A Blessed and Beautiful Week

 

Some weeks are just a gift from God.

I went to Ottawa with the blessing of my Husband for 1 week. 

I was with my Ottawa parish, my friend's parish, a Monastery twice, 

with dear friends and family;

for simple meals to teas fit for a princess, 

to just before birthdays to seeing ordinary days of others,

rain and sun, 

light and dark,

struggle and hope, 

it was all a blessing.

In Memory: Gloria is now in the Heavens with the Lord and all His Saints

 

The Last time Gloria commented on my blog was on 

October 2, 2024.

She wrote:

Gloria has left a new comment on your post 'Autumn Beauty':

Hello Elizabeth, I have been worried about you and have wondered over the past few months how you are. I am so glad to know that you have come through the storm and pray you are finding a safe harbor in the arms of our Loving Father and Lord. I will enjoy your posts as you can. Praying continued good health.

***

Gloria's Cousin Sara emailed me to say that Gloria has passed away. 

***

Gloria, as Sara is her self, 

a dear friend in the blog world to me, and to many. 

***

I am not able to be here on my blog that much because life is 

just busy but good, beautiful but hard, crazy but incredible. 

***

But I wanted to remember Gloria a minute and say that I am so sorry

that she will never comment on my blog but I know without a doubt 

she is looking down from the Heavens watching us as God allows

and that She loves us and will never leave us now because 

she made it to the top: Heaven with Christ. 

***

What a beautiful thing it is to live for Christ and die in faith in Christ's mercy!

***

I love her profile description:

Gender	Female
Industry	Education
Location	Northwest, United States
Introduction	To worship, honor and serve The Lord with joy, to love my family with my whole heart, to be a good and loyal friend, to see light and beauty in an often dark world, these are things I strive for however imperfectly. My husband and I have raised three wonderful children and now are enjoying the precious blessings of being being grandparents.
Interests	gardening a little, traveling a little, crafting a little, Reading a lot.
Favorite movies	Classic movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood with actors like Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart. I especially love Roman Holiday and It's a Wonderful Life.

Gloria announced that she had cancer on March 11, 2025

and said goodbye to all of us then. 

***

Gloria died last Friday, June 27, 2025. 

***

It is my deepest honour to share this with you because I want to 

honour someone whose words and comments encouraged me so deeply

in some of my deepest pain in my life. 

***

She was a dear Mother and friend to so many and she really blessed me 

with her love and prayers.

***

Gloria, you were like a kind Mother presence in my life

and I hope the rest of my life makes you proud 

and I can't wait to join Christ in heaven one day and finally

meet you and all those I love. 

***

Please pray for Gloria's family as they go through the time of loss

but also rejoicing because Heaven just gained another beautiful soul

for the Lord and the salvation of the world. 

***

May Gloria's memory be eternal! 

I will never forget you Gloria!

Pray for me always!

love, 

your Elizabeth Roosje 

Ascension 2025

 

Christ is Ascended!

Ascended in Glory!

Holiday in May

Memorial Day 2025.

I had a beautiful morning, quiet, my Husband still sleeping,

I was up before 8 AM, 

texting a friend down South and enjoying tea. 

I had breakfast part 1 and part 2,

later a walk,

beautiful. 

then I learned something that someone I love is struggling with,

a sad thing, not my story but something that is a deep sorrow. 

My Husband by this time had found me 

(he walks faster so we do different walks first and then if we have time

walk back together, and we shared the sorrow together...)

***

Leftovers for lunch.

Cards, some reading, dishes, texting, 

pizza and fruit salad,

we watched a Walton's movie. 

***

Tomorrow I hope to go to NYC. 

Breakfast, shopping, back home.

One foot in front of the other...

***

The sunshine and flowers together we so deeply beautiful...

***

A calm in between moments of sorrow...

***

I hope to do more reading tomorrow.

It was really good to have a day where we had more rest and not a lot

of work. I've been doing a lot of deep reading and research lately, 

it was really good to have a break.

***

Thank God for Spring, for Summer...

Thursday: Cloudy and Wet

 

I am still reading and researching. 

Read a lot of this vintage edition of The Orthodox Church

and then am going to read another book.

I am trying to get a better handle on the concept of both

God and humans in terms of the word 'hypostasis' and the understannding

of what is commonly called, in the West anyway, sanctification....

