Dormition of the Theotokos

Well today is a pretty good day, especially considering that I was pretty sick for the whole second half of last week so thankfully I have a good day today so I don't fall into despair. I'm trying to not feel sorry for myself because I know the Lord wouldn't appreciate that but sometimes its hard when I talk to women who tell me that they felt great after those first three months of their pregnancy and here I am 6 months and still get sick often. Being nauseated and having extra hormones also makes me really irritable these days which normally only my husband has to deal with and I can keep it under control around other people. However this Sunday was an exception, for some reason I am like a magnet to all the fidgety kids at our church no matter where I sit (trust me I have tried all over) I always seem to be stuck next to kids that kick me the entire time. Usually I stay controlled and put up with it for those two hours, however this past Sunday I had a meltdown. It was REALLY hot in church this time, and I was nauseated and got pushed out of my pew (we don't have regular pews and I make sure to get there early so I have one and don't have to stand for two hours because its not good for a pregnant woman to stand that long) by kids who spent the entire time kicking me, I had a meltdown and started crying and had to leave after communion. I felt awful afterwards. Instead of praying for patience and focusing on the service all I could think of was why couldn't parents keep their kids under control or atleast keep them next to them and let themselves be kicked by their own kids! anyway I've moved past it and asked for forgiveness and going to try my best to have more grace with the children next time. I don't want everyone at church to think I am a cranky woman.

Well enough of my whining in other news this weekend Aug 1st starts The Dormition of The Theotokos: The Church has a two week fast for the falling asleep of Mary mother of Jesus(Theotokos). We fast from all meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil. Me being pregnant I am not allowed to fast, which in someways is nice to still be able to eat meat and cheese (ill admit it) but in otherwise I feel left out. Fasts in the Orthodox Church are done together as a whole church effort and I feel like I am missing out on something not being able to do it. There are several fasts but the first fast we got to be apart of was Great Lent and I found out I was pregnant right before it started so I have not really got to participate in the big church events since joining the church and I feel like even though I am now a member I am totally missing out on something. Maybe I could find something I can fast from that's not food related since I'm not able to do that part of it. I don't know much about the Dormition of the Theotokos fast yet and will wright more as I know, from the look of the icon it looks solomn the Mother of our Lord dying, however she is in heaven with her son what could be better?

St. Mary Magdalene

Yesterday, July 22nd, The Church commemorated St. Mary Magdalene and her life. This also happens to be my sister-in-laws patron saint so we went to their house to celebrate her names day. Which is pretty low key considering at 26 weeks pregnant I am still pretty sick, and Her due in 2 weeks is feeling pretty terrible, but it was still nice, this was the first name's day we got to celebrate since joining the church. Here is what I found about her life on the OCA website.

