God is with us – Blisswood

Learning How to Fly

Fledgling Starling Rests Briefly Before its Next Take Off ~ Shared by M.

Christ is Risen!

It’s truly amazing how much God loves us all… including those precious little fledgling birds “coming in hot” and touching down safely in daisy dotted fields!

It’s hard work learning how to fly! I KNOW, because I tried really hard when I was around three or four years old… Vaulting off picnic tables and launching myself out from low tree branches.

My hair (styled in required pig-tails) although catching the wind, never helped with upward thrust. It was a rude awakening that my flapping arms were simply too slow, and just couldn’t cut a decent lift off.

Never thwarted for long, I logically hatched a brand new plan on my high-tech Etch-a-Sketch (taking in all previous failings and fallings into account), and a brand new, final experiment became that day’s Swan Song.

Let’s just say it could have ended more disastrously, with my leaping high off the top bunk bed (bumping my head on the ceiling) all while holding a balloon. Gravity prevailed, and I wouldn’t blame my long-suffering Guardian Angel if he may have pondered an immediate transfer that day, but has stolidly stuck with me… And still protects me! (Thank you Holy Guardian Angel!)

Mom, ever-commiserating, consoled me. First, by telling me to stop bleeding all over her newly washed kitchen floor, and second, distractingly bandaging my bruises, along with sharing the amazing concept – there were other “ways” we can soar aloft… in our minds and hearts! That it’s our souls that have invisible wings! God made us all special, in our own ways.

Today, I’m sitting placidly beside an open window and joyfully hearing the many kinds of birds in my yard singing sweet songs of praise, who are Blessing the Name of the Lord, from henceforth and forever more!

Meanwhile, I’m still learning how to fly in the way God wants me to. It’s a life-long process. Happily, there are inklings of updraft, and for that I’m grateful.

God is Good!

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father… Fear ye not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. ~ St. Matthew 10:29,31

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. ~ St. Luke 12:6,7

Truly He is Risen!

In His Glowing, Gladsome Light

In a little corner of a neighbouring Blisswood, trees seem to joyfully uplift their branches. Thank you Anysia for sharing this luminous nascent sunset from a recent walk!

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. ~ Psalm 96:12

Psalm 96:12 amplifies a poignant call to worship, from beyond humanity… and extending out to include the natural elements of our world – where even fields and trees express exultation in God’s Presence and anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming!

May we, traversing our many mosaicked paths of life, be like the fields and trees who in essence, remember to praise Him! For when we walk with appreciation in the Glowing, Gladsome Light of His Creation, we understand and recall that God is here. Now. Right beside us!

Anytime our spiritual batteries need recharging, take a walk outside.

Go to the ocean, forest, or park.

Go to your garden!

Just go!

Make the Most of Beautiful Moments!

Nature is indeed a Secret Gospel!

Sailing the Sea of Life

(And Jesus said) …Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. ~ St. Matthew 28:20

> Greater Than! >

Photo by Elimende Inagella on Unsplash

God is greater! Greater than your illness whatever it may be. Greater than your than your deepest disappointment. Greater than your greatest worry. Greater than your worst enemy. Greater than your most difficult problem. Greater than life. Greater than death. God is greater! Believe it! Live by it! Affirm it! Claim it by faith and use it as a pillow to rest your weary soul. God is greater! If your God is not greater, then the God you believe in is too small. He is not the God the Church believes in. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian

Many people that I know are facing extra challenges these days (myself included), so I particularly love the part of St. Isaac’s encouraging quote which reminds us to use faith “as a pillow to rest your weary soul. God is greater!”

I’ll be re-fluffing my sleep-pillow of faith (as needed), tonight… by affirming in my heart He Always Hears Us!… And by rejoicing upon my bed that God is With Us!

When I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. ~ Psalm 63:6-8

Thank you dear Lord for all your blessings, and for always hearing our prayers. Please give us patience and acceptance to await Your Help that will come when it’s best for us. Amen.

Lord have mercy!

We Need Two Wings to Fly!

Parish Mosaic in Progress: The Dormition of the Theotokos

Prayer is one wing, faith the other, that lifts us heavenward. With only one wing no one can fly: prayer without faith is as meaningless as faith without prayer. But if your faith is very weak, you can profitably cry: Lord, give me faith! Such a prayer seldom goes unheard. The grain of mustard seed, says the Lord, grows into a great tree. ~ Tito Colliander (Way of the Ascetics)

Moving Forward With Hope

Cave Church Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

All of us sin constantly. We slip and fall… The Holy Fathers and the Saints always tell us, “It is important to get up immediately after a fall and to keep on walking toward God. Even if we fall a hundred times a day, it does not matter; we must get up and go on walking toward God without looking back.” What has happened has happened – it is in the past. Just keep going all the while asking for help from God. ~ Elder Thaddeus Vitovnica

Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly the angel who guards you will honour your patience. While a wound is still fresh and warm it is easy to heal, but old, neglected and festering ones are hard to cure, and require for their care much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization. Many from long neglect become incurable. But with God all things are possible ~ St. John of Kronstadt

Let Every Breath Praise the Lord!

Simple Patio Nasturtiums Reflect the Brilliant Beauty of God’s Creation

God is everywhere. There is no place God is not… You cry out to Him, ‘Where art Thou, my God?’ And He answers, “I am present, my child! I am always beside you.” Both inside and outside, above and below, wherever you turn, everything shouts, ‘God!’ In Him we live and move. We breathe God, we eat God, we clothe ourselves with God. Everything praises and blesses God. All of creation shouts His praise. Everything animate and inanimate speaks wondrously and glorifies the Creator. Let every breath praise the Lord. ~ St. Joseph the Hesychast

If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God… I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God. ~ St. Patrick of Ireland

This is Everything

Image by Gabriela Piwowarska from Pixabay

Humility and Love, there you have it. This is everything. ~ St Paisios

High Hopes

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

December 30/17

Today we celebrate the Old Testament Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths, who put their faith, hope, and love in God. The youths, refusing to worship a golden idol, were thrown as punishment into the midst of a fiery furnace. (Daniel 3: 1-30) Miraculously remaining unscathed, they sang hymns of praise from within the flames.

…for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. ~ Daniel 9:18

Don’t let anything deprive you of hope. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina

Prayer should be our first response, not the last hope. ~Archpriest Andrei Tkachev

Here are two versions of an ancient hymn, rejoicing in hope and glory – For God is with us!

God is With Us (One of the Traditional Melodies)

God is With Us (Appalachian-Style Melody)

We who are given the fullness of true Christianity are obliged to be working on ourselves, to be watching the signs of the times, and to be extremely joyful, as St. Paul is constantly saying: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: Rejoice!’ (Phil. 4:4). We rejoice because we have something which all the death and corruption of this world cannot take away, that is, the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ. ~ Fr. Seraphim Rose

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. ~ Romans 5:1-5

To the Moon & Back

Photo shared by Irena

Late tonight, and into the early morning hours of tomorrow (Friday, November 19), will be the longest partial lunar eclipse in almost 600 years! Wow!

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. ~ Psalm 148:3

-and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ~ St. Matthew 28:20

In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. ~ Psalm 72:7

What Wondrous Love in His Promise!