tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47668660780823555552024-03-13T07:17:50.683-04:00Everyday Synergy"We call upon all to be vigilant and to take every necessary avenue in order to save and protect God's creation." - Joint message from Orthodox Primates 1995Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-74405185800311350532010-04-20T06:59:00.008-04:002010-04-25T21:26:47.449-04:00Taste and See<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJGwNz-ExObUYxxd6TX_g9X4m2wvW0P7bjhT3wRSBzjYUFCg_ACCno4oZ7VX6QVTiwbgoFELxKLDBL1P1-Jv4fHUuErxOtolmfqWe64srrl2YrQn696z06aLoU07LJzauUKJ3rFJY6RI/s1600/g+at+peace+valley+stream.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464248299954116466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJGwNz-ExObUYxxd6TX_g9X4m2wvW0P7bjhT3wRSBzjYUFCg_ACCno4oZ7VX6QVTiwbgoFELxKLDBL1P1-Jv4fHUuErxOtolmfqWe64srrl2YrQn696z06aLoU07LJzauUKJ3rFJY6RI/s320/g+at+peace+valley+stream.jpg" /></a> Christ is Risen! And life is bursting forth all around us as spring has finally arrived. I've spent some wonderful times with my family in the natural world recently, grateful for all of the beauty that is unfolding. To me, there is nothing better than spending some time in the woods, away from the busyness and cares of this world, to experience renewal and joy.<br /><br />Watching my children interact with the natural world is also a reminder to me of how we often make life so complicated, when it is the simple things that can bring us the most joy. Often times, our walks are rather short length-wise, but span a couple of hours time. Children have no qualms over taking great amounts of time to explore every nook and cranny of a small area, discovering the hidden jewels many adults would overlook. They seem to intrinsically know that, in the natural world, we can experience God's goodness, and truly "taste and see that the Lord is good."Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-19061884618541300472010-03-30T23:44:00.000-04:002010-03-31T00:02:07.798-04:00A Cosmic EventAfter the long journey of Lent, we are quickly approaching Pascha! What a celebration we all have to look forward to! Yet it is during this time of year that I often feel the most grief and shed the most tears for the suffering of animals in this world.<br /><br />I know that amidst all of the joyous cries of, "Christ is Risen!" there will be feasting upon the bodies of animals who have suffered and died to fill our stomachs. Yes, I know that as Christians we are not compelled to abstain from the eating of the flesh of animals or of other foods that come from animals. Yet, all the same, my heart cries out for mercy and justice for the animals (the animals God entrusted in our care) in our celebration of Christ's Resurrection.<br /><br />While God does allow for us to eat animals, I find it impossible to believe that He would condone the type of treatment these animals currently endure in order to make their way to our dinner tables. And it is not just the animals who suffer. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, those working in the meatpacking industry have the most dangerous jobs in the United States. Furthermore, a great number of these workers are illiterate migrant workers who are underpaid and unable to fight for better working conditions or pay due to their illiteracy. (Addressing the issue of the workers in factory farms and slaughterhouses is a huge issue in and of itself, but <a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2001/07/chain-never-stops">here's a good place to start your reading on it</a>.)<br /><br />I find it incredibly sad that people such as myself who consciously choose to abstain from the eating or wearing of animals and animal by-products are often labeled (in a derogatory way) as "radical" or "strict" vegetarians. If making an effort to choose compassion and mercy in response to suffering in this world is frowned upon as being eccentric, then that only strengthens my longing for the Kingdom, where <em>"there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any pain; for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:4.</em><br /><em></em><br />At the same time, it is not surprising that we treat God's creatures and the rest of God's creation in the way we do. We live in a fallen world... a world in which our sinful natures lead us to gluttony and mistreatment of the world. <em>Patriarch Ignatius IV of the Antiochian Orthodox Church once said, "If nature is not transfigured, she becomes disfigured."</em> If we truly lived a sacramental life, today's factory farms and automated slaughterhouse lines would not even exist. As I said before, it is impossible for me to believe that God would bless the way animals are treated in these systems.<br /><br />On a positive note, I have noticed a trend in Orthodox Christianity in which there is an increased focus and effort to take environmental concerns, often called "creation care," into consideration. This is wonderful. However, where is the mention of animals? Are they not a part of God's creation, too?<br /><br />So, for me, at Pascha my deep sense of rejoicing comes not only because of what Christ has done for people, but also for what Christ has done for His <strong>whole creation</strong>.<br /><br /><div align="center"><em>"The salvation of human beings which is offered by and in Christ, is for us a cosmic event. Through human beings, all creation will be saved. Christ not only saves us from ourselves, he offers the redemption of the whole of creation."</em></div><div align="center"><em>- Metropolitan John of Pergamon</em></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-15602074383151587812010-01-23T16:23:00.006-05:002010-01-24T08:17:06.820-05:00Quality Children's BooksI'm often disturbed by the quality of some of the children's books I find in the library stacks and bookstores. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that some books have not only been published, but have turned into a full series. ("<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Farting-Dog-William-Kotzwinkle/dp/1583940537">Walter the Farting Dog</a>" is one that immediately comes to mind. Do we need to dumb down our children with these debased types of stories? Has our culture really dropped to this level of cultural emptiness? How truly sad and scary....) I believe it is vitally important for us to guard our children from stories and images that can be damaging to them. Bishop Theophan the Recluse wrote, "It is well known how powerfully corrupt images act upon the soul, no matter in what form they might touch it." Children's books are no exception.<br /><br />So when I encounter books with beautiful writing and engaging stories that draw the reader and listener in and have some spiritual or edifying value to them, I am excited! I love books that can teach my children something about history or their faith by way of beautiful artwork and storylines that are not full of dry, lifeless facts.<br /><br />Here are a few examples of a few such I have read with my children recently. One of the things I particularly like about them is that, in each of these books, animals are not used and abused as commodities, but are honored and cherished in different ways. I would love to hear some suggestions of similar books that have been well-accepted into your families as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.svspress.com/product_info.php?cPath=43_7&products_id=12">"The Blackbird's Nest: St. Kevin of Ireland,"</a> by Jenny Schroedel<br /><a href="http://www.boydsmillspress.com/books/picture_book/brother_bartholomew_and_the_ap.html">"Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove,"</a> by Jan Cheripko<br /><a href="http://store.barefootbooks.com/the-genius-of-leonardo.html">"The Genius of Leonardo," </a>by Guido ViscontiStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-3123851056532036112009-06-13T22:00:00.016-04:002009-06-14T15:44:18.302-04:00Distractions<div align="center"><strong><em>"If man does not simplify his life, he will end up tormenting himself. But if he simplifies it, all his anxiety will go away." </em></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em>- Elder Paisios of Mount Athos</em></strong></div><p>I have not posted for quite some time because life has been overflowing. Seems there are so many things to do and not enough time available to accomplish everything. How interesting it is that we have a plethora of technological inventions designed to make things easier for us, yet we often continue to feel overburdened by work and responsibilities.<br /><br />Many days I long to live in a different era... in a time with less technology and more community. Something about our way of living feels so unnatural and imbalanced. I long for stillness, for quiet, for a refuge from this world and its seemingly endless current of activities. I find myself waxing nostalgic for the times when I was living, working, and learning in community at an organic farm and an ecovillage.<br /><br />Before I was married and had children, I lived a much simpler life. Now I find I'm in a continual struggle to balance my deep longing for simplicity with meeting the needs of my family. It is not always easy. We live in a world of too much information, too many choices, and too much "stuff." In the midst of this culture of overload, it can be easy to be lured in by worldly distractions.