Highlights



Today I finally found (it was lost!) a beautiful book on praying the rosary that a friend had given me for Pascha. I only used it once, and after that it just disappeared. Turns out, the couch had swallowed it. I'd slid the couch out from the wall, but apparently it had gotten kicked down to the other end, where I only sort of swiveled the couch when I was looking for it. Today I was inspired to ask for help, and my dh actually lifted the thing (too heavy for me) and there it was...along with lots of pencils, an alarm clock that kept going off every morning at 7:45 am, and some rather large dust bunnies.

I was so happy to have found it. It has the appropriate icons on the page opposite of the prayers for each of the mysteries...most of them from St. Catherine's monastery on Mt. Sinai. (An aside: My Sunday School students were so cute a few weeks ago, when we were learning about Moses going up the mountain to receive the law from God, and I mentioned that now there is an Orthodox monastery on the very same mountain. Their little eyes sort of got big and round and they were in awe. Continuity is a beautiful thing!) So, my precious new book is found, and I'm glad.

Another nice thing that happened today is that I went down to Vespers BY MYSELF! It was so nice not to have to ride herd on the kiddos. And then I had an actual conversation with an actual adult person afterwards. That was cool. Vespers was beautiful. After the litany, we did an akathist. I love singing the melody for the akathists. The only way I know the music is because I have one on CD. So, I was able to sing along and the music is so ethereal, and just hits the right spot in my brain to make me happy. Finally, this week, the dry spell I've been in is lifting. Finally a little bit of Paschal joy is seeping in to my withered soul. I don't think I'll ever take such joy for granted. This year has been weird that way. Everyone around me all happy and me just feeling like a dishrag.

Christ is Risen!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm glad that you were able to enjoy service- I, on the otherhand, have not been to an Orthodox service in over a week and I REALLY miss it!! That is the trouble with traveling. I will, hopefully, be back to church in a week. Just in time for the baptism- I can't wait for that!

Oh, and I wanted to comment that you are one gorgeous dishrag (that is the first thing that popped into my head as I finished reading you post)!
Alana said…
Awwww, you are too sweet. But thanks for the compliment. I was thinking more in terms of spiritually a dishrag.
What's an akathist please?
Alana said…
An akathist is a type of Orthodox hymn, or prayer, that is divided into about thirteen stanzas called "Ikos" that have a repetitive them and each end with the same line. These are interspersed with verses. An akathist is usually canted and sung alternately by a chanter and a choir, and is very beautiful. All kinds of Akathists have been written.

Here is a link to an akathist to Jesus:

http://www.monachos.net/library/Akathist_Hymn_to_Our_Sweetest_Jesus_Christ