Monday, January 11, 2021
may we have the courage to say "Death, where is your sting?" in 2021
Friday, January 1, 2021
remembering 2020 & praying for a peaceful, healthy, happy 2021
January- enjoying the West coast during Christmas break
February- the older girls were back at university- the little kids were busy with homeschooling, Trail Life, AHG, Basketball, choir, cotillion, and of course church activities
March- in the middle of the month, the world changed... we were grateful to have a small patio for our backyard during the long stay at home order. We were also grateful to continue to have the Divine Liturgy as a family, but were dismayed at the strict regulations. The children and I went frequently to an outdoor stations of the cross during Great Lent
April- Easter Divine Liturgy was at home; the older girls' university went on-line and the dorms were closed. Thank God for the hospitality of friends and family who opened their doors to them!
May- regulations in California became stricter. We had daily walks in our townhouse complex as all the parks and beaches were closed. The older girls' university continued to be on-line and we worked on getting them home from the Midwest
July - we visited his hospital (just the patio) during his last day of ministry there- I do not think we will ever truly process the difficulty of leaving this life - little to no closure, no hugs, no parties- we tried to offer it up for those who were suffering from the illness. There were the small things- chalk drawing with great friends on the sidewalk, a few times eating out outside with friends, going to a friend's farm to see the animals, a few final Divine Liturgies celebrated outside of the church before the government made regulations strict again. I might be melancholy- but I know we were and are very blessed
September - the kids and I made a quick visit to the big girls' university (oldest started Masters); we are exploring the wonderful parks of our new stomping grounds
October- we bought a house! & we were able to have some family visit
November- The Nativity Fast began, and we enjoyed the chilly weather and the changing leaves of our new state
December - wishing you all a blessed Nativity season & a peaceful, healthy, happy new year!
Monday, November 30, 2020
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Lent, Lent, It's time to repent (re-posting yet again just because)
click on the LENT label below for former fasting posts...
Friday, February 28, 2020
Read along with us this Great Lent: Reflections on Thirty Steps to Heaven
This week, we will be pre-reading the steps on renunciation, detachment, and exile. The author states that these steps are quite different in practice for laypeople.
Even the introduction is rich and ripe with meaning. My favorite lines might be the last two sentences- "One final word of warning: very few people indeed will have climbed all thirty steps of the Ladder of Divine Ascent. If you think you have. you probably need to go back to the beginning."