Tuesday morning: Royal Hours, Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil
9 AM-12:30PM
I learned that my Husband's Aunt Gert passed away early this very morning.
We had seen her this past year when visiting family...
For various reasons, we can't go to the service for her but are praying.
thinking and grieving at home...
***
Already years ago, I read her the first draft of the beginning of my
writing project....
I will try to write about her again later, as it will help me
and honour her...
Holy Supper, Christmas Eve.
Long time readers will remember my dear 6 year old Munchkin whose
Dad unexpectedly died years ago...
Well this Munchkin is now graduating high school, DV, this year....
"Auntie" Elizabeth is so proud of him ...
This vigil bread is incredible... after the blessing and anointing with oil...
Lit candles for my Husband's Aunt Gert various times,
such a blessing to be able to do.
***
I was thinking many things, including, how would I explain to his family,
God-loving Protestants, that we pray for all, living and departed because
and I thought this way:
We are lighting candles for our loved ones by the Holy Feet of our
Lord Jesus Christ
and bringing them to Christ and laying them at His Feet...
Hotel for the night...we actually slept OK, a huge blessing!
***
Christmas Day!
I woke up at 5 AM something and was up by 6 AM...
***
I always wear. since 2016, the same beautiful Indian wrap skirt...
it's mainly gold.. the night before (it's reversible)
I wear the 'red' patterned side...
I only wear it on Christmas Eve and Christmas day
(other than I wore it to a wedding once too!!!)
During Christmas Liturgy we found out of the passing of a
dear friend's Mother and so I lit more candles by the feet of Jesus...
We (our church) were all so sorry for the one who was in such a
fresh loss and on Christmas day...
a Holy Day to fall asleep in the Lord....
Saint Mama Gabriel's icon in our church...
I always try to remember to go this icon,
it's one of the most beautiful icons of St Gabriel that I have ever seen...
(Mama in Georgian means Father!)
The front of my pretty Christmas skirt!
We split a fancy shortibs beef dinner for our Christmas night at home...
We got so many treasured gifts...of course this very pretty mug, with
gold leaf, was an instant 'winner' LOL and is from a dear friend and dishes
and me always go together and I just knew that I would really treasure this mug
especially because of the friendship that it symbolizes...
We opened gifts after dinner...
by this time I was a bit extra spacy,
between not having enough sleep, the Sorrow of the deaths of two
people we all knew (one being a relative, the other a Mother of
a dear family in our church),
the beauty of the thoughtful gifts from church family...
I was getting teary...
***
The box of gifts with the ornament HOPE and the beautiful journal
God has made everything beautiful in it's time...
when I could not sleep because I had so much unprocessed things over the
last two days, was definitely making me cry, but not just of sadness
of the great hope we have, that I have...
And that journal was the same verse of a journal
(same style different cover) that I used when I had PSTD really bad...
it was the one I wrote things down in my therapy sessions, so very
close, dear and treasured...
also because I know I am so much better than I was when I needed
that first journal...
***
But let me tell you ... I can tell I am sad too because I want to go shopping
which is basically a sign of this for me!
But I understand this and it's OK...
***
So I have not gotten much sleep this past night,
it's now 4 AM...
but I know that I will get better again, this is just how I react to not only
beautiful holy days, but unexpected loss and grief...
***
But do pray for us, because when I don't get enough sleep,
I am way more loopy/spacy and it's hard on me but especially
hard on my Husband...
***
We are having a small dinner party this Friday, which if you knew me
and understood what's best, you would know this is the BEST
thing for me because using my Christmas Spode dishes and having friends over
during the 12 days of Christmas, and on a fast-free Friday,
is so good for me...
***
Meanwhile, I will post this and try to sleep again soon
(first some more tea and some food, as I am getting hungry and that
will keep me from sleeping,
the 'good' thing is that I have not eaten tons in the last two days
so I can eat in the middle of the night now...)
***
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
***
With Christ, on Christmas, with the unexpected sorrows of life.
we can truly be given Joy that is given to all who Sorrow...
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