tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32640555782866332882024-03-18T19:58:10.417-07:00Saint Genevieve's GardenRichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-89110397342245892002014-04-14T06:37:00.000-07:002014-04-14T06:37:09.189-07:00St. Genevieve's garden is moving. I wanted to take the time to let ya know. Content will be over at the new <a href="http://simplysnowwhite.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. The last couple of years have been filled with so many changes that it was time for a new space. I also desired be able to focus a bit more on my and my family's story. Creating an Orthodox Christian home, homemaking, crafting and life in the norther part of Michigan are subjects that are stirring in my heart.<br />
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Thank you, and I hope you come along for the ride.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-2071578157541988362014-03-04T06:37:00.001-08:002014-03-04T06:46:16.488-08:00Musings Feb. 4th, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyO-vmMxtbc4BSCnxhBoqB2Fo5Dg8VJrHyWqJ1sw-XvUIn57UPH5TW5BHWbOUHXfQPvJKmI0VlGy5nzrsf0m-7LUEc6aTamZWrEWs6zRZpfFNEb84MoZBsT1tOarfsjC8HK5U2XdVe0Y/s640/blogger-image--1266398608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyO-vmMxtbc4BSCnxhBoqB2Fo5Dg8VJrHyWqJ1sw-XvUIn57UPH5TW5BHWbOUHXfQPvJKmI0VlGy5nzrsf0m-7LUEc6aTamZWrEWs6zRZpfFNEb84MoZBsT1tOarfsjC8HK5U2XdVe0Y/s640/blogger-image--1266398608.jpg"></a>I read these words last night and was struck with how true they rang for me. And yet why is it so hard not to "play it small." Fear? A false sense of humility? I am taking the time right now to work on this part of my life. To heal up this woundedness. It is a journey long overdue and one I am looking forward to. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book title: Will I Ever Be Good Enoug? Healing the daughters of Narcissistic Mothers. By Karyl McBride, Ph.D.</div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-44941552299297081672014-03-02T12:32:00.000-08:002014-03-02T12:32:16.979-08:00Forgiveness Sunday.Today is Forgiveness Sunday. In light of that, I ask that you forgive me for any offense I may have caused. Thank you!<br />
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For more information on Forgiveness Sunday here is a link! <a href="http://orthodoxwiki.org/Forgiveness_Sunday">http://orthodoxwiki.org/Forgiveness_Sunday</a><br />
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Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-80930390477773125412012-08-01T09:45:00.000-07:002012-08-01T09:45:15.794-07:00When homeschooling burns you out...It is time to confess one of the dark secrets of homeschooling.....burnout. Last year was just a rough year. We moved, the kids tried to go to public school, multiple ADHD diagnoses, and converting to Eastern Orthodoxy. What is interesting is that it wasn't rough as in bad. Just a lot of change. The ADHD really made me rethink my approach to homeschooling and what was both reasonable and in the best interests of my special students.<br />
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I have spent the last month and half doing practically nothing in the way of formal homeschooling. I have rested, ridden my horse, made new friends....and eased my toe into some teaching resources.<br />
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What has helped me the most? Reading The Abolition of Man, by CS Lewis. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Abolition-Man-C-Lewis/dp/0060652942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343839242&sr=8-1&keywords=the+abolotion+of+man">http://www.amazon.com/The-Abolition-Man-C-Lewis/dp/0060652942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343839242&sr=8-1&keywords=the+abolotion+of+man</a>,<br />
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and spending a lot of time listening to podcasts here: <a href="http://circeinstitute.org/">http://circeinstitute.org/</a><br />
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I have just started to plan the upcoming year, but find myself finally looking forward to it again. That little bit of excitement about getting to spend these precious moments, hours, days, weeks and years with my children. :)Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-15808363011014946212012-03-13T10:09:00.001-07:002012-03-15T08:53:31.756-07:00There and back again....A Homeschooling Tale.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wish someone would invent a recipe that made eating humble pie a little more appetizing. Unfortunately, there is nothing tasty about crow or picking feathers from your teeth. This tale of U-turnish woe started almost 3 years ago. We knew we were moving we just did not know where. I had a child with a milk allergy, adhd, and dyslexia who was falling through the public school cracks. Another child who was struggling with an audio processing disorder, but receiving minimal help due to the speech therapist being put on bedrest and maternity leave. With all of these things swirling in my immediate galaxy, we made the decision to homeschool. We enjoyed homeschooling and it served us well during our moves. Unfortunately, I missed pride creeping in.<br />
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You see I wasn't one of THOSE homeschooler's. You know the type, the helicopter moms who think spaghetti straps are of the Devil, evolution = paganism, and public schools are the next Great Satan. Yes, there had been some issues with the kids school, but all in all, it was a decent place. Most importantly the kids had felt safe and loved.<br />
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Fast forward a few years. We had finally landed in a town where we felt a bit settled. It was in the country with one elementary school. It seemed to be a similar set up to their last public school experience and since that was not horrible, we thought we would give it a try. The kids were so excited anticipating making new friends, impressing their teachers, riding the Big Yellow Bus, recess and PE. Sadly their rose colored glasses were quickly dashed from their heads and shattered on the hard linoleum floors.<br />
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It started slow. A few comments about how much cussing there was, which was a bit shocking, in that Nate and I are not without the occasional expletive. Then I went and sat in my 1st grade son's class for a few days. I watched as they did worksheet after worksheet using the ELMO/smartboard. Worksheets, endless worksheets. Then when he came home there would be more worksheets for homework. I watched a little girl arrive to class about 3 hours late. It was clear from the angry and exasperated look of the teacher that this was not a rare occurrence. "Lily, why are you late.....AGAIN?!" Lily, "because my mom wouldn't wake up," she snarls and stomps to her seat, sticking her tongue out at the unkind faces staring at her. At that moment I have to look into the confused eyes of my 6 yr old, I see the question. Lily wasn't there the next day and within a few weeks she was removed to a "special school."<br />
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Then one of the twins started to have his artwork stolen. When he would go to another class, his peers would sneak into his desk and pornographically edit his drawings and leave them out for the teacher to catch. At least the teachers were aware of the very different artistic abilities between him and his peers. The other twin went through 3 increases in his ADHD medications. Then the punching on the bus started. My 6 yr old didn't know how to handle being punched multiple times a day. The bus driver knew, the principal was brought on, but it continued as soon as the Principal was off the bus.<br />
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Finally, there was my oldest daughter. A beautiful, sweet, somewhat naive, young tomboy. Her heart is to learn and to please. After about 2 months she came home crying, "Mom, all I am learning is how to take this test. I want to learn History and Latin again." Through the tears, "Mom, there is a new girl who keeps saying she is going to punch me in the face," "Mom, can I please be homeschooled?!" she sobs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBB6uJn9D73qSwEaAUJ9rEWd7wGjsaTVbMsfs4PhNu3iODFGXdyVRW9o-QXU758NS1lnDeqwVN96IqmigAZNaw98RAHhTPOYUXSfC9yGq4fEW6_ylKMQX1RxuOlPO-a6Jm3ouoUWO9-E/s1600/kids+bluebonnets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBB6uJn9D73qSwEaAUJ9rEWd7wGjsaTVbMsfs4PhNu3iODFGXdyVRW9o-QXU758NS1lnDeqwVN96IqmigAZNaw98RAHhTPOYUXSfC9yGq4fEW6_ylKMQX1RxuOlPO-a6Jm3ouoUWO9-E/s400/kids+bluebonnets.jpg" width="400" /></a>My heart hurts for what they had to experience, but they are home again. They are detoxing and it has not been a pretty last few days, but there is a sense of relief. A peace, a saftey, and a hope for the future. We are two days back into homeschooling and as I write this I am getting ready to take the to a foreign language and culture club. Tomorrow they are going to see a Russian art exhibit, the Houston rodeo and The Band Perry.<br />
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I am now one of those homeschooling parents. Call me over protective, insulating, keeping my kids out of reality........as another homeschooling mom put it,<br />
