The Gates of Hell

I often hear it said that "the gates of Hell shall not prevail" against God's Church.  Usually, I hear it in the context of a temporary set back in the Church, spoken as encouragement from a pastor to a suffering Christian.  But it occurs to me that gates are not a weapon to be broken on the neck of the Church.  A gate never killed anyone.  No.  I think what Jesus had in mind when he said the gates of Hell woud not prevail against his Church was a battering ram.  Yes, the Church is a battering ram, smashing the gates of Hell into oblivion so that it's prisoners can be free.  It is a battering ram driving missionaries into un-Christian lands, lands where they kill Christians but where the gates of Hell will be smashed open.  It is a battering ram, knocking down the gates of Satan's strongholds in my heart.  The gates of Hell can not prevail because the Church is God's seige engine of uncirmuscribed love.  His weapon of truth. But if the Church does not attack the gates will hold, and those trapped in Hell while living on this earth will die and spend eternity in Hell.  If I do not let the Church wage war against the wickedness in my heart I will be found impure on the Day of the Lord.

Bob the Builder

The work week is over.  Here is a list of tools I used this week: Bosch roto-hammer, 4 lb mini-sledge, mill file, shovel, Bobcat with front end loader, rebar bender-cutter, dikes, pipe wrench, De Walt 12v cordless drill, assorted Craftsman combination wrenches, 34 inch Pittsburgh (it is made in China) wrench, assorted punches, De Walt 4" angle grinder with diamond blade, Makita 7"angle grinder with flap wheel, De Walt chop-saw with carbide blade, channel lock pliers, Craftsman 1/2" socket set, Craftsman 1/4" socket set,  18 inch Crescent wrench, hex wrenches, Klein insulated screw driver, wire strippers, wire crimpers, Lincoln flux core welding machine, three different prybars (The smallest is one foot long.  The largest is five feet long and weighs 80lbs!), De Walt bench grinder with wire wheel, trowel, rebar tying hook, Milwaukee reciprocal saw, Skill rotary saw.

Too Old for Narnia

Last night I went into the boys' room to read to them.  I took from the shelf The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis.  They both complained of my choice.  Basil said he had heard it before, to which explained that he had heard two of the Narnia books but not this one.  Anselm said he was "too old for Narnia" and that he liked Greek gods and heros now.  To that I said, "I'm 43 and still love Narnia, besides, I don't think you remember this book since it was a few years ago that you last heard it."

After the first page of the first chapter I stopped reading and asked, "Shall I stop?" Basil said "NO!"  Anselm said, "No, this is good."  At the end of the chapter, when I closed the book they begged me to keep reading.  I read them another chapter tonight, again they begged me to keep reading when I had finished the chapter.

People are so funny.  We think we know what we like and don't like.  I wonder, how many good things have I passed by and not noticed because I thought I was "too old" or too serious, or too sophisticated?

Saturday Soundtrack

Like much of the music that forms the soundtrack of my life, I first heard this song because of my brother Mark.  Interestingy, I didn't even know it formed part of my soundtrack until earlier tonight when I heard some of the cast of Garison Keilor's show singing it, and sang along with them.  I was surprised that I knew all the words.  This version of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" is really cool because it isn't only Al Green, but lots of other amazing musicians, such as Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, and Toni Childs all working together under the direction of Paul Shaffer (he is a musical genius.) during Letterman's 7th anniversary show.    

Al Green, as you probably know, became a Christian minister and left show business.  He has since returned to show business.  Toni Childs still has an intersting voice and is still recording and performing.  Carlos Santana is still performing and doing works of philanthropy.  Melissia Etheridge is still a musician, but, sadly, she has allowed her homosexual activities to eclipse her music-making.  Tito Puente the greatest percussionist ever to come out of Puerto Rico died of old age in 2000.  He was a decorated veteran of WWII (he served on a U.S. Navy warship) and a lifelong performer.  In 1997 he was awarded the National Medal for the Arts, the United States' highest award in the name of the people (That is what distiguishes it from the Kennedy Center Honors, which is more of an honor in the name of the cutural eites.) In 2003 he was posthumously awarded a Grammy for lifetime achievement. Paul Shaffer (he is a musical genius) still works as David Letterman's music director, but also is the musical director for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and has released to albums of recorded work.

