Back from visiting family!

The family visiting was wonderful!

We were in Atlanta Georgia area last week...

I hope to blog more about it... 

first, about the chocolates, like the ones above...

I did not buy any! My sister-in-law bought one for her

sister but it melted in the heat

(it was a few hours before she would see that sister

and it was a really hot day)...

I did buy some homemade fudge there and some cute

"carrots" ala Peter Rabbit chocolates (see picture below) for some of my nieces and nephews.

It was really fun visiting with them... 

This morning we had a special tea ... they set it up like you see above

and they all dressed up for it (I did too!)

and they had so much fun!

We talked all about tea, them visiting NYC and me one day,

about how it's ok to spill at a tea party (I spill all the time

when I pour tea or milk for tea + the youngest tea drinker there was only 6...)

and towards the end they thought it would be funny to pour the rest of the sugar

from the sugar bowl into the middle kid's cup and the 2 girls got the giggles

and the 6 year old boy more loud... it was really cute... somehow

Auntie Elizabeth had the sugar bowl for the rest of the time :) 

it was a really special time and we had such a good week together...

I hope to blog more about it later on... 

***

this week we have vespers tomorrow, liturgy Wednesday and seeing about that

foot MRI, Thursday is my final eye test in NYC... 

***

And for now, time for rest, for sleep.

May God have mercy on us all! 

So I do not forget...

I was talking with my Sister-in-law's Mother today,

who has been married over 50 years... 

what she would give as advice for marriage...

she said the following... (I am paraphrasing a bit)

you have to roll with the punches,

things come that are unexpected and you have to accept

them and adapt to them/deal with them...

and that you are not in control... that things will happen

in life, with kids, with family, that you could not predict or control 

[such as illness or tragedy] ... I commented to her that my Oma

always said 'take it as it comes' and she agreed and said 

one cannot plan for the future/worry about the 'what ifs' and that worrying

does not help... that we want to plan, we want to know but it won't help

and there is often only so much one can plan and that 

one has to take it as it comes... 

***

I found this to be really helpful and, already in my experience,

I can see how true this is.

A Deer's Cry (a beautiful prayer) + a little about today

I played this song over breakfast for my Sister-in-Law 

and I again remembered how beautiful it is...

We went to a chocolate store in the afternoon,

isn't that chocolate so pretty? 

***

Things are still busy with family,

I am thankful for this time!

This weekend is going to be packed with activities,

so it's most likely that I won't write again until early next week,

God-willing. 

I pray you are all well, by which I mean seeking Christ

and in His care, no matter what struggles you find yourself in....

Busy with Family visiting!

The other day we went to a garden, it was so beautiful.

My days have been super full with family

and I hope to blog again next week after 

we are not together.

For now we are savouring every bit of time!

Thank you so much, everyone who is praying for me

and commented on my last post about how I am

seeking to keep having faith in Christ,

even with the uncertainty about my future eye sight, etc.

I can't tell you how much of a blessing this is.

May God help us all in the struggles we are facing

and may He save us!

Sobering but beautiful things seen today in NYC

I listened to this many times this morning, before

going into NYC for my third eye test.

It's beautiful.

I first heard it when we were sharing music at the Bright Monday 

dinner I was at; so moving, beauty, it WILL save the world...

I am back from NYC now.  I wrote the following on social media and am

sharing here as well. 

