Through the Prayers of the Theotokos Save Us!

Rejoice Mary, Mother of God, Virgin, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls. It is truly meet to glorify thee, O Birthgiver of God, ever blessed, and all undefiled, the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who without stain didst bear God the word, true Birthgiver of God, we magnify thee.

O my beloved Queen, my hope, O Mother of God, protector of orphans and protector of those who are hurt, the savior of those who perish and the consolation of all those who are in distress, thou seest my misery, thou seest my sorrow and my loneliness. Help me--I am powerless; give me strength. Thou knowest what I suffer, thou knowest my grief: Lend me thy hand, for who else can be my hope but thee, my protector and my intercessor before God? I have sinned before thee and before all people. Be my Mother, my consoler, my helper. Protect me and save me, chase grief away from me, chase my lowness of heart and my despondency. Help me, O Mother of my God!*

O gracious Mother of the gracious God, O most pure and blessed Mary, the Mother of God: Pour the mercy of thy Son and our God upon my impassionate soul, and with thine intercessions set me unto good works, that I may pass the rest of my life without blemish and, with thine aid, attain heaven. O Virgin Mother of God, the only one who art pure and blessed; O Queen of the Heavenly Host, Defender of our souls: Being delivered from evil, as thy servants, O Mother of God, we offer unto thee the hymns of thanks and victory; but as thou hast power invincible, deliver us from all calamity, that we may cry unto thee: Rejoice, O ever-Virgin Bride!

 

* A prisoner in a Soviet Gulag overheard an Orthodox priest by the name of Father Arseny praying this prayer before an icon of the Theotokos.

For Mom

Alberta Webb Gatling

3 May 1937 - 25 January 1995

O Master, Lord our God, Who in Your wisdom has created man, and did honor him with Your Divine image, and placed in him the spirit of life, and lead him into this world, bestowing on him the hope of resurrection and life everlasting; and after he had violated Thy commandments, You O Gracious lover of mankind, did descend to the earth that You might renew again the creation of Your hands. Therefore we pray You, O All-Holy Master give rest to the souls of Your servant, Alberta, in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, and, in that she has sinned in word, or deed or thought forgive her: For You are a good God and love mankind and unto You do we ascribe Glory, together with Your Father, Who is from everlasting and Your All-Holy and good, and life giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

January

For me, the "New Year" doesn't actually begin until February. IN my little world, January is clean up time, perfect for reflecting about the previous year, finishing whatever needs finishing and planning for the year to come.

This year is especially exciting to me. I mean, I have a boatload of things I want to do this year, but at the very tippy, sharp-pointy top of the list is walking the stage at December commencement to receive my Masters of Library Science degree. For the first time ever (at least since childhood) I don't feel like school is a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I liked school most of the time growing up, but I never focused on anything except graduating. After graduation from university, however, I was at a loss. There was nothing left to graduate from/to, as far as I could see. I had a B.A. in something I didn't really enjoy and didn't want to pursue so I just floated for many years. I had jobs but none that I could see myself doing for the next 40 years.

Then I got married, had a child and still didn't know what it was exactly I wanted to do with myself and I think that (among other things on both sides of the coin) contributed to that marriage ending.

Now, things are way different. Yes, I have something to graduate from but in the truest sense of the word, this will be a commencement and not a graduation. It will be a beginning, not just a ranking on a scale for me. I'm excited about what is going to happen next because I chose something that makes me happy instead of waiting for someone to do it. That makes this time doubly precious to me. It's a first. It's a treasure paid for with a great price and I am thankful to God for everything He brought me through because without that background, I would have no idea just how precious this is to me.

Amazing. I never would have thought that just a few years ago.

I do have a few loose ends to tie up from last year as well. In all the dramedy that was my life for the last, say, 14 months, some things got put off or put aside. Mainly for financial reasons. When you don't have a job that sort of thing happens. What passes for normality has reasserted itself now so I think I will be able to wind those up.

I also have a list of fun things I have wanted to do since forever that kept getting put off for this that and the other reason. It's amazing how much you can do if you just DO it and quit waiting for somebody else to decide to do whatever it is with you. I'm grown and there is very little on my "bucket list" that I can't do alone if I feel the urge.

Something is coming. I've decided to be ready for it.

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

King of Anything, Sara Bareilles cover by Sam Tsui

Something's Comin'

West Side Story, "Something's Comin'"

I'm really feeling as though God is preparing me for something. I have no idea what but that is alright. I've learned that when He is up to something it's best just to be ready: make sure my oil lamp is full, my loins are girded, my shoes are on my feet and my staff is in my hand.

O Heavenly King, O Comforter, 

the Spirit of Truth Who are in all places and fill all things. 

Treasury of Good Things and Giver of Life, 

come and abide in us, cleanse us from every stain and save our souls 

O Gracious Lord

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Reading
Matthew 25:1-13
Mark 6:8-9
Exodus 12:11
Acquiring the Hoy Spirit