</p><p>For many years, I have lived without television, and I do not miss it, not even a little bit. Yet over the past couple of years, I have allowed the internet to silently creep into my life and erode at my sense of peace. A few months ago, I took an email hiatus. It was wonderfully refreshing to take a break from feeling a need to correspond with others via email. Don't get me wrong, I love keeping in touch with friends, but it had become too overwhelming to keep up with. Recently a friend invited me to join facebook. It seemed pretty innocuous at first, but now it is starting to become yet another distraction from real life. I feel as though I am on a slippery slope...<br /><br />Part of me wants to just flick the switch off, but there are practical considerations to be considered. I pay most of my bills online, saving paper and simplifying my recordkeeping in the process. I am part of a homeschool group that posts its activities only via an online community. I find online mapping software to be incredibly easier than looking at a map for directions (Yet, interestingly enough, I traveled all kinds of places in my younger years with a good-old-fashioned map. So, perhaps this is just my laziness.) And (ironically) my husband and I are about ready to launch an online business.<br /><br />I have been reading a wonderful book, "With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man," a collection of spiritual counsels from Elder Paisios of Mount Athos. Elder Paisios points out that, "In the old days, when we did not have telephones, taxes, and all kinds of gadgets, we lived tranquil and simple lives." (p. 153) While I ache for a world free of such distractions, this is not the reality in which we live. So, the challenge for me will be to "separate the wheat from the chaff." One moment, one breath, one decision at a time.</p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-15387700618614030752009-04-26T21:09:00.015-04:002009-04-27T00:14:20.751-04:00Fellowship<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FOURv2JXJ38oiEKvQ6pcpxyxS1Gt4dKBzDfHCaz5dHK7Gr8hCuFwYtcJlKilZ9HQHfUtgupgxbhN4sg-llNAAYxaZCUeP84Bms1GVeBZ39YwPZrw8u4_WLp-So0GdOmccM5gNmU9tvk/s1600-h/ant+on+hand.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329210956329142322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FOURv2JXJ38oiEKvQ6pcpxyxS1Gt4dKBzDfHCaz5dHK7Gr8hCuFwYtcJlKilZ9HQHfUtgupgxbhN4sg-llNAAYxaZCUeP84Bms1GVeBZ39YwPZrw8u4_WLp-So0GdOmccM5gNmU9tvk/s320/ant+on+hand.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>"O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our little brothers to whom Thou hast given this earth as their home in common with us. May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee, and that they love the sweetness of life even as we, and serve Thee better in their place than we in ours."</em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>- St. Basil the Great</em></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">It always saddens me when I see a child purposely stomping on ants or worms, or someone killing flies with a fly swatter (what an awful contraption!). As though their lives hold no meaning or purpose. As though God did not create even the smallest of creatures out of His love. So when my son ceremoniously picks up worms off of a dry sidewalk and places them into the cool, moist soil, or lovingly constructs little houses for his friends the ants, I am filled with joy that there is hope for the creatures. That it is possible to cultivate in our young ones a reverence and respect for all of life. </div><div align="left"><br />I recently read a wonderful book, <a href="http://www.sainthermanpress.com/Catalog/Lives_of_Saints/salt_book.htm">"Salt of the Earth,"</a> about Elder Isidore (1814-1908), of Gethsemane Hermitage in Russia. It was beautifully written by his spiritual son, New Martyr St. Paul Florensky, in a way which drew me into the life of this holy man and made me feel as though I had come to know him personally.</div><div align="left"><br />Of particular interest to me was how he showed such loving kindness to God's living creatures. He sang the Psalms of King David to a frog who lived in his garden. And not only did he feed wild animals and birds, but he also prayed for them and acted as their guardian. On one occasion, he rescued a sparrow from the clutches of a cat's paws and brought the bird into his cell to live until her wounded wing was healed.</div><div align="left"><br />And one of my favorite stories is about how Elder Isidore lived in harmony with mice in his cell. </div><div align="center"><em>Once he was asked, "Father, don't the mice ever bother you?" The Elder smiled: "No, they don't bother me at all. I feed them lunch and supper and that keeps them quiet. Before, they would claw their way all over the cell. But now I put food out for them to eat -near the mouse holes- and they don't run around anymore. No, they don't bother me at all."</em> </div><div align="left"><br />Now I'm not suggesting that we should all share our homes with mice and ants. Most of us (myself especially) are far from the holiness of Elder Isidore. And there are certainly some potential health hazards involved, for young children in particular. But should our treatment of creatures be dependent upon whether we deem them to be cute and cuddly? Isn't it possible for us to take some steps to try to be kinder to <em><strong>all</strong></em> of God's creatures?</div><div align="left"><br />We have had our share of mice, bees, ants and the like wanting to raise their families in our house. Like I tell my son, we don't have any problem with visitors, but we don't have enough room in our house for everyone to move in. So, we do what we can to gently encourage them to make their homes in the great outdoors. </div><div align="left"><br />We have had great success discouraging ants in our home by sprinking a lot of cinnamon near their favorite entryways (They don't like to cross it.). Humane mouse traps (or "mouse houses" as my family calls them) worked wonders at helping our resident mouse stop his late-night parties in our living room sofa. (Although it did take a 15 minute train ride out of town to help him forget his way back!) And last year, there were some bees building a hive in our bathroom window. While it was a long time until we could open our window again, the bees eventually did leave. In the meantime, we were given the blessing of being able to watch them close-up as they built the hive, something we most likely won't be able to witness that closely very often.</div><div align="left"><br />We may have had some minor temporary inconveniences in our attempts to be kinder to God's creatures, but the blessings far outweighed the costs. St. Basil the Great once said, "The wisdom of God is revealed in the smallest creatures." What is more spiritually edifying, stomping on an ant, or taking the time to marvel at one?</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-90679535516671714012009-03-25T21:50:00.004-04:002009-03-26T03:53:58.362-04:00ShelterI have a pretty good memory. No, I can't always remember where I put my wallet or the five million little notes I've strewn throughout the house. But there are some moments and events that leave me with powerful and long-lasting images. Last week, I added another one to my collection.<br /><br />I was driving along the road with my boys in the back seat. Up ahead, I could see the traffic was slowing down. "Are we approaching the section of road that's supposed to be closed today?" I wondered to myself. I wasn't too familiar with this area, so I was preparing myself for what direction the upcoming detour would take me.<br /><br />I quickly learned there was no detour at all, but a scene that will be forever etched into my heart and my mind. A deer sat on the side of the road, a towel covering her head and blood streaming from her head/mouth, with a woman standing guard beside her, waiting for the help that was just arriving on the opposite side of the street.<br /><br />I saw it all so quickly, as I was in the midst of a line of a couple of cars and had to keep moving (albeit a bit slower than one would ususally drive here) so as not to cause another accident. Yet one of the things that immediately came to mind was,"Is Jacob looking? How can I divert his attention before he sees what's happening?" I didn't want him to see the suffering of the deer. I didn't know what I would say to him. I didn't want him to see my face as I choked back my tears, not wanting to upset him. Thankfully (for me) Jacob was oblivious to what was happening. He was sitting there innocently looking ahead. He didn't see the deer. He didn't even notice me crying or hear me quietly praying for the deer and the woman watching over her.<br /><br />But was my reaction was on the right track? Of course, we want to protect our young children from experiences that could be harmful or detrimental to their growth. Was this one of those experiences? Perhaps this could have been an experience which deepened his love and empathy for animals. Perhaps this could have given us an opportunity to talk about how God's intention was for <em>life</em> and not for death.<br /><br />Yet when I looked back at my boys, still so young and fragile, my heart ached as I thought of how, little by little, their innocence will be eroded. They will have to come face-to-face with all kinds of struggles and sufferings, and eventually, death, in their lives. Shouldn't we aim to shelter them and preserve their innocence for as long as possible?