yidoh kitty!" from all over the neighborhood and would come running. This was my first conscious experience with total, unconditional acceptance and love.

Now, I had no doubt that my Mama loved me, and no doubt that my Gaga (grandfather) loved me, and I suspected Gam (grandmother) loved me, but I wasn't sure about my Daddy. My parents divorced when I was 3, and Gaga died when I was 4. Blue Princess and I "hung out" from the time I was about 4 1/2 until her untimely death under the tires of a car. She brought me little presents - mice, moles and chipmunks she captured. Once she brought a small squirrel. The Might Huntress, my Mama called her! Later, the mama cat (Ma) next door produced another kitten identical to her! So, of course, I named her Blue Princess, too! She also became a companion and confidant. She wasn't my original Blue Princess, she was a different one. She wasn't much of a huntress, but she was very playful and extremely affectionate. She would lie in my lap and purr, looking deeply into my eyes. And I would just drown in the blue pools of her eyes. Distemper took her from me. This was years before the distemper vaccine was developed. I cried as much as I cried over the first Blue Princess. Now I was without a companion.

My Mama realized I needed a cat, and proceeded to locate 3 for me! We went to the house of Mama's friend, whose cat had produced 3 kittens. I was supposed to pick one of them. If you think I did that, you are wrong. Tears ran down my face and I told Mama that I couldn't separate a brother and two sisters from each other. Being an only child, it was inconceivable to me that siblings would not be wonderful and love each other and be sad to be separated. Mama agreed - she was an only child, too - and Toots, Red and Ginger joined our household. We had Red neutered, but Mama left the girls unspayed. Of course the next spring there was a kitten explosion. I learned the facts of life from those two queens. Toots would mate gently and quietly. Ginger would mate with great yowls, then snarl and drive the tom away. Toots produced her kittens with quiet aplomb and confidence. This was what she was supposed to do and she did it. Ginger screamed and yowled the entire labor. Red just looked on with interest.

Toots was the best mama cat ever. She cleaned, cuddled and nursed her kittens with joy. Ginger resented the whole concept of motherhood. She would have deserted those kittens given her druthers. We penned her up in a large 5'x6' cage with a little house for her and the kittens and a litterbox in one corner. She spent as much time away from the kittens as possible, only nursing them when their cries became insistent. She seldom cleaned them. As a matter of fact, she seldom cleaned herself. She was a slattern of the cat world. She had longish hair, but wouldn't let me brush her. As a result we frequently had to cut hairballs off her. Toots, on the other hand, was clean and neat, and kept her kittens well fed and very clean. Her little nest only had clean kitty odor, not dirty cat odor like Ginger's did. I named Toots' kittens Bingo, Spot, Babe, and Prissy. We easily found homes for them. Ginger's kittens were Kenny (my current crush at school), Tabs, and Mimi. We found homes for them, too.

That was only the beginning of the kitten explosion! Toots, after that first litter of 4, never had less than 6 in a litter again. One time she had 8! She was always a wonderful mother. Ginger only had 3 or 4 at most. She was never a good mother. Because I handled the kittens a lot, they were very social and friendly. Homes were easy to find for them. After having her 4th litter, Toots was killed by a car. What on earth she was doing that far from the kittens was beyond me. I was distraught. I didn't have any little babydoll bottles for feeding them, and I tearfully went from house to house and even rode my bike down to the ten-cent store trying to find some. Mama came to my rescue with eyedroppers, and I carefully nurtured the 3 week old kittens and eventually taught them to eat "real" food. They were my dearies, and I adored them. They were Toots' last litter, and I wanted to keep them, but Mama said, "No. Red and Ginger are enough." So Peep, Mitzie, Prowler, Ghost, Pepper, and Ty were given away. Ginger disappeared one day, leaving me to grieve with only Red for comfort.

And comfort he was. He had been a wonderful uncle to the kittens. When Ginger would abandon her kittens for hours, Red would get in the "nest" and clean the kittens and purr over them. He used to drool - copiously - when he purred, and it was messy, but endearing. He loved to be brushed, and would lie down and roll over for me to brush his tummy while he kneaded the air and purred and drooled.

During this time, a friend up the street decided to breed Persians. So I became her partner, and we made decisions about which cat to cross with which and why. Her father was a scientist - in genetics, I think - at one of the universities around town, so I got some lessons on genetics from him and those cats. He warned us that inbreeding was ok if you cross once, but not twice. Sure enough, when we disregarded him, the kittens were born malformed and didn't live! But mostly we did a credible job, and she was able to sell kittens for about 2 years. Then distemper ran through the neighborhood. We lost 20 cats and kittens. At home, I lost another 6 or 8. Red came down with it, but he survived! It was about 3 years later that the vaccine against distemper became available. I've always gotten that vaccine for my kitties.

