It was the night before Christmas and only 7:00pm yet the house is still.
My family has gone off to a Christmas Eve service and left me alone with stillness.
The food is made and the present are wrapped.
I almost don't want this quiet to ever end though in a few hours it shall.
My family didn't put any pressure on me to accompany them to their service, which is nice. I thought they might expect me to go to Hoyt Baptist and 7:00pm and St. Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox at 11:00pm. Pheww...I am relieved they didn't seem to mind me staying behind. Though absent in body, we will still be together through the love of Christ that miraculously brings our hearts together.
So, now, I have a few hours to be quiet and listen to this:
http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/nativity/listen/
Try it for more than 10 seconds, and most likely it will grow on you.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Back from Greece
This post is to those of you who check my blog and have given me a hard time for not posint since I've returned.
Excuse: I am currently a bit of a vagabond, and thus not settng up internet access where I am living.
Greece was wonderful. However, if I drone on about all the things I saw you will be bored, and simply ask, how my time was with Yiannis. That is what most people seem to want to know.
It was excellent.
I hoped to get a nursing position in Australia to be closer to him, as he is there for this academic year, but I didn't get the position. Thus, perhaps in the future you will be seeing pictures of me visiting Melbourne.
We will see...
Excuse: I am currently a bit of a vagabond, and thus not settng up internet access where I am living.
Greece was wonderful. However, if I drone on about all the things I saw you will be bored, and simply ask, how my time was with Yiannis. That is what most people seem to want to know.
It was excellent.
I hoped to get a nursing position in Australia to be closer to him, as he is there for this academic year, but I didn't get the position. Thus, perhaps in the future you will be seeing pictures of me visiting Melbourne.
We will see...
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Monday, August 21, 2006
It's Been a Long Time...
It has been a long time since I've been so excited.
My current excitement comes very close if not surpassing (it is difficult to be objective when comparing such wonderful experiences)...
1. Christmas as a kid
2. My first Pascha
3. Arriving back home in Mayetta, Kansas after years of being away
I leave for Athens, Greece in less than 18 hours and will arrive in about 44 hours. I am looking forward to being with Yiannis in his home country, with his family, spiritual father, and friends. Seeing Athens, Corith, Delphi, the islands, and wherever else we travel will be secondary to simply spending time with him again, though I am sure the environments of the Acropolis and 4th century churches will also play quite a role in the blessings of the trip.
I am learning some about the past century of various political conflicts that have affected Greece. From the Asia Minor Disaster (1922, the German Occupation (1941-44), the Greek Civil War (1945-49), Rule by the Military Junta (1967-74), Turkish Intervention in Cyrus (1974), unfrtunately, there has been a lot of bloodshed in Greece in the past century.
And did you know there are 4 million Greeks outside of Greece and only 10 million Greeks in the country of Greece itself? Fascinating. It sure is a culture that insists on retaining its ethnic identity despite its geographical location.
So, I was warned yesterday by an American-Greek (2nd Generation Greek) not to let the Greeks I meet give me a hard time for being an American. I think it will be curious to see better what their relationship with the West presently is, and how they view me. I have read that the Greek Diaspora into Western lands seems to be very beneficial to their economy economy; Regardless, I am sure I will be the one to learn much from their hospitality.
My current excitement comes very close if not surpassing (it is difficult to be objective when comparing such wonderful experiences)...
1. Christmas as a kid
2. My first Pascha
3. Arriving back home in Mayetta, Kansas after years of being away
I leave for Athens, Greece in less than 18 hours and will arrive in about 44 hours. I am looking forward to being with Yiannis in his home country, with his family, spiritual father, and friends. Seeing Athens, Corith, Delphi, the islands, and wherever else we travel will be secondary to simply spending time with him again, though I am sure the environments of the Acropolis and 4th century churches will also play quite a role in the blessings of the trip.
I am learning some about the past century of various political conflicts that have affected Greece. From the Asia Minor Disaster (1922, the German Occupation (1941-44), the Greek Civil War (1945-49), Rule by the Military Junta (1967-74), Turkish Intervention in Cyrus (1974), unfrtunately, there has been a lot of bloodshed in Greece in the past century.
And did you know there are 4 million Greeks outside of Greece and only 10 million Greeks in the country of Greece itself? Fascinating. It sure is a culture that insists on retaining its ethnic identity despite its geographical location.
