It's very common to hear inquirers or those new to Orthodoxy question the repetition in the prayers and services. I think someone has counted how many times we pray, "Lord have mercy" during Divine Liturgy but I don't know how many that is. A lot. People wonder why we say it SO MANY TIMES. "I … Continue reading Muscle memory and prayer
prayer
The Obstacle Course
These are interesting times. Can anyone really deny that the world is in a downward spiral? I mean, sure some things are improving, but I think the bad progress outweighs the good at this point. [Small digression to say that a downward trend can and will include blips of the positive but still be trending … Continue reading The Obstacle Course
Trip to Holy Archangels
Yesterday we drove over to Holy Archangels Monastery near Kendalia, TX. It was an absolutely lovely day! The only thing to mar it was Mittens running into a cactus with her foot. One of the spines went through her shoe into the instep. It was obviously very painful but by this morning we were afraid … Continue reading Trip to Holy Archangels
Preparation
Advent always seems to be a particularly busy season. This is easy to explain: it's the busiest time of year for my shop, we're beginning preparations for Christmas, there is a lot of hand-made work going on by multiple family members which requires my help, and we're still doing schoolwork, of course. This year we've … Continue reading Preparation
A little lower than the angels
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. [Psalm 8:4-5] I was watching the youngest two roll around on the floor this evening after pajamas and … Continue reading A little lower than the angels
…and flying birds.
From this morning's kathisma: Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! [Psalm 148:7-10]
For His Mercy Endureth Forever
https://youtu.be/VfTVWHOHJcw O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth … Continue reading For His Mercy Endureth Forever
UPDATE
(Copied from my Facebook post) GLORY TO GOD!!! Julie and her two babies are alive and well! I don’t want to be too detailed just for privacy concerns but Julie was doing well enough that her aneurysm repair was put off and she was awake for the birth. In addition, Anne, who had been estimated … Continue reading UPDATE
Very Urgent Prayer Request [Updated]
[Update here] A friend, Julie, who is 29 weeks pregnant with twins is in the hospital with acute heart and lung failure, and has an ascending aortic aneurysm and pleural effusion. The babies are very small, but there is also a great disparity in weights, reason not known. The larger one (Katherine) is over 3 … Continue reading Very Urgent Prayer Request [Updated]
National Day of Prayer*
*But not just today...pray unceasingly!
Praying With My Feet 