~ Blowin’ in the wind- a quick update~

We are experiencing some amazing winds and have been from about 3 am- today was garbage day and Fr. spent the morning collecting debris and garbage cans that have blown into our yard- we are at the end of the cul-de-sac. We have a collection of cans and recycling bins to return to the neighbors- I LOVE our neighbors and I like how we look out for one another. The boys have such concern for our elderly neighbor and she is such a dear.  Basil was sick all through the night and still this morning- poor guy, school was canceled and the house is full of life, the view of swirling snow and the sound of mother nature is beautiful  from inside our cozy home.  Maria~Angelica is all girl and we are enjoying every minute of it. We are grateful to have a  quiet day indoors as a family, as we continue to unpack, organize, decorate and make this house our home. Glory be to God for all His Blessings, we are so very grateful.

The view from my kitchen window, last night, before the winds started up- We are enjoying having the kitchen face the front of the house- it is a nice feature of this older home, the neighborhood is so pleasant and quaint.

Maria~Angelica getting her purse and stroller together to take her baby for an indoor walk. Baby’s name is, appropriately, “Baby”. Not very creative, but it works! The cute thing here is that she loaded up her purse with all her plastic stuff, keys, lipstick, cell phone etc… and then placed her purse on top of her stroller just like I do when I walk her in her stroller. She then made sure had everything else she needed in the basket below. She is such a little mommy and I haven’t actually told her what to do, she  just does it. Her doll play is just the sweetest thing they way she tends to her babies.

~Terrible situation in Kenya, prayers needed for the Orthodox Christians and all the people of Kenya!~

Dear Friends
Please pray for us in Kenya. Kenya is now on fire. It is now something beyond politics. It is becoming more Tribal and Ethnicity. Kenya is smelling blood. Pray for us.
I and my friend were stoned but “God is great” neither of us was hurt though all the side mirrors, the rear mirror and the windscreen of the car we were using was smashed down. Glory to God. It was on a Sunday and we hard just finished morning orthros, Liturgy and baptism of 27 people. On my way home, that’s when hell broke.
The body and the blood of Jesus that we had partaken covered us and that is why nothing harmful happened on our bodies.
As I am writing, people are being killed and slaughtered like chicken.  Personally I am doing well. We are just trying to fund raise and assist those who have been displaced by giving food and clothings and to some extend medicine.
Brothers and Sisters, if you feel that you would like to assist don’t hesitate to do so. For a quick response, you can send money through the WESTERN UNION MONEY LINK or any other quick way. Checks at the moment cant assist immediately.
Please continue praying for Kenya. Be blessed.

Fr. Philip Mugadizi.

Orthodox Church in Kenya Destroyed

Nairobi, Kenya –  Upon his return to Kenya from Egypt, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Kenya was greeted by scenes of widespread destruction and great suffering. His homecoming tour took him to some of the places hardest hit by the violence that flared over contested presidential elections.

In Nakuru, the Orthodox Church of the Holy Virgin has been completely destroyed. Many people, still afraid to travel, are staying in their homes. The thousands who have lost their homes are staying anywhere they can, including churches and parks.

The transportation system has largely stopped. As a result, many people are without food and medicine. The Red Cross is responding but the need is still great. The “Kenya Crisis Collection” that is being taken by the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is now being expanded to help His Eminence offer these basic provisions as he reaches out to the people of Kenya regardless of their tribal or religious affiliation on behalf of the Orthodox Church.

So far, ten-thousand dollars from this collection has been sent to buy food and medicine for the needy and suffering in Kenya, but much more is needed. According to His Eminence, it will take the country years to rebuild.

All donations for this special collection should be made payable to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center with “Kenya Crisis Collection” clearly marked in the check’s memo line. Gifts may be submitted to:

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center
Re: Kenya Crisis Collection
P.O. Box 4319
St. Augustine, FL 32085-4319

OCMC is a non-profit organization that has been commissioned by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) to proclaim the fullness of the Christian Faith by establishing and nurturing vibrant, Eucharistic communities, which evangelize those around them and minister to the poor.

~ Eternal be His Memory!~

Head of Greece’s Orthodox Church dies

January 28, 2008

This article has been adapted from the Associated Press Release.

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press Writer

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The leader of Greece’s powerful Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos, who eased centuries of tension with the Vatican but was viewed as reactionary by his liberal critics, died Monday. He was 69.

Christodoulos, who headed the church for a decade, was first hospitalized in Athens in June before being diagnosed with cancer of the liver and large intestine.

He spent 10 weeks in a hospital in Miami but an October liver transplant operation was canceled when doctors discovered the cancer had spread. He refused hospital treatment in the final weeks of his life. He died at his home in the Athens suburb of Psyhico, church officials said.

The Interior Ministry announced four days of national mourning and said Christodoulos would be buried on Thursday with full state honors. Across the country flags flew at half-staff, including atop the ancient Acropolis and on the parliament building.

The archbishop’s flag-draped coffin was taken to the cathedral in Athens, where his body will lie in state until his funeral. Hundreds of people began gathering outside to pay their respects.

Christodoulos was elected church leader in 1998 and is credited with reinvigorating the vast institution that represents 97 percent of Greece’s native born population.

He was one of several leaders of national Orthodox churches across the world. Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is the spiritual leader of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians.

Christodoulos helped create church Web sites and radio stations, and frequently issued detailed checklists on how black-clad Orthodox priests should conduct themselves in public.

