Transitions

I had a wonderful and I pray fruitful

time at home.

*

I fly back in the early morning to Ottawa.

*

I found out tonight that I have another job interview

this Friday

in Ottawa.

*

I will be very busy these next 2 weeks so if I do not blog much

or comment much on other blogs;

you know why!

My second interview is September 10th;

I fly out for it on September 9th;

*

I am thankful for two interviews!

*

My Dad said well it is totally in God's hands

and I can be at peace

and do my best...

*

God is good to us in all seasons and times.

God is so good to us

I had a great visit at the monastery.

*

I came back to learn that one of my

dear friends is in the hospital.

Please pray for her.

*

Learned also that one of my classmates from years back

passed away on Tuesday from cancer.

He leaves a godly wife and 4 children behind.

Lord have mercy.

*

It is so wonderful to have monasteries to go to pray

and to have them pray for such needs as these.

Flowers

God willing I will be going to the

monastery...

I am so glad as the upcoming job interview in

the second week of September

is overwhelming.

*

The flowers above are from the

monastery on Dormition

and the others my Dad gave me

hours after I found out about the job interview.

**

After looking at them together

I felt like the Mother of God had given me flowers from

one of her monasteries

to comfort me

in the midst of the unknown.

***

I am so glad that we have such places of prayer to go to.

What Colours?

Next week,

Lord willing,

after I go to the monastery for a bit,

I am going shopping for a pant suit for my

September Interview.

*

I am thinking a black suit with a nicely coloured shirt

would work well.

*

I don't want to wear a skirt as the potential for

accidental awkwardness is higher

and I don't want to have anything extra to worry about!

*

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I am hoping to get the outfit here in Michigan as Ottawa

is quite pricey.

Interview in September

I had applied last week

to a library position

outside of Ottawa

(still in Canada)

and have news of an interview for this in September.

*

I will be flown in for the interview

and will have to do a presentation.

**

I am qualified for this position.

***

It will be hard to leave Ottawa

if that is what is happening,

but I need to be in God's will.

*

Meanwhile I have a lot of preparing to do.

**

So glad that I will be going to the monastery next week for a short time

(hopefully overnight two days)

and can continue to pray there about this.

***

I ask your prayers.

Chihuly, the Meijer Gardens and Other Thoughts

My Mom, Sister, Brother-in-law

and myself

went to the Meijer Gardens and saw the Chihuly glass exhibit.

It was nice,

though I found it exhausting being in the full sun outside...

This is one of my favourite shots,

as you can see the plants in the background.

This was my favourite of the glass

seemed idyllic and rather what I think of when I would think

of the England

that I know from books.

*

I sold some more books.

I am wanting to clear out more later.

It's surprisingly good to start getting rid of things.

More and more I realize that

when I am looking at books or artwork or anything

I am looking for help, for answers, for consolation,

and most of my books

do not give this nor does art work.

I find myself in various homes of Protestants and

not having icons nearby to look at

makes me more aware of how much I depend on looking on them.

How much I am looking for help.

*

This of course is not a testimony of some great spiritual feat;

no, more that I am weak and constantly need assurance

and reminders of God's mercy

and of the presence of the Saints.

*

I am grateful that in God's mercy He

has allowed me to be in places,

churches, houses, monasteries,

where prayer is more continual and where

Icons are filling the space.

*

A holy monastic once talked to me about icons

and how empty she finds houses

where there are no icons.

*

I am grateful that my own family lets me keep some Icons

year round in my bedroom in my family's house.

*

May God strengthen us as we seek to seek Him.

*

Today I need work on more job applications.

Prayers, as always, requested.

Details of a Wednesday

Above are flowers from the monastery this past weekend.

A lovely Romanian man was given them from

where they adorned the large icon

of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

I sold about 65 of my books today.

It was a new experience to let go of books

that had with me for

some years.

*

I just had to keep reminding myself

that though I have given away the books that remind me

of how God has worked in my life

and that He is bringing me deeper in

where He seeks to lead me.

*

The books were merely part of that journey

and that God is here with me now

and has given me a new chapter in my life,

where and what I need to go towards.

*

Am reading more of The Jesus Prayer

by Frederica Mathewes-Green

and am really appreciating this book.

