Comfort of a messy house! Ok never thought I would say this but I find comfort in my messy house! ok ok I know what you are saying but let me explain. This week I have been caring for my nieghbors animals; they are a very young couple (20 and 21) and newly married. So ofcourse their house is very clean and very few things in it. Being over there caring for the animals I have come to realize that it is very uncomfortable! It feels cold and empty. However, my house used to be like this before kids and I loved it! Now I want to say before going further that my house isn't dirty. dishes get done every day, I vaccum, sweep and mop and bathrooms get cleaned on regular basis. What has changed is toys everywhere! And as I contemplated my change of heart I think I have narrowed it down to the fact that my house with toys strewn all about it tells me that I have an active healthy child in the house! Something I am so grateful for. After losing Anastasia I remember feeling anger that my house was so clean sometimes; I knew there should be a child here to mess things up and always be trying to step over toys to keep from killing myself. Brent is not affected the same way, I know it bothers him more that our house is not what it used to be, but I find comfort in the toys and whatever else Brigid has managed to find and drag out being strewn about the house because it reminds me of my little blessing!

Brigid Ann Marie Kaseman

Well meet our newest member to the family Brigid Ann Marie Kaseman born September 11, 2011. At times I am on top of the world and just infatuated with my sweet girl but I will admit there are times when I get very low and depressed. I still miss our daughter Anastasia and being with Brigid is a reminder of all the things I really missed out on with Ana. Sometimes I let myself give in to my grief and cry and other times I just suck it up and not let myself go there. It's hard to be upset for too long because all Brigid has to do is flash me that sweet smile or squeeze my face and try to eat my cheek and I feel much better. She is even beginning to look like Ana. She is a spirited baby and can't wait to see what her personality will be like as she grows (and quite frankly little scared to see it considering she is very spirited) One of the first things people tell me about her after spending time with her is that she has a loud set of vocal cords, which is true, she could probably outscream any baby! The beginning was rough, she was very cranky and close to being considered a colicky baby but didn't fully meet the criteria for that. Brent and I used to switch or sleeping at night, he would take her from 8pm-12am so I could have atleast one stretch of sleep, and then I would take her the rest of the night and day. She also hated nursing and was a constant struggle, so once we gave up on that and let her switch to formula and her tummy adjusted things started smoothing out and we came out of that newborn sleepy haze and are thoroughly enjoying our spirited 4 month old. don't get me wrong she still is fussy but I have just chalked that up to her personality and am better able to tolerate it but it is nowhere near what it was in the beginning and she loves to giggle and examine things; she is curious about everything! Welcome to the Kaseman family our little Brigid!

The 7 Holy Macabee Martyrs

Commemorated on August 1

The seven holy Maccabee martyrs Abim, Antonius, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusebonus, Alimus and Marcellus, their mother Solomonia and their teacher Eleazar suffered in the year 166 before Christ under the impious Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This foolish ruler loved pagan and Hellenistic customs, and held Jewish customs in contempt. He did everything possible to turn people from the Law of Moses and from their covenant with God. He desecrated the Temple of the Lord, placed a statue of the pagan god Zeus there, and forced the Jews to worship it. Many people abandoned the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but there were also those who continued to believe that the Savior would come.

A ninety-year-old elder, the scribe and teacher Eleazar, was brought to trial for his faithfulness to the Mosaic Law. He suffered tortures and died at Jerusalem.

The disciples of St Eleazar, the seven Maccabee brothers and their mother Solomonia, also displayed great courage. They were brought to trial in Antioch by King Antiochus Epiphanes. They fearlessly acknowledged themselves as followers of the True God, and refused to eat pig's flesh, which was forbidden by the Law.

The eldest brother acted as spokesmen for the rest, saying that they preferred to die rather than break the Law. He was subjected to fierce tortures in sight of his brothers and their mother. His tongue was cut out, he was scalped, and his hands and feet were cut off. Then a cauldron and a large frying pan were heated, and the first brother was thrown into the frying pan, and he died.

The next five brothers were tortured one after the other. The seventh and youngest brother was the last one left alive. Antiochus suggested to St Solomonia to persuade the boy to obey him, so that her last son at least would be spared. Instead, the brave mother told him to imitate the courage of his brothers.

The child upbraided the king and was tortured even more cruelly than his brothers had been. After all her seven children had died, St Solomonia, stood over their bodies, raised up her hands in prayer to God and died.

The martyric death of the Maccabee brothers inspired Judas Maccabeus, and he led a revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes. With God's help, he gained the victory, and then purified the Temple at Jerusalem. He also threw down the altars which the pagans had set up in the streets. All these events are related in the Second Book of Maccabees (Ch. 8-10).

Various Fathers of the Church preached sermons on the seven Maccabees, including St Cyprian of Carthage, St Ambrose of Milan, St Gregory Nazianzus and St John Chrysostom.

Saint Justin the Martyr

Commemorated on June 1

The Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher was born around 114 at Sychem, an ancient city of Samaria. Justin's parents were pagan Greeks. From his childhood the saint displayed intelligence, love for knowledge and a fervent devotion to the knowledge of Truth. When he came of age he studied the various schools of Greek philosophy: the Stoics, the Peripatetics, the Pythagoreans, the Platonists, and he concluded that none of these pagan teachings revealed the way to knowledge of the true God.