<br /><br />I don't know. There certainly are no easy answers. It's during these times when I am reminded of how helpless and lost we are without God. Sometimes, all we can do is cry out, "Lord have mercy."Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-55870903482847137162009-03-19T23:21:00.010-04:002009-03-20T07:31:32.483-04:00Hopeful<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315106693092687282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPQxWsS7nWkoUOtaZOz4ji4f71s8_rtxqq8CRSpHGp4BpfmtbE2ooV8JIlV1h8cu6NN45K17QdZAo240gX8w2sWSAjoGb9FGTHejDYgIkpQWb-Dq9bEAFDZL44wwlKVI18axNnnT_7vU/s320/IMG_2469.JPG" border="0" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA5dI7DA35-seMJDOiddoHDcuT0wMdrMGXvpK94ncL1fPzrwG4sNfNuXTUGkHXNRD25bvBrfv-yDnwcM3qcyukmdmu7rtAZuTlhNWwVw33tUP2Ho_5IUSm7-gOcEFUfdkUwsk82_tSuk/s1600-h/IMG_2468.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315106441446373442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA5dI7DA35-seMJDOiddoHDcuT0wMdrMGXvpK94ncL1fPzrwG4sNfNuXTUGkHXNRD25bvBrfv-yDnwcM3qcyukmdmu7rtAZuTlhNWwVw33tUP2Ho_5IUSm7-gOcEFUfdkUwsk82_tSuk/s320/IMG_2468.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div>I've moved a lot. And when I say a lot, I really do mean <em>a lot</em>. Since I graduated from college, I've probably moved close to 15 times (and I'm not that old). My family used to joke that they waited to get my new address every year. Most of the moves weren't terribly far away from each other. But they were enough to prevent me from really digging roots (literally) in one place for too long. And as someone who truly loves to garden, this hasn't always been easy for me. One good thing that has come out of it, though, is that I've had a chance to start from scratch in a variety of places and situations. It's always fun to look at an empty piece of land, imagine the possibilities and get to work! (I also think there's an interesting parallel between garden planning/preparation and Lent. We do physical work in the garden with the hope of a bountiful harvest, and we do spiritual work during Lent with the hope of the Resurrection at Pascha.)</div><div></div><br /><div>Last year was our first summer at our new house. I was so excited to start up a new garden... one that would be a bit more permanent than all the other gardens I've started up throughout the past several years. But when it came time to get work on it, I had a newborn baby to care for. It seemed as though every time I put my shovel to the ground, he would want to nurse. So, I did what any realistic woman would do... I put my shovel down. And I didn't pick it back up again for the rest of the summer.</div><div></div><br /><div>What about the garden, you wonder? Oh, I had a garden, of course. But I didn't remove a single inch of sod, and I didn't dig a single inch of soil. I converted a portion of my lawn into a garden "no-dig-style" simply by letting time do the work for me. It was so easy and lots of fun! My three-year-old son actually did most of the work with me.</div><div></div><br /><div>One of our neighbors offered up her newspapers. We laid them down on top of the lawn. I found a few cardboard boxes in our basement and covered as much of the newspaper as we could with them. Then we noticed that another neighbor had several large bags of leaved out for the trash. After several trips back and forth with our trusty litte red wagon, we dumped out all of the leaves on top of the newspaper and cardboard. Next, a friend of mine picked up several bales of straw in her truck and we spread a really thick layer of straw on top of everything else. Jacob's favorite part was when he took charge of the hose. He sprayed it all down to moisten things up and that was it!</div><div></div><br /><div>Since our compost pile was too young to have generated any compost, we picked up a couple bags of leaf compost. Then I spread the straw around, dumped in a few handfuls of compost, and planted my seedlings. All in the same day. So much easier than all that backbreaking digging!</div><div></div><br /><div>Now I won't lie and say it all took off quickly. It didn't. (And in the meantime I had to answer some questions from people who were wondering why I was putting all that straw on my lawn.) From what I understand, it's more ideal to wait a while to plant so everything has some time to break down a bit. But, time was not on my side. I wanted a garden and I wasn't going to miss a growing season! </div><div></div><br /><div>After some time went by and the plants seemed to be stalled in their growth, my husband started remarking that it didn't seem as though my garden was going to do so well this year after all. But I did not give up hope. As the saying goes, "All good things take time." I just figured it was taking a little extra time for the roots of the plants to dig down through the sod and the hard top layer of the soil. Sure enough, things sure did take off! I harvested enough tomatoes to not only make and freeze sauce for ourselves but to share with all of our neighbors, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other day, the weather was absolutely beautiful, so I had a chance to check out how everything looks underneath that straw. I'm excited to say that, except for a light covering of straw, everything has broken down into a nice, rich, crumbly soil! So, after all of last year's beginning "hard" work, I'm hopeful about another season of fresh veggies from the garden. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>The picture on the left shows the garden space I started last year, all ready to get going for this year. The picture on the right is Jacob's garden. Last year, all I could plant with him was some sunflowers. He ended up taking over the rest of his garden as a digging site. This year, my plan is to expand his garden space toward our composting area to give him more room to grow things in, and as a great bonus, less lawn to mow (don't get me started on my thoughts about lawns!). I'd also like to take out the bushes alongside of our house and plant something a little more useful (like blueberries) instead, but I haven't quite convinced my husband on that one... I'm hopeful :-)</div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-36166519348661571092009-03-12T21:11:00.000-04:002009-03-12T21:12:59.113-04:00Wonder<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyYKpGkmv3h4QoPOk0wVgJP8uHMzB8mN8U6vxxdl0lvs3Hfi3yP236mLd-FIxIOFbrVdw22_z4Ajrpn8rkwlhgtRS1ZtIOg5R-3vDTysHcysmozMsHITBOXbvT4oGcqjPuVL1sk3vtbk/s1600-h/IMG_1764.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311453460416937330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyYKpGkmv3h4QoPOk0wVgJP8uHMzB8mN8U6vxxdl0lvs3Hfi3yP236mLd-FIxIOFbrVdw22_z4Ajrpn8rkwlhgtRS1ZtIOg5R-3vDTysHcysmozMsHITBOXbvT4oGcqjPuVL1sk3vtbk/s320/IMG_1764.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSRFJtW1SH2YbkQb-iNOqfzwx75ddbgq6Dh7sIQE5OCB0fCqpSxDxgyuTNAJ_EpKHwUcIPGjrAPlHY6VZ1-NVVmhBkMUbul12ek8jYSZ5M9B7lX6a6nc4mMzoEAbOYj9zsIXCHCasqEM/s1600-h/IMG_1785.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311452920117831954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSRFJtW1SH2YbkQb-iNOqfzwx75ddbgq6Dh7sIQE5OCB0fCqpSxDxgyuTNAJ_EpKHwUcIPGjrAPlHY6VZ1-NVVmhBkMUbul12ek8jYSZ5M9B7lX6a6nc4mMzoEAbOYj9zsIXCHCasqEM/s320/IMG_1785.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-tSS0BzqxPLSmJvC0RJNXaguUv2mEkBPnFf4fZ0zmGk71yeH9_P6x-vTRgByMboQpqK_aqaLQNOUFN_wBOsW8LozpP-tG2HH8w0aI4Mw3u1wwvBvEOIqDjQqC28b-SaeAmBYqkY697g/s1600-h/New+from+Picasa+20.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311452445188002034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-tSS0BzqxPLSmJvC0RJNXaguUv2mEkBPnFf4fZ0zmGk71yeH9_P6x-vTRgByMboQpqK_aqaLQNOUFN_wBOsW8LozpP-tG2HH8w0aI4Mw3u1wwvBvEOIqDjQqC28b-SaeAmBYqkY697g/s320/New+from+Picasa+20.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_sWKo6xTlzt6pzRbpAsGN1Kr8xj4F8VTJG1UVICC5n9TF4D_-DOLG25PHkIyt2WPcBPNy8LNRixqQCl2vFQ-Dndk5WffIgNxMPSUYsIZ8HwYiKbEhjW91JEKSZN8nJ7DAy95U75Lulc/s1600-h/Jacob+drinking+from+spring.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311449498667358898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_sWKo6xTlzt6pzRbpAsGN1Kr8xj4F8VTJG1UVICC5n9TF4D_-DOLG25PHkIyt2WPcBPNy8LNRixqQCl2vFQ-Dndk5WffIgNxMPSUYsIZ8HwYiKbEhjW91JEKSZN8nJ7DAy95U75Lulc/s320/Jacob+drinking+from+spring.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejAYwj_v55aAhhdm43-ylowhEUUDOj7eMyyYgAh2groY8Xk5pyI98ArLhUpbT_sQzx0sTkmZkktWTzBgqvutwzFPhlM9RV4NO50f1scBZT9C-USW5UgyySsbpehRQKLDe6NbqwebQbgk/s1600-h/IMG_2409.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311447361521873314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejAYwj_v55aAhhdm43-ylowhEUUDOj7eMyyYgAh2groY8Xk5pyI98ArLhUpbT_sQzx0sTkmZkktWTzBgqvutwzFPhlM9RV4NO50f1scBZT9C-USW5UgyySsbpehRQKLDe6NbqwebQbgk/s320/IMG_2409.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div><div></div><div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em>"Only wonder can comprehend His incomprehensible power."