The Peaceful Gnome

 

Maximus had his first time serving in the Holy Place during Vespers tonight, he did really well, he was pretty nervous but he came through like a champ. His dad is going to be buying him shoes that don't flash light with every step this week. :-) Tiernan didn't understand why he could not go back in the Holy Place with his Dad and Maximus, you have to be 8 years old and "mature" enough to stand still and follow instructions.  He melted down big time.  After Vespers Abouna talked to him about it.

Suffering through another brutal winter day in NorCal. 😁

 How old am I?  I am "got up this morning, sneezed and pulled a muscle" old .   Seriously, this is too much.   I n response to this old age thing that is starting to annoy me I'm going back to the Paleo diet I was on for a short time a few years ago.  It's been three days so far, today is day four, and I feel OK, other than pulling a muscle just sneezing.  :-)  So far I'm down 5 pounds and generally feel pretty good.  Last time I tried this I did it sort of halfway, I never was really serious about it and I also did not pay attention to the lab results that told me to avoid: Gluten Dairy Eggs I said OK about the Gluten, for a while, but the cheese and the eggs?  NO WAY!  This time around I'm going all in, but I'm not thinking so much about what I can't have as just focusing on making what I can have taste good. I can eat any meats, fish, shellfish, fruits and vegetables.  I'm not having any grains or legumes (beans), inc...

A new homeschooling group as started at St. George Church!  Woo Hoo! :-) This is Father Lent and Sister Lent, their eyes are closed in prayer, their hands are lifted in supplication and service, their mouths are closed for they are fasting.  They have Seven Feet with which to hasten toward Pascha! Will you go with them?    After each week of Lent you remove one of the feet, when they are all gone it is Pascha! Finished product is up at home.

Last night we celebrated the great feast of the Encounter of the Lord, this is 40 days after the Feast of the Nativity when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple.  This is the hymn which Simeon uttered when he received the Child Jesus in his arms: “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,     according to your word;  for my eyes have seen your salvation,      which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles     and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32 There was also a special blessing of candles which we could take home and use in our prayer corners, I have a good stack of them now because for some reason I keep on using our emergency candles there instead of the blessed ones.  Bonus Tiernan cuteness from this morning :-)

 Some time ago I left Facebook and went to MeWe.  This is a much friendlier platform for those who value privacy and freedom.  I also opened a Telegram account, another privacy and freedom loving place.  But eventually I realized that Social Media is not my friend.  There is too much "news" and "politics" talk on there and the stuff that is NOT news and politics is, frankly, boring.  So my only outlet now will be this blog and since I'm not going to post about news or politics it may be pretty boring itself.  I'm just going to use this to post photos of the grandkids and maybe a few other things about what's going on in my life.  Get ready to have your insomnia cured, I'm back to blogging!  

 Just experimenting with posting some photos here... left FB so I need a place to put them so others can see them, maybe I'll just put them on MeWe after all. :-)

  I went to a Target store today because I was giving someone a ride there and did not want to wait out in the parking lot.  I noticed on the way in that Target seemed pretty insistent about the whole "face-diaper" idea, no big shock since Target is one of the big beneficiaries of the plandemic what with the destruction of most small businesses and the huge corporate bailouts. As I walked in they had the usual "diaper-enforcer" at the door who tried to get me to take a mask from their handy supply of Face Pampers by the entrance.  I told her that "I am unable to wear a mask," without breaking stride or even looking directly at her.  She didn't say anything else.   About 30 seconds later the Voice of the Oligarchs came over the loudspeaker announcing in soothing and soft but firm tones that "Face coverings are required to enter all Target stores.  If you prefer not to wear one please try our online touchless...blah blah blah..."  I stopped pay...

    It remains very difficult for me to remain positive.  I was about to say "Remain positive online, " but the truth is it's not just on Facebook but in my life in general that I tend to be overly harsh and negative.  The Lord is working on me with this and I want to do better, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!   Today, in the Eastern Churches we commemorate the Repose of The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. The Church calls Saint John the “Apostle of Love”, since he constantly taught that without love man cannot come near to God.     1 John 2:7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8  Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because [ b ] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9  He who says he is in the lig...

 Great idea, I think I'll try it ;-)