Bright Monday night, Bright Tuesday and Bright Wednesday

Bright Monday at night we went

to a fun Prix Fixe dinner and 

then went to the organic health food store where

we stock up on our favourite 'were sick juice' and other things.

***

Bright Tuesday was a busy day,

cleaning, laundry, putting things away.

We had a 'Walton's date' at night.

When I watch wholesome shows like this one,

my heart is lighter and untroubled.

It's like truth shining forth proclaiming itself in all goodness.

***

Holy Wednesday Mr. Husband was home.

I still have a cold/cough and at times not much voice,

so I ended up taking not 1 but 2 naps and having a lot of rest.

We had wonderful festive leftovers (from takeout the day before) for dinner.

We find the portions that restaurants here give us are quite large;

we figured out that what we had was enough for 5 meals, so the price becomes

quite reasonable for such a treat.

We watched about 20 minutes of another Walton's episode too!

***

I found myself yesterday pondering the following question...

 What if the time you are in right now is one of the happiest you will know in your life,

but you think it is just a normal or good day of your normal life? 

Or perhaps today or this time is the happiest you will know before Heaven,

though perhaps you knew happier in the past.

What would you do differently? Would you see it for the wonder it is? Will your heart

fill with thanksgiving for the day, the moment at hand?

***

I also find myself remember Elizabeth Goudge's writings on how you 

can have a peaceful inward fortress even in the most dire, even the most dirty,

circumstances.... Happiness or peace is not dependent on outward circumstances...

***

Today is the earlier hours of Bright Thursday.

I find myself listening to this again and again:

This glorious song came out the last Pascha I knew

before learning and meeting the man who would become my Husband. 

That Pascha was really special.

I remember being so excited to be dressed in Paschal white,

doing my hair, make up, I had a real sense of meeting Christ in Pascha,

that we were going to the wedding itself, after meeting the Bridegroom

on Friday night in His tomb.

I had some stupid thoughts that I remember going to confession for that Holy Friday night,

I think it prepared me for the blessing of the real sense of going to meet Christ,

of going to the Eternal Pascha, the joyous wedding that will not end. 

A friend later said that she thought I looked like a Bride that Pascha.

By the next Pascha, I was with my almost-finance Mr. Husband...

we got engaged that Pascha afternoon, a beautiful sunny Pascha... 

and went to the Greek Monastery the next day, Bright Monday.

and got our wedding crowns... it was so wonderful, so beautiful, so joyful.

We were excited as young kids, jubilant and joyous,

as if we were flung into a the most beautiful meadow and all was full of rejoicing....

***

I know now that some Paschas are harder,

like last year, when we were 24 hours into grieving for Mr Husband's 

suddenly departed adult godson.

***

This Pascha had a lot of joy, but also felt marred with a certain sense of

irrevocable sadness at times.

That some of the early happiness at Paschas may not happen again...

at the same time, I sense that perhaps the sadness is that which still needs

to be healed within me, but that it takes time.

***

This is another of my favourite Pascha songs....
I am so thankful for such beauty and truth in our lives!

***

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! 

Bright Tuesday ~ a step forward

Today, 

as planned over a week or so ago,

I was with a friend in Princeton,

where we went quilt fabric shopping

and sewing 'notions' shopping

(I am learning new words - notions are all the things

that you need for a sewing project,

like rulers, pins, etc.)

*

I am excited to learn to sew and to make

this quilt or one based on it at any rate!

*

We also had lunch at chili's, which I had not been to before

and a nice ice cream cone in Princeton proper.

*

I am finally home now,

I have been gone for 1 week as Mr. Husband were

at a hotel near to our far away church

for Holy Week and Pascha.

Our plans changed dramatically as

we are now grieving the loss of Mr. Husband's godson...

so I did not leave the area until today,

the day after the Bright Monday funeral.

*

Every loss is different but I feel

I've been through a few that have helped me

understand a little more about what

I need to grieve;

there are books I will read;

processing tools and other things.

I am praying that Mr. Husband and I will

grieve well and be able always to pray

for the newly departed godson.

*

So we are grieving but still singing

Christ is Risen!

*

We grieve always in the hope of the

Resurrection and Mercy of Christ.