Tag: thankfulness

“Study Oneself”: Learning to Give Thanks by Journaling

· Nicole M. Roccas 2 Leave a Comment on %s
In my continuing journey through Diary of a Russian Priest, I was struck by these words, which Fr. Alexander wrote in counsel to a young person: I advise you to keep a diary. This helps one to study oneself, saves one from making the same mistakes, keeps the past alive. It is worth while noting every great joy, sorrow,…

Taste and See: Fasting and Waiting for the Nativity (Guest Post)

· Nicole M. Roccas 3 Leave a Comment on %s
Today’s guest post is from my friend and chef extraordinaire, Melissa Naasko. Cool story: Melissa planned the menu for the recent Ancient Faith Women’s retreat (Nov 15-18), which means I got to spend the first few days of the fast eating her Lenten handiwork. Some of the best fasting “conference food” I’ve ever had! Today Melissa is reflecting…

40 Days of Divine Liturgy: Marking Time during the Nativity Fast (Guest Post)

· Nicole M. Roccas
Welcome to Day 14 of the Nativity Fast (NC)! (Has it really only been two weeks?) In this morning’s edition of the blogathon, Richard Barrett, executive director of AGES Initiatives, shares with us what he’s learned in recent years about the tradition of Saranteleitourgo. If you have no idea what that means, keep reading–you won’t be disappointed.  ~*~ Three…

How speedily the Lord can save: A reflection on the Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat (Nov 15-18, 2018)

· Nicole M. Roccas 2 Leave a Comment on %s
This past weekend, I had the delightful privilege of giving the keynote address at the first-ever Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat (you can listen to the talk here and see my slides here; I’m working on producing a transcript of this talk sponsored by my Patreon supporters, so stay tuned for that!) In today’s installment of the Nativity Fast…

6 Practices to Combat Despondency, Part 2

· Nicole M. Roccas
If you haven’t been keeping up with Deacon Michael Hyatt’s journey through my book, Time and Despondency, this last day before the Advent Fast (New Calendar) is the perfect TIME to start! Check out the newest episode here. It’s about the practices of thanksgiving and confession, and the episode is one of three devoted to practical ways to approach and counter…

Show notes for “Falling Upward after Job Loss”

· Nicole M. Roccas 2 Leave a Comment on %s
The latest podcast episode is about reading Fr. Richard Rohr’s book Falling Upward during a season of job loss in my life. It’s an invitation to think about the meaning of temporal trials and the pivotal role they play in shaping one’s relationship to God and others. Have you ever gone through job loss or unemployment? How did that…

At the Deathbed of an Exceptional Person

· Nicole M. Roccas 4 Leave a Comment on %s
  Before this week, the second-to-last time I saw Fr. C was three or four months ago; he was all smiles, busying himself with small tasks to be done around the Metropolis headquarters. “You’re working too hard for someone who’s supposed to be retired,” I chided him with a grin. “You can’t get rid of me that easily,”…

Ever and Always a Gardener

· Nicole M. Roccas
On the Time Eternal podcast, I recently posted a conversation with my friend, Kerry, who grew up in a conservative Mennonite community in rural Manitoba. We talked about her experience of assimilating to the broader culture as well as how she’s come to regard the temporal rhythms of her childhood with both grief and gratitude. The episode seemed…

Time in the Shape of the Cross: 3 Reflections

· Nicole M. Roccas 5 Leave a Comment on %s
This morning, I received an interesting email from a reader/ listener of Time Eternal. This person had recently read Dr. Al Rossi’s book Becoming a Healing Presence. “Rossi speaks of time as cruciform (cross-shaped),” she wrote. “This idea really intrigues me, but I also feel like I don’t fully grasp what is meant by it and how I…