Interesting Reading

The Bible vs Modern Israel made for very interesting reading. I like it. It really settles some issues I've been (sort of) dealing with in my own mind about this. I think I'm no longer a Zionist (although I once was one) HOWEVER I do believe any country has the right to defend itself against constant attack.

JMO YMMV

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Time

Time is relative. How fast an event happens will always vary from person to person depending upon their perspective. I remember when a year took forever to go by (my birthday is in November) and summer never seemed to show up. Now, time just flies by.

I went to see my family this past week. I'm always shocked to see my father and grandfather. Since we don't live in the same state and my circumstances are a bit on the iffy side sometimes, I don't get to see them as often as I would like. I know they are getting older but I don't actually realize it until it hits me in the face.

This picture was taken when I was in the fifth grade. This is how I remember my dad. He sounds the same as he did in when I was in the fifth grade. His voice hasn't changed at all! He tends to break out the "Wise Old Man" persona more often these days but basically he's the same guy on the inside.

On the outside however dad is very different. He is obviously getting older now and showing his age. Not that that is a bad thing, it is definitely not. It is always a shock though when I see him and have to remember, my dad (78) isn't going to be here forever. Neither is my grandfather (94).

Realizing this also brings home the fact that I am not going to be here forever either. It's very sobering. It's also freeing. I'm really starting to understand what it means to stop hanging onto what you cannot keep. The only thing that really stays is my life in Christ. Without maintaining that, even living forever would mean nothing because such a life would be a cold, bleak thing. Dad and granddaddy have both proved this out to me. I love them and hope I can live up to their examples.

Happy birthday, daddy! God grant you many more years to come!

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Mothers' Day 2010 Reflections

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:26-27

I like this passage. It became a simple way for me to reconcile my evProtestant uncomfortable-ness with the importance of Mary, by title "Theotokos" (Bearer of God), in my life as an Orthodox Christian. So many of my ev-Prot friends get really ansy at the thought of the Theotokos. They take her out and dust her off at Christmas but the rest of the time she weirds them out something fierce.

When my mom died (Jan 1995), I was really bereft. Mom was my anchor to all things real for me. It really wasn't until I took the Theotokos into my home and heart that I was able to (a) truly grieve her loss and (b) realize that losing my earthly mom did not mean I was "motherless". Just as Christ gave His mother to the disciple He loved, He had also given her to me. How cool is that? He gave me His mother to pray for me and for me to ask for her prayers and to tell all those wacky things I used to tell my mother.

Through understanding that His intent was not to create a goddess but give me a mother also helped me realize that my mom is also always praying for me and I can ask for her to pray for me, too. That went such a long way toward healing my heart as well. She didn't die, go to heaven and forget about me! How hurtful is that? Knowing that my mother and grandmother always pray for me before Christ's throne simply brings to tears to my eyes. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? (I Corinthians 15:55)

And I can use all the prayer I can get.

So a happy Mothers' Day to you, Holy Theotokos! Happy Mothers' Day to you mom! Happy Mothers' Day to you Suggie! Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Please continue to pray for me and please know that when I fall it is not because of your failings, but when I get it up it is only because of your intercession for me. Thank you!

O Lord God Almighty, Who wast pleased that Thine Only-begotten Son be incarnate of a woman that had not known marriage, and be made man for our salvation, and Who didst send Thine Angel Gabriel to the holy Virgin Mary with the good tidings of His conception, for that Thou hadst determined from before all ages that she should be the instrument of so great a Mystery! By her prayers, and those of all Thy Saints, announce to our souls the good tidings of forgiveness of sins, through Thy Grace, and joy that shall never be taken away; bespeak peace unto Thy people; make known to us the path by which we shall be well-pleasing unto Thy goodness, and set our feet on the way to Thy heavenly Kingdom.

Through the mercies and love for mankind of Thy Son, our Lord and master, with Whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine All-holy, and Good, and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Amen!

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!

Relevant Reading

The Orthodox Veneration of Mary

A Thought

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

Another Answered Prayer

I've been praying a long time about something and today I saw an answer. I love it when my prayers are answered. Sometimes the answers aren't what I expect or even really want but I always recognize an answered prayer. God is so good. His provision and love have shown themselves so very much to me the past few months. Sometimes I just don't know how to handle how He shows Himself strong to me.

And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.