In 2001, Christodoulos received the late John Paul II – the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years. They held the landmark meeting in Athens despite vigorous protests from Orthodox zealots.

The archbishop followed up in 2006 with an historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope Benedict XVI signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and stating opposition to abortion and euthanasia.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis paid tribute to the bravery the archbishop showed during his sickness in a statement released Monday. Describing him as an “enlightened” cleric, Karamanlis praised Christodoulos as a “religious leader who reinforced the role of Orthodoxy in the world,” and for bringing the church closer to the public.

President Karolos Papoulias expressed his sadness at news of the archbishop’s death and lauded him for his “rich and multifaceted contribution” in fighting for the church.

The Patriarchate in Istanbul also issued a statement expressing its sadness at the death.

Christodoulos was born Christos Paraskevaidis in 1939 in the northeastern Greek city of Xanthi, one of two sons of a wholesale food importer and devoutly religious mother.

Associated Press writer Elena Becatoros contributed to this report.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

~Terrible!~

Visiting bishop’s sacred items stolen from car in Arlington

Visiting clergyman says thief also took Bible from car in Arlington

A very funny list written by some PKs – not mine but give it a few years and they will be compiling their own list. The ones in bold are some that already ring true for my kids and one that isn’t on the list but should be is – your parents invited the entire parish and surrounding parishes to your baptism.

You know you’re a PK if….
-You know what PK stands for
-You have lived in at least 4 states
-You can turn it on and off when there are parishioners around
-You understand what I meant by turn it on and off
-You cannot believe your dad’s classmates are actually Priests
-You have to invite the entire parish to your wedding
-Your graduation party resembles a Greek festival more than a grad party
-You teach Sunday school by age 14
-You were the GOYA/SOYO president your senior year
-Everyone else leaves church at noon and you’re there until 2
-You were in Greek school for 6 years and don’t speak any Greek
-Everyone thinks you speak Greek
-You can’t talk to anyone without them asking you if you’re going to be a priest (boys)
-You can’t talk to anyone without them asking you if you’re going to be a presvytera (girls)
-You couldn’t identify your dad the first time he shaved off his beard
-Clergy Laity is not only a Biennial Congress but also your Biennial Vacation- click link for photos and more here.
-You have to explain to everyone that you’re NOT catholic
-You grew up thinking  Bishops were celebrities
-You are embarrassed when your dad wears his black robe in public
-You are the only person at your school that can distinguish between the robes Orthodox, Muslims and Indians wear
-You run when you see parishioners in public places
-You pity the young seminarians for their ignorance
-You are tired of hearing young priests complain because you have heard about what your parents went through
-You have run to get a snack at 11:45 pm on a Saturday night
-You have considered setting up a cot at church during Holy Week
-You have free range of the church office
-The secretary has doubled as your babysitter

With much love,

+ Pat, Stacey, Donna, Eleni and Candace

~Nothing to blog about?~

Well the last time I said that I got more then I bargained for! The magic erasers did work, so that is good, the walls look fine. Yesterday I had a mammogram and I am a little sore- that was my third one in  the last  8 years and all is well- that sure is a weird but necessary experience. 

Maria~Angelica is watching Dora and my make up is put away but I better go…..

I will leave you with a sweet picture of my mom and Maria~Angelica in Church over our Christmas break in Cincinnati- my mom is kissing Maria~Angelica and Maria~Angelica is in her comfort position.

Precious…

~Nicholas~

The boys’ guitar teacher asked, eight year old Nicholas,  if he would rather jump off a building or practice his guitar and Nicholas asked, “How tall is the building? ”

~This time not so cute….I suppose I didn’t learn my lesson  ~

It was eerily quite while I was in my bathroom this morning.  First my mind went to perhaps Maria~Angelica was busy, quietly slathering herself in my $18 a tube Aveda hand cream- which was a Christmas present from my SIL and I adore -it is often kept next to my bed and she has gotten into it before- but no she knows better right? Then I figured she must of dozed off on our bed, while watching Dora…. but alas that was not so, she was busy in my purse again- this time it was on my bedside table and she didn’t leave me ANY of my one and only designer lipstick.  In all my years that was my only lipstick not purchased from a drugstore and I only got that one because it was relatively cheap at the outlet mall cosmetic store…she did however use a mirror…. this on the heals of  last night’s “decorating” out side her bedroom door, on TWO walls- while I was INSIDE her bedroom with the door open, hanging her curtains ~sigh~ I hope a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will get it off- whoever thought to paint the walls with flat paint wasn’t doing much thinking.

Apparently, Maria~Angelica was not daunted to color on the walls while facing the icon of Christ and His Mother. Perhaps she is a budding iconography, one can only hope.

~Nothing to blog about~

There isn’t anything exciting to blog about around here.  Unless you are interested in guitar lessons, dentist visits, chiro adjustments, eye exams, boy’s haircuts, potting plants, organizing bedrooms, hanging curtains, grocery shopping, baking spanakopita (spinach pie) and tiropita (cheese pie) – don’t ask for a recipe because I never measure anything- homework, spelling tests- all three boys got 100% this week, and that we are all  looking forward to going to the Rainforest Cafe in Niagara Falls, Canada tomorrow for a birthday party! That about sums up life right now.  With of course our regularly scheduled Greek School on Saturdays and Divine Liturgy and Sunday School on Sundays. Hope you and your families are well. We are alive and kicking and looking forward to snow this weekend- no school on Monday, so the boys are thrilled to have all day to play outside.