mental illness – Blisswood

> Greater Than! >

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!

When the Soul Kneels

Photo by Elimende Inagella on Unsplash

Someone said: “When the soul kneels at the Feet of Christ, what does it matter if the body is lying, standing, kneeling or prostrated?” It does not matter at all! When you will stop thinking of your body and of yourself, then you will be truly able to feel in union with the Power of God. ~ St. Gavrilia, from The Ascetic of Love

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

Follow the Sun

Overshadowed by a massive tree, glimpses of Light dapple marigolds growing below. Throughout the course of the day, they determinedly turn their heads to follow the sun, nonetheless.

…I am with you and no one can be against you! ~ Ascension Kontakion

Turn your face toward light, O child of light. The Father of Light calls you with a fiery Love. ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic

O Lord Jesus Christ! You are my medicine when I am sick; You are my strength when I need help; You are Life itself when I fear death; You are Light when all is dark. ~ St. Ambrose of Milan

None of us are immune to the squalls and storms of life. Each of us have our own personal, physical, mental, and spiritual health battles to contend with.

Many people experience (including myself), that the healing strength of tears, along with the application of Faith and therapeutic practicalities of proper medicine, can heal, can shrink the root(s) of our problems, thus adjusting the sizes of (all the) crosses we’re struggling to bear.

…That’s all part of it, but it’s done together with faith; it’s done together with prayer to God. They’re not opposed to each other; they go together... But all the time, nevertheless, we believe that our life is in the hands of God. It can be in the hands of physicians that God had created, God had formed, and God has sent to us for the sake of our healing... ~ Fr. Thomas Hopko

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ~ St. Matthew 11:28-30

The Gladsome Light of Christ surrounds us – regardless of the swirling changes in spiritual weather! Keep looking UP with our heart’s eyes, and remember to breathe in the heavenly air…

Follow the Son above those clouds – for Christ has Ascended to the right Hand of the Father.

May we consciously let go of our banes to embrace all blessings and help, by glorifying Him… in Light and Love!

Wishing you a Blessed Afterfeast of the Ascension!

Below is a lovely, simple, uplifting secular song, one of my favourites. Hope you enjoy it too. One could interchange thoughts on some of the words Sun for Son, as in Sonshine…

St. Basil of Ostrog

Parish icon of St. Basil of Ostrog

Today is St. Basil of Ostrog’s Feast Day, (May 12/April 29) and he is very dear to many.

We are so blessed! God pours out His great, abundant mercy and miracles through His saints– the heavenly great cloud of witnesses!

Through the holy intercessions of St. Basil of Ostrog, may we continue to receive spiritual consolation and healing of physical and mental infirmities.

For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. ~ Luke 20:38

Holy St. Basil pray to God for us!

More Precious Than…

… A five minute prayer with all your body aching is more precious than a prayer lasting the whole night in bodily comfort. ~ Elder Sophrony (Sakharov) [of Essex, England]

5 Minutes – With English Subtitles

Holy Blessed St. Xenia

Beautiful Icon of St. Xenia – Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery Jordanville, New York, by Raymond Bucko via Wikimedia Commons.

February 6/January 24

Happy Feast Day!

Today is St. Xenia’s (Ksenia’s) special day.

Congratulations to my dear goddaughter, Xenia – on your Name’s day. May God grant you many years!

Wondrous is God in His Saints! To this very day, St. Xenia continues to be an intercessor for those needing a home, or employment, or who have a physical or mental illness, or for people in search of a spouse. Through God’s mercy, our family can testify to her great support and help!

Here is a beautiful Orthodox folk hymn about the Life of St. Xenia, by Katina.

(Katina’s music can also be heard on Spotify. Although I’ve enjoyed her music over the years, I hadn’t realized she reposed in 2018. Memory Eternal Katina!)

In celebrating St. Xenia’s Day, and remembering certain miracles of her clairvoyance, some like to make blini pancakes.

Blini Crepes can be made for any occasion, and are a time-honoured treat to share. In olden times, this light-fare was served to celebrate a birth or to mark a passing. It’s customary to enjoy Blini Crepes throughout Cheesefare Week (the week before Great Lent begins), up to and including Forgiveness Sunday… the day before Great Lent. This uses up any remaining dairy products, before embarking on the 40 day Vegan Fast of Great Lent.

In closing, I’d like to share what a dear friend recently said…

May St. Xenia help us all remain peaceful, calm, and open to God’s love for mankind.

Amen!

Pearls of Wisdom

…unless you have suffered affliction – virtue has not been tested. ~ St. Mark the Ascetic

Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife. ~ St. Leo the Great

…For the Holy Spirit, sweet and gracious, draws the soul to love the Lord, and in the sweetness of the Holy Spirit the soul loses her fear of suffering. ~ St. Silouan the Athonite

For one to be ill is a divine visitation. Illness is the greatest gift from God, and when the only thing that man can give back to God is pain. ~ Anonymous old monk

It is absurd to be grateful to doctors who give us bitter and unpleasant medicines to cure our bodies, and yet be ungrateful to God for what appears to us to be harsh, not grasping that all we encounter is for our benefit and in accordance with His providence. For knowledge of God and faith in Him is the salvation and perfection of the soul. ~ St. Anthony the Great

I have consciousness of my sinfulness, but I live with hope. It is bad to despair, because someone who despairs becomes embittered and loses willingness and strength. Someone who has hope, on the contrary, advances forward. ~ St. Porphyrios

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

We are like broken glass that reflects in small fragments until the power if God makes us whole again. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Glory be to God for everything! Dry your tears. Your Guardian Angel will carry those little tears away to the Throne of God. ~ St. Barsanuphius