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<b><i>"Misery is optional."</i></b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-81332558729510845562012-01-03T10:05:00.000-08:002012-01-03T10:05:03.846-08:00<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Today is the first time I get to celebrate a Name Day...or Saint's Day. In becoming Orthodox, with the help of my Priest, I was able to chose a Saint name. This was something that became very important to me as it allowed me to connect, in a personal way, with a far distant past. It brought to life the feeling a family with the Saints that have lived before me. Here is a link to an article that explains this in a little more detail <a href="http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/orthname.aspx">http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/orthname.aspx</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>I definitely felt a connection with Saint Genevieve of Paris. From our shared French heritage, love of bread and wine, spiritual giftings, and bold personalities, there was a bond. I look forward to getting to know this woman more over the next year and learning to emulate her life.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is a bio from the Catholic Encyclopedia: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Patroness of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, b. at</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Nanterre, c. 419 or 422; d. at</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, 512. Her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06021b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">feast</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">is kept on 3 January. She was the daughter of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Severus</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">andGerontia; popular</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">tradition</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">represents her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11478c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">parents</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">as</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">poor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">peasants, though it seems more likely that they were</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">wealthy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and respectable townspeople. In 429</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">St. Germain</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Auxerre</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">St. Lupus</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15067a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Troyes</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">were sent across from</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gaul</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Britain</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to combat</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11604a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Pelagianism</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. On their way they stopped at</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Nanterre, a small village about eight miles from</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. The inhabitants flocked out to welcome them, and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">St. Germainpreached to the assembled multitude. It chanced that the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12748a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">pious</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">demeanour and thoughtfulness of a young girl among his hearers attracted his attention. After the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">sermon</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">he</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">caused</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">the child to be brought to him, spoke to her with</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">interest, and encouraged her to persevere in the path of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15472a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">virtue</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. Learning that she was anxious to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">devote</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">herself to the service of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">God</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, he interviewed her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11478c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">parents</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, and foretold them that their child would lead a life of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07386a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">sanctity</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and by her example and instruction bring many</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">virgins</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04276a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">consecrate</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">themselves to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">God</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. Before parting next morning he saw her again, and on her renewing her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04276a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">consecration</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">he</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">blessed</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">her and gave her a</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10111b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">medal</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">engraved with a</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">cross, telling her to keep it in remembrance of her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">dedication</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Christ</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. He exhorted her likewise to be content with the</span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10111b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">medal</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, and wear it instead of her pearls and golden ornaments. There seem to have been no</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04340c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">convents</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">near her village; and Genevieve, like so many others who wished to practise</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">religious</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">virtue, remained at home, leading an innocent,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12345b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">prayerful</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">life. It is uncertain when she formally received the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">religious</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">veil. Some writers assert that it was on the occasion of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06780a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">St. Gregory's</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">return from his mission to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Britain; others say she received it about her sixteenth year, along with two companions, from the hands of the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02581b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Bishop</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. On the death of her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11478c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">parents</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">she went to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, and lived with her godmother. She devoted herself to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03592a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">works of charity</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and practised severe</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">corporalausterities,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">abstaining</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">completely from flesh meat and breaking her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">fast</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">only twice in the week. These</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10578b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">mortifications</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">she continued for over thirty years, till her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03744a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">ecclesiastical</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">superiors thought it their</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05215a.htm" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">duty</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">to make her diminish her</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">austerities.</span></div>