So, I was warned yesterday by an American-Greek (2nd Generation Greek) not to let the Greeks I meet give me a hard time for being an American. I think it will be curious to see better what their relationship with the West presently is, and how they view me. I have read that the Greek Diaspora into Western lands seems to be very beneficial to their economy economy; Regardless, I am sure I will be the one to learn much from their hospitality.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Claire Hudson
Mark Hudson asked me to post this to my blog. So, Mark, this is for you.
June 2, 2006
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your prayers. Their presence was felt today at the hospital.
Claire Rebecca was baptized and received Holy Unction this afternoon. The incubator was opened and the Holy Water and Holy Oil were placed on her precious body. And we look with expectation to the day when Claire will have Holy Christmation completed in the Church.
The doctors are ok with Claire not being rushed to surgery immedietely. We trust this is good news. Due to some more urgent neonate cases, the neonate transfer team (consisting of a MD, anesthesiologist, NICU nurse, etc), has been unavailable to transfer Claire from Santa Monica UCLA to UCLA Westwood where the neurosurgery would be performed. We were expecting her to be transfered around 7:00pm, and at around 8:00pm were notified that the team needed to go to a more urgent case in
Bakersfield.
I advocated to get another transfer team from Children's LA to help
speed up the transfer, but according to the nurses the neurosurgeon
hasn't declared Claire's condition a "Level 3" emergent one, and thus there was no way to speed up the process. Jen and Mark have been in good contact with Claire's neonatologist.
Brain Injuries are tricky...sometimes "Time is Brain" and sometimes it is better to wait. So, we trust the doctors and we pray. A neonates brain is flexible and expandable which is an advantage over a more developed brain, so Lord willing the bleeding in the brain will not cause any of the potentially fatal or long-term damage that are possible with a brain bleed. As far as the cause of the bleed and when the bleed happened, the answers are unclear at this point.
Claire Rebecca is very cute, with sunglasses on to protect her from the strong UV light pouring over her, and she is moving all her little arms and legs and opening her eyes. She was taken off the respirator yesterday and is breathing well on her own, and even likes to cry, especially when Jen has to leave. They were hoping to start feeding her breastmilk today, but unfortunately that has been postponed for the meantime. Her vital signs are stable. Claire Rebecca does also have a heart defect, namely a small hole between the left and right atrium of her heart. Her cardiovascular system is compensating ok with this defect, and most likely this won't need to be repaired for a few years.
Mark and Jen and Jen's mom went home to get some rest. Jen had her
staples removed today, and physically she is up and walking and I am
amazed by her very speedy physical recovery! Of course, Mark and Jen
are both pretty overwhelmed, but remain hopeful for the best and are
being held up by your prayers.
Thanks again for your prayers. Jen Hartenburg or I will continue to
keep you posted.
Elisabeth Hupp
June 2, 2006
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your prayers. Their presence was felt today at the hospital.
Claire Rebecca was baptized and received Holy Unction this afternoon. The incubator was opened and the Holy Water and Holy Oil were placed on her precious body. And we look with expectation to the day when Claire will have Holy Christmation completed in the Church.
The doctors are ok with Claire not being rushed to surgery immedietely. We trust this is good news. Due to some more urgent neonate cases, the neonate transfer team (consisting of a MD, anesthesiologist, NICU nurse, etc), has been unavailable to transfer Claire from Santa Monica UCLA to UCLA Westwood where the neurosurgery would be performed. We were expecting her to be transfered around 7:00pm, and at around 8:00pm were notified that the team needed to go to a more urgent case in
Bakersfield.
I advocated to get another transfer team from Children's LA to help
speed up the transfer, but according to the nurses the neurosurgeon
hasn't declared Claire's condition a "Level 3" emergent one, and thus there was no way to speed up the process. Jen and Mark have been in good contact with Claire's neonatologist.
Brain Injuries are tricky...sometimes "Time is Brain" and sometimes it is better to wait. So, we trust the doctors and we pray. A neonates brain is flexible and expandable which is an advantage over a more developed brain, so Lord willing the bleeding in the brain will not cause any of the potentially fatal or long-term damage that are possible with a brain bleed. As far as the cause of the bleed and when the bleed happened, the answers are unclear at this point.
Claire Rebecca is very cute, with sunglasses on to protect her from the strong UV light pouring over her, and she is moving all her little arms and legs and opening her eyes. She was taken off the respirator yesterday and is breathing well on her own, and even likes to cry, especially when Jen has to leave. They were hoping to start feeding her breastmilk today, but unfortunately that has been postponed for the meantime. Her vital signs are stable. Claire Rebecca does also have a heart defect, namely a small hole between the left and right atrium of her heart. Her cardiovascular system is compensating ok with this defect, and most likely this won't need to be repaired for a few years.
