Category: Church

St. Constantine and Helen – Greece

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About Helen and St. Constantine

St. Helen was born at Drepanum (Helenopolis) in Asia Minor. Married to Constantius Chlorus, their son  St. Constantine the Great, was born in 274. Helen & Constantius were divorced in 294.

Constantine out of great honor and respect, granted his mother the imperial title “Augusta,” after he became emperor,

St. Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 when he became the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire. This guaranteed religious tolerance for Christians. It is believed that St. Helen, who was a Christian, may have influenced him in this decision. He also extended the provisions of the Edict of Milan to the Eastern half of the Empire. Christians could finally practice their faith without fear after three hundred years of persecution.

It is said that there are more churches than people in the village of Vothonas, where we were staying. This is easy to believe as one walks through the town. We passed more churches than we could count. Consequently, the cave house we were renting was across the street from what is known as “The Big Church”.

On the morning of May 21, 2017, while lounging, we heard what sounded like gunshots! I hit the floor (my natural reaction from living in the ghetto!)

My brother and I ran to the front of the house to see what was happening. It was a Church Celebration in honor of St. Constantine and Helen! We watched as several hundred participants walked in honor of these saints. It was a touching moment. I was honored to be able to see it up close and personal.

 

Love and Tolerance

For many years, Love and Tolerance has been my code. This sometimes means being tolerant of the intolerant. It may sound passive, but serenity is disrupted when one succumbs to anger and resentment.

Nowadays, in the U.S. there seems to be a lot of intolerance. Surprisingly, most come from the Christian community. Maybe this is fear based. No community wants their right to be taken away. God forbid that Christians might be persecuted in this great nation.

However, we must not let fear motivate us. Lest we succumb to the atrocious behaviors of historical intolerance.

Love, tolerance, unity, and empathy are not political policies. They are God-given emotions and behaviors first. (1)

I believe love and tolerance start within our homes, our neighborhoods, and our communities. Last month, the U.S. pulled out of the Paris Climate Control Agreement. Many were wailing gloom and doom projections. On the other hand, state and local governments were committing to hold to the agreement regardless.

Commitment from the grass roots! Sometimes political battles are lost. But the commitments don’t have to be. Thus, we can apply the practice of love and tolerance even if we don’t believe our government is.

Love, tolerance, unity, and empathy are not political policies. They are emotion and behavior first. How can you see yourself applying these values within your home and community? Talk to me…and stay blissful my friends – E

Sunday Shot of Bliss VII.

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Good Times-Bad Times

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. – Ecclesiastes 7:14

My faith is not so much in danger when hard times hit. These are the moments I am brought to my knees.  In my anguish, I will say to my God “I can’t do this anymore.” He will softly reply, “Good, now let me handle it.”

But when things are going smoothly, I have to be extra alert to my complacency. Sometimes, when the momentum is strong – so is my ego. EGO = Edging God Out. Such behavior can lead to self-made misery, of which I am a good architect – if I don’t remain spiritually vigilant.

This is evident within my marriage. My husband chose to marry me when I was in the thick of my fight with Gastroparesis. Having lost 65 pounds from starving the prior year and not knowing if this weight loss/starving would end in the near future, he still wanted to marry me.

During this time there were numerous trips to the ER. One night in particular, my husband would tell me a year later he thought for sure I would not be coming home that night. I had no idea what his fears were because he remained so strong. There were nights, after puking my guts out I would find him in the bedroom straightening out the comforter and diffusing peppermint essential oil. There would be a cough drop laying on my pillow waiting for me. This is when our marriage was at its strongest.

Now two years into my remission, we have to pause at times and discuss how we are doing. So used to functioning under difficult circumstances, we now have to get used to living with my good health. It seems to take more work, more vigilance. We both know how worthwhile it is. So we do this because we love each other. Because we are committed.

This takes daily communication. Daily communication with each other. Daily communication with God. Spiritual Vigilance.