Ruth 3:11

Over and over again He shows me that, even when I do not believe this, He does. And He acts like it when no one else does. Even me.

Blessed be the Lord for hearing my prayer. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts. He has restored me to vigor, and my flesh has come back to life; with all my heart I give thanks to him.

Psalm 28:6-7

Thank you, Father!

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Relevant Verses

Ruth 3:11

My Life's Just Fine

I can't help it. Sometimes other people say it better than I can.

Feels so good, when you’re doing all the things that you want to do

Get the best out of life, treat yourself to something new

Keep your head up high

In yourself, believe in you, believe in me

Having a really good time, I’m not complaining

And I’m a still wear a smile if it raining

I got to enjoy myself regardless

I appreciate life, I’m so glad I got mine

So I like what I see when I’m looking at me

When I’m walking past the mirror

Aint worried about you and what you gonna do

I’m a lady so I must stay classy

Got to keep it hot, keep it together

If I want to get better

You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…..

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh

Just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh

You see I won’t change my life, my life’s just fine!!!

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

God's Been Good To Me!

Lord have mercy on me a sinner!

Some verses I return to again and again

Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’

Exodus 14:13

May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant...

Ruth 2:13

And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.

Ruth 3:11

‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes...Our God will fight for us.’

Nehemiah 4:14, 20

They perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Nehemiah 6:16

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.

Psalm 20:6

Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;

forget your people and your father’s house,

and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him;

the people of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,

the richest of the people with all kinds of wealth.

Psalm 45:10-12

Be still and know that I am God!

Psalm 46:10

You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will retreat
on the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I am not afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?

Psalm 56:8-11

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
says your God.

O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I am about to set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
If anyone stirs up strife,
it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
shall fall because of you.
See, it is I who have created the smith
who blows the fire of coals,
and produces a weapon fit for its purpose;
I have also created the ravager to destroy.
No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,
and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgement.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
and their vindication from me, says the Lord.

Isaiah 54:4-6; 11-17

Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.

Luke 1:45

Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:1

Other Heart Comforting Verses I adore:

Psalm 25

Psalm 26

Isaiah 62

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

The Furnace of Doubt

"It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt."

Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

I guess I don't entirely trust God. I never doubt Him, but His motives are too beyond me. Through a glass darkly and all that. Just once I'd like to see through the damn glass clearly.

Anita Blake, Bloody Bones

When one does not know what to say, it is a time to be silent.

King Mongkut, The King and I

I wonder a lot about God. I mean, He undoubtedly has reasons for the things He does and allows but sometimes I am not sure what the heck I'm supposed to do with the little bits He reveals to me. Sometimes I just let them lie. I mean, to paraphrase one of my favorite lines, when one does not know what to do, it is a time to do nothing.

Maybe that's not the best attitude to take but sometimes I feel like I am being assaulted from all sides with information, ideas, thoughts and "words from God" that I can't even breathe. Now personally, I'm not into the "I have a word from God for you" set but I know these folks are just doing what they think is good and right. But when what someone says kind of lines up with what is going on in my life and what I have been praying about I can't just dismiss it.

This is Bright Week, coming out of the 40 days of prayer and feasting to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. Hopefully there will be clarity in the Light.

Christ has risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tomb bestowing life!

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival.If anyone is a grateful servant, let them, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord.

If anyone has wearied themselves in fasting, let them now receive recompense.

If anyone has labored from the first hour, let them today receive the just reward.

If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let them feast.

If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let them have no misgivings; for they shall suffer no loss.

If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let them draw near without hesitation.

If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let them not fear on account of tardiness.

For the Master is gracious and receives the last even as the first; he gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first.

He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious.

He both honors the work and praises the intention.

Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward.

O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy!

O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day!

You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today!

The table is rich-laden; feast royally, all of you!

The calf is fatted; let no one go forth hungry!

Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness.

Let no one lament their poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn their transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Saviour's death has set us free.

He that was taken by death has annihilated it!

He descended into Hades and took Hades captive!

He embittered it when it tasted his flesh! And anticipating this Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was embittered when it encountered thee in the lower regions".

It was embittered, for it was abolished!

It was embittered, for it was mocked!

It was embittered, for it was purged!

It was embittered, for it was despoiled!

It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!

It took a body and came upon God!

It took earth and encountered heaven!

It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen!

O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen, and life reigns!

Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!

For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that slept.

To him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.