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Many of her neighbours, filled with jealousy and <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08326b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">envy</a>, accused Genevieve of being an impostor and a <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07610a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">hypocrite</a>. Like <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08409c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Blessed Joan of Arc</a>, in later times, she had <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06278a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">frequent communion</a> with the other world, but her visions and prophecies were treated as <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06249a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">frauds</a> and deceits. Her enemies conspired to drown her; but, through the intervention of Germain of Auxerre, their animosity was finally overcome. The <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02581b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">bishop</a> of the city appointed her to look after the welfare of the virgins dedicated to <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">God</a>, and by her instruction and example she led them to a high degree of <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07386a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">sanctity</a>. In 451 <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02061b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Attila</a> and his Huns were sweeping over Gaul; and the inhabitants of <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a> prepared to flee. Genevieve encouraged them to hope and trust in <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">God</a>; she urged them to do works of penance, and added that if they did so the town would be spared. Her exhortations prevailed; the citizens recovered their calm, and <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02061b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Attila's</a> hordes turned off towards Orléans, leaving <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a>untouched. Some years later Merowig (Mérovée) took <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a>; during the siege Genevieve distinguished herself by her charity and self-sacrifice. Through her influence Merowig and his successors, Childeric and <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Clovis</a>, displayed unwonted clemency towards the citizens. It was she, too, who first formed the plan of erecting a church in <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a> in <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07462a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">honour</a> of Saints Peter and Paul. It was begun by <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Clovis</a> at Mont-lès-Paris, shortly before his death in 511. Genevieve died the following year, and when the church was completed her body was <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03071a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">interred</a>within it. This fact, and the numerous <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10338a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">miracles</a> wrought at her <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14773b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">tomb</a>, caused the name of Sainte-Geneviève to be given to it. Kings, princes, and people enriched it with their gifts. In 847 it was plundered by the Normans and was partially rebuilt, but was completed only in 1177. This church having fallen into decay once more, Louis XV began the construction of a new church in 1764. The <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13009a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Revolution</a> broke out before it was dedicated, and it was taken over in 1791, under the name of the Panthéon, by the Constituent Assembly, to be a burialplace for distinguished <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06166a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Frenchmen</a>. It was restored to <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Catholic</a> purposes in 1821 and 1852, having been secularized as a national mausoleum in 1831 and, finally, in 1885. St. Genevieve's <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12734a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">relics</a> were preserved in her church, with great devotion, for centuries, and <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a>received striking <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12454c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">proof</a> of the efficacy of her intercession. She saved the city from complete inundation in 834. In 1129 a violent plague, known as the <em>mal des ardents,</em> carried off over 14,000 victims, but it ceased suddenly during a procession in her <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07462a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">honour</a>. <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08012a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Innocent II</a>, who had come to <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a> to implore the king's help against the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01447a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Antipope Anacletus</a> in 1130, examined personally into the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10338a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">miracle</a> and was so convinced of its authenticity that he ordered a feast to be kept annually in <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07462a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">honour</a> of the event on 26 November. A small church, calledSainte-Geneviève des Ardents, commemorated the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10338a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">miracle</a> till 1747, when it was pulled down to make room for the Foundling Hospital. Thesaint's <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12734a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">relics</a> were carried in <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12446c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">procession</a> yearly to the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03438a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">cathedral</a>, and Mme de Sévigné gives a description of the pageant in one of her letters.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13009a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">revolutionaries of 1793</a> destroyed most of the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12734a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">relics</a> preserved in St. Genevieve's church, and the rest were cast to the winds by the mob in 1871. Fortunately, however, a large <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12734a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">relic</a> had been kept at Verneuil, Oise, in the eighteenth century, and is still extant. The churchbuilt by <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04070a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Clovis</a> was entrusted to the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02443a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Benedictines</a>. In the ninth century they were replaced by secular canons. In 1148, under <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05599a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Eugene III</a>and Louis VII, canons from St. Victor's Abbey at Senlis were introduced. About 1619 Louis XIII named Cardinal François de LaRochefoucauld <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01015c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Abbot</a> of St. Genevieve's. The canons had been lax and the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03333b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">cardinal</a> selected Charles Faure to reform them. This holy manwas born in 1594, and entered the canons regular at Senlis. He was remarkable for his <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12748a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">piety</a>, and, when <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11279a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">ordained</a>, succeeded after a hard struggle in reforming the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01010a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">abbey</a>. Many of the houses of the canons regular adopted his reform. He and a dozen companions took charge ofSainte-Geneviève-du-Mont, at <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a>, in 1634. This became the mother-house of a new congregation, the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03288a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Canons Regular</a> of St. Genevieve, which spread widely over <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06166a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">France</a>. Another institute called after the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04171a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">saint</a> was the Daughters of St. Genevieve, founded at<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11480c.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Paris</a>, in 1636, by Francesca de Blosset, with the object of nursing the sick and teaching young girls. A somewhat similar institute, popularly known as the Miramiones, had been founded under the invocation of the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15047a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Holy Trinity</a>, in 1611, by Marie Bonneau de RubellaBeauharnais de Miramion. These two institutes were united in 1665, and the associates called the Canonesses of St. Genevieve. The members took no <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15511a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">vows</a>, but merely promised obedience to the rules as long as they remained in the institute. Suppressed during the<a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13009a.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">Revolution</a>, it was revived in 1806 by Jeanne-Claude Jacoulet under the name of the Sisters of the Holy Family. They now have charge of over 150 <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13554b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">schools</a> and <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11322b.htm" style="color: darkblue; text-decoration: none;">orphanages</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-33358462154258832762011-12-29T09:31:00.000-08:002011-12-29T09:47:24.037-08:00An Eastern Orthodox Baptism.I am still lacking in words for this amazing experience, but I wanted to at least share some photo's!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<br />Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-72162796938687026332011-12-17T07:51:00.000-08:002011-12-18T20:46:14.946-08:00Breaking up with a Forum....or maybe not.<b>I can be such a spaz! :) While my recent experience on my favorite forum was difficult I have discovered a few things. First off, I did receive and apology for the comment left on my visitor messages. That is something I really appreciate. Secondly, was that I feel way too protective over a forum that I have no ownership of! It is not my forum and I do not get to say how or when the mods get to do their jobs. Lesson learned :)</b><br />