Daily communication with God

I am not talking dogma. I am referring to a daily conversation with your God, however it works for you. Some pray on their knees, some in a chair, some in their car. When I think about road trips with my husband, I recognize that these are some of the best conversations we have. So why not with God? Some use prayer beads to keep focus during prayer. Some pray for an assigned length of time and some just go with the flow.  Prayer is personal. Like any other form of communication, it takes practice to find your rhythm. My prayer life is my prayer life and yours is yours. Neither are the same nor are they wrong.

Staying in touch with God daily makes it so much easier to call upon Him when the sh*t hits the fan. (Yes I did use a four-lettered word and no, I don’t think God minds at all.) We can avoid that awkward beginning of prayer “God, I know I only talk to you when things go very wrong, but…” Not that God needs us to pray to him, prayer is for our own benefit. I am fairly certain that God is NOT checking off on a chart each time we pray to him. We are not on a spiritual gold star system.

The other part is in listening for God’s voice or seeking His messages if you will. So many lessons are to be learned from all of His creation if you are truly searching for them. People laugh when I say that God speaks to me through my dogs. “Your dog talks to you?”, my granddaughter once asked. Not exactly. I will see a manner of behavior in them that will remind me of something I need to work on in myself.  Because I am paying attention now. I am asking God to speak to me however He so choses.

All this takes time and practice. A good start:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Stay Blissful My Friends – E

Sunday Shot of Bliss IV.

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Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. - Casey Kasem
Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. – Casey Kasem

When I was the little girl, I used to look up to stars and wish myself away from the violence and the chaos of my life. It helped to look up and away from all of the gravel and asphalt. Away from the angry people. Away from that man who used to pull a gun on me on my way to school and then pull the trigger. “Click”.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm. 8:3-4)

I always knew I would have a better life, even at such a young age. The stars were not my God, but a representation of the hope I would have in my God knowing someday that better life would be attained.

Source: http://whatwillmatter.com/2012/01/worth-seeing-beautiful-images-to-remind-you-to-spend-more-time-looking-at-the-stars-above-and-within/
It is said that stars represent high hopes and great ideals. I like this concept!

There was a time when my hopes seemed so high. To live in a decent neighborhood, to have a nice home and a car that runs without having to push start it every day.

After all this came to pass, I realized just how not so high these hopes were. Again, I wanted better. I wanted to be better. To be a friend among friends, a worker among workers. To be a better parent to my children. To have something to offer others. To be of service to all of God’s creation.

My hopes and ideals are not too lofty, but they are bigger than myself. I cannot achieve them on my own. That is where a good support group, fellowship or whatever you want to call it comes in. The good news is that there are people who have lived this before and are more than happy to share with each other how they did it!

I have heard this song several times this week. I used to think it was a corny love song. Now as I hear the chorus “Waiting”. I realized this star could represent anything we are waiting on. A life partner, a job/career move, a home, retirement (gulp), the birth of a child, and for some of us just a better way of life (whatever that means).

Keep in mind that waiting, does not mean being slothful  until said “star” arrives. We must work for it. If it just happened, how much would we appreciate it? Just like labor pains; though they are difficult to experience, how easily are they forgotten when that newborn baby is placed in our arms?

I understand labor and working while waiting. Sometimes, it seemed that a bad situation was never going to end. Or more concerning, potentially get worse…and sometimes it did.

Source: http://www.bhmpics.com/shooting_star-wallpapers.html
Source: http://www.bhmpics.com/shooting_star-wallpapers.html

It is said that a shooting star represents a fleeting moment. “This too shall pass”. Thank you God for that one. If I didn’t have this cliché in the back of my head (and also tattooed on my shoulder), I would have lost my mind several years ago.

Are you waiting on a star to fall? Are you willing to work while you are waiting, to overcome the obstacles? Can you accept each circumstance along the way knowing “This too shall pass”? Will you share your experience and empower others along the way?

Stay Blissful My Friends – E