We didn't reassemble the breeding program. My friend sold off all the remaining cats and kittens. I was left with just Red. He was great comfort to a pre-pubescent girl. And he lived through most of my adolescence, being a wonderful companion and confidant for a lonely, confused girl. Then, one beautiful Sunday morning in the spring of 1959, Mama came into the house just about hysterical. She had chased Red out from under the car as usual, but unknown to her, he came back and lay down under the back wheel. She ran over him, and he died quickly. She was distraught, I was distraught, and the day suddenly wasn't beautiful anymore. She was the secretary of the sunday school I went to, and she called in saying she couldn't be there that day. She was so upset that the assistant minister made a visit that afternoon after service!

I went away to school a year later, catless. We didn't get another cat for a long time. I had to take a break from college because I came down with a severe case of Mono. I was lonely again, and wanted another cat. Gam said no. Since she owned the house, and was the "head" of our little household of 3, there was no cat. I worked a bit and saved my money. Then I went to a pet store and bought a 5-foot black racer - snake. I made a cage for him, and fed him feeder mice. (I assume this was a "he.") Mama and Gam were appalled! But they finally recognized how desperate I was for a pet. They would let me get a cat - one cat - IF I got rid of the snake. There was a deep wooded gully behind the house. Yep, I let that sucker go. he kept the chipmunks and squirrels under control for years! He was never friendly, despite me handling him a lot - carefully.

Pixie came into my life as I walked down the aisle at the Atlanta SPCA. I was dragging my fingers along the cages when a kitten grabbed one of them. I stepped back to that cage and came face-to-face with one of the cutest kittens I'd ever seen! She was black and white - A little white line ran p from her nose, between her eyes, and just above. She had little white "feelers" over her eyes, and white "whiskers." She had little white feet and a white tummy. I fell totally in love!! She was totally playful and had more personality that any cat I had seen since Blue Princess 2. (Not that the others didn't have personality, but this one was so playful!) There is a music technique that involves plucking the strings of a stringed instrument. It produces a playful sound. I named her Pixie-Cato. It shortened almost immediately to "Pixie." Pixie lived in my room. She played all over the place. She slept with me. Once again I had a companion and confidant. I was struggling with myself. Returning to college seemed to be an insurmountable mountain. Finally, I decided upon Nursing - a compromise with my original intention of going into Medicine. Pixie became an outdoor cat when I went back to school, only coming in at night to sleep next to me. Naturally, as she was unspayed, she became pregnant! She produced 3 kittens. I only named one, because I knew the other two were going to be given away. But I absolutely HAD to have the little black boy! I named him Pywacket after the cat in the movie Bell, Book and Candle.

After finishing nursing school, I went to work. I was engaged and shortly after graduation, I married. We tried to take Pixie and Pywacket when we married, but they didn't like our apartment. About 2 o'clock in the morning, we went to Mama and Gam's house. Mama was in a wheelchair most of the time by then. Gam sighed - because she was the one who had to feed them.

I wanted a cat, and we got a little black and white kitten. Sadly, I can't remember her name!

A few months later, however, we moved into a larger place - a duplex. Pixie and Pywacket came with us. They didn't get along with the other cat, but when I had our first baby, Pywacket became his guardian and buddy. Somewhere in there, we got a newfoundland (dog) named Nemo. The next year, with me pregnant again, we moved to Utah - with Pixie, Pywacket, Nemo and the "other" cat. She had given birth to a rare cat - a Male tri-color. We called him Screwball.

So much was going on in my life at that point - settling into a new house in a new state, having another baby, going back to work, then going back to school for a Master's Degree - that I remember little of the kitties. Pixie died, Pywacket was wonderful, as usual, Nemo saved the neighborhood from burglers, I finished school and taught a year at the local 2-year nursing program (Associate Degree), had another baby in there. Screwball developed feline leukemia and died. But Pywacket was still with us - and was the guardian of the children. He was monstrous - weighed in at 18 pounds. No one could get near the children without his permission! Our cat from the early days had kittens. We kept one that was black (of course) and named him Coalflake. (He was black as coal, and had he been white we would have named him snowflake, hence "Coalflake.")