St. Ignatius

Until I heard his name at vespers earlier tonight I hadn't noticed that today (Orthodox Christians begin the day at sundown) is the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch.   St. Ignatius is one of the people who lead me to Orthodox Christitianity.  In his seven letters, which he wrote in the 1st century while under arrest and on his way to be fead to lions (I found the letters on the shelves of the library at Peninsula Bible Church), I learned that the bishop, working together with the priests and deacons, rules his diocese like a father rules hisfamily (letter to the church at Magnesia), I learned that bishops work together to serve the whole Church (Letter to Polycarp), that the bloodless sacrifice is the central event of Christian worship (Letter to the church at Ephesus).  I even saw, in the difference between the letters to the six churches and the letter to Polycarp how a metropolitan addresses churches in his metropolia and how he adresses a bishop outside his jurisdiction.   In short, St. Ignatius' letters caused me to doubt the church structure of my Protestant Christianity and primed me to recognize ancient Church structure when I saw it a couple of years later in the Orthodox Church.  

But my favorite thing said by St. Ignatius is something all Christians agree with.  It is from the letter to the Trallians:

"Stop your ears, therefore, when any one speaks to you at variance with Jesus Christ, who was descended from David, and was also of Mary; who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate; He was truly crucified and died, in the sight of beings in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. He was also truly raised from the dead, his Father having raised him up, as in the same manner his Father will raise up us who believe in him by Christ Jesus, apart from whom we do not possess the true life."

So, we Orthodox Christians give praise and honor to our father in the Holy Faith, Ignatius of Antioch.


Troparion

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,

you became a successor to their throne.

Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation,

O inspired one of God;

by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith,

even to the shedding of your blood.

Hieromartyr Ignatius, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Kontokion

 The stirring celebration of your victorious fight

Is an announcement of the One who is to be born of the Virgin.

In your eagerness to possess Him forever,

You hastened to be devoured by the wild beasts.

Therefore, O glorious Ignatius, you were called the bearer of God!

Tattle-tales and Love

The boys have been bothering me with their tattleing on each other.  So I got the Icon of St. Peter down off the wall, and with the icon in my lap and each boy sitting beside me, I read to them a sermon on Love and Peter preached by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh.   Then we taked about love and not rejoicing in the misdeeds of others. And, beeseching the prayers of St. Peter we asked God to help us love each other like Peter loves Jesus and Jesus loves Peter.  Basil was in tears by the end, but I think Anselm still wants to tattle.

Something I Wish the Orthodox Had: A Call to Artists

Every month the leaders of my Cub Scout Pack meet in the science cassroom of a Roman Catholic school. On the wall is a poster of their liturgical calendar.  I look at it with envy every month.  I wish such a thing existed for Orthodox kids, so they could see how the year fits together.   Our calendar poster would be much more detailed, with weekly tones, fasts & feasts, etc.

The other thing I wish we had was a books of the Bible poster like the Protestants had when I was a boy.  It was a simple thing.  It showed two book cases, one the left was the OT, on the right was the NT.  Shelves on the left were labeled "Law", "History", "Poetry", "Major Prophets", & "Minor Prophets".  The shelves on the Right were labeled "Gospels", "History", "Epistles", and "Prophecy".  The poster showed each book of the Protestant Bible as a book on one of these shelves.

I don't think I am up to making a poster of the Calendar but I might try the poster of the books of the Orthodox Holy Scriptures.  I don't think it would be too hard.  And, I think, there is a need for this kind of stuff.  It helps kids learn who they are and what is important.

Rquired Reading for Spring Semester

After a year off, I am starting back to work on the masters degree in history. It will be a lot of work, but it ought to be fun. At least the reading list looks fun. In fact, I've already read some of these books.

Roberts, John M., A Short History of the World (Oxford University Press)
Standage, Tom, History of the World in Six Glasses (Walker & Company)
Burke, Peter, French Historical Revolution: The Annales School, 1929-1989 (Stanford University Press)
Manning, Patrick, Navigating World History: Historians Create a Global Past (Palgrave)
Davis, Leo Donald, The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787) (Michael Gazier, Inc.)
Ostrogorsky, George, History of the Byzantine State (Rutgers University Press)
Hollister, W., Medieval Europe: A Short Sourcebook, 4th Ed. (McGraw-Hill)
Bennett, Judith, Medieval Europe: A Short History, 11th Ed. (McGraw-Hill)

If the papers I write are any good, I'll post them here.