</em></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em>- St. Maximus the Confessor</em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><br /><div align="left">I am so behind on organizing pictures that I have pretty much admitted defeat. Jacob will be four in May and the last picture I developed was from when he was six months old. The one good thing I've come to appreciate about this is that when I get a chance to root through some old digital cards, I discover some beautiful moments that really melt my heart and remind me of how deep my love is for my children.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Jacob has the gift of finding great joy in life. When out in the natural world, he loves to fully immerse himself in everything he can see, touch, taste, and smell. He often literally dives right into the experience with joy just oozing out of him. I absolutely <em>love</em> this about my son.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br />I am not one of those mothers who expects their children to stay clean when they go outside to play. To me, getting dirty is evidence that you've had a seriously good time. I think that's part of the job description for a child. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I remember when I took that picture of Jacob playing in the stream. I will never forget the sound of him squealing for joy as he jumped and splashed around. A man was walking past us while this was happening and said, "You're a good mom. My mom never would have let me do that." My thought is, why not? How sad it is that we squelch children's innate desire to have fun in the natural world just because we don't want them to get wet or dirty. If it's not too cold, I say, let them jump in the stream! Let them get wet! Just bring along an extra change of clothing...</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">If only we, too, could experience the wonder of God's creation through the senses of a child. Perhaps this would instill in us a reverence and love for creation that would inspire us to do something to bandage the wounds we've inflicted upon it. Maybe we all need to dive right into the stream ourselves more often... and just take along a dry change of clothing :-)</div></div></div></div></div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-33755040696303628572009-03-01T21:11:00.007-05:002009-03-02T09:58:55.538-05:00Seeds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfCf76qOqND5MJkEuB0DcevSmTks0mfoKeuvdlxTfKFXG_81mroWPQlVK_V3IrKi1U1J0EcRcrBs5iM7hwIIAFY09OpOUePjzb0bFuTMbNqNbu3K-w1OR3hbQ5G0NfMV461zZ9MKE7Hg/s1600-h/IMG_2415.JPG"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ISOBMKZynovBpSlJhOL6LDSFyok5S2QM5CeHA6E5WlEs1NpfafVJa3rKiEb2Zj8WHW9VUbiXKa4gEvwlU0o1HPv3Z1Py07fBQ30XlY8pXwaeTJeoBxTte1dWzYkzeldYUduKBlGjObs/s1600-h/IMG_2413.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308604234384445522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ISOBMKZynovBpSlJhOL6LDSFyok5S2QM5CeHA6E5WlEs1NpfafVJa3rKiEb2Zj8WHW9VUbiXKa4gEvwlU0o1HPv3Z1Py07fBQ30XlY8pXwaeTJeoBxTte1dWzYkzeldYUduKBlGjObs/s200/IMG_2413.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>"It is not too late. God's world has incredible healing powers. Within a single generation, we could steer the earth toward our children's future. Let that generation start now, with God's help and blessing."</em></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>- Patriarch Bartholomew & Pope John Paul II, 2002 Joint Declaration on the Envrionment</em></strong><br /><br /></div><p>While I struggle with the cold darkness of winter, there is one thing during this time that brings me great joy... starting seedlings for my garden. My seedlings have begun germinating, and one of my favorite things to do throughout the day is to dote upon them... watering them, looking at them, watching to see if any new seedlings will sprout. I never cease to be amazed by the process of nurturing the life that comes forth from a seed. At first glance, a seed seems so small and insignificant. Yet, within each seed lies the hope and promise of new life.<br /><br />Even in the most unwelcoming of situations, life wants to grow. I have often marveled at the tiny plants that poke up out of the cracks in the sidewalk. Their persistant desire to reach toward the light is inspiring. Several years ago, while I was in the midst of a huge emotional struggle, a very dear friend of mine gave me some beautiful advice that I carry with me to this day. She said something to this nature, "If you think this time of darkness in your life is worthless and empty, think of the seeds that are planted into the darkness of the soil. They get rained on and trampled on and sometimes forgotten. Yet they eventually grow into something beautiful."<br /><br />When thinking of the suffering and injustice in the world, it can be easy to fall into despair, to feel as though our efforts are tiny and insignificant. Too often, we either excuse ourselves from making different lifestyle choices by saying one person's choices won't make a difference to the world, or our sheer laziness prevents us from taking opportunities to make more compassionate choices. Yet, by God's grace, one person truly <em>can</em> make a difference.<br /><br />Each small action we take to be kinder to God's creation is like a small seed of hope planted into the darkness of the world. And by being faithful in the small things, we can learn to be faithful in larger things. Besides, as Patriarch Bartholomew once said, <em>“If we are not moved to compassion, bandaging the wounds of the earth, assuming personal care, and contributing to the painful costs, then we might easily be confronted with the question, which of these do you resemble: the Good Samaritan or the indifferent person?”</em> </p></div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-48054390914689246912009-02-23T20:28:00.008-05:002009-02-23T21:44:24.440-05:00ConvenientOur house was sparkling clean this morning. Between our preparations for Gabriel's first birthday party and an appraiser coming to our house, there was a flurry of organizing and cleaning up this weekend.<br /><br />At one point in time in the midst of all of this, my husband said, "Look at how dirty these windows and windowsills are. When's the last time we cleaned them? We've really been lazy." The prideful woman I am, I took this as a personal attack and jumped on the defensive, "What do you mean <em><strong>we</strong></em>? <em>I'm</em> not lazy. I'm always busy doing all kinds of things around the house." Yet, a few minutes later, I glanced at our compost container on the kitchen counter, and the reality of my own laziness was clearer than the dirt on our windows.<br /><br />I am not a "winter person" by any stretch of the imagination. Every winter I imagine what it would be like to live in a more temperate climate. Every winter I long for my vegetable garden, to walk barefoot in the grass, to feel the warm summer rains, to touch and smell the sweetness of the earth, to be able to get up and go without taking a half hour to dress everyone.<br /><br />This winter is no different. Recently I have been dreading the cold, gusty winds so much that I've been putting off taking our compost outside to the compost bin. I've allowed the compost container inside to get to the point where it's not only full, but it's overflowing so much that I can't even put a lid on it. There have even been a few occasions when I've just given up and put a bunch of it down the garbage disposal. Talk about laziness!<br /><br />It's interesting that it took necessity to compel us to go the extra mile with our house cleaning. Yet, on a daily basis, I skip so many corners. Why is it that I often make the best choices and efforts only when it is convenient for me? It's easy to sit around and bemoan the growing environmental destruction in the world and cast the blame and judgement on others. But, in reality, the problem lies within each and every one of us.<br /><br />Bishop Kallistos Ware said, “There can be no transformation of the environment without self-denial, no fundamental renewal of the cosmos without voluntary sacrifice.” If each of us are not willing to be faithful in taking small steps (no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient) in our own lives which take the environment into consideration, God's creation will suffer. In a joint message from Orthodox Primates in 1995, Orthodox Christians were called upon "...to be vigilant and to take every necessary avenue in order to save and protect God's creation." As for me, I'm going start with the compost bin, even when it's not convenient.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-1201738631207268272009-02-19T20:35:00.003-05:002009-02-19T21:28:17.464-05:00BalanceIf there's one thing that's been consistently on my mind throughout the past several months, it's been the subject of balance. So many roles and tasks to balance with seemingly little time to fulfill all the responsibilities. That's why I've been absent from the blog-world for so many months now. I had decided to cut myself off from email and blogs and the like. My goal was to simplify, simplify, simplify... to whittle away at the extraneous things in my life and start from scratch again, so to speak. It was liberating.<br /><br />Yet I've come out of that time realizing that, for me, it's a balance. It's not an all-or-nothing thing. So, here I am again with a desire to have a place, or a space, in which to dig a little deeper into everyday life and grapple with some of the injustices that lie beneath the surface. A little corner of the world in which to process my observations and explore my faith in the context of living in this world.