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I cannot believe I am about to write this. I guess we are an internet age when leaving a forum hurts like this. The Hive was my safe place. Not because the posters were perfect and we all agreed, but because the moderators seemed to have great boundaries. I do not know how they did it, but I was so proud of them. They did not shut down every thread, discussion was allowed and even when threads were shut down there was humor from the mods.<br />
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Fast forward to yesterday; yes, I started a thread knowingly against board rules. There had been numerous little rules violations going on for a week or so. No single one was a major violation or tattle worthy issue, but in total the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense and stressful. Maybe not for every one, but definetly for myself.<br />
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So, I tried to start a somewhat humorous thread with a gentle reminder that there were some rules guiding the forum. I knew it would get deleted and I reported my post myself so that the mod could find it quickly and take care of it. I am not saying what I did was the best course of action, but I made the best decision I felt comfortable with. What happened next was quite shocking for me.<br />
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The mod not only deleted the thread (which was perfectly understandable) but, proceeded to blame me for all the extra work I had made her do. I am sorry, but I did not cause her more work. Other people made their own choices, but the only thing I was responsible for was my post. To blame me for all the extra work is a bit like blaming the member of a family who identifies a problem....as being the problem.<br />
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From there the mod proceeded to post a visitor message on my profile. Something anyone can see. This is blatant intimidation and public shaming. For many this would not be a big deal. For me it is. I do not feel safe in an environment where authorities wield their power in this way.<br />
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I am sad about the loss of support and relationships I had developed. Thankfully, I made many wonderful friends who I get to continue in relationship with.<br />
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Edited: Here is the message I sent the moderator. And her response. Guess I am supposed to consider the treatment as some sort of Christmas gift.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3264055578286633288" name="post"><img alt="" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/statusicon/post_new.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" /></a> Today, 01:12 PM</div>
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<img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: In regards to deleting my thread</strong></div>
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Merry Christmas.<br />
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Moderator<br />
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Quote:</div>
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Originally Posted by <strong>simka2</strong></div>
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First off I have know idea if this goes out to one Moderator or more than one. So, if you are not the Moderator who deleted my thread and wrote me a visitor message I apologize.<br />
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That said, what you did was uncalled for and far worse than my little thread. Do not blame me for what others choose to do. I owned my thread post, but that's ALL I am responsible for. I reported my post, so I could not have made that much work for you. What others did is not my responsibility. Good gracious!<br />
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Then to take it a step further and post on my visitor messages. Wow, just wow. Honestly, I stayed on these forums, because it was a safe place. It had moderators that had a good sense of boundaries and how not to abuse their power. Something has changed.<br />
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Don't worry, I will not break anymore forum rules and post my farewell there. Good night.</div>
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Edited again: I did receive an apology for posting the message to my visitor board. I was told it was an accident. I was then informed that the "Merry Christmas" comment was not meant to be snarky, but to diffuse. I have spent some time thinking about this and honestly I just don't buy it. Maybe the visitor messaget was an accident, but the "Merry Christmas" was not kind in anyway. It is just illogical to think that it would be. I did try to discuss with the moderator the bind many are finding themselves in. That they are banned when they report posts. She wouldn't hear it. She insisted that it was not happening.<br />
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So, while I got the apology, it rang with a hollowness that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.<br />
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I wish people would realize that there is actually strength in admitting inperfection. It is okay to drop the ball, just be honest about.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-70299793659278538522011-12-15T07:38:00.000-08:002011-12-15T07:42:12.216-08:00Foggy Farm.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-ZYxmlyUVqzkKOeD-MSwz35Pm2AjSwjo7ZiV5QezK2JnEhrKFtkJv_5ma9vIKflMy4vLkcVaTpEoMmL0C9G3NwSJGFMI7l_CsKPj5jxw92fxrkMrI5amnwCIN2Q6haCtjjtrgstv1oI/s1600/100_2860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-ZYxmlyUVqzkKOeD-MSwz35Pm2AjSwjo7ZiV5QezK2JnEhrKFtkJv_5ma9vIKflMy4vLkcVaTpEoMmL0C9G3NwSJGFMI7l_CsKPj5jxw92fxrkMrI5amnwCIN2Q6haCtjjtrgstv1oI/s320/100_2860.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our very long driveway.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I figured it was time to post some pictures of the farm. I have hesitated up until now, simply because this drought has made things rather ugly. But there is something wonderfully mysterious about fog, so I thought I would take some photos.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_R8s-oGLpXV80Tf_e66PKufY8-j08rQLT6E5BLvZtsROBFFMjx-gnGh3HV9QPd1JkAT-IcxZTcmYtoD9SHVtyFjq2IT_w1I8DL5J9JA7jWvR44cNbyjy9dZin0eXDPqD6WFLxbBZSg/s1600/100_2847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_R8s-oGLpXV80Tf_e66PKufY8-j08rQLT6E5BLvZtsROBFFMjx-gnGh3HV9QPd1JkAT-IcxZTcmYtoD9SHVtyFjq2IT_w1I8DL5J9JA7jWvR44cNbyjy9dZin0eXDPqD6WFLxbBZSg/s320/100_2847.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the front yard with a small view of horse pasture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uXDrgv_7Het5QQs4mjKxh9gPPnvmRhnnaEu3k0Ux9ToHFRCpyA-8I_pvoghz7SeyIPWCHMv1Ag2VGtbuwVQF_QTK2nNQOyZSrebripkni7dVUQ9CzbnRoySanvYvkpHn09xDjdiaA60/s1600/100_2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uXDrgv_7Het5QQs4mjKxh9gPPnvmRhnnaEu3k0Ux9ToHFRCpyA-8I_pvoghz7SeyIPWCHMv1Ag2VGtbuwVQF_QTK2nNQOyZSrebripkni7dVUQ9CzbnRoySanvYvkpHn09xDjdiaA60/s320/100_2848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the ponies!!! It is so nice to have them right off the back porch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dasa and the puppies getting ready to feed the ponies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9UJ4webNeaIQbR0EuNLyr9T-ptN_s3WZjBGfYiSiV-HqVr10Xg6HJC3-NPSPjZGGWr9KMiTwFCuYREVMgrWTY2BxX9OyqW1FHppWwINb0ohx7GIfAzLbDa-YtkipWZ0V7qlOyP2n4GU/s1600/100_2850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9UJ4webNeaIQbR0EuNLyr9T-ptN_s3WZjBGfYiSiV-HqVr10Xg6HJC3-NPSPjZGGWr9KMiTwFCuYREVMgrWTY2BxX9OyqW1FHppWwINb0ohx7GIfAzLbDa-YtkipWZ0V7qlOyP2n4GU/s320/100_2850.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view out the back mudroom towards the stock pens.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs6XvhmF81a1HGCMUcPI6c964qRQrl_ToGCLWDFHUf-Vs3SqI_GKFALuYtNb2CoOaBOQRTwIHNPYxVtawzu-D-Xq5bmPJ-LopnO2Vd1TkX_OoggELSQov9iXkhnTO4saxzhQRY98Owxo/s1600/100_2851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs6XvhmF81a1HGCMUcPI6c964qRQrl_ToGCLWDFHUf-Vs3SqI_GKFALuYtNb2CoOaBOQRTwIHNPYxVtawzu-D-Xq5bmPJ-LopnO2Vd1TkX_OoggELSQov9iXkhnTO4saxzhQRY98Owxo/s320/100_2851.