joy is thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving

Vermillion Leaf on Pebble-Mosaic Church Walkway

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day weekend, eh?!

We’ve so much to be thankful for!

Every day.

Every season.

Granted, the blessings in our lives are unavoidably peppered with a few “banes”… but it’s the banes that make each blessing all the more sweet!

Thanksgiving is a daily Christian practice. It takes us outside of ourselves. It bestows unexpected blessings. It brings us closer to God.

With each heartfelt thank you, we string together organic beads of gratitude as strands of spiritual pearls. This iridescent, noetic necklace, swathes our soul with joy.

What if we woke up this morning to find only what we had thanked God for yesterday, what would we have? ~ Anonymous

We must begin with thanksgiving for everything. The beginning of joy is to be content with your situation. ~ St. Ambrose of Optina

…When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. …Give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit… ~ St. Basil the Great

Every genuine confession humbles the soul. When it takes the form of thanksgiving, it teaches the soul that it has been delivered by the grace of God. ~ St. Maximos the Confessor

How You bring sweetness to those who think of You, how life-giving is Your word. It is softer than oil, sweeter than honey to talk with You. Praying to You brings life into us and gives us wings. What trembling then fills the heart, what dignity and greatness and wisdom there are in nature and all of life. Where You are not – there is emptiness. Where You are – there is richness of soul a torrent of life: Alleluia. ~ From the Akathist of Thanksgiving

God does not need our praise. Thanksgiving…brings us closer to Him. ~ St. John Chrysostom

When in truth we appreciate the gifts which God gives us, we don’t have time to seek anything else. We run to say thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you… For everything … thank you. And such a joy comes into our life… ~ Gerontissa Gavrielia

Thank you for visiting Blisswood!

Each morning is fresh and new. A perfect way to start our day is to give thanks for His many blessings!

This sweet and simple folk-hymn (by Martin G. Schneider) is remembered from my youth. There are many verses, but this first verse is my favourite! “Thank You for giving me this morning, thank You for everyday that’s new, thank You that I can know my worries can be cast on You!”

They Dance for Joy

Detail of Mosaic Panel of Creation – St. Sophia Orthodox Church – Canada

…angels… are always being filled full of light, becoming ever more radiant and making blessed use of their natural ability to change. They dance for joy around the First Light, look continuously towards Him and are enlightened directly by Him, as they tirelessly sing the praises of the Fount of Light and, being ministers of light, transmit illuminating grace to those lower beings who are being enlightened. ~ St. Gregory Palamas

Christ, the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), is without beginning and pre-eternal. He is both immutable and unchangeable, as with Him there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning (James 1:17). He is without end, never-setting, beaming out the true and heavenly light of day without evening, in which the spirits of the righteousness live with the good angels. When this present age reaches its end, the righteous shall also have their bodies with them, as heirs of the light and sons of the true day. That day continues forever without evening, and neither has, nor ever did have, a morning, since it has no beginning. ~ St. Gregory Palamas

On occasion, I’ve orchestrated group observation with my youth choir to demonstrate how we, as created beings, are unable to fully comprehend the concept of Eternity or Pre-eternal.

After first discussing general definitions of the two words, we’d continue with the next part of the exercise. For just a few minutes, (it’s too difficult to try longer) we silently contemplate the concept of what Eternal means. How God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are Pre-Eternal (beyond time and space)… and have always “been” even before anything else existed. No beginning, no end. ✠

The attempts to try and wrap our mortal minds around the notion of eternal and pre-eternal is humbling and revealing.

Spontaneous laughter and amazement conclude these experiments. Exclamations from the youth range from “Wow, that’s impossible!” to “My brain exploded!”

God is simultaneously everywhere. (Yet another wondrous point to ponder!) He is the beginning, the continuation, the Life and Light of everything that exists. In His great and loving goodness, the Way to salvation is revealed through His Only-Begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ… the Sun of Righteousness, the Dawn and Dayspring from on high.

And so, like the angels, let our souls rejoice and dance with joy; radiantly infused with the Pre-eternal Divine Light, and Peace… which surpasses understanding.

✠ Excellent Post Script from Anastasia, who shares: “A priest once said in my high school religion class: “Eternity is not a “line”. It is a “point”, and we are standing in it.” As he said that, he drew a line and then a dot on the board. I’ve remembered it these 50+ years it impressed me so.

Closer Than Our Own Heart

Local sunset, on paddle board – photo shared by Katherine

Such, then, is our God: unknowable in his essence, yet known in his energies; beyond and above all that we can think or express, yet closer to us than our own heart. ~ Kallistos Ware

If I do not feel a sense of joy in God’s creation, if I forget to offer the world back to God with thankfulness, I have advanced very little upon the Way. I have not yet learnt to be truly human. For it is only through thanksgiving that I can become myself. ~ Kallistos Ware

We know that prayer in itself cannot and of itself cannot save us, but carrying it before God can. For when the Lord’s eyes are upon un, He sanctifies us, as the sun warms everything upon which it shines. ~ St. Gregory Palamas

Prayer is spiritual breathing; when we pray we breathe in the Holy Spirit; “praying in the Holy Spirit“. Thus, all church prayers are the breathing of the Holy Spirit; as it were spiritual air and also light, spiritual fire, spiritual food and spiritual raiment. ~ St. John of Kronstadt

Echoes of Eden

Arbutus tree and wild golden yarrow flowers overlooking Finlayson Arm, BC. (Old English name for Yarrow was “Our Saviour’s Back.”)

