Monday, March 02, 2015

In Ottawa at my dear friend's house: reflections

Just a note that I made it here safely
and am at my friend's home!
They are my home away from home here in Ottawa
and are such lovely hosts.
*
I am reading some great books
and doing the restore workshop again this year, and more
in depth as last year at this time we were in the middle of new home hunting...
*
This week is going to be a great one for thinking about 
how things are going for me and
figuring out what can be done to make things better...


I read (one the plane) Elizabeth Foss' essay on burnout that she published for her workshop.
It's really good and giving me a lot to ponder.
*
I am also reading a book we recently got for our personal library:
Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian by Elder Saint Paisos.
One thing I noticed in the book is how St. Arsenios took
Wednesday and Friday as 'retreat days' where he stayed in his cell
and prayed and did not, in general, see people.
*
I am doing a lot of focused thinking and, as I can, praying,
on what it means to love God and others first but also
be responsible for the level one is at;
I talked to a monastic once who, when she heard of 
a situation, suggested a certain way to help another that someone I knew
could do.  But I realized, knowing the person, that
it was not possible and the monastic said:
part of humility is knowing one's limits.
*
So I am in a real place of reflection on this.
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An unexpected part of the first week of Lent.
Tomorrow the errands DV get done (and haircut!) and
I will be at my Ottawa parish for the third part of
the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.
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Before I left this morning I put sticky notes 
all over our home for Mr. Husband to read.
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When we are apart we text/chat/email/call and he knows
my schedule while I am here and has stayed in Ottawa
with me at our friends house where I am so
it's easier to feel not as separated.
*
I am so very thankful for my husband
and that it is Great Lent and that after Lent comes
Christ's Holy Pascha!
May God carry us there!
*
{Note, this post was written a week prior but while I want to share 
at times personal reflections, I also know that I need some time
at times to digest things and thus schedule my posts 
to give me what is needed, etc}

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

'Part of humility is knowing one's limits.' So true, yet so difficult!

Lisa said...

Yes, pray about that one, Elizabeth - knowing your limits isn't that easy; or, you may have an idea, but all the things we need or think we must do interfere, and we get confused. I have such a time with this, but by the grace of God, I think I'm finally getting it! The Blessed Mother is guiding me, it seems. I wish you well with it!

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

It can take a lifetime to learn one's limits and accept them.