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing at the stock pens looking towards to back of the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZhlSvnuGoHRkcfqFi5HpySLO9VVXmDwtRvazPsOhW48BBoYtgPbhKtQEnUG0XfNSdmQWI6hD19uDTR5A1n2DW3adev86a7CtY5AJswIeeSuwzAx3ljTARY1m8kI4NzfGhiqKICO__58/s1600/100_2852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZhlSvnuGoHRkcfqFi5HpySLO9VVXmDwtRvazPsOhW48BBoYtgPbhKtQEnUG0XfNSdmQWI6hD19uDTR5A1n2DW3adev86a7CtY5AJswIeeSuwzAx3ljTARY1m8kI4NzfGhiqKICO__58/s320/100_2852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is beyond the stock pens towards the back acerage.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Trying to give some idea of the property. This shows about 30 of the over 200 acres we get to play with. :)</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9j0L5gIe0IsNoxa7WitIIZhJwPgWmiKDnf3aIEeXS_DZD3NJZbxcxE8DCQrxfX_XY2g5dIYpxUPrS_f-JVGcQpIzihYuIAvziKN06wdp0e7_kBVRLHdGyBEiSs3vtk_iKAZdVVfN6xM/s1600/100_2853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9j0L5gIe0IsNoxa7WitIIZhJwPgWmiKDnf3aIEeXS_DZD3NJZbxcxE8DCQrxfX_XY2g5dIYpxUPrS_f-JVGcQpIzihYuIAvziKN06wdp0e7_kBVRLHdGyBEiSs3vtk_iKAZdVVfN6xM/s320/100_2853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of the tree I thought looked pretty in the fog.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70Q48aWMfkp_R4NMeVnl645FFJJ9_mlVvqJQbP406L0wdgT6GpaBgXaqMK5yE1iNK2OVbED8HxCl2u4Rt-fcSCAH8O32Vp4A-xQ011Q64GgfGc0vmhbayrNQtglLMshHp1kIVU0vmpmU/s1600/100_2854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70Q48aWMfkp_R4NMeVnl645FFJJ9_mlVvqJQbP406L0wdgT6GpaBgXaqMK5yE1iNK2OVbED8HxCl2u4Rt-fcSCAH8O32Vp4A-xQ011Q64GgfGc0vmhbayrNQtglLMshHp1kIVU0vmpmU/s320/100_2854.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the front acreage. Pecan trees.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EWGr7yDi00YHn4TqR3ql7hYr7G6v_7j1auLUII97oAnVxwfPz2joapLLl4hrB4SbFZR9sbf8A-W3djLLL_OkYTVSMjmI0ll_V0GdShYHjrg0KTHzERXFXS1PV1_y3itv2IYex_WhWUE/s1600/100_2855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EWGr7yDi00YHn4TqR3ql7hYr7G6v_7j1auLUII97oAnVxwfPz2joapLLl4hrB4SbFZR9sbf8A-W3djLLL_OkYTVSMjmI0ll_V0GdShYHjrg0KTHzERXFXS1PV1_y3itv2IYex_WhWUE/s320/100_2855.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Pecan trees.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front view of the farm house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side yard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one lone cow I could find in the fog!</td></tr>
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<br />Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-31455246182526274652011-12-12T20:00:00.000-08:002011-12-12T20:07:50.512-08:00Christmas Ornament Fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_f5rZ3XiJkuetCZH2M25QTHOXZUZQBoeE661lqirQpr4idl9ecw2Y31NJgq2KoxLgQmeCJ5yvi5zhODwu9rtyZDgAO5u-1DvmGX2y0J9_L74Lms0F7X3zHQU8O5JTGNvNBGHFS56e0U/s1600/100_2838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_f5rZ3XiJkuetCZH2M25QTHOXZUZQBoeE661lqirQpr4idl9ecw2Y31NJgq2KoxLgQmeCJ5yvi5zhODwu9rtyZDgAO5u-1DvmGX2y0J9_L74Lms0F7X3zHQU8O5JTGNvNBGHFS56e0U/s320/100_2838.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> These were so much fun! Salt Dough, acrylic paint and glitter. Now I am trying to find new ways to dress them up and fun things to add to them.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> I did one for each of us. Behold a new family tradition is born! I cannot believe it took me this long to come up with homemade ornaments to mark a new year.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> Hot glue a little twin rope for the perfect final touch.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I think they are perfect for our first Christmas back in Texas!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Merry Christmas!!!!</i></span></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-30315817022890153082011-12-08T07:31:00.001-08:002011-12-08T08:10:33.134-08:00Of Trains, Christmas Trees and Orthodoxy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsi8Q_rsCloTle113PPVYWus8tFgfT6VzIXfHlsz5mlq1MjUgs_9eGjA-Fgk1rZM7uH0LePx-Wfd8fKS8ZtT5KIP_WaPTqRtCebqtkKjjL60dqgXsQq7juRyEjdNeiCxRsDRCig5na-8/s1600/100_2837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsi8Q_rsCloTle113PPVYWus8tFgfT6VzIXfHlsz5mlq1MjUgs_9eGjA-Fgk1rZM7uH0LePx-Wfd8fKS8ZtT5KIP_WaPTqRtCebqtkKjjL60dqgXsQq7juRyEjdNeiCxRsDRCig5na-8/s400/100_2837.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Yesterday morning was a gift, a very special gift. My 6 yr old son loves trains, I mean LOVES trains!!! The only thing that comes close to trains....<i>is anything Christmas</i>. I was doing what I normally do (sitting on the couch, drinking coffee and watching GMA) when I noticed my son industriously rebuilding his Geo Trax under the tree we had put up the night before. The perfect combination <i>Christmas Tree</i> and <i>Trains!!!</i><br />
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This is my quiet, contemplative, youngest son whose nickname is "Stealth Baby". I loved the peacefulness the two of us were enjoying before his older siblings decided to grace us with their boisterous presence. I remember waking up early just to play with my She-Ra dolls and Trollz in the beautiful, prismatic branches of my own childhood trees.<br />
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With these fond memories, of Christmas past, warming my heart I glanced down at my little boy. The industrious building had stopped and he settled into a seated position right in front of his masterpiece. He just sat there, controller in hand. <b><i>What was he thinking? What was going through is 6 yr old mind? Did he fear it wouldn't go?</i></b><br />
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There was a deep, deep breath and then I watched as he bowed his little head and crossed himself. He straightened, sat as tall as he could and pressed the, "Go," button on his controller. My heart melted taking in the sweetness of his glittering eyes on the train, <i>"Choo Chooing,"</i> around the base of the Christmas tree.<br />
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Some of you may ask why this is so special. Well, my family is going to be baptised into the Orthodox Church in a couple weeks. Even though I have had a year to explore this branch of Christianity, sometimes fear creeps in. <b><i>What am I thinking? Is this best for my family? Does it work?</i></b><br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">....then I have moments like that morning. Catching a glimmer of Living Orthodoxy, through the actions of a 6 yr old boy!</span></i></b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-62001238894225413322011-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:002011-12-07T13:52:24.137-08:00A season is ending.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi566WnuoyYukiwyBbf8R0KpBOvljmgJEZwdMbgZulApTDP22MrrNQz7ZY0VPvSIwqxsiJ79vIU4KRdMzwny2DkJQ6EqxcVggfMfpsy4PreWm1zRmPY0XULYQS8qD_Hclfs58oYb4KU0l8/s1600/100_2828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi566WnuoyYukiwyBbf8R0KpBOvljmgJEZwdMbgZulApTDP22MrrNQz7ZY0VPvSIwqxsiJ79vIU4KRdMzwny2DkJQ6EqxcVggfMfpsy4PreWm1zRmPY0XULYQS8qD_Hclfs58oYb4KU0l8/s320/100_2828.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I guess it is fitting that winter has begun. A season where things are dead, dormant, and transitioning to new life. In a few weeks the kids will be going back to public school and it is bittersweet. I have loved homeschooling and it has been wonderful for us as a family. But, we have finally settled onto a wonderful farm not far from Houston, and the kids have the opportunity to go to small rural school. They are such social buggers! And have really missed being a part of a school community. I am excited for them, but am already grieving the loss of complete family freedom. The freedom to go where we want and when we want. To spend an entire day on one subject. To see them playing amidst the trees and creeks....in the middle of the day!<br />
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This new season brings opportunity as well. A chance for them to grow new friendships and bonds. Experience new experiences. To grow and mature. A chance for me to hone some craft projects I have put on the back burner and even progress in new pastures. It is exciting and scary and the right thing at this moment.<br />
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So, I lay down the mantle of "homeschooler," pick up the cloak of "afterschooler," and embark on a new adventure!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-88397289232190276642011-07-08T18:40:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.746-08:00 <br/><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><em>The Edible Cell-Anatomy and Physiology</em></strong></p><br/><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2704.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-142" title="100_2704" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2704.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Here is the beginning of our "edible cell" activity!</p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2709.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-143" title="100_2709" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2709.jpg?w=225" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Just keeping it real with the middle stage chaos!</p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/141/100_2708/" rel="attachment wp-att-144"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-144" title="edible cel" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2708.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Placing the "almost finished" cell in some hot water to loosen the edges.</p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/141/100_2711/" rel="attachment wp-att-145"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-145" title="the edible cell" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2711.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;">The one on the right is inverted onto a dessert plate.</p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2712.