Sunday, September 30

Reading...

There was so much to say and to tell.  The big sitting room had never looked so beautiful.  The walls were dark brown now;  every year the pine boards grew darker.  The table was covered with the red-checked cloth, and the braided rag rugs were gay on the floor.  The rocking chairs stood by the white-curtained window;  Mary's boughten chair, and the willow chair that Pa had made for Ma so long ago in the Indian territory.  The patchwork cushions were in them, and there was Ma's workbasket and her knitting with the needles thrust into the ball of yarn.  Kitty lazily stretched and yawned, and came to curve purring against Laura's ankles.  There on Pa's desk was the blue-bead basket that Mary had made."

These Happy Golden Years
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Saturday, September 29

Top Ten Tips for Families Growing Up in the Lord's House...



Prioritize your life, with God first, then family, work, school, etc.
Worship ever Sunday, 12 Great Feasts, and during fasting seasons

Pray every morning, evening, and before every meal

Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays and during fasting seasons

Go to Confession regularly.Prepare for Communion properly

Read the Scriptures daily and other spiritual books frequently

Be generous to the poor and financially support your local parish

Ask forgiveness frequently and always extend it

Trust in God, not yourself

Believe what the Church teaches and do it.

Thursday, September 27

Just the Usual...






There is not much going on here other than the usual things...  I started working on  knitting a Milo Vest for Button and have found that it is a pretty ambitious project for my beginner skills.  I have made a few mistakes that need to be corrected before I can move on, so I am hoping to have a chance to meet with my knitting teacher soon so that I can make some progress before our next class next Thursday.  

We went to visit our families last weekend and also had a chance to be there for the crown removal of some friends of ours who just got married!  It was a wonderful trip and I brought home some lots of little treats:  beeswax candles, some pretty dishes (on sale!!) , and chocolate that I am saving for one-of-those-days.

On the agenda this weekend:  a visit from my sister, apple pie baking, and mum buying.  Also, don't forget to tune in Sunday night to Call the Midwife!

Tuesday, September 25

Making Granola...

It started when I read a few posts on Orangette last week.  Then another post on As Cozy as the Spring.  And today, I knew that we had to make a batch of granola for our breakfasts.  Since I didn't have everything that was required (for either version), I slightly altered the recipe that I found on As Cozy as the Spring.  Here's what I did:

Ingredients
5 c. rolled oats
2 c. coconut flakes
 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 T. wheat germ
4 oz. apple sauce
1/2 c. maple syrup
3 T. butter

Method
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl.  Mix the wet in another bowl.  Combine until the oats are coated.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 40 minutes at 300 degrees and stir every 10 minutes.Store in a jar and enjoy!


Sunday, September 23

Reading...

And when she opened the door... she saw...

Her own little cot-bed with the green coverlet on, just inside. And the little square window with the green curtains blowing in the wind, And a yellow pot of nasturtiums on the sill. And the little green chest of drawers with the robin cloth on it. And the little green mirror hanging on the primrose wall, with Milly-Molly-Mandy's own face reflected in it.

And then Milly-Molly-Mandy knew that the little storeroom was to be her very own little bedroom, and she said, "Oh-h-h-h!" in a very hushed voice, as she looked all round her room."
Joyce Lankester Brisley

Saturday, September 22

How do I as an Orthodox Evangelize?


 Archpriest Eric George Tosi


 I grew up in the New York City area. We would often take our little trips into “The City” to visit museums, sporting events, etc. As we drove through Midtown, I always noticed that the street corners had people on boxes with signs around their necks announcing to the world their belief in Jesus Christ (and usually accompanied by a warning of repentance and the end of the world.) Was this evangelizing?

I now live in another interesting city . . . Las Vegas. Different yet the same if you walk down “The Strip.” In addition, many people don’t know this but Las Vegas is a strong Mormon city with strong Mormon roots. This means that we get the missionaries at our door. They usually flee after I let them know I am an Orthodox priest and would like to talk to them about Christ. I have even seen them (unbeknownst to them) gathering under the bell tower of our church and praying, I can only assume, for the conversion of myself and my parish. Hmm . . . was this evangelizing?

Clearly the answer to both of these examples is a loud and resounding NO! This is not evangelizing but rather self-promotion and proselytism. There is a great difference. Evangelism pure and simple is to “preach the good news of the Gospel.” We are called to live out this good news in our daily lives. And by this way of life, we become witnesses to the truth and power of Jesus Christ. We do not and should not be standing on a street corner nor should we be knocking on doors. What we should be doing is living a life of prayer, fasting and repentance. These are the most powerful witnesses to Christ and His Church.