It's because I want to understand the understanding of what a person is, 

based on the fact that God is Three Persons in One (I.e. the Trinity). 

I know, kind of abstract but I want to get a good sense of this for my 

ongoing writing project... I started a new notebook for it! 

My goal this summer is to get a much better handle on this concept 

and understanding it in relation to other belief systems who have a very 

different concept of both God and what a Human is / a Person is. 

***

It's fun! well, at least if you are me LOL! :)

***

In other news, I got my twice-a-year haircut!

It's so not-cheap!! which is one of the reasons I don't go a lot. 

***

I also bought eggs and a nice loaf of bread at a store!

***

Life has so many challenges.  

May God help us and have mercy.  

Tuesday: as planned

 

My Husband got me chocolate today at Trader Joes.

He's on his way home now. 

***

I had my favourite breakfast in NYC today.

The potatoes are perfectly flavoured with rosemary and 

cooked just right... tender, hot and delicious. 

Eggs and toast with butter, perfect, 

fruit and tea. 

Fresh squeezed orange juice. 

Nothing lacking, and I always feel it such a privilege to eat there

when I know so many do not ever have such a meal.

***

Well, I was right.

There is nothing wrong with my foot in terms of bone health.

I was hoping that this doctor could give more guidance than she did

but at least I know the basics.

I am going to work on walking more and more

and trying to just deal with the pain as it comes. 

If I have arthritis, as she figure I have also, 

then I don't really care.

By which I mean, pain is pain and I will deal with it. 

I will talk to my GP next month about it, God willing. 

I walked over 2 miles today and did well.

I am actually having more problems sitting or reclining on the couch

than walking or standing. 

So that's good.

Well. 

Onwards we go.

May we go in the mercy of God. 

Monday: Cleaning

 

I ordered Miranda Mill's first book today!

It comes out in September and I am going to get a signed copy!

I am so happy for Miranda and thrilled about her accomplishment! 

To get a signed copy go to Slightly Foxed HERE. 

Above is her announcement about her book!

***

I got a vintage copy of Corrie ten Boom's 

Prayers and Promises for Every Day

Eventually I will try to get a better copy of it 

but for now, this one will do perfectly!

***

Sometimes just simple reminders of God's love,

faithfulness and the Hope we have in Christ is

just what one needs. 

***

On a personal front:

I called the orthopedist office and have an appointment 

tomorrow! I am so glad about this!

My Husband gave me a cream he was advised to use 

for arthritis and, at least last night, it certainly helped.

I think my problem is more simple and I am so glad

to get a better opinion tomorrow. 

I don't have a happy foot yet and do need to have it figured out. 

***

One of my goddaughters is having her first baby soon.

I am going to be godmother for this baby,

it's like I am a Godmother-Grandmother LOL.

***

I got a lot of things cleaned up and organized this morning

and am doing laundry.

If feels SO GOOD to be doing normal things again.

***

It's good to pay attention to how one is feeling about things

and if one has a feeling that advice given is not working,

then try to find better. 

Don't listen to those who say that you should listen to a 

professional over yourself if you can tell something is not working 

for you and you are not getting the support you need.

***

Of course sometimes options are limited but we must work

within what we are given to do the best we can 

and that's exactly what I am doing. 

***

I redid one of my reading book shelves on my computer desk with books

that I am actually reading right now. 

I re-did my knitting bag, it was so disorganized!

I am getting a lot in order so that we can do things

that I need to work on later.

***

I am thankful for all of these things! 

Roses for Mother's Day

 

My adult goddaughter gave me these beautiful roses

for Mother's day.

It's amazing to me to be so loved.

***

 Ok, so Elizabeth, AKA, the one writing this, is pretty naughty. 

She thinks if St Joseph the Hesychast can complain and 

God can be all loving 

and I am way below this man in my quote 

'level of sanctification' LOL, then

at least I am in good company

AND God was loving to him.

Of course, I still have to learn to say 

YES, I too will endure all for GOD's love,

but at least I know what I *should* be doing.

***

So I will call the orthopedist tomorrow.

I am hoping I can go in Tuesday.

***

I am trying to up my Thanksgiving to God because

that helps a lot.

***

Well, tomorrow is a new day.

I was able to do dishes,

by hand and filling the dishwasher and

later emptying it of clean dishes, etc. 