Once, when he was strolling in a solitary place beyond the city and pondering about where to seek the way to the knowledge of Truth, he met an old man. In the ensuing conversation he revealed to Justin the essential nature of the Christian teaching and advised him to seek the answers to all the questions of life in the books of Holy Scripture. "But before anything else," said the holy Elder, "pray diligently to God, so that He might open to you the doors of Light. No one is able to comprehend Truth, unless he is granted understanding from God Himself, Who reveals it to each one who seeks Him in prayer and in love."

In his thirtieth year, Justin accepted holy Baptism (between the years 133 and 137). From this time St Justin devoted his talents and vast philosophical knowledge to preaching the Gospel among the pagans. He began to journey throughout the Roman Empire, sowing the seeds of faith. "Whosoever is able to proclaim Truth and does not proclaim it will be condemned by God," he wrote.

Justin opened a school of Christian philosophy. St Justin subsequently defended the truth of Christian teaching, persuasively confuting pagan sophistry (in a debate with the Cynic philosopher Crescentius) and heretical distortions of Christianity. He also spoke out against the teachings of the Gnostic Marcian.

In the year 155, when the emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) started a persecution against Christians, St Justin personally gave him an Apology in defense of two Christians innocently condemned to execution, Ptolemy and Lucias. The name of the third remains unknown.

In the Apology he demonstrated the falseness of the slander against Christians accused unjustly for merely having the name of Christians. The Apology had such a favorable effect upon the emperor that he ceased the persecution. St Justin journeyed, by decision of the emperor, to Asia Minor where they were persecuting Christians with particular severity. He proclaimed the joyous message of the imperial edict throughout the surrounding cities and countryside.

The debate of St Justin with the Rabbi Trypho took place at Ephesus. The Orthodox philosopher demonstrated the truth of the Christian teaching of faith on the basis of the Old Testament prophetic writings. St Justin gave an account of this debate in his work Dialogue with Trypho the Jew.

A second Apology of Saint Justin was addressed to the Roman Senate. It was written in the year 161, soon after Marcus Aurelius (161-180) ascended the throne.

When he returned to Italy, St Justin, like the Apostles, preached the Gospel everywhere, converting many to the Christian Faith. When the saint arrived at Rome, the envious Crescentius, whom Justin always defeated in debate, brought many false accusations against him before the Roman court. St Justin was put under guard, subjected to torture and suffered martyrdom in 165. The relics of St Justin the Philosopher rest in Rome.

In addition to the above-mentioned works, the following are also attributed to the holy martyr Justin the Philosopher:

1) An Address to the Greeks

2) A Hortatory Address to the Greeks

3) On the Sole Government of God

St John of Damascus preserved a significant part of St Justin's On the Resurrection, which has not survived. The church historian Eusebius asserts that St Justin wrote books entitled

The Singer

Denunciation of all Existing Heresies and

Against Marcian

In the Russian Church the memory of the martyr is particularly glorified in temples of his name. He is invoked by those who seek help in their studies.

The holy martyrs Justin, Chariton, Euelpistus, Hierax, Peonus, Valerian, Justus and the martyr Charito suffered with St Justin the Philosopher in the year 166. They were brought to Rome and thrown into prison. The saints bravely confessed their faith in Christ before the court of the prefect Rusticus. Rusticus asked St Justin, whether he really thought that after undergoing tortures he would go to heaven and receive a reward from God. Saint Justin answered, "Not only do I think this, but I know and am fully assured of it."

The prefect proposed to all the Christian prisoners that they offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. When they refused he issued a sentence of death, and the saints were beheaded

A Different Child

A different Child

A different child,
People notice
There’s a special glow around you.
You grow
Surrounded by love,
Never doubting you are wanted;
Only look at the pride and joy
In your mother and father’s eyes.

And if sometimes
Between the smiles
There’s a trace of tears
One day
You’ll understand
You’ll understand

There was once another child
A different child
Who was in their hopes and dreams
That child will never outgrow the baby clothes
That child will never keep them up at night
In fact, that child will never be any trouble at all.

Except sometimes in a silent moment,
When mother and father miss so much
That different child
May hope and love wrap you warmly
And may you learn the lesson forever
How infinitely precious
How infinitely fragile
Is this life on earth.

One day, as a young man or woman
You may see another mother’s tears
Another father’s silent grief
Then you, and you alone
Will understand
And offer the greatest comfort.
When all hope seems lost,
You will tell them
With great compassion,
“I know how you feel.
I’m only here because my mother tried again.”

Hummus

Hummus


2 cans chick peas drained
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup tahini
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 red pepper seeded chopped
Teaspoon basil
salsa


Put chopped bell pepper in bowl sprinkle with water and microwave about 5 min.
Combine peas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, basil, red pepper puree, and add water as it gets to thick, may not need all of water you want the dip thick but not so thick it isn’t blending. Pour into bowl and add salsa. I didn’t measure salsa but just eyeballed it, I looked for a good pink color, and did it to taste you can put as much or little as you want.

Naan

Naan


Pull off peach size amount of dough (can be little larger doesn’t really matter, bread will just be little thicker which is how I like it)

Put flour on counter so dough doesn’t stick while rolling out

Roll to about 1/8th inch thickness (doesn’t matter if thicker, I prefer mine thicker)

Heat cast iron skillet on a medium high (about 5 and 6 for me)
When water sizzles when sprinkled on then ready to cook with

Add 2tbs safflower oil (can use vegetable oil safflower is better for you, also if not lent you can use butter)

Put dough into skillet and cover (I use a large plate to cover but either a lid or foil will work

Cook about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Cooks quickly take off and use pizza cutter to cut into pieces.