Living the Life

In today’s world, we are constantly being bombarded by a host of secular and religious pressures. They seek our souls and the souls of our children. But this is nothing new. The faithful of the Church have ALWAYS been bombarded by these. Just peruse the Epistles and the Church Fathers and it will become clear that we face the same problems as any Christian did throughout the ages. (The only difference is that the medium has changed . . . , i.e., the internet and mass communication) Yet despite all of these challenges (and some of them are quite great) the Church has always been able to grow and evangelize all nations as a witness to the Great Commission in Matthew. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)

So what did they do and how did they do it? Very simply, they lived the life of an Orthodox Christian. Let us take the example of the great missionary saint, St. Herman of Alaska. Read his life and see how he affected the lives of those around him. He did not proselytize but rather lived the life he was called to live. He didn’t stand on a stump and announce that he is an Orthodox Christian and everyone ought to be the same . . . or else. He prayed, he helped, he loved, he became a part of the community in which God had placed him. And through this witness of what a Christian is and how a Christian should act, he brought generations of people to the Faith. There was no great secret but rather hard work and difficult times as he (literally) carried the Cross to the people and brought the Good News of Jesus Christ. And this can be repeated in the many examples of all of our great missionary saints. From the Apostle Paul to the latest holy men and women who work throughout the world, they all lived the life of an Orthodox Christian.

So to begin with, our actions must speak louder than words. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann wrote on missions that, “one is first sent to oneself, then to the family and then to the world.” In other words we are no good if we are not seeking our own salvation first. And that is a lifetime of work right there. We must live the life of an Orthodox Christian. Do we pray? Do we attend the services? Do we fast? Do we go to the sacraments? Do we give of our time, talent and treasure? Do we live a life of repentance? Do we raise our families in the Church? When in public do we bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross? Do we have an icon in our offices and homes? Do we read the Gospels daily? Do we read the lives and writings of the Church Fathers? Do we educate ourselves in the Church? In short, do we live as an Orthodox Christian?

If we do that, then we find that we are walking on a path that we are called to be on and that path has been well trod by the great evangelists before us. We might want to get into great polemical arguments with the non-Orthodox on an internet chat room, but are we ready for that? I have been a priest for some years and still do not feel I am ready, despite giving talks and sermons around the country and in my own community. And in the end the only witness that is truly powerful is that I live as best as I can as an Orthodox Christian (and often fall far short). I remember one bishop’s statement that the most powerful sermon we can give is to do the sign of the Cross . . . this sums it all up!



But What Else?

But the point of this paper goes a little beyond this since people want to have some practical advice (though I believe that what is put forth in the last section is eminently practical). What can I do to reach out? How can I let people know about my valued Orthodox Faith?

Well to begin with start with the home. The home is our refuge but also the place of gathering. People come and in and out. Do we have icons throughout the home? Every room should have an icon on the east wall. These are our witnesses and will bring more conversation from someone who is non-Orthodox than we can ever imagine. Do we wear our baptismal cross around our neck? My wife is an operating room nurse and more conversations (and connections with Orthodox) have happened from that simple witness. When we are in public, do we prayer quietly and humbly before meals? Not as a show that we are Christians but because we prayer before we eat. Do we do the same in our workplace? Because this is where we spend much of our time yet it is the place where we feel ashamed to express our Faith.

But we are also in constant contact with people around us. We must have the courage and conviction to stand for our Faith. Very often, if the conversation turns to religion a lull would descend. We do not want to offend nor do we want to seem like some religious fanatic. But we can speak of our Faith without being either. We need simply say that “I am an Orthodox Christian and this is what we believe . . . ” Be willing to express the basic tenets of Faith through a thorough understanding of what we believe. And that means The Creed. So the question we should ask ourselves is “, do I understand what The Creed says and means?” We would be surprised that so many of us recite The Creed every Sunday yet really don’t understand what is being said. We need to understand the words of the Church because it is through those words that the Church expresses itself. Many of us learned The Creed in Church School or through catechism and then . . . stopped seeking to understand it. The Church formulated The Creed so that it could express what, as a minimum, a Christian must believe in order to be a Christian. There are some wonderful books which can help us in educating ourselves on The Creed. For example, Fr. Alexander Schmemann’s, Celebration fo Faith series (Book 1 is I Believe). It has a wonderful set of writings on just this subject. Likewise, Fr. Thomas Hopko’s “Rainbow” series also has a section on this subject. There are, of course, a host of selections from our Seminaries’ Press, Conciliar Press and Regina Press which also deal with just this subject. We don’t need complicated explanations but rather a simple exposition of the Faith.