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. ~ Psalm 121: 1-2

Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. ~ Psalm 98: 7-9

I want creation to penetrate you with so much admiration that everywhere, wherever you may be, the least plant may bring to you the clear remembrance of the Creator. A single plant, a blade of grass, or one speck of dust is sufficient to occupy all your intelligence in beholding the art with which it has been made. ~ St. Basil the Great

The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God. ~ St. John of Damascus

Some people, to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Note it. Read it. God, Whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead, He set before your eyes the things He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that? ~ St. Augustine

God speaks to us through nature. We may hear His still, small voice, in the seas, the rivers, the mountains and hills; in refreshing breezes and warm sunshine. Long ago, God placed us in the Garden, to tend it, to dress it, and to keep it. Continuing the privilege of being His stewards of the land, we recognize the immense importance of protecting God’s wondrous Gift of Nature. Sometimes we may receive an unexpected blessing, and folded like petals close beneath our hearts, we are sweetly swathed in the unfading Echoes of Eden.

From creation, learn to admire the Lord! Indeed the magnitude and beauty of creation display a God who is the artificer of the universe. He has made the mode of creation to be our best teacher. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Grace is Like a Bird

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. ~ Psalm 91:1,4

Birds fear the sight of a hawk, and those who practice humility fear the sound of an argument. ~ St. John Climacus

Try your best not to give in to anger. Anger drives grace from your soul. Grace is like a bird; when something scares it, it flies away. ~ Elder Sergei of Vanves

We should follow the example of the birds. They’re always joyful. Whereas we’re always bothered by something. ~Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Rejoice in the Lord

A local paddle-boarder, rejoicing … October 2020

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 to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:4-7

This passage remains in my heart, thanks to Verne Margaret Scott.

I met her as a young teen, during my old Baptist church days. She was an amazing youth leader… and made the deepest impression.

Verne lived in God’s Light joyfully, and particularly loved the book of Philippians. She encouraged us in scriptural memorization, to keep God’s Word close in our hearts.

I have often thought of Verne (with gratitude), over the years, and noticed her recent obituary. She passed away on July 1, 2021 in her 96th year.

May God rest her soul!

As for Me and My House…

Robin’s Nest in peach tree nestled beside a home ~ Photo by Juliana Tellier

… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ~Joshua 24:15

The summer before entering grade one, I found a beautiful blue robin’s egg on the grass – whole and intact. There were several tall trees nearby, and to my distress, I couldn’t find or return it to its appropriate home. Determined to help, I gently wrapped the egg in Kleenex and brought it home. For days, I carried it bundled in my pockets, and at nights, I slept with it under my pillow. Alas, of course, it never hatched. Burying it in the backyard garden, I realized (with tears) that because the egg had fallen outside its protective nest and grown cold, it couldn’t become what it was meant to be. In my child’s heart, I understood that God already knew all about this poor little baby robin’s egg, and I received an unexpected blessing of comfort… with my own sadness taking flight.

Let us rejoice and be thankful for the opportunity and great blessing of taking our children to church. The House of God is a Loving Nest for us and our little ones. It’s a place of rest, a place of tender care… a place to nestle our souls within the Holy Sacraments. Therefore, let us rise, take wing, and soar to the Holy Communion of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. ~ Psalm 84:3

Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. ~ Psalm 104:12

…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.~ Isaiah 40:31

Behold the fowls of the air: for they do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. ~ St. Matthew 6:26

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ~ St. Matthew 10:29

The Feast of Life

Monastery Gardens – Meteora, Greece 2006

Christ is Risen!

Memory Eternal Faith!

Beautiful Beatitudes!

Thou broughtest me into this life as if into a wonderful garden. I see the sky deep and blue, the birds as they chirp in flight; I listen to the soothing rustle of trees and the sonorous sound of waters; my mouth is enjoying fragrant and succulent fruits. How wonderful it is in Thy world and how joyous it is to be Thy guest! ~ Ikos 2; Akathist of Thanksgiving

Glory to Thee for the feast of life! Glory to Thee for the scents of lilies of the valley and roses. Glory to Thee for the abundance and multiplicity of earthly fruits. Glory to Thee for the glistening of morning dew. Glory to Thee for the joyous smile of dawn with which Thou dost waken me. Glory to Thee for eternal life and the kingdom of heaven. Glory to Thee, O God of the ages! ~ The Akathist of Thanksgiving by Metropolitan Tryphon of Turkestan; discovered in the personal effects of Hieromartyr Grigori Petroff (+1942)

Truly He is Risen!

Christ is Risen!

Joy is thankfulness, and when we are joyful, that is the best expression of thanks we can offer the Lord, Who delivers us from sorrow and sin. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. ~ Psalm 30:4

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. ~ Psalm 100:1

Truly He is Risen!