*

I can't recommend this book enough...

I was at a small lake with family tonight.

*

Had tea and lunch at an Aunt's house.

**

I treasure these days and feel strongly that they are fleeting.

***

We must pray for those we love and for God's mercy

and salvation.

*

How much we are in need of God's mercy.

A Beautiful Tuesday in August

My family's garden is blossoming.

*

I got to visit with my Grandma!

She has so much energy and is always doing something -

She was out to breakfast at 8:30 this morning

before spending time with me

and having a visit from my Aunt and my Aunt's 7 year old grandson;

all of us, including my Grandma,

went out for ice cream.

It was great!

*

And tonight I walked for 2 miles with my Mom.

A very full day.

I finished another cover letter and resume

and submitted it.

Each application is so different, it really takes

time, thought and various edits

before I can submit the application.

I have at least one more to do while I am visiting my

family home.

*

It is a good but still uncertain time for me.

When will I get a job, where and what will it be

are all unknown.

*

I am hoping to go to the monastery next week

to pray about this,

as I really need a lot of wisdom and courage

during this time.

My friends who are visiting Cleo

assure me that she is fine.

I always miss her a bit

when I am gone

but I am sure she misses me more;

she is a cat who loves human company and routine.

Quiet

This candle is a gift

from a friend

made the by Greek monastery that

I have gone to over the past year.

*

Candles are such a wonderful testament of the hope that we

have because of God's existence in the world.

*

I am slowly working on writing more

about my time at the monastery

(I am still planning to go once more before I leave)

but know also that monasteries

are a place where things happen that are really

not fully explainable...

I was glad for this very good and deeply comforting post

by Fr. Stephen that speaks of this work of God

in our lives-

The Quiet Work of God.

*

I am hoping to sell a bunch of my books while I am home

books that I have not moved from this place

since they came here in 2004.

I am slowly learning to let things go

and that it okay to give away things that have

memories of my life journey attached to them.

I don't know if I will get much money for them

but hope it is at least enough

to buy one or maybe two books

at the monastery.

*

One of the things that I love about monasteries is that you can

buy books and icons there.

The icons, even the mounted ones, are made by

them and made with prayer.

The books can instruct and feed us.

The prayers of the monastics can heal us,

can bring closer our salvation.

*

God is good to us.

Thankful

Thanking God that I was able to

go both to the vigil last night

for the Feast

and today

for the festal liturgy

at the monastery.

*

Thank you for prayers for my rides;

it worked out.

*

Somethings are so multi-leveled in loveliness

that it is impossible to

take it all in

or

to articulate it.

*

I am thankful...

*

Gearing up for two days of more

concentrated job searching

before two days of family activities.

*

It is wonderful to be visiting with my family.

Good to be home

The flowers are slowly fading here

but still beautiful.

Humid out!

It has been wonderful to see my sister and brother-in-law;

I have visited with them, my parents and Grandmother

already!

I was able to finish the application in time

for the job outside of Ottawa.

Seeking to trust God in all things

(wow do I have a long way to go with this)

and to be thankful.

Tomorrow is Dormition!

I am having some difficulties communicating

with my ride for tomorrow...

Prayers requested as I really wish to go down to the monastery

for the Feast!

Leaving on a jet plane, I know when I'll be back again

It always feels like a bit of transition

to be leaving my little apartment

and Cleo Cat.

My good friend who will be visiting her daily

has assured me that Cleo will be fine. :)

I leave early tomorrow for home.

Please say a prayer for my travels

and especially for my sister and brother-in-law's travels

home tomorrow as well

from Romania.

*

May God protect and preserve us all!

Tuesday, 2nd Week of August

How quickly the summer is going!

I have so much to do before I leave -

packing, key making, small bits of shopping,

job searching,

French is not happening much right now... :(

I am finding it really hard to apply for any jobs outside

of my city.

So far I am finishing up only one application...

*

There are various jobs I am applying for here.

*

I am seeking to be open to God's will

and hope it will be made clear.

I have been comforted by words of a wise person,

telling me that patient endurance

will

in the end

find me at the next step

in my journey.

God is our support,

our refuge

and

our salvation.

In Him shall we trust...

