Numinous: Reflections from above the clouds

There are moments in our lives when we are lifted up above the clouds.  We are offered glimpses of the divine, we are surprised by unexplained joy,  the sound of a gentle breeze,  We get to experience a rush of emotions, a high that is both beautiful and painful.  Beautiful because it offers us the inspiration to continue on in faith.  Painful because it is just a taste, and we know we cannot remain in those moments, not yet.   Each time, we must descend back beneath the clouds.  We have to step back out of the wardrobe, return from the island of Pan, leave the place of our song-dream, turn the page in the magician's book.  This withdrawal of His presence allows us to experience the longing, to struggle in the Christian life, to continue to seek to become more like Him, to become transformed, glorified.

(a few thoughts gleaned from the wisdom of others,  as I descend from the clouds after a week at CIRCE National Conference 2017)

It's here!!!

The Holy Fire arrived last night from Pennsylvania

 Fr. John lighting transport candles

Transporting the lantern

 Fr. Stephen receiving the Holy Fire for St. Ignatius 

Fr. Matthew at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church receiving the light 

My entryway 5 1/2 hours later :)

Artist Study Pages

Constable

David

Hokusai

Homer

Turner

Holy Fire

Well, yes, it has been a year since I have blogged here.  I have been terribly lazy, finding the simplicity of Instagram far less time consuming to my daily life and so by default that is where I have lived online for the past year.  I hope to come back and re-inhabit this space, as I miss my blogger friends.   What brings me back to this space?  The joy of Pascha!!! Holy Week was a time of intense joy within our house, and as always, Holy Saturday has become a day that I cannot live without.  But my joy continues with the realization that the Holy Fire of Jerusalem has made its way to our North American shores, and I am excited to participate in transporting and spreading the fire to the surrounding areas.  If you want to receive the Holy Fire, go here and enter your information and you can help to spread it across the continent!

Happy Birthday to my firstborn

Today my first baby turns 17!  Hard to believe this 6'2" boy on the verge of being a man once lived inside me, that there was a time when Mom was the only girl in his life and all it took to bring a look of sheer joy to his face was to tell him Daddy was home.

I am so very proud of who he is and excited to see what path he chooses in the coming years.  At the same time, how very much it hurts to see him begin to stretch out his wings in preparation to fly this nest,  'because being a mother is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body' (Elizabeth Stone)

This photo is from his birthday last year, with Fr. Gordon, with whom he shared both a middle name and birthday.  It is the last photo I have of them together, and Fr. Gordon's last birthday on this side of eternity.  Memory eternal, and many years to my not so little boy!