Sunshine on a Monday ~ tea and tasks ~ with Cleo nearby

I don't know if most realize that I spend most days at home

in my new married life.

It's a beautiful space, the nicest I have ever lived in as an adult.

I am sitting at my kitchen table and the sunlight is still steaming in,

as it does if it is sunny and in the morning hours.

I was given a new tea in a most beautiful tin on Saturday,

after vespers.

I tried it today. It's gentle and sweet. 

I have a growing assortment of teas and love trying new ones.

I've been really craving various black and chai teas lately.

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I have a favourite granola that I can get locally by way of my grocery 

delivery service, low on sugar and I love it with yogurt. 

Both were delivered today...and as you can see,

it's laundry day also,

a normal Monday for me.  

Last week I was not able to get as much done,

so today is catch up day.

 Cleo has had some difficulty as of late,

in part because of having an inferior litter for her.

We are really hoping with the right litter, a better cleaning system

(now checking 2x day and not using bleach cleaners

as the smell, we realized, overwhelms her),

that she will be over her problem.

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I am just loving the re-read of the Mitford books.

I am also still reading in Acts.

It's been good to read and remember the newness of the faith,

at that time, the LIFE and freedom of it.

Not free from suffering, no, but free from the law, 

from the old rules and ways.

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I am almost done with reading a book,

by a Christian who is Protestant I think,

on the Jesus Prayer.

It's been a good book to read, a bit uneven in places,

and missing a few things in terms of understanding Orthodoxy

but sincere, fairly well written and really 

seeming to want to learn to pray and share this prayer with the West,

which are all good things.

I hope to do a review of it at some point.

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I have been in NJ over 3 years and I still often feel

disoriented in terms of how to have a schedule for myself

and what it means to have a spiritual life here.

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I would say I 'do' more in church now -

bookstore, Sunday School, hopefully the library too - 

but I don't have the friends I had in Ottawa to pray with -

but - have my husband and we do night prayers - 

but - well - my experience of Orthodoxy and Church is really

different here.

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I've had some homesick-for-Ottawa moments but yet

I have a husband who is perfect for me and who

I can discuss Church, theology, history with and I have so much.

But I also know what I left and do miss it - and that it seems

impossible to explain to anyone here what it is that I don't have.

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So it is.

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Just have to trust God that He has me where He wants me

and surely my cup does overflow with so many blessings.

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Including that Sunday School went well yesterday!

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It's a real learning curve.

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I feel like I have more time to gear up for Lent this year,

and that is a real blessing.