A Quiet Sunday

Summer is slowly going into Autumn;

Ottawa has had surprisingly cool weather;

Michigan is still quite warm, so I am packing summer clothes for sure!

*

Am still working on plans for my stay

I have not been home in August since the year of my chrismation;

I was chrismated

6 years ago on this day;

where do the days go?!

Listened to the podcast on distractions in prayer again;

it is such a jewel of a podcast...

*

I was struck by Frederica's explanation of the huge problem of

loneliness that we have in North America.

Her explanation of how we culturally have separated ourselves

from each other

by buying the lie that we are

cool independent rebel self-sufficient lone-ranger

has contributed to not living in community

and not knowing how to relate to God

who is right here with us,

not somewhere down the block at a distance.

*

We need community.

We need a church family.

We need a godly spiritual father or spiritual mother.

We need the sacraments of the church,

including the sacrament of confession,

which brings us back into the full community

and communion of the Church.

*

How much I hope I myself will remember this,

I who live with only with my Cleo Cat.

*

How wonderful it is to not seek to be independent of others

to not be a rebel

to instead,

as Fr. Thomas Hopko speaks of in his 55 maxims,

to be an ordinary person, part of the human race.

With the Feast!

Today was the Feast of the Transfiguration!

*

I was able to go to liturgy

and eat blessed peaches and grapes afterwards.

Plans for going to the monastery when I am home

are coming to fruition.

God is merciful.

I have applied to another job

and will be working on two more applications in the coming days.

*

I am in a whirlwind of church services,

friend visiting

and job searching.

*

It is all very joyous but a bit overwhelming at the same time.

God is really giving me a special time right now

and I am grateful.

*

At the same time I am seeking to earnestly pray for a job.

And asking God to prepare me for this.

*

I was at a Paraklesis service

and this was really beautiful.

*

I talked with a friend who told me of a monastic giving these two beautiful words:

***

Be soft, be ever becoming more soft towards the Lord.

***

Give God your prayer rule and let Him change it as He wills -

hold your prayer rule with open hands towards the Lord.

One of the greatest blessing of my life is my Father

Today is my Dad's birthday!

As I said for my Mother's Birthday,

I was born of a Christian Mother -

I was born also with a Christian Father.

A Father who is gentle

who is quick to listen, slow to speak.

Who I never remember yelling at me or anyone else;

who always loved to tease in loving ways;

who supported his family,

sacrificing so I and my siblings could have a Christian education;

whose faithfulness, commitment to God and

to the church he was raised in

never wavers.

I thank God for my Dad,

for the times I get to talk to him,

for the fact that he never considers me to old to have hugs,

(and who would immediately retort that I don't let him get away without hugs! :) )

*

My Dad's love for me has held me in good stead

and he is always someone I can turn to when I need

advice.

Just calling him up to tell him what I am up to

even if it is only a one or two minute conversation,

is a blessing to me.

So Happy Birthday to my Dad!

God grant you many many years!

Coming Home in August

My sister and brother in law DV

will be home from Romania

and so I am going

home as well!

I will be able to visit with family,

the monastery,

and I hope to be there on their feast day.

I also hope to hear my sister and brother-in-law speak

at the church my sister and I grew up in

about her work with the orphans in Romania.

I have heard

recently of so many sudden tragic accidents

of people suddenly being taken from this life.

*

I pray that all will be well for me

and that I will be able to visit my family

and that they will know how much I love them.

How much I see them,

their faith and trust in God;

I used to tell people that if there is anything good in me

it is first because of God

and then because of my Godly Mother, Father,

Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles.

I know I am blessed

and pray that in this I can bless others

and learn to love as I have received love.

*

Meanwhile I will be job searching here,

and will also be online while away to continue job searching

and French learning.

*

I am seeking to trust in God's mercy for provision.

A blessing of a Saturday and the strength and hope of Sunday

The church picnic was wonderful.

*

The highlight of my summer.

*

Fellowship, food, campfire.

Discussions that feed the soul...

At the same time

I learn today,

Sunday,

of car accident with a Mom and Dad inside the car;

seriously injured; still in hospital;

I have seen this couple but do not know them personally.

Pray for them,

please.

*

So life continues, blessings, tragic circumstances

and the hope of Christ in the midst

of all of it.