Thursday Week 5 of Great Lent

(church picnic picture 2010)

Today was sunny here in Ottawa.

I am slowly developing a game plan for job searching.

I am also organizing a book club for the summer months

with some of my friends.

Ironically, time-wise, the book my friend suggested

and that we all agreed to read

is St. John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent.

I have been reading Fr. Thomas Hopko's book

Lenten Spring

in which he quotes it.

Am really excited!

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Had some friends over for soup, salad and bread

yesterday.

So uplifting, the fellowship of friends.

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Your comments have really encouraged me this week, thank you.

*

Still at a loss to know what to think about applying for jobs outside

of Ottawa.

I know I have loved many places in my life;

when I left BC, which included my first Orthodox Church,

I barely spoke for three days;

which if you know me,

this really says something!

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I left BC to go back to the States and

was back in Canada for school 6 months later.

*

I've officially been Canadian 8 years;

lived in Canada for school before these 8 years for 5 years

(minus summers).

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I think of and have applied to jobs in the States;

but I don't know if I can re-acclimate from Canada that easily.

And it is not that I don't love the States;

for example,

I love...

the blessed simplicity of many of its people;

the regional differences make for a very varied state-by-state

culture;

my family;

my State - Michigan;

I love the East Coast for it's British-ness;

the West Coast for it's laid back nature

with ocean water and organic food plus mountains;

I've not been to the South but loved reading about the culture of it;

loved Madeleine L' Engle's books that spoke of the South;

So it is not like I dislike the country of my birth.

*

But I love Ottawa.

I love everything about it some days;

the streets are actually quite clean

but always seem dusty to me; especially because

we have our share of poverty;

the homeless man on the corner asking for Smokes;

the woman huddled by her paper cup waiting for change to be dropped in

(and often taking some of it out I think so it looks empty);

I remember one of the older women that I used to talk to,

she barely had any teeth left,

so many wrinkles,

the skin around her eyes was always pink,

made me wish she could have some nice quality soap, soft towels

and a warm bath.

She said her name was Nicole;

I have not seen her this year;

I wonder if she is still alive.

I am glad that I remember her;

can you imagine not being remembered!

So I love these people.

Of course Ottawa is the capital city

so tonight for instance,

when I was walking home from church,

and needed bus tickets...

the convenience store was closed since only one guy

works it and he needed a break;

there were five of us at least waiting for him;

one Asian boy;

two well dressed men;

another person;

we all had cell phones;

Ottawa is funny in that strangers don't readily

talk much to each other;

I was in a chatty mood

and talked to them anyway :)

*

I like saying hi to the convenience person when I buy my bus tickets;

I know the bakery people where I buy my bread;

I recognize the regulars that work at my downtown grocery shop;

I see people as the weeks go buy who also live downtown;

they are walking, or riding in their wheel chairs;

running; walking the dog...

*

I love these people; the streets at night;

I worry about the young people by the bars;

We are all here together on this earth;

how much we have to learn to be kind; to not judge;

to love; to pray.

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I guess lent is the time when we realize how much we don't do this yet.

How much I wish we had more of Christ in us;

so that others would see Him and be saved.

*

I don't know if I will stay in Ottawa or if God will send me else where;

the idea of else where makes me reel inside;

but either way;

we are together in Christ

all of us who are Christians or who will become Christians;

God is outside of time;

we must seek to be in Christ;

May we go towards God and into Holy Week together.

May we all be saved.