Married and it is Monday of Butter Week

I was reading a
new to me blog
and listening to what sounded to me
like rain gently falling outside...
except it was not raining.

Right.
Boiling tea that had gotten cold
on stove.
Waste not - want not!

So...
Mr. Husband came back yesterday
from our
far-away church
bursting with love, greetings and gifts
from my NJ church family.
I have not been there since the weekend
of the Florovsky conference in February
which will be a month ago this coming weekend.
(It feels like two months!)
So now Mr. Husband and I are enjoying the tin
of cookies that were sent along...
made in Denmark and full of butter.
Perfect for Butter Week!!

We have this chocolate bar to savour.

Many pots of tea to make.

Some encouragement for today.

Mr. Husband and I ordered this
very large metal funnel
for oil...
plastic does not fare well in the dishwasher
so we got this metal one.
It's hilariously huge
but perfect for pouring oil from the 1 Liter
containers into the cruet. 

Lamadas burning bright. 

Today is St. Photini's day! 
In Slavic languages, 
the name Svetlana is 
the translated name of Photini. 
I have many friends who
love this Saint.
One of my dear friends has her icon
in her kitchen; 
another friend has spoken to me about 
prayers to her regarding 
heart break and complicated relationships.
*
One of the most moving homilies I ever 
heard was when I was in library school
in London Ontario years ago
(the year before I began this blog).
*
The homilist spoke of 
the woman at the well, 
the Samaritan woman,
coming at the noon hour to draw water
and about the heat of the day
the heaviness of the water pot and 
the mere drudgery of the day,
the dustiness of it all.
I felt the weight behind the homilist's words,
that he knew of the day in and day out
drudgery of hard work and exhaustion.
*
And then
Jesus came to the well.
*
Told the woman she had 5 husbands
the one she was with now is not her husband
and led her higher and higher in 
spiritual understanding
until she realized that 
Jesus is the Messiah
and that 
she was speaking to Him
and her life was transformed forever.
She became St. Photoni
bearer of the light of Christ
and evangelized her city;
she met Christ and her 
life was changed 
forever.
She became known as equal to the Apostles. 
*
I remember how my heart rose
at hearing this homily.
How I wanted to meet Jesus too,
like this, 
how I wanted to love Christ.
*
Lord help!
*
So St. Photini is a Saint for us,
in our confused culture,
our complicated lives,
our often hectic wearying days.
*
So wonderful that today is 
St. Photini's day.

One of the lovely and heart-lifting gifts
I was given had this icon of the Theotokos
attached to it.
It reminds me of the Greek Monastery
in Quebec and I put it in my cozy corner
and there am quietly comforted....

My hand lotions in my cozy corner.
*
So I read this incredibly timely
section on Christ and loving Him
by Elder Porphyrios
So wonderful for us to read as we
prepare for Lent.
You can read it here 
*
I really recommend it
for it's beauty, instruction and encouragement.

One of the lovely gifts I was
given is the loaf of
Honey Oatmeal Bread.
*
The icon I was given was with this loaf.
*
Mr. Husband and I had some toasted
(we love toast)
last night with dinner.
Mr. Husband made a point to eat it with butter.
We often quote what one waiter said
to us on our honeymoon:
everything is better with butter.

Mr. Husband and I were given these
flowers as well.
They are so beautiful.
Purple: the colour of Lent.
They are Chrysanthemums and I love them.

 

Mr. Husband got me this rose plant
either the day we got home from our honeymoon
or the day after...
I think the day of.
I am still striving to keep it alive
and love that our kitchen window sill
has green growing plants...
*
One of my friends sent me this quote this morning
and I found it very deep and beautiful:
*
 "Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family. Our asceticism and fasting should not separate us from others, but should link us to them with ever-stronger bonds." 

Whole article that this quote is from is found here.
*
Blessed Butter Week everyone!