Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread ~ and ~ about today...

I tweaked Smitten Kitchen's 

double chocolate banana bread

and used half cup coconut oil, half vegan margarine,

used X-Gum for binder and regular flour.

While not as decadent as the one with 

butter and eggs, it is still good!

One for now and one for next week,

in the freezer!

*

I am struggling with some insomnia right now,

please pray for me!

My sense is that the devil knows I am to host 

children who God LOVES and the devil does not.

Thank God we know who wins!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ!

*

As just mentioned... Mr. Husband and 

I will be hosting different children for 

the next two or three weeks for sleepovers

and I am finding lots of stuff for this.

Ordered some crafts supplies via amazon prime,

some cool books via amazon and St. Tikhon's bookstore,

found and was emailed some cool things including 

here, here, here and here. 

I found this recent post (H/T Mat Emily) here to be very helpful!

Thanks also for the suggestions I was given earlier this week!

*

Asking for any other suggestions also! 

Thank God I had 6 years in my twenties with a Bible camp

and before that years of babysitting...:)

So I am creating a schedule for activity time and also rest times!

*

There are so many people going through stressful times right now.

Please pray for Mat. Anna, Noah and for all those 

we can't mention but you know need prayer...

*

All I know is that God is with us 

in every valley of difficulty we face...

Monday - sunshine, laughter, sadness, prayers and the Saints

Mr. Husband made
the liver and onions last night.
I helped at the last minute
but he did all the work.
*
It was sweeter than I thought it would be.
I am having a second helping today
for lunch and find them
even better the next day.

Mr. Husband esp. loves the burnt parts...
:)

I love how Mr. Husband and I
can joke around.
He's doing a lot of the work
right now since I am still unwell...
*
Mrs. Wife: are you going to have dessert?
Mr. Husband: No. Were you?
Mrs. Wife: I was thinking of having some ice cream.
Mr. Husband: well, why don't you eat some ice cream
and talk to me while I do dishes?
Mrs. Wife: well, I am supposed to obey my husband so 
I guess I will eat some ice cream! 
Mr. Husband: There's a first time for everything. 
:)

When Mr. Husband first
visited me in Ottawa
1.5 years ago or so now
he bought me groceries.
Specifically he bought me a
Liter of Olive Oil
which he carried many blocks home for me.

One thing I try to do every morning
is light our lampadas,
putting in fresh oil,
tending the wicks,
cleaning them a little
and lighting them... 

Mr. Husband,
back when he was not yet Mr. Husband
but was my Orthoman
 buying me that
olive oil
was a deeply meaningful gift for me
as I strive to always have my
main hanging lampada to St. George
lit at all times. 

 

I have loved St. John of Shanghai and Sans Francisco
for years now;
I have linked to talks about him in the past.
I've read this book on his life 
a few summers ago
and was at the Greek monastery
a few year ago I was there
on his day.
*
A few days before a local Ottawa clergyman
from another church
and I met unexpectedly on the street near where
I live.
I mentioned the job loss that I was facing at the time
and he said to ask Vladkya John for his help.
I did not realize then that it was just a few days
before Saint John's Day
and that I would be at the Greek monastery on his day.
*
I went into the chapel at the monastery
and there was a small icon of him
in the front on the iconostasis;
I was alone and able to pray for his help.
*
Meanwhile Mr. Husband loves St. John Maximovitch as well
and the icon you see in the picture above
is one he was given some years back.
*
We still look for his help.
*
This morning I learned that
one of the parishioners at my
Ottawa parish is continuing to be quite ill.
He is one of the oldest parish members,
worked in the church and church cemetery for years
and he and his wife both made it
to the liturgy, my wedding and the reception
even though they were ill.
The cloth that was used for the table
for the Dance of Isaiah
at the wedding was borrowed from them,
their only child had been swaddled in it
just after he had been baptized.
*
They taught me the love of the prayers for
the departed and of caring for the church in
practical daily ways.
She taught me how to fold alter clothes that
we used there.
I told her once that when I grow up
I want to be just like her.
He is ill,
more ill everyday.
It is a great suffering.
*
I am so happy to be married to Mr. Husband.
I would not change my life one bit.
But how I miss those I love in Ottawa
and feel my prayers
so small compared to what I wish I could
pray for them.
*
They are like the Grandparents of the parish
and we all pray with and for them
where ever we may be.
*
I am glad I can bring needs like this to our
very loving and tender Mother of God,
the Most Holy Theotokos.
To St. Nectarios and to St. John Maximovitch.
*
Sometimes we pray only with tears,
sometimes with Akathists
and sometimes with simple words.
*
God promises his mercy and to hear.
*
Akathists that may be of use for such sorrows
that I have found are
Akathist to the Mother of God Joy of those who Sorrow
Akathist to of Shanghai and Sans Francisco 
Akathist to St. Nectarios.

Early Morning

 

Picture of old icon from my Ottawa-home Parish's church hall.
*
I woke up early this Saturday morning.
Mr. Husband and I have a lot to do today.
*
I am so glad I have cooking and baking to keep me busy.
I can't tell you what a blessing it was to be in Ottawa.
I really miss my home Parish.
My new church home with Mr. Husband is wonderful
but it cannot replace the home of my heart;
I do not and cannot write much about either Parish;
just like I do not have pictures of people
on my blog.
It's one of my few guidelines for this blog.
*
But I can say I miss it and it's ethos
and the Ukrainian, Bulgarian, many types of converts
and other ethnic groups that make up
my Ottawa-home Parish.
*
I find the simple spiritual principle to be true:
find people to care for and love
even if by great distance.
*
My new church is a long ways away
and I think and care about many of them
throughout the week
and this helps.
*
I miss my old friends though;
how we would talk theology and about
father's sermons or
about some other idea...
I miss praying with my dear Romanian friend
or my sister-friend.
*
I stayed at my sister-friend's place
watching my beautiful godson and his lovely
thin but plentiful hair
going many directions and one of my favourite
moments was when I read the Psalms
in the thirties
while my sister-friend washed dishes;
somehow standing there in that kitchen
reading from my little Psalter
was like standing in my Ottawa-home Parish
singing
God is with us.