Greatful for my time in Ottawa while sick with a cold in NJ

Last week I felt that I was coming down with a cold.

I took lots of vitamins and seemed better.... 

but this week, 

with plumbers coming back and other random things,

including not sleeping well,

I was not able to get the rest I needed

and now have a flourishing head cold.

*

Please pray for me.

I thought I was going to have my 'meet & greet' for

the Sunday School year this Sunday 

and now I don't even know if I will be able to go to

church myself. 

Quite disappointing :(

yet I still hope I will be better by then!

*

Meanwhile,

I thought I would show a bit of things 

I stocked up on in Ottawa;

a new to me tea...

I have the Tetley 'warm' tea and am almost out...

I still have a hard time with the fact that I just can't go

to a grocer and get some things that are on the shelves

in Ottawa... but I must be thankful for what I do have

and that is a LOT and it includes this lovely tea:

More books.

When I saw this book (the red one) by  

Archimandrite Aimilianos of Simonopetra on Mount Athos

at the Monastery I began reading it in 

the monastery bookstore and found within it an 

essay on prayer. 

I was drawn into it and thus bought it.

Something I am learning about Orthodox life and Orthodox books:

I am no where near the state of prayer, holiness or goodness that

many (if not all) the books write on... but I can still read them.

The Orthodox church has at once one path to God (Jesus Christ) and

many ways to Christ, by which I mean each person

is so unique, including in their brokenness, that different 

advice is needed to help in their healing.

Within this I am learning there can be parts of essays, esp. those 

written to monastics, that I can't really do or even think of doing.

But I can be inspired by them to struggle according to 

my strength and abilities. 

I have not finished the essay on prayer yet

but was very moved by the image I found in it of needing

to pursue God with one's whole being and constantly 

call out to God.

*

I have met people and monastics who I see as 

holy, as far beyond where I am;

I find this to be a great encouragement that 

even though I can struggle with things in my life for years,

there are people who have struggled and gone on past the struggle

and have gained a holiness, a deep love for people

that shows me what I too want, 

even if feebly... 

the books are the same for me...

I got these two books from my Ottawa church bookstore.

They had been there for years and now that I am slowly

selling books at my NJ church, I realized that it would be hard

to get these books State side as it were as both books 

are from Greece and so they came home with me.

At this point in my life I can't say I will be at all

at the level of what these books talk about 

but I can still gain something and grow in 

understanding at least.

This one is by New Rome Press

and while it took a little bit of getting use to all the 

many quotations in it, it's really quite good.

I really like how despair is described and about 

our loving Heavenly Father.

I stocked up on some Ottawa treats...

Bridgehead tea (DV to be used in tea making for Christmas

again this year), an egg substitute for special baking during 

the fasts and my Fry's cocoa (even though it is not as good as 

in fair trade, it's also tradition and cheaper....and I use a lot of cocoa...)

and a granola that I would eat at times before I married and moved... 

Most specially, 

the white basket I bought for the fruit I had blessed

on the Feast of Transfiguration and 

candles from the Greek Monastery.

*

I love lighting candles at home for people and 

it is one of the few things I can do for others often.

And my Munchkin who stayed with me this summer

loved lighting them with me also...

*

And so while I have a cold and 

am quite fatigued from that, I can at least seek

to remember the many incredible blessings God has given me,

in my marriage to Mr. Husband, our home, my time in Ottawa

and the books and special things I wrote about here.

*

I do ask your prayers as I really wanted to do Sunday School 

this weekend and am just feeling down-for-the-count right now

and I would LOVE to hear what is going on for you today!

I know many of you have kids going back to school,

or are looking forward to the fall or maybe

are struggling with something, as it seems we often are. 

Do leave a comment and if I can light a candle for you today... 

God is with us and loves us and is merciful... 

In Ottawa with a Beloved Scarf for a very dear friend

I finished the textured scarf

 for my dear friend

who is modeling it in the picture above.

It is perfect for her as the colour is 'hers'...

I was so pleased to see her wearing it.

*

I found a tea that she will love that very dear friend Mary 

introduced me too; I got a box for her as well!

I am hoping to keep making teas with various things

and blog about them in the future, God willing.

*

I've been in Ottawa since Friday;

It was -13 F with 'real feel' being -29 F here!

I layered up well and has been gifted 

a 100% cashmere sweater that helped keep me warm!

*

I fly back today and hope for a on time flight...

The forecast shows it being windy but clear.

Please if you would in your charity,

pray that I get home today and in peace!

*

I am re-reading the book that was so integral to my 

journey in life.

Courage to Pray.

*

I was talking to another dear friend last week

and told her that I am rereading this book;

it seems to be a book of beginnings and transitions for me.

I read it through a few times in my earliest years

in my discovery of the Orthodox faith

and find myself being so encouraged by it again now

as I continue to build my new life with my

beloved Mr. Husband.