The Kingdom of God is Within You

From the Detailed Rules for Monks by Saint Basil the Great, bishop 
(Resp. 2, 1: PG 31, 908-910) 
The ability to love is within each of us

Love of God is not something that can be taught. We did not learn from someone else how to rejoice in light or want to live, or to love our parents or guardians. It is the same-perhaps even more so—with our love for God: it does not come by another’s teaching. As soon as the living creature (that is, man) comes to be, a power of reason is implanted in us like a seed, containing within it the ability and the need to love. When the school of God’s law admits this power of reason, it cultivates it diligently, skillfully nurtures it, and with God’s help brings it to perfection.

For this reason, as by God’s gift, I find you with the zeal necessary to attain this end, and you on your part help me with your prayers. I will try to fan into flame the spark of divine love that is hidden within you, as far as I am able through the power of the Holy Spirit.

First, let me say that we have already received from God the ability to fulfill all his commands. We have then no reason to resent them, as if something beyond our capacity were being asked of us. We have no reason either to be angry, as if we had to pay back more than we had received. When we use this ability in a right and fitting way, we lead a life of virtue and holiness. But if we misuse it, we fall into sin.

This is the definition of sin: the misuse of powers given us by God for doing good, a use contrary to God’s commands. On the other hand, the virtue that God asks of us is the use of the same powers based on a good conscience in accordance with God’s command.

Since this is so, we can say the same about love. Since we received a command to love God, we possess from the first moment of our existence an innate power and ability to love. The proof of this is not to be sought outside ourselves, but each one can learn this from himself and in himself. It is natural for us to want things that are good and pleasing to the eye, even though at first different things seem beautiful and good to different people. In the same way, we love what is related to us or near to us, though we have not been taught to do so, and we spontaneously feel well disposed to our benefactors.

What, I ask, is more wonderful than the beauty of God? What thought is more pleasing and wonderful than God’s majesty? What desire is as urgent and overpowering as the desire implanted by God in a soul that is completely purified of sin and cries out in its love: I am wounded by love? The radiance of divine beauty is altogether beyond the power of words to describe.

This Is Why I Am Orthodox

Back in the 1990s my very good and wonderful, full of love, and committed to the Bible church, Peninsula Bible Church in Cupertino (home of some of the best preaching I ever heard), lost it's worship pastor, and for a long time it was without one.  There were a lot of people who came through as temps or try-outs.  I remember one was very academical and tried to direct the congregation like it was a choir.  Another, who came up for the weekend from southern Caifornia, lead us in singing Desperado. (I'm not making that up.)  And there were alot of discussions among the people about what exactly worship should be.  I guess it was the summer of 1998 or, maybe, 1999 that I first stepped into an Orthodox church and was blown away by what I saw and heard and smelled.  I remember thinking, "this is the kind of setting where God is likely to appear".

Sometimes, when people ask me why I became Orthodox I jokingly say "I came for the baklava but stayed for vodka."  In reality, I came for the worship.  I stayed for the truth.   Or, something like that.

The Polyeleos (greek for "many mercies") is an example of that worship: Scriptural, joyful, reverent, beautiful.  It is a blending of two Psalms with "alleluia" inserted in between the verses.

The Christian Parent

 Metropolitan EPHREM of Tripoli said
1) The role of a Christian parent is to help his children to pass from earthly life to heavenly life;
2) A Christian parent’s one and only concern is for the salvation of his children;
3) A Christian parent seeks above all to help his children to be filled with the Grace of the Most High; and
4) A Christian parent is supposed to be moved by the Spirit of God and not by that of the world.

Atai Parthenos (Today This Virgin) A Coptic Orthodox Hymn

هذه العذراء نالت اليوم كرامة هذه العروس نالت اليوم مجد، هذه الملتحفة بأطراف موشاة بالذهب مزينة بأنواع كثيرة.
Today, this virgin received honor. Today, this virgin received glory. Her clothing is woven with gold and adorned with many colors.