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-146" title="100_2712" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2712.jpg?w=225" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Yum!!!!</strong></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2717.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-147" title="100_2717" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/100_2717.jpg?w=225" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><em><strong>.....and the chaos resumes!</strong></em></p>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-13527504406518497562011-06-27T11:09:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.746-08:00My verision of Accountable Kids! A chore system that works.I recently came across this book. <a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/productsakbook1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-134" title="Accountable Kids Book" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/productsakbook1.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="131" /></a>I really appreciate the depth and thoroughness of the program. As a mom with children with ADHD and impulse disorders I have watched my boys thrive of the stability and consistency this program offers.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>You can buy the whole kit pictured above, but I needed to add my own creative spin on things. I printed off cards from this site <a href="http://printable.tipjunkie.com/pocket-chore-cards-printable-chore-charts/">http://printable.tipjunkie.com/pocket-chore-cards-printable-chore-charts/</a> on colored paper. Then I ran them thru my Scotch laminator. My husband bought and cut me 4 wooden plaques for each of the children. Here is what things looked like when I was in the middle of this project. <a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2624.jpg"><img class="alignright size-large wp-image-135" title="Chaos before organization!" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2624.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="411" height="259" /></a><br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Then I got to the fun part! I was able to start painting. <a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2627.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-136 aligncenter" title="Chore plaques" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2627.jpg?w=150" alt="" width="185" height="183" /></a>I love painting and this was so fun to do.</p><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Finally, the finished result. A kid friendly chore system!<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2631.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-137 aligncenter" title="100_2631" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/100_2631.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="210" /></a></p>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-55480464698156944952011-06-08T08:47:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.746-08:00My First Holy Week and Pascha!<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/orthodox-woman.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-104" title="orthodox woman" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/orthodox-woman.jpg" alt="" width="173" height="130" /></a>This post has sat in my draft box for a couple months. Figured it was time to post it!<br/><br/>I cannot put into words what I am going thru spiritually. This has been a roller coaster of journey. Sometimes I think I am crazy, "What am I doing?!" rings thru my head. But there is no going back. Where would I go? Nothing has come close to offering the depth of healing and spiritual life that I have found in the Orthodox Church. For awhile I wondered if we could just adopt some of the ancient faith practices and incorporate them into the Protestant Church. The only problem with that is that it would be another 1500 years before I could experience the deep layers that I can submerge myself in the EO.<br/><br/>This was never more clear to me than on Pascha. Coming into a dark church, processing around the building, and then walking into the brilliant light, bells ringing, chandeliers swinging it was like being transported back in time. A peaceful confidence began to bloom inside my heart, the calm knowing, "I am HOME!"Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-34722964296296192262011-05-25T15:49:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.747-08:00Here Comes Ages of Grace!I had just heard of this new Orthodox curriculum as we were wrapping up our study of Ancient History. Truthfully, I was a bit intimidated with the prospect of covering the early church as my perspective on the early church was greatly changing. I needed a little hand holding as we headed into the Middle Ages. Voila! Here comes Ages of Grace (and it just so happens it is starting in the Middle Ages.)<br/><br/>The night it became available, I got it. I was giddy with excitement as I held the crisp pages straight off my printer. Then I sat on my living room floor, organized it into categories that made sense to me, got out my ProClick and the punching and binding began. They turned out lovely! Here is my attempt to show you what is included and how I have organized things.<br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter" style="text-align:center;"><dl class="wp-caption aligncenter"><dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2373.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-79 " title="100_2373" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2373.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a></dt><dd class="wp-caption-dd">Total program</dd></dl>Here is what you are seeing. On your right I have put together 3 large notebooks. One contains just the Weekly Lesson Plans. Another, all of the Picture Study, Icon Study, and Theology in Sound. (I have not printed out the actual music sheets for TinS yet. That would make a fourth notebook) The last notebook contains: The Children's Bible Reader Schedule, Prologue Reading Schedule, Reading List, Oral and Written Exams, and Dictation Exercises. To your left I have printed off 4 separate Copywork notebooks for my 4 kids. <a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2374.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-80 aligncenter" title="100_2374" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2374.jpg?w=300" alt="Copywork Notebook" width="300" height="225" /></a><br/><br/></div><br/><p style="text-align:center;">Example of Copywork Notebook.</p><br/><br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="573" caption="Page 1"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2376.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-82 " title="100_2376" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2376.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="573" height="430" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_83" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Page 2"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2378.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-83 " title="100_2378" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2378.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/>Each week contains 2 pages of lesson plans.<br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Children's Bible Reader"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2379.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-84 " title="100_2379" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2379.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/> <br/><p style="text-align:center;">Here is the first section of my next notebook. 15 pages.</p><br/><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_85" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Prologue Reading Schedule"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2380.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-85 " title="100_2380" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2380.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/> <br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter">The Prologue Reading schedule is 12 pages.</div><br/><p class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </p><br/><p class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </p><br/><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> <br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_86" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Reading List"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2381.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-86 " title="100_2381" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2381.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/></div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter">The next section is the reading lists. The lists are broken into categories such as: Family Reading, Level A, Level B, Level C, and Additional Reading. They are then further divided by Subject (History, Literature, Bible, and Faith) and scheduled for you.</div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_87" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Oral and Written Exams"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2382.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-87 " title="100_2382" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2382.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter">Again, these are divided by Subject, Level, and Term.<br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> <br/><br/>[caption id="attachment_88" align="aligncenter" width="502" caption="Dictation Exercises"]<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2384.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-88 " title="100_2384" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2384.