A beautiful Bridal Shower, the Holy Fire and thanksgiving

Busy days to catch you up on!

I went to a beautiful bridal shower this past Sunday.

It was just love lovely and I just loved seeing the beautiful

gifts the Bride-to-be chose for her new home

and was given by those who love her!

I still get so excited about these events, even more

since I had them myself 5 years ago!

***

The Holy Fire came to the States this year

and I and many others in NJ have it burning in our homes.

Such an unexpected blessing!

***

I am still loving Cleo and loving our library.

Cleo's lost a bit of weight lately, so hoping she is OK.

She's 14, nearing 15 now.

***

Even though we have a lot of struggles in this life,

I am finding that there is still so much to take joy in

and be thankful for; and if one does these things,

then days still have gladness even 

when things are not fully smooth sailing.

***

I love the stories of how Christ calms the water 

different times in the Gospel;

He knew all things and in the storm, there was He 

sleeping.  I must work on remembering this,

and seeing things with the peace that Christ had

and offers to us.

***

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Tuesday ~ Taking the good with the bad ~ a relapse has happened...

My Husband woke up looking and sounding worse.

It pretty much was 'official'... after a month of flu,

then substantial needing lots of medicine respiratory illness,

my poor sweet Husband, who was feeling a lot better towards

the end of last week, has a cold... 

We were both very tired this morning and napped...

I made lunch and was so happy to make a new pot

of Chicken Bone Broth for my ailing husband...

it was humming away and smelling up the house so nicely,

but then later it changed and I did not think right away

what and why and by the time I did,

the water had boiled out and it was in the beginning stages of burn...

I immediately turned off the burner and poured water into my poor

pretty red pot and the water turned smokey black...

I was fortunate that it was not smoking when I opened the pot!

 ***

Later I called my Mother and told her about it

and she commented that once Oma (her Mom) 

almost burnt the house on Railroad Street down.

I must tell you the story so that it is not forgotten... 

My Oma, even back then, cleaned houses for others...

my Mom was probably in grade 8 and her old brother,

my Uncle H, was in grade 10.

My Oma was cooking soup bones on the stove

when she left to go clean house,

not realizing that the burner was set on 'High' instead of 

on 'Low', and when my Uncle H came back from school,

the smoke was so dense that he could not get to the phone 

that was in the hallway past the kitchen...

he had to go to the neighbours house to call the fire department.

The pot, a thick aluminum one was from Holland,

where my Mom and her family had immigrated from probably about 14 years

before this time, and the pot was burned though, the bottom of it

being totally gone.  The cupboards were scorched, the kitchen had 

to be repainted and my Mom's lunch, the next day,

when she opened it, smoke came right out of the bag,

right there at school, and she had to throw her lunch away,

it was so damaged!

Thank God that the house did not burn down.

My Oma must of been so distressed by this,

as I know her to be a very careful woman and she was probably

very distracted that morning, maybe running late or something

worrying her. She had 8 children and I am sure always had much

to think about and even more to do... 

Anyway, there's the story and my Mom comforted me,

that it could of been much worse.

***

I will have to be more careful when making broth and not put the 

temperature so that I can here it cooking but be careful to have a much lower

simmer.... lesson learned

and I am so THANKFUL that my beautiful red rooster pot is still OK...!

My Husband and I were talking about that pot as we drove our

now fixed car (battery went, taking the alternator with it), how

we find that pot so beautiful, my Husband esp. loves the rooster on it,

as do I... we got it at 65% off about 2 years ago and I am so glad that

I did not ruin it, as it would be costly to replace at full price!!! 

So thank God for that!

***

So my Husband had a online consult with a doctor this morning

who told him to monitor his temperature and breathing. 

By tonight he had an elevated temperature, just over 100F.

So he called our medical place again and now will see

the doctor tomorrow.

***

He's quite unwell, the main thing we are hoping and praying for 

is that this cold stays in his head and does not descend into his lungs.

