Category: Inspiration

For This Land

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) held flypasts across Canadian communities to commemorate Remembrance Day today. The sight of these planes flying overhead is special and chokes me up a bit, as I reflect on how proud and happy I am to be Canadian… the country I chose to embrace for my earthly sojourn – becoming a citizen in my mid-teens. Blessed with dual-citizenship (Heaven and Canada)… with God’s help, may I prove worthy of both! God Bless us everyone, and God Bless Canada!

…For this land, its authorities and armed forces, let us pray to the Lord. 🎵 Lord have mercy! 🎵 ~ Augmented Litany

… God keep our land, glorious and free! Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee! ~ Excerpt from National Anthem

Lord have mercy on the nations of the world. Keep them in Thy embrace and envelope them with Thy holy protection. Keep them safe from every evil and war. Keep our beloved homelands in Thy protective embrace day and night. Embrace her with Thy holy protection defending her from all evil and war. ~ St. Paisios

Today also marks the occasion of my 700th post! Thank you for visiting Blisswood!

Peace of His Presence

Starry Cross in Sky, in dome of 5th century church Galla Placidia; Ravenna, Italy. Photo taken in 2006.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ~ Jesus Christ (John 14:27)

Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!

Even (and especially) during these troubled times we live in… the Holy Spirit pours Love and Light into our hearts, divinely nourishing us with Joy, and His Peace from Above. Effused with gratitude, let us remember to lift up our noetic eyes, to whence comes our Help, Who made heaven and the earth. May the fragrance of our prayers and praises arise to the heavens as holy incense, and touch the stars.

Happy Saint’s Day Anastasia!

With gratitude on Remembrance Day to all who’ve served and continue to serve – protecting Canada and our freedom. Thank you for your courage service and sacrifice.

That Wondrous, Internal Door

This church front door/porch’s threshold, is a mosaic cut from locally sourced marble, and based on an ancient Cosmati design.

Many have crossed the threshold of the Church, but only outwardly, while inwardly, they still place their hope in themselves and in other people. Meanwhile the Lord is waiting for us to cleave to Him like children, with our hearts. Only then will everything change in our lives. ~ Archimandrite John Krestiankin, (Letters to Lay People)

When our hearts seek Christ, we find He’s clearly revealed through the teachings and Sacraments of the Holy Church. Prayer and humility will gently guide us to and through that Wondrous, Internal Door to the Kingdom of Heaven.

He’s been patiently waiting for us, our whole life.

Listen!

He’s knocking right now.

He’s lovingly calling our name!

Do you hear?

Let us fling open the Door of our Hearts and joyfully rush home… into those Wondrous, Everlasting Arms of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
~ Revelation 3:20

Door Image by Anje Pixabay

Cornucopia of Thankful Thoughts

Strewn Garden Flowers & Leaves Decorate a Thanksgiving Day Tablecloth ~ October 2018

Glimpses of Gratitude From Past Posts:

Magnify Him Oct. 1, 2020

With Thanksgiving Oct.11,2020

Each Dawn, a Blessing Feb. 17, 2021
(with Morning Thank You Song)

Joy is Thankfulness May 24,2021

Happy Thanksgiving Oct. 9, 2021

Enter Into His Gates with Thanksgiving Oct. 10, 2021

So Thankful Oct. 11, 2021

Wordless Thanksgivings Oct. 13, 2021

Thankful Nov. 11, 2021

Thank You! New Year’s Eve: Dec. 31, 2021

Begin With Thanksgiving July 25, 2022

Sanctifying Spirit Feb. 18,2023

The Sheep of His Pasture Feb. 29,2024

Saving Attitude of Gratitude Aug. 24,2024

Thanking each and every one of you… for taking a few moments of your precious time, to visit Blisswood!

Recharging Our Spiritual Batteries

After completing all your tasks, turn off the phone and pray for half an hour, not longer. In this way you will be planting a “sapling”, which, after some time, will bear fruits… ~ St. Ephraim of Katounakia

Just as a cellphone needs to be recharged, so the soul is recharged in Church. ~ Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko

Try to fill your soul with Christ so that it’s not empty. ~ St. Porphyrios

Greenwood of Praise

Ancient Vancouver Island Forest Exudes Holiness

Through the Cross, Joy has to all the world! Let all the trees of the forest dance and sing, let all the trees clap their hands. ~ Sunday of the Cross

It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day when we recently revisited Cathedral Grove, an old haunt of ours from years past. We walked with an awe that never grows old – amongst those majestic 800+ year old giants of cedar and fir within this venerable greenwood. Sometimes, it seemed like the forest held its collective breath – until another gentle, spicy breeze would evoke a contented sigh of exhalation. Mysterious rustles in the bracken’s muted woodland paths beside the burbling creek were overridden with the steady staccato of sweet birdsong. Suddenly, a melodious thrush called out from the canopy high above, with a heartfelt, piercing trill of pure joy.

In bird lyrics, this is what it surely sang… O Lord, how wondrous are thy works! In Wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.~ Psalm 104:24

Amen!

Substance of Faith

The Wood of the Cross…

…hath now put forth flower… ~ Katavasia After Ode 3 for the Exaltation of the Cross

I praise the Godhead, Unity in three Persons: for the Father is Light, the Son is Light, and the Spirit is Light, but the Light remains undivided, shining forth in oneness of Nature, yet in the three rays of the Persons… Let all the trees of the forest dance and sing, as they beheld their fellow-tree, the Cross, today receive veneration: for Christ, as Holy David prophesied, has exalted it on high… Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. I worship Thee, O holy God, as Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one Power and Kingdom, sovereign over all. Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. ~ From the Sunday of the Cross, Matins Services

Our Risen Lord holds out His Arms to embrace the whole world!

Rejoice!

Thank you Juliana T. for sharing your beautiful, inspiring Scripture Photo Art!

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. ~ Psalm 96:11-13

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thess. 5:16-18

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ~ Romans 12:12

I like to start and end each day with thanking God for at least three blessings… even including sorrow, for it’s truly a blessing to remember He hears all our prayers! By relinquishing heartache back over to Him, helps one to let it go… For everything is in His Hands!

The Juices of Gratitude flow abundantly this morning!

With love, peace, and joy in Christ.

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