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Open Your Eyes

This past Tuesday, 28 November, the Church commemorated St. Stephen the New, and his story stuck with me throughout the week as I prepared for this Sunday’s sermon. He was born in 715 AD to pious Christian parents, and was named Stephen after the newly elected Patriarch of Constantinople asked God to bless him “throughContinue reading “Open Your Eyes”

Between the Lines

In America, we have devised a system for controlling the flow of traffic on the highways and byways across the continent. Our system principally utilizes colored lights, signs (both passive and active), barrier rails, and painted lines. I have found that other countries use these same means for traffic control, and for the same orContinue reading “Between the Lines”

Work Is Salvation

A few years ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about a growing financial trend known as FIRE, Financial Independence Retire Early, represented in the story by 38-year-old Seattle lawyer Sylvia Hall who wants to retire at age 40. To do that she is trying to amass $2 million in assets by saving about 70% ofContinue reading “Work Is Salvation”

Who IS My Neighbor?

Today we commemorate St John the Merciful, who was born in the year 555 AD on the island of Cyprus to pious Christian parents. His father was the governor of the island and saw to it that his son received the best possible education. John married and had children, but his family perished while heContinue reading “Who IS My Neighbor?”

Take Up Your Cross, and the Battle.

At age 19, James Goodson was positive that America would eventually jump into the battle against Nazism, yet he decided not to wait. He packed his bag and set sail for England. While transiting the Atlantic, Goodson’s ship was torpedoed and sunk, and he arrived in England with just the clothes he was wearing. HereContinue reading “Take Up Your Cross, and the Battle.”

Don’t Have a Fit

The stories of the Gospels are historical, they recount actual events in the lives of Jesus and his disciples. But in all of these events is a lesson to be learned, each having a significant, spiritually instructive aspect. It is easy to see the spiritual lessons in the healing of a lame man (who hasn’tContinue reading “Don’t Have a Fit”

More than just a trim.

I used to love going to the barbershop. Okay, I admit that I didn’t like it at first, and when I was a teenager I once asked my father to take me someplace else (a salon of some kind) to get my hair cut. He reluctantly agreed, warning me that “they treat you like aContinue reading “More than just a trim.”

Daily Prayer, 8 August

One of the highest earning arcade video games of all time was NBA Jam. I can remember playing it AND its predecessor Arch Rivals, and one of the features of both was that if you made two consecutive shots, the game’s announcer would say “He’s heating up.” If you made a third consecutive attempt theContinue reading “Daily Prayer, 8 August”

That Ain’t Right

Living overseas is an educational experience. Of course, one learns a little of the local language and customs, visits the historical and cultural sites, but it’s in the smaller, more mundane aspects of life where the education can be most surprising. Take auto repair and service, for example. In the states I could easily findContinue reading “That Ain’t Right”

Daily Prayer, 1 August

One of the places my ship visited during deployment was Aqaba, Jordan. Because there were still COVID restrictions at the time, we were only allowed to venture as far as the pier, where some local vendors were permitted to sell some of their wares. So, I got to eat a little local food and purchaseContinue reading “Daily Prayer, 1 August”