Waiting and taking a step

As fall is quickly flying by,

I find myself drawn to the summer pictures.

*

The situation that is troubling me is not yet

resolved

but I am slowly taking steps towards

what I hope will be at least

a movement towards a more full resolution.

*

I have really appreciated your prayers and support.

*

All I need now is God's mercy that

I will be given the humility to understand

what are the next steps in my life.

*

It is so easy to deceive oneself in thinking that

they understand best what they need.

May God have mercy on us

and help us to seek Him

before any other

person,

place,

or material object,

job,

dream,

anything at all.

***

Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight,

And blessed is that servant whom He shall find watching,

And again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless.

Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep,

Lest you be given up to death, and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.

But rouse yourself...

crying:

Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O our God,

Through the Theotokos have mercy on us.

Troparion of Bridegroom Matins

Uncertianty

Thank you all who prayed for me tonight! It was a cold day today so I wore my beloved dark red sweater with a funky black skirt and my silver earrings.

By God's grace and your prayers, I was able to hold my own at the dinner. When others ordered fish, I ordered fillet mignon. (It was pretty good, but a bit salty). I was able to professionally talk about being in transition, about the class I am taking and library-shop talk.

However, I learned that I had been misinformed about the job contract. It is not for sure that I will get it - they apparently have other candidates. This is not how the job was put to me when I received the phone call. However I should know more soon, as I was able to talk directly to the head of the library (who I already know on a professional level).

This means I do not know if I have a job, that I will go on EI, and I will look into seeing if I can have the government (as part of career training) fund a French class for me. I have to finish my paper this week and study for my final. Then I will begin doing the other job-finding things.

I am a bit overwhelmed by this; I thought I had a 4 month contract and could stay in my apartment. Now I do not know. But I have to trust God that the right thing will come.

Prayers appreciated.

Holy Week and Networking

Prayers requested!

I know that outwardly it seems that I would have Holy Week free - but life is never so simple.

I have a networking event to go to today and an interview tomorrow.

References to contact, forms to fill out, professional words to plan, portfolio updates, wardrobe choices, and prayers.

Metaphorically speaking, my knees are weak and my heart can quickly melt.

Where are the saints for professionally working woman? Any suggestions? Of course I am asking the prayers of St. Xenia of Petersberg, the Theotokos, St. Joachim and Anna.

How to be the Lord's and be strong.

Lord help me, Amen.

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.

My last "real" Thursday in my apartment

I move next week Friday - the movers leave their building at 8 AM.

I am thinking that prayers to St. Nicholas and the Mother of God are in order.

It is odd to realize, as I have been Orthodox 4 years, to think that some would think that by saying 'prayers to (Saint, Angel, the Theotokos)' would be odd or heretical. But that is because I see how the prayer books pray - there are lines throughout this saying, pray to Christ for us or pray to God for us.

I am still dizzy intermittently on a daily basis, but I have a week off work, starting next Tuesday. I am relieved. I will finally be moving. My first living room.

I am also thinking of how much work this will all be...