<br /><br />So, for those of you who were starting to follow my musings and wondered what happened to me, I'm back. I plan on posting a bit more regularly now, so I hope you'll follow along with me on the journey. And I'd love to hear about your thoughts along the way, too.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-53889003661339243532008-10-13T20:56:00.006-04:002008-10-14T08:04:22.440-04:00I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvZjxhbOMqCcDp9CaBxO0I2feA_4OOy_mgmjPI5WB7KqnFFdeGFnuLtlmSlE9GGaYPHundT5xrgXvhsro-Zm37N5Bmq2B80CBC47alYx7ARUv4ZcQcuND6dCECdw9LO3I-sNL2zfbJi8/s1600-h/birds+in+cage.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256806711402615714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvZjxhbOMqCcDp9CaBxO0I2feA_4OOy_mgmjPI5WB7KqnFFdeGFnuLtlmSlE9GGaYPHundT5xrgXvhsro-Zm37N5Bmq2B80CBC47alYx7ARUv4ZcQcuND6dCECdw9LO3I-sNL2zfbJi8/s320/birds+in+cage.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><strong></strong></em></div><div align="center"><em><strong></strong></em></div><div align="center"><em><strong>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</strong><br /><br />The free bird leaps on the back of the wind</em></div><div align="center"><em>and floats downstream till the current ends</em></div><div align="center"><em>and dips his wings in the orange sun rays</em></div><div align="center"><em>and dares to claim the sky.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage</em></div><div align="center"><em>can seldom see through his bars of rage</em></div><div align="center"><em>his wings are clipped and his feet are tied</em></div><div align="center"><em>so he opens his throat to sing.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>The caged bird sings with fearful trill</em></div><div align="center"><em>of the things unknown but longed for still</em></div><div align="center"><em>and is tune is heard on the distant hill</em></div><div align="center"><em>for the caged bird sings of freedom.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>The free bird thinks of another breeze</em></div><div align="center"><em>and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees</em></div><div align="center"><em>and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn</em></div><div align="center"><em>and he names the sky his own.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams</em></div><div align="center"><em>his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream</em></div><div align="center"><em>his wings are clipped and his feet are tied</em></div><div align="center"><em>so he opens his throat to sing.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>The caged bird sings with a fearful trill</em></div><div align="center"><em>of things unknown but longed for still</em></div><div align="center"><em>and his tune is heard on the distant hill</em></div><div align="center"><em>for the caged bird sings of freedom.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>Maya Angelou</em></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="left">The other day, while I was taking a walk with my children, I saw a sight that broke my heart. Across the street from where we were walking, there was a bird in a cage on someone's front porch. In one respect, it was nice to see that the caretakers of this bird thought it would be good for the bird to get some fresh air. However, I just don't understand how anyone can find it to be alright to cage a bird. </div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Why did God give birds wings? The answer is so obvious that it makes the question seem ridiculous. Yet we tamper with God's creation and cage birds.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">This also brought to mind the poem, above, by Maya Angelou, and the sad reality that in this fallen world we enslave both animals and people and find ways to either justify or disguise such cruelties. There is a wonderful book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0962449334/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top">The Dreaded Comparison</a>, by Marjorie Spiegel, which addresses in-depth this very issue.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The first time I read it years ago, I was shocked by the incredible similarities between our treatment of human slavery and animal slavery. I just glanced through the pages for the first time in quite a while, and the pictures brought me to tears. The book opens up with a picture of a slave auction and a picture of a cattle auction. They may as well been held at the same place, for the images are identical.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em><strong>St. John of Kronstadt said,</strong> <strong>"If you love your neighbor, then all heaven will love you; if you are united in spirit with your fellow creatures then you will be united with God and all the company of heaven."</strong></em> Oh how woefully far we are from this ideal. What is it within humanity that compells us to treat one another and the rest of God's creation with such contempt and disregard? How have we continued to be blinded to the hardening of our hearts? Lord, please help us to love....</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-37328733056650017522008-09-24T22:30:00.000-04:002008-09-24T23:50:13.142-04:00Real ToysI am on a seemingly constant quest to rid our house of "junk" toys. I don't think I ever realized how utterly plastic our world has become until I had children. It seems everywhere you turn there's a game or toy that will supposedly help your child to grow and learn all these wonderful skills and attributes. My only question is, what did children do before all of these toys and gadgets? Gee, they must have been awfully deprived.<br /><br />This whole toy issue thing is quite often on my mind, so as part of my exploration of it, I recently asked my grandfather what kind of toys his brothers and sisters played with when he was growing up. He said, "None. We didn't have any. We grew up in the Depression." Yet my grandfathter is a kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent man... certainly not deprived of any necessary skills for life.<br /><br />I consider myself to be someone who strives to live a simple life, and I know quite well that marketing tools are aimed at creating a false sense of need in us in order to get us to buy more stuff. However, I must admit that there are times when I wonder if I am depriving my son by limiting his toys. Isn't it amazing how powerful these marketing moguls can be, that although I don't even have a television spewing out commercial advertisements at me, I'm still impacted by them? We are surrounded by such a culture of excess that it is difficult to escape its lures.<br /><br />But one thing definitely sticks out the most in my own childhood memories. And, believe it or not, it's not the Cabbage Patch doll! To this day, I can remember my secret, special spot. Whenever I wanted to be alone or to find quiet time, I would go to an area of my parents' yard where no one could see me, and I would just sit and close my eyes and simply be. Or I would go outside at night and sit on the stoop by our garage and look up at the stars in the sky and be filled with peace and wonder. Another joy was crawling in a small space in the back of one of our coat closets where no one could see me.... Or creating a tent out of bedsheets and blankets, a house out of a cardboard box.... Sneaking books under my pillow at night so I could wake up and read by the moonlight. No toys, no plastic, no flashing lights.<br /><br />So when thinking about what my little boys "need" in order to grow into the men God created them to be, I keep reminding myself that it is all pretty simple. Time to explore the natural world, time to to create, time to play, time to simply "be." Sometimes I think we make things more complicated than they have to be.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-22813674627887131072008-09-04T21:50:00.002-04:002008-09-06T20:40:25.604-04:00Sanctuary<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiDFYyhzdmhk9nN_sWgB6WQR6vQWXcW7pO3BTWTjF7XH4bm3pwReLsX-0MhkJsRZfuAnjdczDcAdcp16MvHPGqhmMP_4fhHqTEHA6gs15WOJawKaqwY4w9q_ySJkyn6fDwy0tNErkEzs/s1600-h/41320002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242347002262213186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiDFYyhzdmhk9nN_sWgB6WQR6vQWXcW7pO3BTWTjF7XH4bm3pwReLsX-0MhkJsRZfuAnjdczDcAdcp16MvHPGqhmMP_4fhHqTEHA6gs15WOJawKaqwY4w9q_ySJkyn6fDwy0tNErkEzs/s320/41320002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>So we recently went on a trip up to <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/">Farm Sanctuary</a> in Watkins Glen, NY. It is a wonderful organization that rescues abused farm animals and works to educate people about their plight. I have visited there on a few other occasions throughout the years. However, this year's visit was especially meaningful to me because it was the first time my husband and my children were there. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>It was such a wonderful feeling to be in a place where animals are treated with love and respect. And to see my oldest son hugging and feeding the animals and leaping around them with squeals of happiness brought me the joy of all joys. It also gave even more confirmation that God intended for us to have communion with the animals. God calls us to be as the little children. If children are so naturally drawn to love animals, to feel joy in their presence, shouldn't we as well? </div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>While our visit there was short, I left feeling refreshed and renewed knowing that there are others who feel the same way about God's creatures. Farm Sanctuary is not only a sanctuary for animals, but for people too.</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-22037826981171658122008-09-02T20:24:00.005-04:002008-09-04T21:17:09.332-04:00One Dollar Diet Project<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSocbf9il9Mjh6rCNDv5vqBnVHDIXVb8Hg5Z9-jU65h2wmGpbnPlNJKP28pSjC9GfYfb1-PKxL1XrzGr7Wxn1maj9TwmligW2fXK7S6VIl_FXXh5bc3emoOi8r0LqDkB7PlDI_r2uR-28/s1600-h/last+shall+be+first+line.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242339172356306050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSocbf9il9Mjh6rCNDv5vqBnVHDIXVb8Hg5Z9-jU65h2wmGpbnPlNJKP28pSjC9GfYfb1-PKxL1XrzGr7Wxn1maj9TwmligW2fXK7S6VIl_FXXh5bc3emoOi8r0LqDkB7PlDI_r2uR-28/s320/last+shall+be+first+line.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em>But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.</em><br /><div align="center"><em>- Mark 10:31</em></div><br /><br />We are called to give to the poor, and to not store up treasures on earth. However, the way of life of many of us in the United States is a far cry from this. Modern commercialism has led us to have a distorted perception of our needs and our wants. Electronic gadgets, televisions, cars, and toys overflow the closets and rooms of many. When we open our refrigerators, we have so many options for meals that it's common for food to actually go to waste. Meanwhile, more than 1 BILLION people live on just one dollar or less per day.<br /><br /><br />Two social justice teachers have started the <a href="http://onedollardietproject.wordpress.com/">One Dollar Diet Project </a>during which they will each eat on a food budget of $1 per day. I'm very interested in following their project and how the experience goes for them. While my family lives simply in comparison to modern standards, we manage to make a mortgage payment, and we're certainly not starving. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to struggle to get by on just $1 a day.<br /><br /><br />It is making me think again about how I could simplify more, and give more. But perhaps it also goes deeper than simply giving money to the poor. Perhaps it is rooted more in our worldview that we all have a right to have more, more, more. It is a sad world we live in... the disparities between the "haves" and the "have-nots" seem to be growing and growing. And in this world it is not uncommon for there to be one person living on billions of dollars while billions of people are living on one dollar? I thank God that we have hope for a world transfigured... where there will be no more sorrow... and where, finally, the last shall be first.<br /></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-90453829464612335942008-08-18T21:52:00.004-04:002008-08-18T22:49:24.513-04:00Voice of the Voiceless<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimRlM89ywpYpm6Oew1gysx9vsB4-2Vaq8aHPN3dxu2qmKoqux95ydELc-IW4uuMRwD0PByyUVjak-f6O2SgKOMcpXnwVqfNfm82NS0XstU2e4e1dujg8tIZ9S6sdv3mr9Wm8Kdia_Ggk/s1600-h/pig+in+factory+farm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236053182407328130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimRlM89ywpYpm6Oew1gysx9vsB4-2Vaq8aHPN3dxu2qmKoqux95ydELc-IW4uuMRwD0PByyUVjak-f6O2SgKOMcpXnwVqfNfm82NS0XstU2e4e1dujg8tIZ9S6sdv3mr9Wm8Kdia_Ggk/s320/pig+in+factory+farm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div align="center"><em>I am the voice of the voiceless:</em></div><div align="center"><em>Through me, the dumb shall speak;</em></div><div align="center"><em>Till the deaf world’s ear be made to hear</em></div><div align="center"><em>The cry of the wordless weak.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>From street, from cage, and from kennel,</em></div><div align="center"><em>From jungle, and stall, the wail</em></div><div align="center"><em>Of my tortured kin proclaims the sin</em></div><div align="center"><em>Of the mighty against the frail.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>For love is the true religion,</em></div><div align="center"><em>And love is the law sublime;</em></div><div align="center"><em>And all is wrought, where love is not</em></div><div align="center"><em>Will die at the touch of time.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>Oh shame on the mothers of mortals</em></div><div align="center"><em>Who have not stopped to teach</em></div><div align="center"><em>Of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes,</em></div><div align="center"><em>The sorrow that has no speech.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>The same Power formed the sparrow</em></div><div align="center"><em>That fashioned man-the King;</em></div><div align="center"><em>The God of the whole gave a living soul</em></div><div align="center"><em>To furred and to feathered thing.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>And I am my brother’s keeper,</em></div><div align="center"><em>And I will fight his fight;</em></div><div align="center"><em>And speak the word for beast and bird</em></div><div align="center"><em>Till the world shall set things right.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><p align="center"><em>- Ella Wheeler Wilcox</em></p><p align="left">I live in the midst of an area that some might dub "Pennsylvania Dutch Country." And within a short drive from my house are "processing" plants in which pigs, cows, chickens, and turkeys are transformed from innocent, sentient beings into neatly-wrapped packages of meat.</p><p align="left">More often than I would like, I am faced with the eyes of animals on their way to slaughter. And the feeling of helplessness wrenching at my heart and soul is nothing compared to theirs. I am free to drive on. They, on the other hand, have no escape from their fate. And, sadly, if I were to try to free them, I could potentially be arrested.</p><p align="left">Saint Basil said, <em>"O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our little brothers to whom Thou hast given this earth as their home in common with us. May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee, and that they love the sweetness of life even as we, and serve Thee better in their place than we in ours."</em> They love the sweetness of life, he said... Yet we rip this away from them. We imprison them in unnatural, cruel conditions and then kill them. Is this the kind of fellowship God intended when he created the animals to be Adam's first friends? </p><p align="left">They cannot speak in our words, but look into the eyes of one of these beautiful creatures in an animal-transport truck, on their way to slaughter, and you will see their sorrow. God has given us free will, so we have a choice to make. God allows the eating of meat (animals), but He does not demand it. Have we really become so hardened and desensitized that we can turn a blind eye to their suffering? We can choose to be a part of their suffering and death, or we can choose to say "yes" to their lives, and to pray for an end to this madness.</p></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-29467587874640328342008-08-01T22:35:00.006-04:002008-08-01T22:56:05.602-04:00A Blade of Grass<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUY2j68jHus_0ceKoW21JoQeJFWujzCmwI08RaMUXgX2hXOEIgJ2zsSj3-9mBcNHiZah0cZGTNdkXzwce0k3h0ofR8NIOnnM9z18YTcSZkf3INI39FzUKTvrEFSWjxHloQ5CXmVh8oH9c/s1600-h/blade+of+grass.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229747820861537858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUY2j68jHus_0ceKoW21JoQeJFWujzCmwI08RaMUXgX2hXOEIgJ2zsSj3-9mBcNHiZah0cZGTNdkXzwce0k3h0ofR8NIOnnM9z18YTcSZkf3INI39FzUKTvrEFSWjxHloQ5CXmVh8oH9c/s320/blade+of+grass.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em>"I want creation to penetrate you with so much admiration that wherever you go, the least plant may bring you the clear remembrance of the Creator. A single plant, a blade of grass or one speck of dust is sufficient to occupy all your intelligence in beholding the art with which it has been made."</em></div><div align="center"><em></em> </div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em>- St. Basil the Great</em><br /></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="left">I haven't posted much recently, because I have been focusing on preparing for our parish's vacation church school. Next week I am blessed to have an opportunity to be one of its teachers. Our focus is going to be "The Earth is the Lord's: Caring for God's Creation." My heart's deepest prayer and longing is that the children in my class will come away from the week seeing the deep beauty and significance of a blade of grass... of any of the seemingly small parts of God's creation. </div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Nothing is without significance. Everything God created has it's own unique and mysterious place in His creation. How easy it can be to forget this in a world where material posessions are prized more than the precious spiritual gems we find on our way toward communion with God. What a wonderful thing it is to stop the whirlwind of life and take time to simply "be" in the natural world... to contemplate this vast, brilliant creation which God has gifted to us to care for.