One of the elements of the Faith that I have come to understand as a priest and dealing with a wide variety of people is that our own people don’t know their own Faith. And furthermore there are many, many people out there who do not even know who or what God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is as well as what the Church mean. Basic articles of Faith such as the Trinity, Baptism, etc. are expressed in The Creed and we need to be able to articulate these beliefs. Perhaps years ago, many Christians still held certain basic beliefs but this is no longer the case and we need to get back to the heart of what a Christian is and what we believe. So be willing to speak about this . . . not just saying “I am a Christian” but rather, “I am a Christian and this is what I believe.” We would be surprised at this simple witness. A simple suggestion is to read. Borrow books from the parish library, talk to your priest and get his suggestion on good books. Have an adult class or small group session where together with others you can read. The great gift that the modern Orthodox Church in America has is that we have so much material available to us in English so take advantage of this.



Come and See

One of the truisms that I have discovered is that families bring in families. People are looking for a place to raise their children. They want a place where their children can learn about Jesus Christ and the Good News. They want a place where they can find eternal truths and true worship. This is especially evident in a mobile society where families no longer grow up where they were born and job changes move people all over the country and away from the roots. We used to rely on the extended family to help raise our children in the Church since a grandma or aunts or whoever would be going to Church and could bring their extended family with them. This creates a void in which families are trying to find a new “extended” family.

So often we come in daily contact through school, community activities, neighborhood events with a host of people looking for a church home. Yet we never invite them to our own church home. Their children play with our children and yet we don’t even ask if they would like to come to church. It used to be very common for that to happen. We need to do this in a respectful and kind way. Invite the families when they, through the course of conversation, say they are looking for a church home. Help them to understand the Church and the Faith. Live your own life as a Christian and they also will want to have a part of that in their life.

Of course, our own parish must be open to them. We must be in order so that we can receive visitors. We must be patient and understand that they do not know the tenants of our Faith. But we must open the doors for them, make them feel welcome and take an interest in them. Not jumping all over a visiting family but rather be kind and gentle. Families are looking for this and when they find it, they want to know more. They want their own children to be raised in that way. And they will learn and grow in the Faith. So be open to visitors and invite families. Our own extended relationships are the most fertile ground for evangelization. And when they come, explain the services and make them feel welcome.

One final note is that we need to be a part of our surrounding community. Be an active participant in the life of the community. Encourage events to be held at our parish and facilities that benefit those who live around it. Be in the organizations which promote our values and life. Very often, people come tho these events or come into contact with Orthodox at these events. They see and want to know more. We no longer become that church over there, but rather the church that is here. So the more we are involved, the more contact people have with us.


Be The Church

The life of a parish is often filled with major events. Baptisms, wedding, funerals are all part of the life of a normal parish. And these are often incredible times to reach out to people. Our services are so filled with meanings and ritual that are totally unlike anything else. People are constantly amazed at the depth and beauty of something we take for granted. They are powerful witnesses for the Faith and one in which we should not take lightly. They are sometimes the best evangelism tools we have. People will come and ask questions. They want to know why we do this or very often the simple statement, “I have never seen anything like this.” They have opened the door for a conversation about the Faith. Learn the meaning of the services, especially the Sacraments, so that you can explain what they just saw. It is simple but effective because they see the Church in action, at our very best.

Non-Orthodox are simply amazed by what we do. Sometimes they may consider it quaint but very often they are seeing something that has been lost in the West. Baptisms became perfunctory family gathering, weddings became contracts, funerals became memorials. All of them lost the sacramental meaning and hence the beauty of what they are meant to do. And when we do it in its fullness, the meaning is brought back to people who have never understood or forgotten them. The services, the priest’s sermon, the ritual, and the gathering all form part of a witness to what the Church is and should always be.

The other aspect to this and one that should not be forgotten ever is that these events bring back the lapsed Orthodox. They have a chance to come back to Church in a nonthreatening way. And there is something about being an Orthodox that never leaves you. When they see and experience the Church again, it is as if they are looking at it for the first time. It touches a place in their soul and reignites a passion for the Faith that may have been lost. And we must be open to them and embrace them as a prodigal. Not to judge them as to where they have been but rather rejoice. Sometimes they come to a Church where the services are in English and for the first time they actually understand what is being said. Meaning is put to words and they then realize the depth and beauty of those words. And as always, our services are the greatest witnesses to what we believe.

