Audrey Assad

This advent season I have been touched by a song by an artist I wasn't familiar with. Her name is Audrey Assad. Today I discovered she is a convert to Catholicism, from an protestant background. Her faith journey is inspirational to me. Listen to the song by watching the video below and you will probably find yourself as moved as I was.

Patriarch Bartholomew

I have great admiration for this man. He is a great example of what Christ represented in the world: suffering for his faith which promotes peace, unity, and love.

As the Patriarch shares his struggle, I am reminded of the words of Christ, sung during Orthodox Divine Liturgy:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven" (Matthew 5:3-12)

The video is divided into part 1 and part 2.

kathryn should have won sytycd season 6!

the colors of fall

As I walked this week around my neighborhood, I was struck by the beauty of the changing leaves. I tried to capture it a bit with my camera.

This is beautiful

I came across this prayer and quote today on a blog I regularly follow. It is profound and beautiful.

"Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself." - Madeleine L'Engle

My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.

Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.

Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.

O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.

For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation;

I dare only to stand in Thy presence.

My heart is open to Thee.

Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.

Behold and lift me up!

In Thy presence I stand,

awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments,

into which my mind cannot penetrate.

To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.

No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.

Teach me how to pray.

Do Thyself pray within me.

Amen.

Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret

I love fall.

I love fall. I love the change in weather, from the scorching heat of summer to the cooler temperatures of autumn. I love how leaves float down from trees, ever changing from green to golden to orange or red. Fall, for me, feels more peaceful than the season it follows. The bustle of summer vacations and swimming in crowded pools is over. The smothering heat is passing and I feel I can begin to breathe again. In fall, I can sense the animals getting ready for the near season of winter. Pumpkins adorn the front porches of homes and find themselves used in recipes. My roses burst into bloom one last time before the cold of winter comes. Fall is a wonderful time of year. It is when I find myself a little contemplative of nature, life, and the beauty God gives. Then, I hope that gratitude rises up inside me as thanksgiving approaches. With all of this, I sense the ever nearness of advent. The season of fall is one of transition but also anticipation of what is to come. These are some of the reasons I love it.

Recently, I enjoyed a morning that reminded me of all of these things. I ate my Trader Joe's pumpkin pancakes and drank coffee out of my halloween mug. The fire was turned on for the first time in a long time. Why? It was fall! As I cooked my food and enjoyed, I listened to some music to inspire my heart. It was peaceful. It was beautiful.

(my breakfast and the music that inspired me)

DE-Stress!

One day this week I ventured out after work for my monthly brow appointment. It turned out to be much more than I bargained for in a good way! I discovered at the Aveda salon I go to that they were having a special on massages. So, since I was in extreme back pain, I took them up on this dose of relaxation and body healing. As I waited for my appointment I was blessed to come upon another bargain: happy hour at Seattle's Best (Borders)! I got a medium latte for only $2! This all was a great way for me to destress!