We left Utah (after finding a big farm for Nemo to live on) and returned to my hometown with 3 children and 2 cats: Pywacket and Coalflake. I went to work at the big hospital in town, and husband went back to school for a PhD. He was not happy in his program, and with 3 children in daycare plus food for all, he had to work, too, in order to make ends meet. Thank goodness we were living for free at Mama and Gam's. Mama was totally disabled, and 4 months after we returned with children and cat, Mama and Gam went into a nursing home. This was Mama's decision, not mine. They let us live in the house I grew up in for a long time. I was happy with that arrangement, but eventually, after Gam died, Mama needed the money from the house. So we found land, built a house on it, sold Mama's house, and moved. Husband and live-in housekeeper decided they couldn't live without each other, so they left together, and I ended up in a townhouse apartment in the armpit of a suburb of Atlanta with the children and Pywacket - that's about all I got out of the marriage, but the children were my jewels, and I felt rich!

Pywacket didn't adapt to apartment living, and sprayed all over the place, despite being neutered years and years ago. At 15 years of age, fairly long for a cat at that time, I reluctantly agreed to having him put down. I was inconsolable for months. In only 2 years, I had lost grandmother, husband, and 2 houses. Now I was losing the only continuity in my life! But by then I had re-married, and had my ol' curmudgeon to lean upon.

When we moved into a house after Mama died a year later, we encountered a little orange and white queen about 5 months old. She decided our house was her house and kept trying to come in. The ol' curmudgeon was skeptical, but finally he said, "OK, take the cat and have it spayed. But I get to name her! I'm calling her 'Pirate' because she has stolen your hearts." Pirate was wonderful - until she made pinholes in our waterbed mattress! Had to take her to get declawed. She did wonderfully, and was a new companion for the children - especially the oldest who had hair the color of hers. Pirate with with us 6 years later when we moved to SC for me to teach at a University there. One day, she got out of the house, and when she came back that night, she was a different cat! She was Queen of the Neighborhood - Sleuth of the Shadows! She became an indoor-outdoor cat for a while. Loved that cat. So much personality!!

We moved back to the ol' curmudgeon's home later, so I could get a PhD. His mom had died the year before, and he bought her house from his siblings. Pirate came with us, as an indoor cat, but shortly learned to go out the dog-door-flap. She ruled the neighborhood for 5 years. She came home when she wanted to, and would lie on the top of the 7 foot tall breakfront, peering over like a vulture to see what was going on! One night, however, she finaly met her match - 2 dogs at once, a Rotweiler and a Pit Bull. Even without her claws, however, she hurt them - they had deep, multple bite marks all over their faces and front legs. Good for Pirate - she gave almost as much as she got. We buried her in the back yard.

No replacement for Pirate - for about 2 years. Then Effie came into our lives. A nondescript gray tabby with gorgeous green eyes! She could leap 4-5 feet off the ground going after a feather teaser. And she enjoyed playing fetch with her furry little mousey toy. We would toss it, she would run after it and bring it back for us to repeat the process. She was also a bit of a "lap cat," and would lie in a lap and purr. A couple years later, Kathena came to join her. They were both declawed, but that didn't stop them from killing a rat in the house. (We lived in a neighborhood that had rats in the backyards. They would come under the houses and nest to make more little ratlets.) This was a half-grown ratlet that they caught and killed. I took it away before they could eat it. Wasn't sure what kind of poisons it might have ingested. People were always putting poison out for the rats. Soon after that, Magnus, the Magnifi-Cat joined us. Black with white in his "armpits" and bikini area, he is one of the sweetest cats I've seen since Red. A "killer" purr, and sooo forgiving of all indignities. Take them to the vet, and Effie would take a day or two to forgive us. Kathena would have her nose out of joint for 2 - 3 weeks. But Magnus, sweet Magnus, would climb into our laps and purr right away!

We moved from there to our current house about 6 years later, bringing Magnus, Effie and Kathena with us. Recently, however, Effie (who was almost 16) and Kathena (who was almost 14) started acting funny. Wouldn't use the litter box, vomited a lot, became less tolerant of any handling. Kathena obviously had arthritis, as she would be very stiff after getting up from one of her frequent naps. She wouldn't let anyone touch her hindquarters, and wouldn't let anyone pick her up. She was very uncomfortable. The vet had no answers. NSAIDS destroy cat's kidneys, Aspirin is contraindicated. Both were starting to lose weight, and weren't grooming themselves like they used to. With the concurrence of the vet, we reluctantly realized it was "that time," and tearfully held them as they were put down. They were with us and we were with them to the end.

