Protestant First - Orthodox Final

I grew up Protestant, Lutheran to be exact. I'm glad I did. I learned the dedication my parents had to our weekend ritual, church school on Saturday morning and church on Sunday. It taught me a foundation of who Christ is and gave me enough morals to carry me through the difficult initial years of growing up. 


There were times I was close to the edge, not understanding why I was going through pain or why my parents decided to have me, or why God put me here. My Lutheran faith did little to provide answers for these questions and later, after a failed marriage and a child in tow, did little to provide me a spiritual direction. There was just something missing. 


It was loose, it was not hard, it was just too easy for me to be lazy there. It was too nice, did not impress upon me to do much. And in turn it did not allow for me to lean hard on it. The trunk of the tree was just too narrow, it couldn't take all my weight and bent too easily. 


Being an Orthodox Christian is like standing in the middle of a forest of ancient redwoods. Fully defined, clear rules, clear answers, clear instruction. It's tough, it doesn't allow you to change it.  You can try to chop away at it for years but it's better to stand back, look at it's beauty, and live with it's strength.


I know now why I have pain and why God put me here. I also have forgiven my parents and found respect for them even though they had selfish reasons for having me. I am prepared for and look forward to the day I can share my reasons with my children. I thank God for helping me find a solid relationship with Him through Orthodoxy. 

Active Faith

I have only a moment and I must focus on my faith and how I actively engage God's love with others. If I do not attempt each day to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me, I fail in His intention for me.

Some worry about how much other's do or more likely DO NOT DO for their part in church responsibilities. Yes, it's difficult to always (I say this with some exaggeration) be the last family out of church, trash bags in hand, exhausted from cleaning, 2 or more tasks assigned for the next week.

My children ask, "why do we always have to be the last ones to leave?"

Didn't Christ say when he comes again for judgement day that the strong will be the last to leave? If we think about it, why would he take the strong first? He will need us to hold fast to our faith and fight through the trials. I never expect I will see that day...but if I consider every day I walk on this earth a portion of judgement day, then the small amount of work that I do is so very little.

Each time I do an extra hour of labor or get out the bread ingredients from the pantry to make Prosphora I remember, it's not a question of who is helping out, it's just doing. A satisfied feeling that I know never compares to His doing on that Easter day. But its my doing to keep my faith active. And to show my children that we are the last out of church because we don't just watch, we do, we are involved, and we allow God to work through us. We are strong.

Yes, we are few and may always be few. Christ told us it would be this way, so why are we now so surprised that we are among the 10% that does? It is our role to carry the rest if need be. I feel blessed to be one of those chosen for this role. It was that way for me and my husband when we were young. Both of our families were the last to always leave, often the ones to lock up. I hope and pray that my children will also be this when they are grown.

I am blessed to be capable and driven. When we do, the Holy Spirit is active in us and will work through us.