The Holy Myrrh-Bearer Equal of the Apostles Mary Magdalene. On the banks of Lake Genesareth (Galilee), between the cities of Capharnum and Tiberias, was the small city of Magdala, the remains of which have survived to our day. Now only the small village of Mejhdel stands on the site. A woman whose name has entered forever into the Gospel account was born and grew up in Magdala. The Gospel tells us nothing of Mary's younger years, but Tradition informs us that Mary of Magdala was young and pretty, and led a sinful life. It says in the Gospels that the Lord expelled seven devils from Mary (Luke. 8:2). From the moment of her healing Mary led a new life, and became a true disciple of the Savior. The Gospel relates that Mary followed after the Lord, when He went with the Apostles through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching about the Kingdom of God. Together with the pious women Joanna, wife of Choza (steward of Herod), Susanna and others, she served Him from her own possessions (Luke 8:1-3) and undoubtedly shared with the Apostles the evangelic tasks in common with the other women. The Evangelist Luke, evidently, has her in view together with the other women, stating that at the moment of the Procession of Christ onto Golgotha, when after the Scourging He took on Himself the heavy Cross, collapsing under its weight, the women followed after Him weeping and wailing, but He consoled them. The Gospel relates that Mary Magdalene was present on Golgotha at the moment of the Lord's Crucifixion. While all the disciples of the Savior ran away, she remained fearlessly at the Cross together with the Mother of God and the Apostle John. The Evangelists also list among those standing at the Cross the mother of the Apostle James, and Salome, and other women followers of the Lord from Galilee, but all mention Mary Magdalene first. St John, in addition to the Mother of God, names only her and Mary Cleopas. This indicates how much she stood out from all the women who gathered around the Lord. She was faithful to Him not only in the days of His Glory, but also at the moment of His extreme humiliation and insult. As the Evangelist Matthew relates, she was present at the Burial of the Lord. Before her eyes Joseph and Nicodemus went out to the tomb with His lifeless Body. She watched as they covered over the entrance to the cave with a large stone, entombing the Source of Life. Faithful to the Law in which she was raised, Mary together with the other women spent following day at rest, because it was the great day of the Sabbath, coinciding with the Feast of Passover. But all the rest of the peaceful day the women gathered spices to go to the Grave of the Lord at dawn on Sunday and anoint His Body according to the custom of the Jews. It is necessary to mention that, having agreed to go on the first day of the week to the Tomb early in the morning, the holy women had no possibility of meeting with one another on Saturday. They went separately on Friday evening to their own homes. They went out only at dawn the following day to go to the Sepulchre, not all together, but each from her own house. The Evangelist Matthew writes that the women came to the grave at dawn, or as the Evangelist Mark expresses, extremely early before the rising of the sun. The Evangelist John, elaborating upon these, says that Mary came to the grave so early that it was still dark. Obviously, she waited impatiently for the end of night, but it was not yet daybreak. She ran to the place where the Lord's Body lay. Mary went to the tomb alone. Seeing the stone pushed away from the cave, she ran away in fear to tell the close Apostles of Christ, Peter and John. Hearing the strange message that the Lord was gone from the tomb, both Apostles ran to the tomb and, seeing the shroud and winding cloths, they were amazed. The Apostles went and said nothing to anyone, but Mary stood about the entrance to the tomb and wept. Here in this dark tomb so recently lay her lifeless Lord. Wanting proof that the tomb really was empty, she went down to it and saw a strange sight. She saw two angels in white garments, one sitting at the head, the other at the foot, where the Body of Jesus had been placed. They asked her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She answered them with the words which she had said to the Apostles, "They have taken my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." At that moment, she turned around and saw the Risen Jesus standing near the grave, but she did not recognize Him. He asked Mary, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom dost thou seek?" She answered thinking that she was seeing the gardener, "Sir, if thou hast taken him, tell where thou hast put Him, and I will take Him away." Then she recognized the Lord's voice. This was the voice she heard in those days and years, when she followed the Lord through all the cities and places where He preached. He spoke her name, and she gave a joyful shout, "Rabbi" (Teacher). Respect and love, fondness and deep veneration, a feeling of thankfulness and recognition at His Splendor as great Teacher, all came together in this single outcry. She was able to say nothing more and she threw herself down at the feet of her Teacher to wash them with tears of joy. But the Lord said to her: "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and tell them: "I ascend to My Father, and your Father; to My God and to your God." She came to herself and again ran to the Apostles, to do the will of Him sending her to preach. Again she ran into the house, where the Apostles still remained in dismay, and proclaimed to them the joyous message, "I have seen the Lord!" This was the first preaching in the world about the Resurrection. The Apostles proclaimed the Glad Tidings to the world, but she proclaimed it to the Apostles themselves. Holy Scripture does not tell us about the life of Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection of Christ, but it is impossible to doubt, that if in the terrifying minutes of Christ's Crucifixion she was the foot of His Cross with His All-Pure Mother and St John, she must have stayed with them during the happier time after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. Thus in the Acts of the Apostles St Luke writes that all the Apostles with one mind stayed in prayer and supplication, with certain women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and His brethren. Holy Tradition testifies that when the Apostles departed from Jerusalem to preach to all the ends of the earth, then Mary Magdalene also went with them. A daring woman, whose heart was full of reminiscence of the Resurrection, she went beyond her native borders and went to preach in pagan Rome. Everywhere she proclaimed to people about Christ and His teaching. When many did not believe that Christ is risen, she repeated to them what she had said to the Apostles on the radiant morning of the Resurrection: "I have seen the Lord!" With this message she went all over Italy. Tradition relates that in Italy Mary Magdalene visited Emperor Tiberias (14-37 A.D.) and proclaimed to him Christ's Resurrection. According to Tradition, she took him a red egg as a symbol of the Resurrection, a symbol of new life with the words: "Christ is Risen!" Then she told the emperor that in his Province of Judea the unjustly condemned Jesus the Galilean, a holy man, a miracleworker, powerful before God and all mankind, had been executed at the instigation of the Jewish High Priests, and the sentence confirmed by the procurator appointed by Tiberias, Pontius Pilate. Mary repeated the words of the Apostles, that we are redeemed from the vanity of life is not with perishable silver or gold, but rather by the precious Blood of Christ. Thanks to Mary Magdalene the custom to give each other paschal eggs on the day of the Radiant Resurrection of Christ spread among Christians over all the world. On one ancient Greek manuscript, written on parchment, kept in the monastery library of St Athanasius near Thessalonica, is a prayer read on the day of Holy Pascha for the blessing of eggs and cheese. In it is indicated that the igumen in passing out the blessed eggs says to the brethren: "Thus have we received from the holy Fathers, who preserved this custom from the very time of the holy Apostles, therefore the holy Equal of the Apostles Mary Magdalene first showed believers the example of this joyful offering." Mary Magdalene continued her preaching in Italy and in the city of Rome itself. Evidently, the Apostle Paul has her in mind in his Epistle to the Romans (16: 6), where together with other ascetics of evangelic preaching he mentions Mary (Mariam), who as he expresses "has bestowed much labor on us." Evidently, she extensively served the Church in its means of subsistence and its difficulties, being exposed to dangers, and sharing with the Apostles the labors of preaching. According to Church Tradition, she remained in Rome until the arrival of the Apostle Paul, and for two more years following his departure from Rome after the first court judgment upon him. From Rome, St Mary Magdalene, already bent with age, moved to Ephesus where the holy Apostle John unceasingly labored. There the saint finished her earthly life and was buried. Her holy relics were transferred in the ninth century to Constantinople, and placed in the monastery Church of St Lazarus. In the era of the Crusader campaigns they were transferred to Italy and placed at Rome under the altar of the Lateran Cathedral. Part of the relics of Mary Magdalene are said to be in Provage, France near Marseilles, where over them at the foot of a steep mountain a splendid church is built in her honor. The Orthodox Church honors the holy memory of St Mary Magdalene, the woman called by the Lord Himself from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Formerly immersed in sin and having received healing, she sincerely and irrevocably began a new life and never wavered from that path. Mary loved the Lord Who called her to a new life. She was faithful to Him not only when He was surrounded by enthusiastic crowds and winning recognition as a miracle-worker, but also when all the disciples deserted Him in fear and He, humiliated and crucified, hung in torment upon the Cross. This is why the Lord, knowing her faithfulness, appeared to her first, and esteemed her worthy to be first to proclaim His Resurrection.