(Picture of machine for the eye test I had)

Today I had the third of 4 vision / eye function tests. I don't think I did it exactly right but have no idea how much it was off. I did get the print out, which I looked at after talking briefly to my Mom via phone at a diner in NYC (had pasta with clams, really good!) ... what I did not know is that the print out included the request from my retina specialist to the reason for the tests. He is trying to rule out something that is benign in itself but could be that which comes before a more serious eye problem. I am doing my best to not worry as at this point I have not completed all tests, I have not spoken to my retina specialist and my reading of what he is trying to rule out is something that MAY lead to a serious problem not necessarily proof of it coming later on. I am not stunned by this in part because my retina specialist told me enough to have me understand that he has a concern that my severe myopia may lead to a loss of (some/significant) vision function later on. So it's is sobering but I just keep thinking of God and how I want HIS will for myself *no matter what* because His ideas and plans for me are so much better than what I, in my limited understanding and still being a sinner, could ever plan for myself. One of the authors I love so much is Elizabeth Goudge and in one of her books she has a ship captain who refuses to abandon ship when his ship is clearly sinking. I can't remember but he may have been tied to the mast so he could not abandon ship. And as he was dying in the storm, his ship sinking, the last he knew was the great deep LOVE of God. For me no matter what, I would rather be tied to the mast of God's will even if, on this side of earth, it means sorrow and suffering. Also, it seems that everyone goes through sorrow and who would not want God's love to be with them in it than otherwise? Of course I need prayers about this and it's not easy. But my biggest prayer remains not that I am healed of eye problems (etc) but that when I die, I die as a Christian, as one who has not denied Him, as one who God, in His abounding mercy, welcomes home to be with Him forever.

I also saw some encouraging things today in NYC. First, in one a room I was put in to wait to be registered, I saw these 3 men, praying. I have no idea who they were praying for / about but it was moving to see. And yes, I took a picture... since it has no identifying features that I can see of who these 3 prayerful ones are. (I hope they would not mind, it was like being reminded of God's presence and God's people in the world and in difficult places, a real blessing to see)....

The other encouraging thing I saw was at the diner. First there was a woman there, by herself, she was sitting at a table for 2 and the other chair was gone so her walker could be at the table across from her. They were very patient with her, getting her change and doing the bill at the table. She moved slowly, had a tattered skirt, stained, not all buttons buttoned. (She had some sort of pants under her skirt). Her face was one that looked cultured but worn down by age. When she left, walking slowly with her walker, the cleaners quickly cleaned up everything, not at all being upset to see no tip (she did have a expensive meal and ice cream; she was asked when I was just getting there if she wanted ice cream; I think she is a regular who they know what she wants to eat) ... within minutes I see the manager quickly taking silverware, leaving the napkin and moving the chair (that had been put back) away quickly. And a more well dressed older woman with a dark houndstooth skirt and a walker came in, put her walker where the chair was and sat down, menu already waiting for her. There was such kindness in the the actions and in the greeting of this woman, all so quickly done. It was really beautiful to see.

A bit difficult

A blessing was that I was able to put away the stamps I got out for cards 

the other day, got the 3 tiered trays washed and put away, did dishes and 

a load of laundry before I left for NYC and had the nice

second breakfast pictured above. 

And I figured out taking a subway from the diner to near the eye test place.

Cheaper than taking a cab and fast too!

God gave me a lot of peace before the test....

the test itself was OK, but my eyes really were sore after... I wrote (what is below)

on social media and it will explain the rest.... 

This time I did get some feedback on it (and very sore eyes, thankfully this is the last test that I have to have those big lenses in my eyes with a wire attached). Not sure what the news will mean, but my eyes did not see everything right. I had a test called the multi-focal ERG and a normal one looks like the picture I am attaching here. [the picture above] My eyes did not do the top part of this right (I don't know more about it or what it represents and don't know why/how it happened etc) as it did not have the full 'wave' ... the doctor showed me. She was really nice and took time to talk with me. My eyes hurt after this test - sore I guess you would say - for the first few hours I used a ton of artificial tears and closing my eyes hurt worse than having them open, which was not great either; dry, stinging, very sore. But thankfully the worst of that pain is gone though my eyes still feel quite tired. I have my third eye test tomorrow and the last one is May 23rd and after that I will find out more. The doctor I saw said that my retina specialist is a very good doctor (I had always thought so as well). I understand that this test is for one's central vision and the doctor explained that the findings of this test would explain why I can not see things as clearly/sharply as I could in the past (when I would get a better eye prescription, I've had glasses since I was a kid). The test tomorrow will not have the lenses attached to wires in my eyes, which I am so thankful to know....