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" /></a>[/caption]<br/><br/> <br/><br/> This is one of the areas where this curriculum is worth its weight in gold! 18 pages with beautiful quotes from Orthodoxy. Since my children are a bit to young for these dictations, I plan on adapting them into more Copywork.<br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"><dl class="wp-caption aligncenter"><dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2385.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-89 " title="100_2385" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2385.jpg?w=768" alt="" width="387" height="517" /></a></dt><dd class="wp-caption-dd">Cover for Picture Study</dd></dl><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter">Love these pictures!</div><br/><div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter"> </div><br/><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2386.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-90 aligncenter" title="100_2386" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2386.jpg?w=768" alt="" width="377" height="502" /></a></p><br/><img class="size-large wp-image-91 aligncenter" title="100_2387" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2387.jpg?w=1024" alt="" width="502" height="377" />And here is my favorite part! The Artist study is wonderful. You receive 30 beautiful prints. I laminated mine so the kids could handle them without too much worry. Exquisite!!!<br/><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-69499204724445080542011-05-17T15:48:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.747-08:00A Broken Vigil Lamp.<img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-69" title="100_2372" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/100_2372.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" />A few days ago I was getting such enjoyment out of watching my children process thru the house. One of my kids even took this little hanging candle holder/vigil lamp and was swinging it like a censer. To cute, right? The game has continued of and on, and occasionally I would warn them to, "Be careful," with the lamp/censer.<br/><br/>Fast forward to last night. Husband and I are getting dinner ready in the kitchen when all of a sudden I hear a CRASH followed by, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" UUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH, honestly some days I do not think I am going to survive getting the twins to adulthood . Yes, twinB had swung the lamp/censer into a door frame. The glass candle holder portion would no longer stay attached to the chains from which it would have hung.<br/>I wish I could say I handled it better. That I was calm, understanding, and soothing, but I was pretty upset! Oh, did I mention that I had just gotten back from the store with the hardware to hang the lamp in our Icon corner?!<br/><br/>Here's where the story takes an up swing. As I was going to sleep last night I realized I could crochet with wire a sort of basket to hold the glass portion to its chains. So, I got up in the morning and did just that. I went to hang it up, but it didn't look quite right. It was hanging to high. But wait! I have wire and the perfect beads to string on the wire. I was able to extend the length of the chain with a beautiful string of beads.<br/><br/>I placed a candle in it, lit it, and stood back. As, I took in the scene I realized something. Aren't we like this lamp? Cracked and broken, sometimes by people who don't even mean to. Then God comes, He doesn't just fix us like we were before. The damage is still there, but under His loving hand we become more. More than we ever were before.<br/><br/>I called my son into the room. "Son, I was able to fix the lamp. See, no harm done." Son, "Mom, you are so creative!"<br/><br/>Now I have a cheap broken hanging candle holder that is more precious to me than anything else in the Icon corner. I also have a restored relationship with my son.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-37005818940145583732011-05-02T19:40:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.747-08:00An Orthodox view on Salvation.<object height="350" width="425"><br/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WosgwLekgn8&feature=player_embedded"><br/> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br/> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WosgwLekgn8&feature=player_embedded;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"><br/> </object><br/><br/>I like this video's illustration of salvation. As a contemporary pentecostal believer I already had more in common with the Orthodox perspective, but my husband made note that as a Calvinist, he was raised with the "typical" protestant view of God's wrath and salvation.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-65399762844329261672011-03-19T12:04:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.747-08:00I have issues!<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/imagescax6nv091.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57" title="imagesCAX6NV09" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/imagescax6nv091.jpg" alt="" width="183" height="276" /></a>Yes, if you haven't already noticed, I have issues. That said, I wanted to take some time and flesh out some of my initial issues with Eastern Orthodoxy and how I over came them. The first one starts last summer when I gave Eastern Orthodoxy a first glance. Immediatly, I noticed something, MARY (and I had some issues with Joseph)!<br/><br/>Ummmmm, this was a bit of problem for me. I got that she was special, she was chosen, and she was a beautiful example of humility and godliness. But that was i,t right? What was this Ever-virgin thing? Jesus had brothers, right? At first, I really grieved and was a bit angered by the thought of her ever virginity. Already there was so little of Mary in my Protestant faith and now I wouldn't even me able to relate to her as a wife. It was like I didn't even know her.<br/><br/>Months, went by and I refused to look at EO. But, some of the arguments where working in my heart. Could it be that Joseph was an older man when he married her? That he stepped up as her protector and the protector of Jesus? That Jesus "brothers" really were cousins or step-siblings? Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't losing Mary so much, as gaining a deeper and more complex understanding of her and Joseph.<br/><br/>What about her "ever virginity?" Was I really supposed to believe that Jesus was not born in the way of normal babies? I had to approach this one backwards. After his death, Jesus appears to His disciples in the upper room, by walking thru a door. A miracle, right? Well, if He could walk thru walls, why couldn't He be birthed thru a wall of flesh? I don't have an answer. If I believe the one, by default I can believe the other is possible. It is a very foreign concept to me, I grant you, but not as outrageous when viewed in light of His other miracles.<br/><br/>In the end, I didn't lose anything. I gained a ton! My respect and admiration for Joseph. My awe for what it must have been like for Mary. And Jesus, somehow I had fallen into the thought that He started being God-like at the age of 32. Now, there was so much MORE!!!<br/><br/>I won't gloss over this and say it all sits perfectly, sometimes I still struggle, but what it really comes down to is: I can't compartmentalized when or how God gets to demonstrate Himself.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-33668605178000087882011-03-18T12:58:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.747-08:00An orthodox view of salvation.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-39464808726378190272011-03-18T10:12:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.752-08:00A new Spring!<a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/russianorthodoxcandles1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36" title="RussianOrthodoxCandles" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/russianorthodoxcandles1.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="210" /></a>My last post was actually drafted 2 months ago!<br/><br/> Much has happened in the past 2 months, and it is time to write it out. After much exploration and research, I shared with my husband my desire to look into Eastern Orthodox Christianity. My husband is an amazing man, who loves me dearly. We complement each other. Without me he would live a very boring life, and without him I would live like a butterfly, flitting about from pretty flower to pretty flower.<br/> At first, he was cautiously supportive. In fact his words were, "That's fine, but I am not converting!" Although he said that, he bought me my Orthodox Study Bible and began doing some reading on his own. Eventually, we agree to attend our Protestant church on Sat. nights and an Orthodox church on Sun mornings. The first few Divine Liturgies were difficult experiences. This was so foreign. Yes, it was beautiful. But, how could this be church? How was it going to teach me about God? Didn't I need someone to preach AT me? To tell me how to live? Why did I need to be a part of this Liturgical Service? Wouldn't it get boring, week in and week out? Would I grow in my relationship with God?<br/><br/> These questions did not have immediate answers. I couldn't look up the answers, I had to experience the answers. To do that, let me tell you about our last night in a Protestant Church.<br/><br/> We went to church like normal. The kids went happily to their children's classes and we walked into the auditorium in preparation for praise and worship. The music started and it was wonderful. We were very fortunate to have a phenomenal worship band with many very talented musicians. Yes, there was something spiritual in the experience, but the thought that rose in my mind was, "I would pay money to see these guys in concert. In fact, that's where I feel I am at. At a really good concert, but something is missing." There was nothing wrong with the music, it was both beautiful and organic, it was everything a praise and worship service should be. And yet, something was missing.