Links, my Cat and Various Points of Hope

My printer has been on my table for a few weeks

(other than when I have an impromptu dinner party)

since I am printing not only Akathists

but lots of job related interview prep.

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The interview prep is going well,

as in I am learning tons about the field and thus

the position.

I will have the interview in exactly one week.

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Meanwhile Cleo is as we speak in her new 'spot' on

the bookshelf.

She is a comfort to me as she is great to give hugs to.

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Really liked this post by Fr. Stephen;

neurotic Christians;

Yeah.

Sometimes it is just a good reminder to pull back a bit and breathe.

St. Phanourios;

A lovely Greek lady gave us some

St. Phanourios bread.

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It filled me with a sense of joy, of hope.

This Saint, as you may know,

prays for us to find those things we need...

for me this is the need for a job

and for whatever my heart needs

(I need something, just not sure what!!)

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It was the best St. Phanourious bread I have ever had;

incredibly light;

the prayer and skill for making this small bread

was not small!

I recently prayed part of the Canon to St. Nina and was hearted

to realize how she prays for those who need

salvation, who need baptism.

On my heart are some deeply loved ones

in my life

who are not yet baptized Christians

and who I deeply wish would come to church and

deepen in their journey towards God in the church

and walk the road of healing towards Christ

that we all pray we are on...

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Some incredible links I need to share with you,

in case you have not found them yet:

Deb introduced us to these lectures by

Archimandrite Meletios Webber ;

I find listening to him a comfort

partly because I have always found listening to things

relating to Christ and psychology comforting;

I cannot say I was a fully 'normal' child,

as by my teen years I listened to Focus on the Family

(Protestant Christian psychology based discussions

revolving around supporting the family)

and I was still pretty much a kid myself.

Anyway, Fr. Meletios' podcasts and voice I find to be

a comfort.

Another worthy few links:

Another on Fr. Meletios actually - short and worth reading.

I sent this podcast by Fr. Thomas Hopko to a friend

after listening to it myself -

thoughts, feelings, memories -

it encouraged both of us.

Thank God the church has given us practical ways to deal

with ourselves and the struggles we face.

Last link of the day (or at least of this blog post!)

This post by Fr. Stephen about how our life can be with Christ

has been coming back to me in these last days -

how we need to be aware of our real state

and being with God in our helplessness.

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With the change in weather to grey

the heaviness of various people's suffering

my own uncertain job situation

and intense interview preparations

it has been a huge struggle for me

as of late.

But yet with God it is not impossible.

Read this saying in a email signature,

which sums it up for me:

with faith in Christ all things are possible... but not easy.