***

My third eye test is tomorrow, later afternoon back in NYC.

***

I am trusting God with all of this and am thankful for so much 

support and for a Husband who listens, who encourages and is with me in this.

***

I have a lot to be thankful for!

***

Above all things:  Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

A lot of busy, a bit of rest

Today was one of the first days I was able to 

read blog posts of others quietly!

I was able to reorganize a lot of things and even put a bunch of recipes

into my new (1$) recipe box from the VNA rummage sale. 

Last week was beautiful but very tiring. 

So I can tell I need to do what I can to rest while still 

doing the things I need to do.

Tomorrow I will go to have the MRI in the later afternoon to check out 

my ankle bruising situation.

I was able to go on a 23 minute walk this morning, which was great; 

I have realized I have to do this to try to maintain my health and 

hopefully improve it a bit, as it really took a hit when I was on bed rest 2 summers ago

all summer... that was a difficult time!

Cleo was begging for food again! 

Did you see the cute stamps above? and scissors? VNA rummage sale finds. 

I am longing to have a quiet day where I can just

get out my stamps and doing some cards.

But that won't happen for a bit yet as we have the family visiting time

and a lot to do to get ready.

Thanks everyone for your comments about the VNA rummage sale finds!

I am so grateful to God for these things and that I can use them for hospitality.

I know very much that all I "own" is not really mine but only 

"mine in trust" as in it will be entrusted to someone else, God willing,

later and I am only taking care of these things for now.

My Grandma is in her later 80s and can't lift as much now.

Someday, if God allows me to live so long, I will need to give

away my nice red Dutch oven, it will be too heavy for me to lift, for example.

I will need to give away so much of what I have and someday leave everything...

I see it very much; our local parish has various people I am close to who are in

their 70s and 80s.  I see how they are slowing down; how things change;

how hard it is for them now; getting old really is a way to prepare for that final

leave-taking for the next world, the world 

we pray we will be with Christ in and loving Him forever!

***

I have been seeing the following "meme" on social media lately. 

Fr Seraphim Rose is a man who became a Monk in California and 

who used to intimidate me but now I see how approachable and practical he was.

I like very much these words that he said:

The above picture of him is on Easter, I am sure

and is so beautiful.

I feel like there is so much to that picture, so many layers.

A woman who knew him read a book that is not published yet, from what I know,

but that the main thing she saw was how much

this priest lead a life of sacrifice that Christ crucified was very much

in evidence in his life; that Fr Seraphim lead a life of sacrifice out of love for

Christ who loved so much that He died for us and so 

Monks and Nuns are esp. called at times to die for others by their 

life of service and self-denial.

When you realize this about Fr Seraphim his above words are even more loving,

he did not expect of us what we could not do (was beyond our strength) even

though he did much that was beyond us.

Anyway, a wonderful picture and a comfort to us in this time of

the 40 days of Easter before the Feast of Ascension. 

Sunday Night with lots to tell

Once again we got some really special stuff at the 

VNA rummage sale! 

My Husband found the blue and white tulip time pattern and bought it!

I found other dishes... and other things for the kitchen... even found

some great aprons, towels and, of course, napkins! 

the white and gold vegetable bowl I got for 20.00 sells for, 

cheapest I found, 202$!!! So a good deal indeed!

I am already dreaming of using the new blue and white dishes for our Slava 

(family Saint's day dinner/day) in September! 

And I am dreaming of other teas, dinners, lunches... 

This week is going to be super busy.

Tuesday afternoon MRI on foot.

Thursday and Friday NYC eye tests.

We see family for over a week starting this coming

Saturday.

So if I don't blog much in the next 3 weeks, don't worry.

Merely busy with family and visits and such things.