Mark and Jen and Jen's mom went home to get some rest. Jen had her
staples removed today, and physically she is up and walking and I am
amazed by her very speedy physical recovery! Of course, Mark and Jen
are both pretty overwhelmed, but remain hopeful for the best and are
being held up by your prayers.
Thanks again for your prayers. Jen Hartenburg or I will continue to
keep you posted.
Elisabeth Hupp
Friday, February 17, 2006
Materialism vs. Communism...
A collegue told me yesterday she fears she had a better childhood growing up in communist Romania than her son is having growing up in West Los Angeles. She had a father in the communist government, a grandfather who remained an Orthodox Christian chantor, and a childhood of good memories of both music (her mother being an opera singer) and visiting her grandparents in the countryside.
Her son, at 10 years old, largest desire, is the latest I-Pod.
Yet, she did end up escaping to Greece, with her husband who deserted from his job; And now she lives in America.
May America remain a place of refuge and liberty. Lord Jesus Christ help our country.
Her son, at 10 years old, largest desire, is the latest I-Pod.
Yet, she did end up escaping to Greece, with her husband who deserted from his job; And now she lives in America.
May America remain a place of refuge and liberty. Lord Jesus Christ help our country.
Monday, February 06, 2006
The two most interesting "conversations" of the day.
Conversation One:
Nurse one: Did you pick up on any Italian while you were in Rome?
Nurse two: Yes, one in Rome and one in Venice.
Nurse one (thinking to herself): What about the grammatical structure of my sentence did she not understand to come up with such a horrible understanding of what I was asking?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Conversation Two:
Nurse is walking briskly to the bus stop.
Man is standing outside restraunt smoking.
Man: "Help, help I am having an asthma attack."
Nurse looks bewildered at the man, does a quick assessment, and then looks quizzically at him due to his lack of respiratory distress.
Man: "You are so gorgeouos."
Nurse smiles humorously at her false reaction to the man's cry for help.
Man: "I love that smile. You just made my day."
Nurse: Walks quickly away having enjoyed the humor and the compliment. It is nice to be admired, especially when you don't feel the least bit attractive at the end of a long day in the ICU.
Nurse one: Did you pick up on any Italian while you were in Rome?
Nurse two: Yes, one in Rome and one in Venice.
Nurse one (thinking to herself): What about the grammatical structure of my sentence did she not understand to come up with such a horrible understanding of what I was asking?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Conversation Two:
Nurse is walking briskly to the bus stop.
Man is standing outside restraunt smoking.
Man: "Help, help I am having an asthma attack."
Nurse looks bewildered at the man, does a quick assessment, and then looks quizzically at him due to his lack of respiratory distress.
Man: "You are so gorgeouos."
Nurse smiles humorously at her false reaction to the man's cry for help.
Man: "I love that smile. You just made my day."
Nurse: Walks quickly away having enjoyed the humor and the compliment. It is nice to be admired, especially when you don't feel the least bit attractive at the end of a long day in the ICU.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Book Ruminations 1: "East of Eden" by Steinbeck
Thursday, July 7, 2005
The slow, methodical droning of Steinbeck’s East of Eden has become familiar as I’ve made it a habit to listen to the CDs every day the past week. I don’t see how the story will ever end. The second generations of characters are growing old with the younger two generations having many glories and beauties to discover.
Rarely does a story have such long (not verbose, but chronologically lengthy) character development. We have seen Adam’s fall, and now the story looks forward to him regaining his strength. We doubt if it indeed will happen, but we can’t help but cheer quietly for the soft, gentle spirit of Adam to shine forth. This book seems ubiquitous and catholic because of its length. Our lives drone on, piece by piece, we get older each day, and we can chose to live feeding on past memories or to forge ahead and hope for better ones.
Lliza is a rock of morality and verity; however, we don’t sympathize with her tenacious, enduring spirit. Only her aging body will cause her to cry out for mercy, as she seems to have no other passions that admit a cry for help.
In contrast the heart of Samuel is deep and though he has not yet found water he will continue to search. His sardonic comment on the naming of Adam’s boys caught me by surprise. Something to the effect, “They join the fraternity. They have now earned the right to be damned.”
The cord that has struck me deepest in the story is the blindness that falls Adam as he falls for Kathy. He lives desiring to be of use, to be needed, and at last a helpless, beaten girl arrives on his doorsteps. He gives her all the love he never received. What is a rosebush without a mother gush of appreciation or a lover’s blush? Steinbeck says every man has periods where the glory falls and everything looks brighter. Reality doesn’t change, but we are unaware of the dark shadows of man’s loss of glory, for a while. Adam’s resolve when he "falls in love" is astounding. He gains new strength.
