(105) A Good Sunday

In someways today began with finding out that

the much beloved Elder Ephraim of Arizona died.

See here for more information and here.

I lit a candle for him (one of the red ones in the glass).

My Husband and I talked a lot about his death today;

he founded many (17) Greek Monasteries in the States

and when I learned of his death, my first thought was

that I had been told that a Saint had died. I am not alone in Orthodoxy in 

thinking this; it's hard to explain here, to many of you who are so kind to me

and comment on my blog ... but if you want to know more just ask.

Sometimes it's easier to know what to write if I know what you want to know

about such things! :) 

Meanwhile, we are praying for the Monks at St Anthony's and everyone

who was close to Elder Ephraim (he had thousands of spiritual children) and who

can be feeling that difficult grief of losing one who was a father/spiritual father and/or guide

or one who they knew or served in some fashion.  

The loss is great; far greater than I can understand that some people will feel;

HOWEVER Orthodox Christians believe that those who have fallen asleep in 

Christ are in Christ still and can pray for us.  As my friend A in Romania said,

we have gained a great heavenly intercessor.

I know that all of us who love Orthodoxy and Orthodox Monasteries are feeling

his passing, that this is suddenly a very holy solemn time,

but that grief in Christ is a bright-sadness. 

***

We stayed local for church, which was great.

We saw L. after church and she is much more herself today

than yesterday - prayer sure works - yesterday she herself said was

super difficult - she could barely talk 6 minutes on the phone with breaks to me- 

but today was much better.  Please keep praying for her; pneumonia when you are older

is no joke, as it were.  She really wants to be back in her own home by Christmas.

Having major surgery and now pneumonia it's hard to say but 

we will keep praying and hoping. 

I don't know what to think other than to keep praying.

***

We had leftovers (Fish and Pasta) for dinner.

And the last of the apple crisp!

It was a blessing! 

***

I am slowly getting the house packed up from the St Nicholas luncheon...

and our dryer is being fixed on Wednesday... 

tomorrow I go to NYC, Tuesday cleaning house + church,

Wednesday phone meetings and my Husband working from home,

Thursday vespers locally, Friday morning liturgy... all DV

It's a good season but very busy.

***

It is a hard time for so so many!

May God have mercy on us!

{Preparing for Nativity} ~ cleaning and changing out the lampadas

I woke early again today.

Lots going on these days; many friends on my mind,

joys, sadness, losses, sudden upsets: life. 

*

I am so glad for the life I have and that I am 

building traditions for our home.

One of these is changing out the clear votive candle holders

for red ones, both kinds I use to burn oil in as lampadas

 by my icons in our dining area of our home. 

I was sure to keep some tall candles lit while I was in the 

process; I always want candles or lampadas lit in my home

for prayers that are for many people and needs...

I find esp. with the big fasts, 

the 40 day Nativity Fast and the Fast of Great Lent,

that once they are here I am so relieved. 

A chance to clean, to make better,

to look into one's soul a bit more,

to ask the Lord to make all the crooked strait in oneself,

to ask for mercy as we look towards the great Feasts of Christmas,

Theophany and Pascha...

All the lampadas are changed now,

the clear ones are clean and drying on the counter.

*

Today is a day that my heart and mind are so full of so many things.

I hope to do more baking today; the Saint Nicholas cookie baking has begun.

I am working on bookstore orders for my church,

thinking of the many feasts we have coming.

Next Sunday is St. Katherine's day already! 

*

I am so grateful for this season of the year!

God is merciful to us!

God Immanuel comes at Christmas time...

*

Here's how I do my lampadas, FYI.

*

What are your traditions in this Nativity Fast/Advent time?

Would love to hear!

Christmas Crafting and a lovely book of Christmas

 I am having a lot of fun making things for
Christmas and, for us, St. Nicholas Day
which (being on the same calendar as Russia) is next week
Thursday, Dec 19th.
*
So I am making the cutest slippers
for a still 5 year old boy,
who likes to say he is nearly 6 and
who when he saw the slippers I was making for my
sister, said he would love some Christmas colour slippers too :)

The second slippers is ready
for the two ribbing to be knit.
I hope to do this later today!