Thank goodness, we still have Magnus - who, at almost 12, is very healthy despite FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease). He eats his special diet, and tolerates us forcing him to drink extra fluids by adding water to his food. He sleeps between us most nights, until the ol' curmudgeon evicts him to my side of the bed! LOL!

Cats in my life. I don't do well without at least one. The ol' curmdgeon worries that after he dies I'll become a crazy little old cat woman who has 30 or 40 cats. I have assured him that 1 or 2, preferably 2 or 3, are enough for me. Actually, 1 or 2 is about all I can handle. I recognize that, and won't take in more than 2.

When Magnus dies, we want to get 2 little queens, possibly of the Bombay variety. They are large, black and have orange eyes. They are beautiful. But until then we have Magnus, our wonderful Magnifi-Cat. He is truly magnificent. Yet funny. He "gets lost" in the house in the middle of the night and starts yowrling. One of us says, "Magnus, you moron! Shut up and come here!" He starts mewing like a kitten and come running! Not the sharpest tack in the drawer, OR he enjoys the game. With cats you never know!

So Magnus will be with us to the end. And I look back on the Cats in My Life, I consider it a privilege to have known each of them. Each with his or her own personality. Each endearing in it's own way. Generous with affection, playful in their own ways. My babies. My kitties. My cats. My loves.

For you kitties who have gone before me, wait across the Rainbow Bridge! I'll come get you one day, and we can play and purr forever. It may not be an Orthodox thought, but I have to cling to the idea that I will see each of them again - somehow, somewhere, somewhen.

Favorite from Many Years Ago!

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:37:47 GMT

This was a fovorite of mine too many years ago to specify!!

The Byrds, playing and singing "Turn, Turn, Turn!"

Enjoy!!

Take a Break!

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:43:36 GMT

Have fun!!
www.SharkBreak.com

Getting to Work in Atlanta?

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 09:39:36 GMT

Although this sign is NOT from the Atlanta area, it might as well be! Hysterical!

Get Funny Pictures at pYzam.com

Dancing Horse

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:26:03 GMT

This is called Freestyle Dressage. The horse is a Lipizzaner Stallion.
The rider is just as incredible as the horse!! Turn up your sound and
enjoy!!

Budweiser Tribute to 9/11 - only shown once on TV

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:25:44 GMT

Innocent Frivolity

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:12:36 GMT

One of the joys of belonging to the Red Hat Society is that is it possible to be innocently frivolous. There are those who would say that every moment not spent with my thoughts on God is a moment in which I have fallen into sin. Well, I admit it. I enjoy life. I embrace it with all its weirdness, wackiness and wildness with gusto! While I deplore criminality, I absolutely revel in the kind of innocent frivolity provided by the Red Hats!

We can play dress-up again. We can play pretend again. Remember little tea sets and serving tea to your dolls? (Or your sister doing said-same?) We can do all those fun, silly things that we couldn't do when we were o-so-seriously working on raising families and/or developing careers. Who had time to go to a Tea House and loll over scones and crumpets for a couple of hours back then??
Someone asked me if any of the Church Fathers were frivolous. I doubt it. And I refuse to speculate as to whether they ever told jokes or laughed over the vagaries of puppies and kittens. If they did, it was not passed down to us.

I only know that at this stage in my life, I seem to be having some fun with Innocent Frivolity.

Thought from St. Isaac the Syrian

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:36:58 GMT

Blessed is the man who realizes his weakness, for this knowledge becomes the foundation, the root and the beginning of every boon. For as soon as a man understands and truly feels his weakness, he immediately puts a restraint on the vain pride of his soul which obscures reason, and thus he gains protection.
St. Isaac the Syrian

The Apostles Fast

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:06:33 GMT

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~ Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice.
Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.
Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful.
Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.
Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.
For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes,
But bite and devour our brothers? ~*~
~*~ St. John Chrysostom ~*~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Apostles's Fast this year lasts until June 30 / July 12. So we have 3 weeks left!

6/4/07 - The Apostle's Fast

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:57:28 GMT

Today begins the Apostle's Fast. For a change, Wikipedia actually has a fairly accurate description of it!

