The Feast of the Cross, Lunch, Antiques and St Menas

Sometimes it's just great to look at the pictures of one's day.

The unbloggable stuff is hard.  No one dying, so I count that as a blessing.

But HARD. Yet, life is that.  And I have so many (x1000s) blessings and things.

So Church. Man the traffic was a bit nuts (as in lots of it, congestion) and we 

barely made it on time to liturgy! 

I was oddly super hungry (fasting of course but still, HUNGRY) yet, as 

is normal, the blessing of Holy Communion and Prosphora afterwards (blessed bread) 

was that true 'enough'. 

And then we had a lovely fast-friendly meal at a local Middle Eastern Resturant

and I LOVE those thyme pies. Oh man oh man.

So that was good.

Then a beautiful ride in countryside, while I was falling asleep

 (lots of carbs in that meal and my sleep was interuppted),

and then I got a phone call from one of my family members and that was just

perfect timing; Husband had stuff to do,

I got to talk things out and walk to an antique store super near by.

And you can see a lot of what I saw in these pictures.

Was fun! 

We got some tiny (demitasse) spoons

(decorative and useful silver-plate) for 2.00 a spoon!

Whoo hoo for a good deal. :)

 And the beautiful pure linen cloth for 3.00! 

and 3 worn but nice handle silver-plate serving spoons for 5.00 for the 3 spoons!

There was an older lady there, really cute, who was 

picking up some things (layaway) and browsed and found more things

(jewelry, a doll) and she put those on layaway (with some down)

and it as cute as she said "well, I did enough damage today" and 

then would find something else she "just had to have" and 

immediately, with much charity for the woman and myself,

my Husband, hearing about this, smiled and said:

you will be like that one day.

I said, well, I don't think I would buy that sort of jewelry or dolls

and he said, true, it would be different things... 

He's on to me, that Husband of mine. 

***

So one of the things I struggle with, when I am either sad/worried/stressed

is that I want to get something beautiful, some how some way for not a lot of money.

I fight this often and remind myself of how much beauty I have already.

But I admit to being excited about that linen cloth for 3.00 and how beautiful it is.

***

I've had to keep myself from using my most beautiful tea cups this week

(because they have to be handwashed and my foot is still mending

and I have to be a bit more practical meanwhile) as somehow

using beautiful things somehow helps me stand up in the midst of

the HARD, as if I had that perfect outfit that one feels great in,

when in the work world, etc. 

***

I just love making beautiful tables to enjoy meals with.

***

Meanwhile, my parents are coming soon DV!

My cousin gave me this recipe for pork roast and I have hopes to

prepare this for Monday night's dinner,

with my parents... 

***

So, St Menas. My Husband and I prayed this Akathist

to him and I felt so much better and more peaceful and happy...

St Menas is one of my really special Saints and he has really 

helped me out when times were rough years ago in Ottawa.

Clearly, I need more of this in my life...

***

So, a LOT to be thankful for!

And texts, emails, prayers...

and parents coming (can you tell I am excited?)

and beautiful things for the table....

and God's mercy...