In World War 1 the two opposing armies would dig in and conduct what was then called "trench warfare." The land between the two armies entrenched for the fight was called "no man's land" because anybody who tried to attack would be shot by the other side! Not a pleasant...
"Well, THAT was unexpected!" I remember saying this when I and my friends went to a particular movie together years ago. We thought this was going to be a comedy, but it turned out to be quite an inappropriate drama. We all decided to leave when we realized we...
Do you mind if I get on a soapbox today? Thanks! Someone can be truly sincere AND sincerely wrong. It doesn't help good people to be more concerned about their fragile feelings and ignore the danger they are in by heading in the wrong direction. Sometimes, speaking the truth in...
Dear Faith Encouraged Family, The older I get the more I struggle with the challenges with reaching our youth with the power and the importance of our precious Orthodox faith. One of my greatest tools to help me address this challenge is the Crossroads Summer program. Please make sure your parish priest...
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there...
What if every time you turn around, no matter what happens, it ends up helping you? It seemed like it was one of those days. All the traffic lights were green. Even the cars in front of me were moving along at a good speed. My favorite song came...
Our busy lives really do challenge us in keeping our priorities in the right order, don’t they? We moderns are a complicated mishmash of schedules, opportunities, affluence, and “freedom.” And that multiplication of events, desires, hopes, and advertisements don’t seem to be slowing down. It seems that each new...
https://youtu.be/rtUKK0AsxdY
The great, ancient philosopher Lao Tzu said "Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power." And I would, arrogantly, add that the first step in mastering yourself is truly knowing yourself. And that, my angels, is much more profound than...
"This world is not my home. I'm just a'passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's open door. And I can't feel at home in this world anymore." That's an old spiritual that I use to sing as a boy...