***

So tonight, after I cleaned up while Mr Husband did prayers early,

and then we did what we call 'prayers for our marriage' and he had

tea ready for him and we did the oils for respiratory health...

and then I finally had time to read quietly the 

much loved Akathist to Saint Luke the Surgeon...

***

Tonight we talked again about how we must seek

to be thankful to God for all things and if we are,

then we can still have the joy that God brings,

our heart can still have lightness...

***

I forget sometimes and feel discouraged and dismayed,

but God is our Father, He loves us and will take care of us...

and we have so many many things to be thankful for!

Back from the monastery

I had a wonderful time at the monastery.

It is so hard to leave!!

I love being at the services.

I am a wimp though and am glad that it is a feast time as

it meant that two of the mornings church did not start until

9 AM; the other day was 5 AM!

Between that and still not having perfect sleep,

I was tired!!

*

I was there over St. Basil's day.

One of the really memorable moments there was

the vigil the night before St. Basil's day,

a large icon of St. Basil in the middle of the chapel;

being there in the candle lit darkness with

his icon in the centre

was really wonderful.

*

I love how every year the liturgical routine is the same;

St. Basil's day being Jan 1st,

St. Seraphim of Sarov Jan 2nd...

*

I love the Christmas tree they have in the large dining hall;

the beautiful Romanian ornaments on the tree...

On the drive back home

the sun shone through clouds the whole time;

it was beautiful and made me think of my sister

who is always reminded of God when she sees this;

it reminds me of God's love and mercy.

It is sometimes hard to remember in the hard times

in life that God is with us

and that the sun is always above the clouds.

*

I've had such a nice time at home;

I think going back will be hard;

it always is a bit hard actually as I go from being with family

and seeing people a lot to living with only

my Cleo Cat,

as good as she is!

*

The next days will slowly unfold and I will

be waiting to see if I get interviews

and what will happen next.

I spent some time with my Grandma today;

above is a picture of her Nativity set

that was her mothers;

she packed it up as we talked.

I am slowly going over her old pictures and putting them in albums

and putting little labels so that we know who is who

and the story of the picture.

I am happy I can do this...

*

Tomorrow I will see my oldest friend

and her children.

This will mean pouring out love and hugs to the kids,

taking lots of pictures, looking at lots of pictures,

listening and eating with them...

*

The next day I fly around the noon hour back to Ottawa.

Bittersweet - will be great to be back in my apartment,

and I get to celebrate Christmas again,

but it is hard to leave family and all the love.

But thank God that I have had this time!

What a blessing it has been!

*

I have decided that this year the one word I want to remember is

thankfulness

as it will save me - to be thankful makes the heart lighter;

I heard a great sermon at the monastery that

encouraged thankfulness as a way to help unite ourselves to Christ;

so I pray this year I will strive to remain thankful;

to remember St. John Chrysostom's words:

Glory to God for all things.

Tuesday, Clear and Cool

Today I would say is the first day

I really rested...

(Perhaps this is ironic as most people are so busy

at this time of year!)

I am fighting a cold but am feeling pretty good over all,

just a bit exhausted from the insomnia...

*

I took a short walk late in the afternoon;

I love the stark beauty of winter here in Michigan.

Beauty can be seen every where;

I think it is that we just need to have our eyes opened...

Beauty opens to us more and more

as we seek God and cultivate a thankful heart...

I was able to get a hold of the dermatologist today

about the medical tests I had;

still waiting on the X-Ray

(most likely will not know about this one until

after Christmas);

so the tests so far are good -

have to recheck one thing in about a month

to be sure,

but the initial news is good.

So this is a relief.

I will be glad, however,

when I have the final tests in a month to be sure.

Tomorrow I hope to make some

simple Christmas things.

*

We are praying that Rebecca (my sister) and Mark (bro-in-law)

make it home tomorrow from London;

sounds like they had a good day today and

we are happy that they made it to London!

*

They are due in tomorrow just before 7 pm;

I am full of anticipation of their arrival.

*

Fitting: anticipation:

we are waiting the New Born King

the most waited for of all.

*

Praying that God will be near all of us in these times;

holidays are joyful but often also painful for

many;

God is near the brokenhearted,

and He will never abandon His children.