</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-80412097120043410232008-07-17T23:06:00.005-04:002008-08-01T23:05:59.813-04:00Friends of Adam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYIYxNVXcu7BokLN1-c0kQE7jOJVxR3Qr1kPRP6vrMDuh2-Dvq5_lJRv_2c2i2pjqU334AGScYKwp524Cz6PTqvFT6ygWsecww2oxpJbNCIMPLTi6d66KCffRJNHO0r6isq43u8bJ7Qw/s1600-h/boy+and+girl+with+two+cows.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229750586477934274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYIYxNVXcu7BokLN1-c0kQE7jOJVxR3Qr1kPRP6vrMDuh2-Dvq5_lJRv_2c2i2pjqU334AGScYKwp524Cz6PTqvFT6ygWsecww2oxpJbNCIMPLTi6d66KCffRJNHO0r6isq43u8bJ7Qw/s320/boy+and+girl+with+two+cows.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I started this blog with the intention of giving people hope. I intended to give all sorts of practical tips on things we could do in our everyday lives to help manifest a more compassionate world. Recently, however, it seems as though I've allowed to get myself bogged down in my sadness about animal suffering. I guess there's just an ebb and flow. But even when I'm struggling more with the grief and despair, I have still not given up hope.<br /><br />I have recently revisited a wonderful book, <a href="http://holistic-veterinarian.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HV&Product_Code=AAMASOB&Category_Code=SB">"Animals and Man: A State of Blessedness," </a>by Joanne Stefanatos, an Orthodox Christian and holistic veterinarian. The description of the books notes that it is, "A book that reveals the mysteries of God concerning man, animals and salvation." It is a wonderful book that speaks of God's original intent for His creation... that all would live in harmony, and that Man would lead creation in love. In the book, there are countless stories of Orthodox men and women living in peaceful coexistence with animals throughout the ages. A few weeks ago, I also purchased a copy of her second book, <a href="http://holistic-veterinarian.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HV&Product_Code=ASASJ&Category_Code=SB">"Animals Sanctified: A Spiritual Journey."</a> As noted in the description of the book, "This book is a revelation of Orthodox spirituality from the days of Jesus to the present, addressing the question, "How can we save ourselves and God's creation: the animals and the earth?"<br /><br />I cannot tell you how much I treasure both of these books! To finally find something written by someone of my faith who addresses these issues is like a dream come true for me. I have often felt alone in circles of people who have compassion for animals, because they most often do not share a Christian faith. Then, in my own parish, I often feel alone because of my compassion for animals.... I think I may have been the only person in my parish who celebrated Pascha with an all-vegan feast. But to hear of another voice in the wilderness who so eloquently speaks of the sacred beauty of animals, and our God-given duty to be loving stewards to them, is music to my ears. I wish that all could read her words... perhaps more hearts would be softened toward the animals... the first friends of Adam.</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-17478722277767823652008-07-04T02:06:00.007-04:002008-08-10T18:11:14.704-04:00Silent Tears<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIOpa4zLZOlGqO1KnGGvrRgOJ38HQjF-HyRorJjxjEwEXwCZkNTQ8rEM0_PHtgKVbdFMK-vwd9FK73xGc0a0BJT81InoQqQ5NBHWMoKGwZR3kA8aL7RUZK-OXwbmFefQE4_-NXqDSqsg/s1600-h/face+in+shadows+with+tear.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219054094694823506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIOpa4zLZOlGqO1KnGGvrRgOJ38HQjF-HyRorJjxjEwEXwCZkNTQ8rEM0_PHtgKVbdFMK-vwd9FK73xGc0a0BJT81InoQqQ5NBHWMoKGwZR3kA8aL7RUZK-OXwbmFefQE4_-NXqDSqsg/s200/face+in+shadows+with+tear.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div></div><div></div><div>After Liturgy every week, I feel as though I am surrounded by a lack of care and concern for the animals who provided the foods upon which people dine. </div><div></div><br /><div>And I can't say a word about it. Sure, I could talk about the horrific conditions in which these animals suffered in order to become food. But I have learned that the world does not want to hear. I can vividly remember when, as a child not so inhibited by the "right" way to act, I was greeted by a slightly raised hand, and the words, "I don't want to know."</div><div></div><br /><div>Why don't we want to know? Perhaps because knowledge without action would lead to feelings of guilt? Has the long Lenten fasting period not shown us that it is possible to live without eating animal products? Are we so driven by our passions that we cannot choose kindness over killing? Is there no hope for humanity to become more humane?</div><div></div><br /><div>So, I steel my face and cry my silent tears. Silent tears for the animals who are not shown God's mercy by the people He entrusted to care for them. Silent tears for the people who have become so blinded and desensitized to the truth that they are able to participate in such madness.</div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-91164158314123185442008-06-24T07:33:00.005-04:002008-06-26T23:06:01.866-04:00Humane Myth<div align="center"><strong><em>"The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God."</em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>- St. John of Damascus</em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong> </div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong> </div><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left">I was so excited to hear of the launching of the <a href="http://www.humanemyth.org/">Humane Myth </a>website the other day. Its goal is to dispell the humane myth, which they define as "an idea being propagated by the animal-using industry and some animal protection organizations that it is possible to use and kill animals in a manner that can be fairly described as respectful or compassionate or humane."</div><br />I seem to encounter an increasing number of people who feel that purchasing animal products which were derived from animals raised in "free-range," "organic," or "cageless" conditions is somehow better or more humane. In reality, the conditions underlying such labels are often just as poor as in a regular factory farm. Besides that, all roads lead to the slaughterhouse. And I would be surprised to find anyone who could see beauty and kindness behind its walls.<br /><br />If, as St. John of Damascus stated, "The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God," how should we live? How should we treat the gift of life which God has entrusted in our care? Do we exercise the dominion He intended when we treat animals as a mere commodity and hide their suffering behind closed doors? Would we make different choices if we were the ones who had to do the killing? I believe it was Tolstoy who once said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we would all be vegetarian." I couldn't agree with him more.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-66597916571179943362008-06-23T22:45:00.001-04:002008-06-24T12:05:57.368-04:00Simple Gifts<div align="center"><em>'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,</em><br /></div><div align="center"><em>'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,</em><br /></div><div align="center"><em>And when we find ourselves in the place just right,</em><br /></div><div align="center"><em>'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>When true simplicity is gain'd,</em></div><div align="center"><em>To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,</em></div><div align="center"><em>To turn, turn will be our delight,</em></div><div align="center"><em>'Till by turning, turning we come round right.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><br /><div align="left">I have long been drawn to this Shaker song and to the simple way of life. But, in some ways, it was much easier to live a life of simplicity before marriage and children. Now I must balance the needs of my family, striving for a practical, family-focused simplicity. It's been on my heart for some time now that I've strayed from my values of simplicity. I've allowed more unnecessary clutter to creep into our life, and I've chosen convenience over mindful consumption far too many times.</div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Recently, I started hanging my clothing out to dry on a clothesline again. It took a bit more effort than just throwing everything into the dryer. However, not only did I use less electricity to run that dryer, but I also received blessings in return. The slow cadence of clipping clothespins on the clothesline, reminding me that there is no need to hurry, this world moves too fast. The communion with my son as he helped me to take the clothes off of the line while a thunderstorm rolled in. The feel and smell of the cool breeze wafting by, drawing me into its beauty in a way that I don't slow down to appreciate often enough. Even the simple beauty of the laundry swaying on the line.