The Apostles' Fast, also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles, is a fast that was undertaken by the disciples of Jesus Christ following the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Having rejoiced for fifty days following Pascha (Easter), the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostles began to prepare for their departure from Jerusalem to spread Christ's message. As part of their preparation, they began a fast with prayer to ask God to strengthen their resolve and to be with them in their missionary undertakings.
The scriptural foundation for the Fast is found in the Synoptic Gospels, when the Pharisees criticized the apostles for not fasting, Jesus said to them, "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."^[1] In the immediate sense, Christ was referring to his being taken to be crucified; but in the wider sense it is understood in terms of his Ascension into heaven, and his commission to preach the Gospel, which can only be accomplished with prayer and fasting.
The tradition of the Fast has existed at least since Pope Leo I (461 AD), as is evidenced by his homilies. The Fast is thought to have been instituted out of thanksgiving to God for the witness of the apostles of Christ. With this Fast, believers express their thanks for the apostles' endurance of persecution during their mission.
The Apostles' Fast is not as severe as Great Lent or the Dormition Fast, but entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fish, wine and oil are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, and oil and wine are allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As with the three other Fasts of the Church year, there is a Great Feast that falls during the Apostles' Fast; in this case, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24).
In some places, the services on weekdays during the Apostles' Fast are similar to the services during Great Lent (with some variations). Many churches and monasteries in the Russian tradition will perform the lenten services on at least the first day of the Apostles' Fast.
The length of the Fast is determined by the date of Pascha (Easter). Eight weeks after Pascha, comes the Sunday of All Saints. The next day, Monday, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins. The Fast lasts until June 29, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In other words, depending on the date of Pascha, the Apostles' Fast can begin as early as May 18 or as late as June 21. Thus, it may be as short as eight days or as long as forty-two days in duration.
In 1924, the Church of Greece and the Church of Constantinople, and later some other local churches, changed to a different calendar from other Orthodox Churches. Pascha often falls very late on the New Calendar, which can obliterate the Fast of the Holy Apostles entirely.

This year the fast will last a full 5 1/2 weeks. It ends on June 30 / July 12. So we will be vegetarians for the next 5 1/2 weeks!

Yesterday was the Sunday of All Saints.

"We remember all the saints – those who are already counted among the choir of the saints and those (like you and I) who are still in the process of becoming saints. My brothers and sisters, let us then follow Christ, let us begin again in this moment and in every moment to come to forsake our old life leaving it behind and instead to live the life of Christ." ( Archpriest David Moser - St Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church (ROCOR) - Homilies: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/propoved/
Website: http://stseraphimboise.org

Photo Album: Holy Week

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:27:02 GMT

Holy Week

Sunday of the Palms - Entry into Jerusalem

Holy Monday - Bridegroom Matins

Holy Tuesday - The Wise and the Foolish Virgins

Holy Wednesday - The Washingof Feet

Holy Thursday01 - Mystical Supper

Holy Thursday02 - Crucifixion

Holy Friday01 - Taking Down From the Cross

Holy Friday02 - The Burial Shroud

Holy Saturday01 - Descent Cloisend

Holy Saturday01 - The Empty Tomb

Photo Album: Sundays of Pre-Lent

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:46:36 GMT

Sundays of Pre-Lent

Meatfare Sunday - Sunday of the Last Judgement - Second Sunday Before Great Lent

Cheesefare Sunday (Forgiveness Sunday) - Last Sunday Before Great Lent

Photo Album: Sundays of Great Lent

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:44:23 GMT

Sundays of Great Lent

First Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Orthodoxy

Second Sunday of Great Lent: St. Gregory Palamas

Third Saturday of Great Lent: Miracle of St. Theodore Tiron

Third Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Cross

Fourth Sunday of Great Lent: St. John of the Ladder

Fifth Saturday of Great Lent: Akathist to the Mother of God

Fifth Sunday of Great Lent: St. Mary of Egypt

Sixth Saturday of Great Lent: Raising of Lazarus

Photo Album: Icons for December

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:30:22 GMT

Icons for December

Theotokos of the Akathist

Theotokos - Nourisher of Life

Kursk-Root Icon of the Theotokos of the Sign

Theotokos - Joy Unhoped For

Theotokos - Searcher of the Lost

St. Herman of Alaska - Life Icon

St. Nicholas, Wonderworker of Myra in Lyceia (Novgorod School)

Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

The Nativity of Christ - Dec 25 / Jan 7

Photo Album: Saints of November

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:31:24 GMT

Saints of November

Sts. Cosmas and Damian - unmercenary physicians

Synaxis of the Archangels

St. Catherine the great martyr

Presentation of the Theotokos into the Temple

St. Alexander Nevsky