 


 Finally

So how do we Orthodox evangelize? Really on three levels. First and foremost we evangelize ourselves. We learn and live the Faith. We raise our families in the Church and make it central to our life. We become witnesses to the Church by living the life of the Church.

Second we reach out to the community. We speak of our Faith with love and attention. We express it without shame. We invite those around us to share in that Faith. And we keep our doors open to the community and all seekers.

And finally, we evangelize our Faith through the life of the Church. We use the wonderful gift of God’s Church and the services to lead others to experience worship . . . real worship. And our own knowledge is invaluable and helping people process that. We invite and welcome people through our own doors.

There is a wonderful story from Russia which tells of an old and young monk. The older monk told the young monk that they were going down into the village to evangelize. They went down, shopped, talked to the people and showed their presence. As they were walking back the young monk asked when they were going to evangelize. The elder monk simply replied, “we just did!” So may we also follow their path.


Friday, September 21

Knitting Date...


On Thursday nights at about 7 we have a Knit Along to get to!  I scurry around to tidy up the house, get dinner on the table, and two little boys all jammied up.  Sugar Plum and I slip out with our knitting baskets in hand.  It seems so strange to go somewhere with one little one in the car (and at bedtime, no less!).  She really turns into a chatterbox!  

Once we arrive, we pull out our current projects and knit and visit.  The shop is small and cozy and though it is obviously a place of business, it feels a little like home.  We work until about 8:15 and then dash to the car.  Sugar Plum asks whether she can stay up just a little bit longer to knit and I always regretfully say no.  As we open the front door, we are greeted by two little boys and one tired papa who are so happy to see us!  

Our little weekly date only lasts a short time, but it is just what we need!  We are already planning years ahead of ourselves and all of the things that we'd like to learn how to do:  use a swift and ball winder, spin yarn, weave, etc.  I am so glad that we were able to learn how to knit.  I am hopeful that there will be many happy dates for the two of us!

Thursday, September 20

Finding Our Groove...




I saw the light streaming into our playroom onto the Noah's Ark just right yesterday afternoon and ran for the camera to capture it.  Except for this little scene, the room was in a shambles with dress-up clothes strewn everywhere, blocks and vehicles dumped out, and baskets upended.  However, it was the first day since school has started that everyone was happily engaged in their activities.  Button was entertaining himself (and not screaming!) and Sugar Plum and Little Man were working on homemade books (Sugar Plum's was one of our wedding and Little Man's was on Saint George).  We were listening to My Name is Handel (Thanks, Ginny!!) and it was just a perfect moment. 

Sugar Plum has a lot of stress over learning how to read (she is doing well, she just doesn't like it), and I think that we've finally found a solution that is working for us.  We do our written work (Math, Phonics, Language Arts, etc.) in the morning and then Read-Alouds frequently throughout the day.   Once dinner is done, we put on a television show for Little Man and Button and Sugar Plum and I retreat to the big bed and snuggle in for some reading practice.  Separating the work that she finds easy and exciting from the difficulty of reading has done wonders for her willingness to learn and even her attitude towards me as her mother and teacher.  I wish that I had thought of it sooner!  Hopefully she'll develop some fluency soon and want to read.

I spent some time a few nights ago updating our lesson plans and thinking over some things that we want to tweak a little bit starting in October.  Fortunately, it is nothing earth-shattering.  I think that I will talk about some of those changes in another post soon.  I am really thankful that this year has started off so well and that our little family is settling back into the groove of learning.  It is also so nice to have Papa all to ourselves again! 


Wednesday, September 19

Yarn Along...


This week was all about new skills!  I finished up my stockinette scarf and gave blocking a try.  It was easy to learn how to block after checking out a few YouTube videos.  However, apparently things made up of the stockinette stitch like to roll up on themselves and refuse to flatten.  So.

Onto Scarf No. 2.  I decided that I would try to learn the Seed Stitch.  I love it!  It is easy and though I have to really concentrate, the result is so beautiful!  I started working on the scarf in the french blue and realized that I was going to use up all of the french blue yarn that I have before the scarf would be completed.   I decided to dip into a navy blue of the same type of yarn that I was planning to use for the third scarf.  I learned how to switch colors (which I swore that I would never learn how to do a month ago) by watching a video.  The color changes are really not very professional looking and I don't know how much I actually like the stripes, but I will continue to persevere.