The will to move, to purchase a large estate, to plan for a garden and a fine house with wooden floors arises lightly and gaily from his vision of beauty. From a lounger with no desire to rise or work, will to conquer, to make a name, come forth.
He thought he could awaken the discheveled soul of Kathy. Should he be damned for trying? He recognized her soul as lonely, because he had learned that most everyone longs to be loved and to love, and it was not difficult to see that Kathy was alone. Yet he had no understanding of how distant the heart of Kathy was from the catholicity of this world. Kathy reveled in her individuality.
Samuel asks questions.
Lee asks questions.
Adam lets the questions of the world rock him.
Samuel asks the questions, but has the help of Lliza to remind him to keep those thoughts tamed, and to continue to work and to love; even to love the dry, rocky land.
Lliza asks no questions.
I like the way Samuel lived. He was a warrior. He battled the passions of a romantic love lost, and he patiently bore the daily round of being poor when his mind was weathier than anyone else’s in the county. His knowledge turned into wisdom and he became a man that knew another man. He became what in Orthodox Russia was known as a saret in an American, Salinas valley, sort of way. I doubt he could teach a man to pray, but who doesn’t long for a friend like Samuel? A man who will see our faults and have the courage to knock us down until we thank him for it.
I say good-bye to friends who flatter and smile; hello to those who chide and swing a compass by a chain.
The slow, methodical droning of Steinbeck’s East of Eden has become familiar as I’ve made it a habit to listen to the CDs every day the past week. I don’t see how the story will ever end. The second generations of characters are growing old with the younger two generations having many glories and beauties to discover.
Rarely does a story have such long (not verbose, but chronologically lengthy) character development. We have seen Adam’s fall, and now the story looks forward to him regaining his strength. We doubt if it indeed will happen, but we can’t help but cheer quietly for the soft, gentle spirit of Adam to shine forth. This book seems ubiquitous and catholic because of its length. Our lives drone on, piece by piece, we get older each day, and we can chose to live feeding on past memories or to forge ahead and hope for better ones.
Lliza is a rock of morality and verity; however, we don’t sympathize with her tenacious, enduring spirit. Only her aging body will cause her to cry out for mercy, as she seems to have no other passions that admit a cry for help.
In contrast the heart of Samuel is deep and though he has not yet found water he will continue to search. His sardonic comment on the naming of Adam’s boys caught me by surprise. Something to the effect, “They join the fraternity. They have now earned the right to be damned.”
The cord that has struck me deepest in the story is the blindness that falls Adam as he falls for Kathy. He lives desiring to be of use, to be needed, and at last a helpless, beaten girl arrives on his doorsteps. He gives her all the love he never received. What is a rosebush without a mother gush of appreciation or a lover’s blush? Steinbeck says every man has periods where the glory falls and everything looks brighter. Reality doesn’t change, but we are unaware of the dark shadows of man’s loss of glory, for a while. Adam’s resolve when he "falls in love" is astounding. He gains new strength.
The will to move, to purchase a large estate, to plan for a garden and a fine house with wooden floors arises lightly and gaily from his vision of beauty. From a lounger with no desire to rise or work, will to conquer, to make a name, come forth.
He thought he could awaken the discheveled soul of Kathy. Should he be damned for trying? He recognized her soul as lonely, because he had learned that most everyone longs to be loved and to love, and it was not difficult to see that Kathy was alone. Yet he had no understanding of how distant the heart of Kathy was from the catholicity of this world. Kathy reveled in her individuality.
Samuel asks questions.
Lee asks questions.
Adam lets the questions of the world rock him.
Samuel asks the questions, but has the help of Lliza to remind him to keep those thoughts tamed, and to continue to work and to love; even to love the dry, rocky land.
Lliza asks no questions.
I like the way Samuel lived. He was a warrior. He battled the passions of a romantic love lost, and he patiently bore the daily round of being poor when his mind was weathier than anyone else’s in the county. His knowledge turned into wisdom and he became a man that knew another man. He became what in Orthodox Russia was known as a saret in an American, Salinas valley, sort of way. I doubt he could teach a man to pray, but who doesn’t long for a friend like Samuel? A man who will see our faults and have the courage to knock us down until we thank him for it.
I say good-bye to friends who flatter and smile; hello to those who chide and swing a compass by a chain.
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