The joys of pregnancy...well not so much!!

Yesterday I made a surprise visit to the midwife. I had been a little concerned because I hadn't felt the baby move except a couple times in the past couple days so I called my midwife and she told me to come in so they could check the heartbeat and listen for movements. If she felt there was a problem she was going to send me for an ultrasound, which I was a little worried about since it would cost me 900 dollars! Thankfully though when I got there and we listened for a while we discovered that I have a VERY active baby but that I am just not feeling all the movements. She also informed me that she wants to take a glucose screening in two weeks. Normally this is done at an OB's office where they make you fast and check your blood sugar and then make you drink some syrup thing and check it again in two hours. Well the midwife gives you a diabetic pack with the needles and all, and has you prick yourself in the morning before eating and then I have to eat 100g of sugar (and I have to eat it fast) and then check sugar in two hours. This scares me! I do not eat much in the mornings until my stomach settles and then all I have is a protein drink. So the thought of having to scarf tons of sugar and I mean tons (I would have to eat 6 krispy kreme donughts) and then not have anything for two hours!! This morning I couldn't even get through half a bowl of cereal before I ran for the toilet!! I'm thinking I'll be sick in bed that whole day!! Whatever happened to those pregnant women on t.v. that always looked so serene and happy? I thought it was supposed to be like that! Ive only got three months left I thought I was supposed to be feeling great at this time!!

And the Changes Continue......

Well at this same time of finding out I am pregnant, My husband and I are also in the process of joining the Orthodox Christian Church. Don't know what that is? Well neither did I until my husband was doing research and wanted to find a church that teaches the things the apostles taught. His search lead him to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is an apostolic church that can trace its bishop lineage back to the apostles. In fact the Roman Catholic Church broke off from this church. The Catholic church used to be part of the Orthodox church but decided in 1054 a.d. (I believe that's right time period) The Roman bishop decided that he had ultimate authority over the church which the Eastern areas did not agree with for they never had a Pope, just bishops that were all equal. So the Roman church split off and started its own, known as the Roman Catholic Church. This is called The Great Schism. Evven with this huge conflict the church persevered and continue to grow and teach the same things the apostles taught.

There are a lot of differences in the church compared to Protestant churches, that in all honesty when I first visited and saw these differences, I about ran the other way. However with the help of my husband and studying realized it taught the same thing since the apostles. Iwon't go into all the changes because that could make this blog extremely long if you want to know more just let me know and I'll be glad to tell you.

It is a big deal joining this church and has a big ceremony for Catechumins (what you are when you want to join the church but aren't a member yet) to become Illumined (what you are once you have been accepted in the church). The services are rich and feel more filling like you have been through something mystical and ancient it's a wonderful thing to be apart of. Its been a big thing in our lives, almost as big as finding out we were pregnant so this has been a very big year for us. I look forward to being able to celebrate all the Feasts (there are a lot) with the church, it's very exciting to celebrate the same things that they were celebrating in the Early Church Fathers time. And now our children will get to grow up in this rich culture and participate in all the sacraments from the beginning.

Thus It Begins

Ok decided to start a new blog with the start of my new life. February 21st my husband and I found out I was pregnant, we were totally excited because we had been trying for a few months, had I known what I was in store for I might have been more terrified and less excited. Within a few weeks the nausea started setting I was about 6 weeks a long and now at 6 months I still suffer with nausea although it is not as bad as in the beginning. If it weren't for an amazingly wonderful husband who has spent 5 months cooking, cleaning and taking care of me I would not have survived this far.
Things got to a point where I could no longer function at work, and we had planned on me being a stay at home mom when the baby came so we decided it would be in my best interest to quite a few months earlier than expected to be able to get the rest I needed to survive the rest of the pregnancy. So here I am my new life as a stay at home mom although right now it's more like a stay at home wife. People keep asking if I miss working and I can say emphatically NO! Although I do wish our baby was here already I long to see it very badly.