Don’t kid yourself, the spiritual life is no cakewalk. And by that I mean there is a real struggle involved. To put it like our Orthodox Fathers said – it is war. But not the war we think of nowadays. No, this is a “war” with myself where I have to commit to a purposeful, attentive, struggle against the tug of my passions toward slavery to my desires. I have to “fight”…
Welcome to August and the first day of the Dormition Fast. Let us not neglect the wisdom of the Faith as we prepare for this Great Feast! “I wish I had said this!” That’s what I said to myself after a particularly difficult conversation with a friend over a very sensitive subject. Have you ever had that happen to you? You think of the “perfect” thing to have said AFTER the conversation…
William Barclay once said, “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” Of course, we’ve heard this most of our lives. We have to stick with it. We can’t give up. We give up just when the breakthrough is coming. And all the other inspirational quotes we can muster to teach each other to keep trying; don’t give up. But sometimes, that misses…
Someone once said, “Anyone who says raising children is not the hardest job in the world isn’t doing it right!” And that is so very true. But “difficult” doesn’t mean “bad” or “broken,” it just means the task is meant to focus you and make you more attentive! And in today’s society, the whole notion of what a “healthy childhood” is under attack by the madness of our current chaotic culture. Protecting…
Someone once said, “Anyone who says raising children is not the hardest job in the world isn’t doing it right!” And that is so very true. But “difficult” doesn’t mean “bad” or “broken,” it just means the task is meant to focus you and make you more attentive! And raising kids is difficult, especially in a society that has exalted perpetual adolescence to a virtue, as is the case today. The challenge…
“Hate” is such an ugly word. And yet I use it all too often. “I hate this traffic.” “I hate coconut!” ( I really don’t like coconut. I think it’s the texture.) “I hate that music.” You get the idea. But, sometimes, dark times, weak times I have even used that word about another person! Horrible! Lord, forgive me! And I’ve had that word used about me. It was a shock and it hurt deeply. Someone “hates”…
Christ is risen! “Hate” is such an ugly word. And yet I use it all too often. “I hate this traffic.” “I hate coconut!” ( I really don’t like coconut. I think it’s the texture.) “I hate that music.” You get the idea. But, sometimes, dark times, weak times I have even used that word about another person! Horrible! Lord, forgive me! And I’ve had that word used about me. It was a shock and it hurt…
“Hate” is such an ugly word. And yet I use it all too often. “I hate this traffic.” “I hate coconut!” ( I really don’t like coconut. I think it’s the texture.) “I hate that music.” You get the idea. But, sometimes, dark times, weak times I have even used that word about another person! Horrible! Lord, forgive me! And I’ve had that word used about me. It was a shock and it hurt deeply. Someone “hates”…