The first slipper is done;
I lost the ribbing at the end but it still
turned out well.
I think what happens is that I get tired or
somehow distracted and purl incorrectly
which then alters the pattern.

It's cute though,
I am pleased.
I ordered some chocolate coins
(dairy free since we are in the fast)
that I hope to put in the slippers with a
small clementine!
So excited to give this to the little guy
on St. Nicholas Eve!

I discovered this book, Christmas Spirit,
on Lisa's lovely blog,
did the look inside on amazon and realized this was
the book on Christmas that I would want for this year.

 

It's even better than I would of thought,
with a lovely section on St. Boniface that I can't
wait to read to Mr. Husband who loves this Saint very much!
*
If you want to know more of the traditions of Christmas
and ideas on how to build your own traditions,
this is a lovely book to read.
*
I had realized after talking to my Mom over
the Thanksgiving holidays
that just as she learned a lot about celebrating the feast of Christmas
over the years, that
I have a lot to learn too,
esp. as I did not grow up in a tradition that is aware of the older
Christmas traditions and the Saints who are involved.
*
What are you reading and creating?
Yarn Along with us!

Nativity Fast Day 5

Keeping up with numbers of the Nativity Fast

is proving hard;

so much going on right now.

*

No news on my Oma yet ...

don't know if she had surgery today;

with how health care in Ontario goes I am guessing

that if the surgery was not today

it may not be till Monday.

We are all inwardly standing still

waiting to see what will happen.

*

The two book in the picture above are

my Nativity reading for this year's

Nativity Fast/Lent.

*

I am almost totally packed for Michigan.

A friend from church is bringing me to the airport.

My Mom already had my future DV birthday presents

(I turn 35 DV Dec 29) and had wrapped them

so she brought them to Brampton so

that there will not be problems flying home

back to Ottawa

with them,

since now airports have the 'right' to unwrap gifts.

*

I am very blessed with all the love and support

from everyone.

Thank you.

*

Let's keep Noah and Mat. Anna in our prayers.

Lord help and comfort us all.

Nativity Fast

And so it is time to prepare our selves

open our hearts

to let Christ come in.

In the middle of rejoicing,

there is still often pain

in this life.

Kate and Jeff,

Noah's parents,

are with the medical team seeing that

Noah is in the last stages and they are

making funeral plans.

Please pray for Noah and his parents and siblings.

I was especially touched by Noah's parent's wish

for a good and beautiful cemetery to have Noah's

body laid to rest in.

Please pray that all this can be provided.

I am sure I am not the only one who

has been praying for Noah who has shed tears

about his pain and sudden rapid decline.

In the end as we turn our minds, eyes and hearts

toward Christ's birth,

we have to trust that Christ who was born to die for us

is involved today in our lives and that His love for us

and for children such as Noah

is very, very real.

Busy Setting Up House

Hi there,

I have not been here much, lately.

My apologies if I am sparse in comments in blogland.

I have not only been processing some things internally,

but trying to get my new apartment

to a functional, usable and more beautiful state

has taken a while.

Not that I am finished yet.

But here are some things I did do...

Lots of Laundry.

Happy to report that my new laundry room is quite lovely.

I put up this shelf in my

no-storage-what-so-ever bathroom.

Took buying two brackets (uneven walls)

and I lost a drill bit in the wall.

(It is still there).

But the shelf is up and my lovely things on it.

I have my Icons up now.

Well, most of them.

Have some paper one I need to frame (still).

And am getting some new-to-me Icons tomorrow.

***

Today (old calendar) was

St. Nicholas Day!

I was in church at morning liturgy and vespers tonight.

My job for tomorrow's celebration

for today's St. Nicholas feast,

is baking three chocolate vegan cakes.

They are now ready to go.

***

I fly home Lord Willing this Monday morning.

Prayers requested for travel.

***

We must be vigilant in this Christmas Season.

It is so easy to get out of sorts,

especially as we are all part of various families

and things that are hard

often come up.

May the Lord protect and bless us in the rest of the

Nativity Fast and the Feast to come!