Snapshot ~ May morning

I am reading: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion

I am listening to: Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” soundtrack

I’ve been watching: a male cardinal bring food to his mate sitting on her nest

I am thankful for: good friends, my work and WV sunrises...

I am smelling: Fred Soll’s Piñon incense

I am praying for: my niece to be healed of cancer and God’s grace to be evident in me

I have discovered: that simple acts of humility* can remove the sting of conflict

I am thinking: that I really should make an effort to hike and catch a sunrise more than once a year...

Some favorite things: listening to our son tell his grandpa about his homerun, watching our daughter swing beneath the pine tree and smelling the home cooked meal my husband made

* I take quite literally Jesus' example of washing his disciples feet and practice this in my home on occasion for my children and husband. As an act of service and humility, it really brings home for me the wise words of St. Anthony:

"I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning,

"What can get through from such snares?" Then I heard a voice saying to me,

"Humility" ."

Last, but certainly not least...Congratulations to John of PA for being the winner of my first book giveaway! I hope it will be the first of many such drawings. Thanks to all of you who responded.

Book Giveaway

Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith by Peter Gillquist, revised edition published by Conciliar Press 1992. Soft-cover, 187 pages.

This was one of the first books I read upon my introduction to the Orthodox Church; it’s a great place to start, especially for those like me who have a Protestant mind-set. I could easily relate to Fr. Gillquist’s journey from his time with Campus Crusade for Christ through his many questions and stumbling blocks in searching for the church of the apostles.

On this quest with his fellow christian friends to discover the New Testament Church, he discovers Orthodoxy and works through issues such as Tradition, the nature of worship, venerating the Virgin Mary, and general history of the church.

This book is an easy read and would be suitable for anyone curious about Orthodoxy or on the journey to the ancient faith.

Just leave a comment here or email me @ heartjoys2002 (at) yahoo (dot) com if you’d like to be entered in the drawing set for Monday, May 3. (Limited to US participants)