<br/> Then the Pastor started his message. He is a wonderful Pastor, with a genuine love for his congregation. You can feel it as he speaks. He begins talking about the research he has done into the ancient paths of Christianity, and about His desire to learn from them. In fact, he goes on, "Many of the Monasteries had a 'Rule' that they lived by. A prayer schedule and routine that guided their day." We could look at their example and come up with our Rule. In that moment, I leaned over to my husband and said, "But we already have all of that over at the Orthodox church."<br/> After service, I asked my husband his thoughts on the Pastor's message. His response was something likes this, "Have you noticed that when we leave an Orthodox service we never ask 'How did the Priest do?' Our church experience does not revolve around a man's ability to preach a message. As a result, our spiritual life has little to do with 'How the sermon went?" In fact, when we are in a Protestant Church we are the audience, but when we go to the Orthodox church we spend the entire service smack dab "in the middle" of an act of worship. Every moment, every action, every word is a deliberate act of worship, rich with meaning and tradition.<br/><br/> So, we found home. I will be honest. I still have some questions, I'm still disoriented at times, but this is where I feel safe. It's where I have come to be able to rest in the arms of the God I love. I can read the Bible again and pray.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-30225235678882618332011-03-18T09:16:00.000-07:002011-12-07T12:30:21.752-08:00The Fog disperses....As a wife and mother I couldn't stay, I wanted to...but couldn't. I learned to dread the sun light...reality. I didn't want to see the foreign land I had traveled to. Gone were the things I knew. The church, the people, the bible which I had sucked up so much nutrients from...those wells were now poison to me. I couldn't drink without tasting my tormentor.<br/><br/>But, thru the fog I would hear an occasional whisper of something greater, something grander than what I already knew. A couple of chance encounters, a brushing of minds, the gentle quickening of my heart and I am curious. Could it be? I wonder. Is there a path back to the God I love? Is there a road, strong and true, to guide my feet? Are their guides, old and wise, to hold my hands? And, most importantly, will I once again be able to rest in the arms that brought me so much comfort?<br/><br/>Truthfully, I sit on the thought for quite a while. First off, it's just too foreign to contemplate. So many things I refused to consider, would need to be looked at. And what about my family? My "pastor" husband, and my kids?<br/><br/>For the first time I have hope!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-56023697798853207482011-01-19T08:53:00.000-08:002011-12-07T12:30:21.752-08:00Between the Waves<em>"We shall not cease from exploration</em><br/><em>And the end of all our exploring</em><br/><em>Will be to arrive where we started</em><br/><em>And know the place for the first time.</em><br/><em>Through the unknown, unremembered gate</em><br/><em>When the last of earth left to discover</em><br/><em>Is that which was the beginning;</em><br/><em>At the source of the longest river</em><br/><em>The voice of the hidden waterfall</em><br/><em>And the children in the apple-tree</em><br/><em>Not known, because not looked for</em><br/><em>But heard, half-heard, in the stillness</em><br/><em>Between two waves of the sea.</em><br/><em>Quick now, here, now, always—</em><br/><em>A condition of complete simplicity</em><br/><em>(Costing not less than everything)</em><br/><em>And all shall be well and</em><br/><em>All manner of thing shall be well</em><br/><em>When the tongues of flame are in-folded</em><br/><em>Into the crowned knot of fire</em><br/><em>And the fire and the rose are one."</em><br/><br/><em>-TS Eliot, Little Gidding</em><br/><br/><em><img src="http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/newslet/summer03/fog.jpg" alt="" width="568" height="426" /></em><br/><br/>What a beautiful poem. "To arrive at the place where we started, and know the place for the first time." This is the longing in my heart. To go back to the place where I first knew Jesus, before man's religion strangled the newborn shoot.<br/><br/>This was both a place of confidence in God, and adventure for myself. The Great Adventure of getting to know Him. Of hope and possibility, of transformation and refinement.<br/><br/>For years I have lived grieving what was lost. Grieving things I had no say over. I remember when we were first forced to resign our staff position, I would go on these long walks wearing my "celebrity in hiding" sunglasses....and cry. The tears would roll down my face and I would sing this song my Grandfather taught me, "Don't cry for me Argentina. The truth is I never left you. All threw my wild days, my mad existence, I kept my promise, Don't keep your distance."<br/><br/>"The truth is I never left you...." "I never left...." "I didn't want to go."<br/><br/>When my Grandfather passed a few months ago, my mother reminded me of how he taught me that song as a child. I wonder if he had any notion that it would become a coping skill...a survival tool, when I was in the throes of deep grief and trauma.<br/>The trauma phase was rough, it's like living with an exposed wound...you feel everything. After it comes "the fog." It's like walking into a field and having a heavy fog roll in. It's calm, numbing, and disorienting. The road signs that had been directing my life are no longer visible. Points of reference are gone. The world gets bigger and smaller all at the same time. There is space for meandering, and space to get lost. It is in the mist that I discovered grace. In fact in many ways it was grace. The fog, the numbness, the lack of striving, the just being had a grace quality to it. It was healing, comforting in many ways. Like being wrapped in a warm cozy blanket on a misty Puget Sound morning.<br/><br/>The only problem was getting lost there. Getting lost between the waves.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264055578286633288.post-32446876973002589692011-01-18T11:04:00.000-08:002011-12-07T12:30:21.753-08:00I'm not really living<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/dreamstimefree_1444585.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6" title="At a window" src="http://thedeeperpath.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/dreamstimefree_1444585.jpg?w=224" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></a>I'm convinced of that. This isn't working, (how's that for honest?) There has to be more. There has to be way to navigate life in a semi-healthy manner. Something to inspire and direct my artsy personality. Something to inspire my role as wife as and mother.</p><br/>I used the think I had the answers. I had an encounter with God in my teen years that was life changing. I knew I had found something worth living for. And it worked for quite a while. I went to Seminary, married a Pastor and went into ministry. In many ways "I" was fulfilled. I had a growing brood of kids, my art was thriving, and I took great pleasure in my domestic career.<br/><br/>Then disaster struck. Some betrayals are easier to recover from than others. infidelity is devastating, but I would put forth that there is something worse....<br/><br/>When all your eggs are in the basket of church, of serving God and serving others, when that basket is ripped from your grasp and dashed on the ground....life as you knew it ends.<br/><br/>The death of relationships...<br/>The death of dreams and hopes...<br/>The death of inspiration and hope...<br/><br/>...and most devastating of all, the death of Faith!<br/><br/>I could have forgiven a husband, gone to counseling, healed a marriage...<br/>...but how do you forgive God? He could have stopped what happened? I was His servant, why didn't he protect me? Why does an All Powerful God allow "Wolves in Shepherds clothing?"<br/><br/>When someone you trusted as Shepherd rips you to shreds, and leaves you to die...how do you ever trust God again?<br/><p style="text-align:center;">These are some of the questions that have been running thru my mind for the last few years. Some I have found answers to. Like this....yes, there are wolves who rip apart sheep, but there are other shepherds who bind up wounds.<br/>Yes, horrible things happened to me, but God never dropped me. There was a cool cup of water right when I needed it, there was a soothing balm placed on my wounds, and protective wings encased about when the attacks continued. Yes, God took very good care of me after the tragedy, but could I trust Him again?<br/>Could I trust myself? No longer would I blindly follow anyone...innocence was ripped away from me.</p><br/>It is good to be strong. To take care of ones self, but it is lonely and scary at times.<br/><br/>It is good to be safe and have boundaries, but what happens when they become prisons?<br/><br/>...and so, I'm not really living. I'm caught in limbo, somewhere between spiritual death and life. I hunger for God, for the hope of a life I once knew. I fear God, religion and church life.<br/><br/>...and yet this isn't living. Going thru life in response to a tragedy is good for a season. It protects and helps you face things about yourself you may not have had to before. Eventually, though new questions arise...<br/><br/>Who am I really? What do I need to live life abundantly? How do I move on?<br/><br/>and...Was everything lost, or are there a few eggs that didn't break?<br/><br/>This is my Journey. The journey beyond faith and to faith. A going deeper. A hope.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10634113647173779251noreply@blogger.com0