داود حرك الوتر الأول من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: قامت الملكة عن يمينك أيها الملك. (مز ٤٥:٩)
David moved the 1st string of his harp crying out and saying: At your right hand stands the queen O king (Psalm 45:9).


وحرك الوتر الثاني من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: اسمعي يا ابنتي وأنظري وأميلي أذنك وانسي شعبك وبيت أبيك. (مز ٤٥ : ١٠)
And he moved the second string from his harp crying out and saying: Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your own people also, and your father's house (Psalm 45:10).

وحرك الوتر الثالث من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: كل مجد ابنة الملك من الداخل مشتملة بأطراف موشاة بالذهب. (مز ٤٥ : ١٣)
And he moved the third string from his harp crying out and saying: The royal daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is woven with gold (Psalm 45:13).

وحرك الوتر الرابع من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: يدخلن إلي الملك عذاري خلفها. (مز ٤٥ : ١٤)
And he moved the forth string from his harp crying out and saying: Virgins shall enter to the king after her (Psalm 45:14).

وحرك الوتر الخامس من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: عظيم هو الرب ومسبح جدا في مدينة إلهنا علي جبله المقدس. (مز ٤٨ : ١)
And he moved the fifth string from his harp crying out and saying: Great is our Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain (Psam 48:1).

وحرك الوتر السادس من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: أجنحة حمامة موشاة بفضة ومنكباها بصفرة الذهب. (مز ٦٨ : ١٣)
And he moved the sixth string from his harp crying out and saying: The wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold (Psalm 68:13).

وحرك الوتر السابع من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: جبل الله الجبل الدسم الجبل المجبن الجبل الدسم. (مز ٦٨ : ١٥)
And he moved the seventh string from his harp crying out and saying: The mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan (Psalm 68:15).

وحرك الوتر الثامن من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: أساساته في الجبال المقدسة، أحب الرب أبواب صهيون. (مز ٨٧ : ١و٢)
And he moved the eighth string from his harp crying out and saying: His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion (Psalm 87:1, 2).

وحرك الوتر التاسع من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: تكلموا من أجلك بأعمال كريمة يا مدينة الله. (مز ٨٧ : ٣)
And he moved the ninth string from his harp crying out and saying: Glorious things are spoken of you O city of God (Psalm 87:3).

وحرك الوتر العاشر من قيثارته صارخا قائلا: الرب اختار صهيون ورضيها مسكنا له. (مز ١٢٢ : ١٣)
And he moved the tenth string from his harp crying out and saying: For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation (Psalm 122:13).

Saturday Soundtrack: My Ten Least Favorite Christmas Pop Songs and my Favorite Christmas Pop Song

10.  Jingle Bell Rock - Really?  This is the best thing you can think of doing on Christmas?
9.  My Grown Up Christmas List - Wow! What a self-righteous trip this song's writer must have been on.
8.  It's a Marshmallow World - except for the live version with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin)
7. Christmas by the Bay - Well, yes, it is the best City in the world, but really, can't we think about someone other than ourselves on Christmas?
6. Santa Clause is Coming to Town  - What is a "rooty-toot-toot"?
5. Feliz Navidad - The is my son Basil's favorite Christmas song, and I dig the the whole South of the Border thing, but I think it's too repetitive.
4. Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney's worst song ever.  Someone, please, unplug that synthesizer.
3. My Favorite Things -  The Sound of Music is one of my all time fave plays, but this song isn't about Christmas.
2. Happy Christmas (War is Over) - What a dismal song.  It's like the opposite of Paul McCartney's Christmas song, but not in a good way.
1. Last Christmas - Isn't a song about the sex life of that guy from Wham! what you wan't to sing about on Christmas?

This is my fave Christmas pop song.  It contains the whole Gospel plus you can dance to it!

Beauty

I don't know why, perhaps it is because someone recently challenged my practice of venerating Mary, saying the Orthodox Church's exaltation of her is a remnant of paganism, but tonight at the vigil I found this song very moving...