Let us keep our courage and hope.

Tuesday - Beautiful Snow and the Unexpected Interview

I was just about to begin laundry early this morning

when I got the phone call...

Just yesterday

I had submitted an application to a job at a bookstore

in town.

Suddenly this very very intense manager was on the phone

liking my resume

wanting to meet me in just over an hours time

and that training would be tomorrow,

could I make it?

Well.

Floored I went to the interview.

I had no time to mentally prepare;

got dressed professionally, makeup, grabbed my resume

and walked through beautiful white snow to the bus.

*

The job was only to be temporary to help with the

beginning of a semester bookstore rush.

*

I made it just on time to the interview,

after making sure a student who fell on the road

was okay...

(poor girl was not wearing boots and

it is exam time

so she did not have time to get them yet

I found out)

(today was the first day of real snow here)

...walked with her to the school

(her stretch pants ripped, by the way she got up slowly

I could tell she hurt her knee)

and went to the interview

(the student I walked with directing me to the bookstore).

*

The interview went okay but I realized after

that I should of given more examples

when asked the questions.

So I feel a bit down about that part.

*

The worst though is that it is after 5 pm now

and no phone call to tell me if I got

one of the positions or not.

And by the time I called (4:50)

their switchboard was closed.

*

So I guess I did not get the job

but really don't know yet.

It would of paid my rent for a month

and would of been so nice to have work.

It would be fun work!

Sigh.

*

Will let you all know if I ever do hear back!

Meanwhile,

I just love how the window frosts up!

And I love winter!!

I don't think I will ever get tired of this view...

it is so beautiful with the snow!

*

I feel overwhelmed,

I realized anew today,

because I feel so destabilised due to living in a state

since August

of not knowing if I am leaving Ottawa for a job else where or not.

This is really emotionally draining.

It is bad enough to face leaving a city one loves

one's spiritual father, church and friends here

but to not know for months on end if one is really leaving

is no easy thing.

NOT that I am trying to complain.

Really!

And to show you that I am still committed to being thankful

and see the glorious beauty around me,

another beloved snow picture!

Isn't the white snow so lovey?!

I thank God for this!

I thank God that I at least had a good resume to be noticed

quickly, even if I don't get the job.

I thank God that I can do better next time

and that I have people I can practice interviewing with.

(Not that I have not interviewed well before,

but the situation today was such that I did not really have any

warning to prepare!)

I thank God that He is taking care of me

and that He is providing for me!

I thank God that He sent His Son on Christmas to save us!

*

I thank God that somehow He is working through all of this...

Glorious Summer Sunshine

The weather has cooled down enough to have my windows open

and sun shining in a bit;

love how the sun is on my year round Nativity set.

Did you know that the Icon of the Nativity is by the place

in the Altar that the Priest prepares communion?

We always celebrate Christ's coming among us

and His Resurrection...

I applied to another job!

Whew.

Sometimes I think I will never get done with the application

and then it is over...

It is another bilingual job so no promises but worth the try.

Still reading

Wounded by Love

and as I was taking pictures of flowers this morning

I thought of how the hummingbird

taught Elder Porphyrios

of how the singing of the bird

alone in the forest

is akin to how we are called to pray in secret,

to love Christ while we are

and of hiddenness.

*

It is such a marvel,

each of these flowers

so beautiful and so many of them unseen.

*

Another one of my friends has found work;

I have two more job applications due in August

and I am going to be making a more

comprehensive job searching strategy this coming week.

One of the blessings of living in Canada,

which has a bit more (government funded)

social support than some places,

is that I have a professional I can go to for help

with interview preparation, job strategies, etc.

*

I fail so often at being thankful

and sometimes have to drag myself from greyness

by slowly naming to God things

I am thankful for;

having the support I have is one of the things

I am thankful for.

*

Another is that tomorrow is my Church's picnic, Lord Willing.

It is the high light of my summer in many ways,

especially as I don't think I am getting any official summer holidays...

*

May God keep us all in His hand and support us

in all the battles we are in.