I have so many wonderful moments from my days here in Ottawa!

I am excited to return to my life with my husband

and hope to work on many things,

including reading books with him slowly,

learning to knit socks to give him 

and start a new knitted blanket.

*

What are you creating and reading?

Yarn Along with us!

Theophany

Christ is Baptised!

In the Jordan! 

*

It was so wonderful to be back at 

my home Ottawa parish.

*

Hugs, tears, smiles, joy.

*

The only thing that could of added to 

the deep joy was 

if Mr. Husband was here.

*

But I have talked to him via phone 

and this is good.

 *

And it is SNOWING here!!!!

and I forgot my boots at church! 

Opps....

Good thing DV I will be back in the morning!!

Lemon Cake

So I made my first
lemon cake.
I was thinking of Anna as I baked it!
Thanks for your wonderful blog Anna!
*
I am determined to make it again...
*
It called for
lemon juice and lemon zest.
I used my zester for the first time;
I had always wanted one and
got one this summer as a wedding gift.


I made one mistake
and one only.
I doubled the recipe
and did not double the lemons.
Take note, self
and do 4 lemons next time!

That said,
it still turned out well.
*
I used a Greek yogurt
so it was a heavier cake.

6 eggs.
Yay Feast time!

Lemon Zest.

Mr. Husband was impressed
by how well they
turned out of
the pan.
*
Notice my cake pans
a very significant wedding gift
from a friend that reads this blog
(hi friend!)

 

Beautiful glorious
lemon cake.
With lots of glaze!
*
A friend said they reminded her of
Spanish cakes that she ate years ago.
*
Now if only I had more friends
in the area to share the cake with...
*
To Ottawa I go soon
Lord willing.
Am excited to see my friends there
though being without Mr. Husband will be
hard;
I plan on many emails/calls while we are apart...
*
When I get back I hope to not be sick again
(flying does a number on me often)
and my next goal will be to start swimming again...

St. Basil's Day

 

(old picture I took at the Greek
monastery).
*
Today is St. Basil's Day!
*
I got this feast twice as I was at
Holy Dormition for this day
in early January
with Mr. Husband.
*
I am often there on St. Basil's day
and find it a very wonderful day indeed.
*
I am reading slowly
Madeleine L'Engle's book
ring of endless light
and it is about loss, letting go, death.
*
Thank God,
I have not had to grieve those lost by death
in the last months.
However,
I am in the process of letting go in someways
of my beloved Ottawa.
I return for 1 week this Thursday,
for Theophany,
as planned before Mr. Husband and I's wedding.
I told everyone I would be back for Theophany.
Most of my Orthodox life up to this time
has been in Ottawa
and all of my professional librarian life.
I did a lot of growing there
and had a real home there and a city
I loved and love very much.
*
So when I read about the main character
Vicky,
dealing with growing up and the soon
loss of her Grandfather to cancer
and all of her processing...
*
I found reading this to be helpful.
*
A monastic told me months ago that I am not
leaving my Ottawa church family
but extending my church family
to include more people...
that I am on a progression in this;
not a decrease but an increase.
*
And so it is.
*
I am still a bit congested though the main
part of my sinus cold is over.
I fly God-willing in two days
to Ottawa.
*
Yesterday now was St. Basil's Day
(things interrupted me from finishing the post)
and Mr. Husband and I got a
wonderful phone call yesterday!
A new nephew was born!
He's not Orthodox but I do find it
really wonderful that he was born
on St. Basil's Day to
wonderful Christian parents!

The City I Love

Ottawa.

I love it here.

*

Tonight I talked with an older Indian woman

wearing a Sari

and heard about her life...

*

It was really nice.

*

I now know that I have another second round interview

on August 15th-

new calendar Dormition.

Last year I was at the monastery for their feast;

this year I will be trusting in their prayers

as I interview...

*

I miss home and really wish I could visit.

But instead I will be thankful that I have a home to miss.

Lunch and homework

I practically live online now days. As a librarian and as a blogger. The library course I am taking is really helping me understand more, I am glad about this.

Just felt like mentioning, before I brave the snow to go to the Univeristy Library to do work for my class.

I am still so glad that the bus strike is over; as far as I know, most of my blog readership is outside of Ottawa, so you may not realize how hard this was for us here.

People lost jobs. People lost their businesses. I saw elderly people with canes walking in the snow. Many people I work with had to begin their workday at 6 or 7 AM or they would not get a parking spot (they normally take the bus and car traffic went up 20% which sounds like a small number, but it made a HUGE difference).

There are so many stories of suffering because of this bus strike that happened in the middle of various snow storms. It is hard for us as a city to forgive the city government and the buses/union for buses for belabouring this strike to over 50 days.

Of course we must forgive and I know, as a Christian, I must pray for my city.