My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.
For He has regarded the humility of His handmaid. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.
For He Who is mighty and Whose Name is holy has done wonders for me. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.
He has shown His strength with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.
He has put down princes from their thrones and has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.
He has taken Israel as His child in remembrance of His mercy, as He promised our fathers, Abraham and his sons forever.
     More honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, thou who in virginity didst bear God the Word; thee, true Mother of God, we magnify.

Here it is in a slightly different translation but sung...

Eclipse, Welding, Advent, Book

Eclipse Welding Christmas Book

Athanasia and I woke the boys up early this morning, and we went out and watched the lunar eclipse.  We were able to see the last sliver of the moon  go dark just before it slipped below the clouds and fog on the Santa Cruz mountains.  Athanasia and the boys are back in bed now, but I'll wake them up in an hour so Anselm can get ready to go on his first hike with a Boy Scout Troop.  He is aWebelos now, and is making the transition from Cub Scout to Boy Scout.  I can hardly believe how fast these years are flying by.  It seems like yesterdy that he fisrt put on that blue uniform and said the Cub Scout Promise.

The other day my boss asked me if I know how to weld.  I had to tell him I don't know.  I hated that.  Sometimes I feel so useless at work.  I am sure that if it wasn't for my braun and enthusiasm they would have let me go a long time ago.  Anyway, I checked out a company called TechShop and am signed up to take welding classes when my company closes for the first week of Christmas.  I'm very excited about it.  In a couple of weeks, if my boss needs something welded I'll be able to do it.

We are reading The Advent Storybook again this year.  Every day of December Benjamin Bear opens another door on his Advent Calendar, and his mother tells a story about what he finds in the calendar.  The first day he opened a door and saw a star, so his mother began the story about a little bear who begins to follow the star to Bethlehem.   Each day the little bear encounters whatever Benjamin Bear finds in his advent calendar.  Each day, through pictures and words a little bit more of the Gospel is revealed.  Sometimes it is subtle, such as last night when the only hint of the Gospel was the number of men (three) traveling in a caravan  toward Bethlehem.  Other times it is more obvious.  It is a good book for our family.  The daily readings are short, and there are layers of meaning so Anselm Samuel picks up on stuff that Basil Wenceslas (he is six) doesn't, and then he explains it to Basil.

Popcorn Balls

Last night my god daughters and their parents came over.  It was a grand good time.  The kids made lanterns out of glass jars, and they made fairies out of pipe cleaners and artificial flowers.  They seemed to have a lot of fun. We mulled wine and cider.

Today after dropping Athanasia off at work and the boys off at school I was able to go to church for about an hour.  I was present for the end of Matins and the 1st half of the Divine Liturgy.  Then I had to leave to go to an appointment with a physician.

She said I'm doing better and the hole in my leg should be all healed in two more weeks if I can keep infection at bay.  I'm doing my best.

Athanasia made blue popcorn balls, in honor of the Theotokos' feast day today. She is the best mom.

The Advent Wreath

Last Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, Basil's Sunday School class made Advent wreaths.  Or, at least, started making Advent wreaths.  Today, Athanasia and the boys completed it with greenery from redwood, juniper, holly, pine, and orange trees.  I brought six candles home from church to put in the wreath.

Tonight as we shall for all six Sundays leading up to Christmas, we sung a little service at home.  

With all of us standing around the table, with the Advent wreath on the table, Basil Wenceslas lit the first candle. We faced the Icon and sang O Heavenly King, as Orthodox always do before lessons.

Then, sitting, I reminded the boys about our ancestors' expulsion from the garden and how they lost true wisdom and knowledge of God.  But I also told them that God was not content for us to have our minds darkened, and he promised to send a redeemer, the Messiah.  I read them the promise in Genesis 3:15, and explained that God repeated the promise, and even made a people, Israel, whose job it was, in part, to keep knowledge of that promise alive.  And we talked about how sometimes Israel didn't do a very good job and God sent prophets to remind them, and that lead us into Anselm Samuel reading the prophecy of Isaiah  

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORDAnd shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.

And we talked about how Christ means anointed or chrismated, and that Jesus is called Christ, which in Hebrew is Messiah, because he is anointed with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Wisdom resides in him, and that with his wisdom he lifts the darkness from our minds and teaches us to be wise, not like our ancestors who gave up wisdom, that is fellowship with God for mere knowledge of good and evil, but wisdom born out of fear of God.