We are reading through the Kaya stories for school and are going to start to reread Milly Molly Mandy today.  I bought the October issue of Martha Stewart Living yesterday and am enjoying all of the articles on autumn delights...  hopefully the weather will start to cooperate!


Tuesday, September 18

In My Make-Up Bag...

I really don't wear much make-up, but when I recently had to replace everything in my make-up bag (my handbag was stolen from our car along with our car's radio and GPS while it was parked in the church parking lot), I spent some time thinking about what I wanted to purchase and what I would actually use on a daily basis.  I really wanted to keep things simple, so I chose a concealer, one eye shadow, mascara, and two lip balms.  

Here are the contents of my make-up bag:

 
Lancome Maquicomplet Concealer in Ivoire


Clinique Eye Shadow in Frosted Blossom


L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black Brown

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom



Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil

I was also able to replace my three leather zippered pouches (Just in time!  They are nowhere on the internet since I bought them!) and I am hoping to be able to purchase another bottle of my favorite peony perfume in the next few weeks or so.  I also remembered the other day that I usually keep a small bottle of Visine to brighten my eyes when I am tired and a travel sized lotion.

What's in your make-up bag?




Monday, September 17

Teaching and Exaltation...




Note:  Do not be alarmed by the subtitles...  this video is in English!

Sunday, September 16

Reading...


There were little new potatoes for dinner, creamed with green peas, and there were string beans and green onions.  And by every plate was a saucer full of sliced tomatoes, to be eaten with sugar and cream.

"Well, we've got good things to eat, and plenty of them."  said Pa, taking a second helping of potatoes and peas.

"Yes," said Ma happily;  'nowadays we can all eat enough to make up for what we couldn't have last winter."

She was proud of the garden;  it was growing so well. 

"I shall begin salting down cucumbers tomorrow, little ones are thick under all those vines.  And the potato tops are thriving so, I can hardly find the hills underneath them, to scrabble."

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Saturday, September 15

Beneath Thy Compassion...


The oldest prayer we know dedicated to the Virgin Mary is known as “Beneath Thy Compassion.” The earliest text of this hymn was found in a Coptic Vespers for Christmas of the 3rd century. It is written in Greek and dates to approximately 250 AD. It is used in the Coptic Liturgy to this day, as well as in the Orthodox Compline service, it being the last hymn to be sung.


The ancient date of the hymn tells us that the early Christians had an established devotion to the Theotokos and called upon her intercession. Long before the usage of the term “Theotokos” in the 5th century, the Church already knew the Virgin Mary as “Mother of God”.


Beneath thy compassion,
We take refuge, Virgin Theotokos.
Despise not our prayers in our necessity
But deliver us from harm
O only pure, only blessed one. 

+++
 
Father John and I sing this hymn with our little ones before we kiss them goodnight each evening at bedtime.  It is one of my favorite hymns of the Church and when sung in four part harmony is magnificent!

Friday, September 14

The Exaltation of the Most Precious Cross...

Before Thy Cross
We Bow Down in Worship O Master,
And Thy Holy Resurrection,
We Glorify.

+++

The Learning Basket for The Exaltation of the Holy Cross can be found HERE.  

Wednesday, September 12

Yarn Along...





I have cast aside the washcloths for the week and begun work on a trio of scarves for my little peeps.  I basically just cast on 30 stitches and then followed the pattern for the Petite French Farmhouse Dishcloth Pattern No.1.  Once it is long enough (and I think that will be when there is only a wee bit of yarn left), I will knit two rows and cast off and it will be done!  I found the yarn that I am using at our little yarn shop.  It was in the sale bin ($4 for each skein and I bought two).  It is Elsebeth Lavold Angora in Lavender.  I will have to learn how to block these scarves when I am finished knitting them, which should be interesting!

We are still reading Charlotte's Web (only a few more chapters to go!) and Calm and Compassionate Children:  A Handbook, and are enjoying both! 


Come tell us what you are knitting and reading!

Tuesday, September 11

Power of the Name...




Note:  Do not be alarmed by the subtitles...  this video is in English!

Sunday, September 9

Reading...




Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns" 

-George Eliot



Saturday, September 8

Nativity of the Mother of God...


 Thy Nativity, O Virgin,
Hast proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God,
Has shone from Thee, O Theotokos!
By annulling the curse,
He bestowed a blessing.
By destroying death, He hast granted us eternal Life.

:::::

The Learning Basket for The Nativity of the Mother of God can be found HERE
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