Being able to do normal things like that is such 

a blessing.  That's what I want right now.

Just be able to be normal.

***

I have so much to be thankful for.

I loved being able to stand by the sink, look at my icons

above the sink and just have a clean kitchen again...

***

Well, I am so glad for today

and for God's mercies new every morning. 

Sunlight on Green May Leaves

 

Well.

Based on the fact that the x-ray report said no acute fractures

and no bone density problems, 

plus my own lived experience over the last weeks,

I realized this morning that I probably have arthritis in my left foot

because of the surgery two years ago and a reoccuring hammertoe issue.

I found an orthopedist and will make an appointment on Monday.

But I realized that the boot was hurting not helping me.

And the new shoes the other doctor wanted me to wear

were also hurting not helping.

***

I walked a mile today to the church picnic.

My foot is in no worse shape at all.

I still have a problem.

I will get that taken care of. 

But my foot is OK right now.

Not great.  I still got a problem

and some discomfort and stiffness.

But way better than wearing the boot,

being stuck at home on the couch

because the boot is heavy, awkward and 

creating misalignment of my whole body, esp. hips and knees. 

***

I hope to get answers, better shoes, maybe orthodic inserts as

needed.  But let me tell you, doing that walk was like Heaven.

I can't wait to do more walks. 

I would rather have pain than not walk

and not walking causes a lot of other problems, 

obviously. 

***

It's hard when you are told that you should listen to the 

"professionals" who don't help at all and 

you feel your own experience is denied and basically that

you are gaslit by others because how could I know more than a 

professional when it's actually my experience, my foot and I can 

know things too.

***

I know so many people and also parents of sick kids who

face this all the time, and much worse. 

***

Well, I can't wait to do that walk again.

To see the green trees.

To just have some happiness, some hope.

I am still struggling with that.

I have some things to work through.

When you go through unalterable loss and trauma,

you are never the same.

***

You just hope your suffering can help ease someone else's 

suffering because than the suffering is redeemed. 

***

I had the most beautiful voice message from a friend today

about God's love, praying to God and hoping in God. 

I hope to grow in that.  Sometimes you are so shattered that

trying to pick up the broken shards of one's life is a very long

painful process and one that takes way longer than one expects. 

***

Yet, I will sing of the faithfulness of God, 

the God of love,

the God who Created us,

and thought us beautiful, worth saving, 

worthing giving His only Son so we can be healed,

one day, completely, forever. 

Thursday, Sunshine and Cloud

Wow. 

Today was intense. 

I am really making some progress, with God's help,

in healing but it takes so much energy.

I am super exhausted. 

So. Apparently I don't have a fracture 

or not an 'acute' fracture at any rate, so the 

report said.  But the thing is, I need to see those

images and I need more medical advice about my feet 

because I can tell I don't know enough and 

I am having pain and need to find out what to do, why

and how to make it better. 

***

Meanwhile,

I wrote this earlier on social media:

This is such an incredible moment in my life. 

I had a really good conversation with a therapist I've had for over 2 years.

 She's a really good one and absolutely a gift from God to me. 

And she and I are both seeing that I'm really healing now. 

And appropriately the journal I've been using for notes of things to talk to her about

 and things she said to me has just ended I wrote the last page today.

 I will get a new journal for a new beginning that will continue with her.

 But I wanted to share this Joy with you not because my struggles are over 

because I don't think our struggles are over until heaven. 

But because I'm able to learn to stand on my own Feet Again 

and talk about what I've gone through and how complex PTSD is very real

 and how in the midst of the most difficult darkest times 

even when I felt like all was lost God was still there and

 if I can say anything it's just that even when we feel are most alone God

 is still there with us in our great loneliness.

***

I am reading more of the Let Go Theory book.

It's giving me a lot of think about.

It's missing a deep dimension called 

God, the Holy Trinity and the Hope God brings

but it does have a lot of practical advice

and she has an impressive biblography and 

I am glad to be reading it. 

Also because it's helping me re-engage my brain, 

to think through things 

while the book is giving me the hooks to think about how

to do exactly what I need right now:

rewire my brain so I can be myself again, 

confident, cheerful, with a more consistant sense of humour. 

So that's good. 

****

But wow, it's exhausting work.

I am glad for it but I would also be really glad 

if I could get more sleep!

***

Well, one day at a time. 

May God have mercy on us and save us.