Then Athanasia prayed this English translation of the first O-Antiphon...

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, 

reaching from one end to the other mightily, 

and sweetly ordering all things: 

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Then we all sang this verse from O Come O Come Emanuel

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high, 

Who ordered all things mightily; 

To us the path of knowledge show, 

and teach us in her ways to go. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to you, O Israel!

And then Basil Wenceslas blew out the candle until next Saturday night when he will light two.

Three Children's Christmas Books

     Basil's Cub Scout Den visited the fire house on Saturday.  The fire fighters were a great bunch of guys.  This was the second time we visited this fire house.  The first time, two months ago they had to respond to a fire just as the wee Cub Scouts arrived for their tour.  This time there were no emergencies so the boys got the whole tour.  Their favorite part?  The brass pole the fire fighters use to get from upstairs to downstairs.  Really.  They liked the fire engine.  They liked the helmets.  But the LOVED the idea of grown men sliding down the pole.

     After the tour Basil and I walked to the library just 100 yards up the road.  While there we listened to two harpists.  We heard Morning Has Broken, And Can It Be, and Greenesleeves (We learned Greenesleeves was written by Henry VIII.) before Basil got squirmy and we went and looked at books.  

     I made a mistake of picking two books by their covers.  Santa's Snow Cat and Santa's Snow Kitten are worth avoiding.  Maybe, if you really like cats you'll like these books, but Basil couldn't get into them, and I also thought they were boring.  It seems the chief virtue of the books is that on every page there is a picture of a wide-eyed yet emotionless cat.  I have trouble thinking of predators sympathetically, but if you like pictures of cats and can look past the destruction cats visit on the wildlife of North America you might like these books.

     A far better book is The Gingerbread Baby. This book has a story that is familiar but has an unexpected ending. It isn't deep and meaningful, but it is fun.  And the illustrations are beautiful and rich.  Basil and Anselm both liked this book.

     I have a stuffed pumpkin in the oven.  Have been enjoying Strauss Family Creamery's egg nog.  The Nativity Fast starts soon and the egg nog will be sold out by the time Orthodox can drink milk again, so these first few days of november are the only time we can drink it.  But that's okay.  I can make my own egg nog, which I'll do during Christmas.

So much to write about

Well, let's see....   I've been working as a pump and compressor mechanic for a few months now.  I like it.  I think the most interesting thing I've learned how to do is sweat copper tubes for air, water, and oil lines.  I did hurt myself pretty bad with a diamond bladed cutter about 2 months ago.  It cut out a horrible gash in my leg (I lost part of my left tibia) and it hasn't completely healed yet.  It was a very dirty cut and it got infected.  That slowed healing.  But I am okay.  It is mostly healed now.

For the bast couple of weeks my son Billy has very much been on my mind.  I had the trisagion for the departed served for him after the Divine Liturgy last Sunday.  I miss him.  I haven't heard anything from my son Devon in months.  I hope he is okay.  I hope if he isn't that he'll let me know.

We celebrated the anniversary of our conversion to Orthodoxy on Nov. 3.  It is hard to believe it has been 9 years.  I hope I have made progress but I don't see it, if I have.

I've been searching for a 16 pocket wrench roll.  I want it to be leather, made in the U.S.A., and have a pocket large enough for a 1 1/4" combination wrench.  I haven't found what I am looking for.  But I did find this cool blog that tells how to make a wrench roll.

Over the past couple of months I've been reading The Lord of the Rings to Anselm.  I just finished it last week and was trying to decide what to read now.  Then I thought that this year, because we have amassed such a large collection over the years, I should start reading Christmas books early.  I started last night with reading aloud the first few stories of The Animals' Merry Christmas.  Hopefully, I'll be finished by Theophany.

Orthodoxy and Monarchy

Today, after the liturgy, I was talking with a reader and a subdeacon over coffee.  We were talking about books when the reader said, "The introduction to [A Gathered Radiance] contains the best explanation of why the Orthodox Church prefers a monarchy."  I expressed surprise at the idea and he the reader said, "Well, can you imagine Tolkein's last volume of Lord of The Rings set in a world of Republics?  Return of the Prime Minister just doesn't have the same power as Return of the King."