</div><br />Patriarch Bartholomew, in his remarks at an <a href="http://www.ec-patr.org/docdisplay.php?lang=en&id=461&tla=en">Environmental Symposium in 1997</a>, noted that, "Asceticism requires from us a voluntary restraint in order for us to live in harmony with our environment." And that, "Asceticism... will lead us... to a world in which we will give as well as take from creation." I think people often believe that making choices which are kinder to the environment will involve a lot of drudgery and hardship. Often, I find quite the opposite to be true. Yes, sometimes it does take a little more effort to step out of our ordinary mode of ease and convenience. But the blessings often far outweigh the costs. A small choice to hang my clothes to dry on a clothesline brought me such a number of simple joys that I look forward to doing it again and again.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-87282410790589721862008-06-16T20:19:00.002-04:002008-06-16T20:53:36.440-04:00Liturgy of LifeA friend of mine once equated the daily chores and responsibilities of motherhood as a liturgy of sorts. The Orthodox Liturgy has the same basic framework each week. But every week we commemorate a different saint, and sometimes we celebrate a feast day. Every day we also go through essentially the same routine... cooking, cleaning, caring for our children, etc. But some days have a different twist to them, perhaps a trip to the park or a visit from friends or family.<br /><br />We participate in the Liturgy of the Church to worship God and to be joined to God through our partaking of the Holy Eucharist. In the same way, we can worship God and draw nearer to Him through our daily lives. But if our minds and hearts wander during the Liturgy, we may not receive the fullness of God's blessings. In the same way, we cannot expect to see the manifestation of a more compassionate world if we are not attentive in the liturgy of our life at home.<br /><br />Compassion and communion with God and His Creation starts at home. And it is in this area where I must admit I fail the most. When I am impatient and unloving towards my children and my husband, how can I expect the world to look any different? Every thought or action has a ripple effect into the world. I am reminded of a children's book called <a href="http://www.simpleliving.net/main/item.asp?itemid=1259&catid=">"Because Brian Hugged His Mother."</a> It's about how a series of positive events that spiraled from a little boy simply hugging his mother. I've never actually read the book, but I remember reading the description some years ago and thinking about how our actions have unseen results. <br /><br />By sowing negativity into my family, I send forth a ripple of negativity into the world. If I, instead, sow gentleness and patience, this is what will flow forth from my family. If we wish to see a more compassionate world, we need to start at home. It is a daily struggle, with many ups and downs along the way. So, even on the most difficult days, when I fail in ways I'm ashamed to admit, I find solace in the words of a monk on Mt. Athos who, when asked what he does all day at the monastery, said, "We fall down, we get up." May God grant me the strength to continue to rise up again after every fall. So that I might sow seeds of compassion into my family that may bloom and shine their light upon the ailing world.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-31784104324376294992008-05-07T07:45:00.017-04:002008-05-11T23:20:22.646-04:00Mercy<span style="font-size:85%;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWvGL8l1pAKtxx8xAKh7bRfs0IDy5CUWy8Axzf9OJy9t85m2Oq3vqLcY9uB7G1fj6UYW6NhUZIaItocKvRphR0vFcKq-7yl0OgaK-QJNXpxUyBDjOGIj5HC21Y4T9_p31mYD5l_erw2U/s1600-h/fs+chiken+photo+blog+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198343123479914418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWvGL8l1pAKtxx8xAKh7bRfs0IDy5CUWy8Axzf9OJy9t85m2Oq3vqLcY9uB7G1fj6UYW6NhUZIaItocKvRphR0vFcKq-7yl0OgaK-QJNXpxUyBDjOGIj5HC21Y4T9_p31mYD5l_erw2U/s320/fs+chiken+photo+blog+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div align="center"><em>“A merciful heart is one that burns with love for all creation – for men, for the birds and animals, for the demons, for every created being. And by the recollection and sight of them the eyes of a merciful man pour forth abundant tears, from the strong and vehement mercy which grips his heart and from his great compassion, his heart is humbled and he cannot bear to hear or to see any injury or slight sorrow in creation.”<br />- St. Isaac the Syrian<br /></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">Every year at Pascha (Orthodox Christians' "Easter"), I feel a mixture of joy and sorrow. With the first singing of "Christ is Risen!" I am filled with joy. But shortly after, my heart grieves as I am offered a brightly colored chicken egg as the Paschal feast begins.<br /><br />There seems to be a misconception that eggs are a benign product… that chickens are not harmed in order to provide us with eggs. However, this is not the case. In factory farms, up to ten laying hens share a cage, leaving each bird with a living space about the size of a sheet of paper. Often, between seventy and one hundred thousand chickens are housed in one large, commercial shed. They are deprived of natural sunlight. They do not get to lie down, to spread their wings, forage for food, nest, or bathe in the dust as they would in their natural environment. Instead of dust bathing, they can only beat their wings against the wire in their cages. Their sensitive beaks are removed with hot knives (without any pain relief) so that they will not resort to pecking each other to death as a result of their unnatural, stressful environment. Birds on lower tiers endure having excrement fall onto their heads from birds in tiers above them. Ammonia, dust and feathers fill the air, making breathing conditions difficult. And when their bodies are too diseased or unable to produce any more eggs, they are sent to slaughter, destined to have their bodies ground up into soups, or low-grade chicken products which camouflage the bruises of their flesh. Male chickens, since they cannot produce eggs, are disposed of by suffocation, grinding them alive, or by merely throwing them into a dumpster to suffocate or starve to death. These conditions are not rare, for about 99% of egg laying hens in the United States (about 300 million of them) live in such conditions.<br /><br />Recently “free range” eggs have come to be thought of as a more humane alternative. However, the treatment of “free range” hens is not much better. In fact, in most cases, “free range" really only means cageless, because there are no standards in place to govern using the term “free range” on egg cartons. Male chickens are still killed because they are of no use. Each chicken has only about 1 to 2 feet of living space. Chickens are still housed in a shed with no access to the outdoors. If there is an exit for the chickens to venture outdoors, the cramped conditions in the shed make it possible for only those chickens closest to the exit to actually go outdoors. The outdoor environment itself may consist of merely a gravel area for exercise, but no way for the animals to forage.<br /><br />Patriarch Bartholomew stated, “God is love and has created us in His image to love like God. Therefore, our relationship with creation should be based on respect and justice.” How we can celebrate Pascha, the Passover from death to life, with the eating of chicken eggs, the product of suffering and death? How can we reconcile the suffering of these animals with a Christian ethic of mercy? Isn’t our hope as Christians that God will restore a universal peace, a world in which there is no longer any violence, cruelty, or suffering? Jesus said “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”(Luke 6:36) Would God condone the suffering these chickens endure simply to satisfy our palates?</div><br /><div align="left">There are many alternatives to eating eggs. A number of egg-free recipes can be found online, and a multitude of vegan cookbooks are available. (I’d be happy to give you the names of some of my favorites.) And if you want to remove eggs from recipes you already have, there are a number of ways to substitute for the eggs. Below are some examples.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Crumbled and seasoned tofu can be used in place of scrambled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. Fantastic Foods even makes a Tofu Scrambler mix for seasoning these types of dishes. There are egg-free mayonnaises on the market, such as Veganaise (my husband’s personal favorite) and Nayonaise. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Instead of using an egg to bind together a loaf or burger, you can use mashed potato, avocado, bread crumbs, rolled or quick oats, tomato paste, tahini, peanut butter, nut butters, or a little more vegetable oil.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">For baking, you can try one of the following substitutions:<br />3 T silken tofu blended with the liquid in the recipe<br />2 T cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot powder mixed with 2 T of water<br />½ of a mashed banana<br />1 T ground flax seeds & ½ cup of water blended for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture has a thick consistency similar to beaten egg whites<br />2 T to ¼ cup applesauce or apple butter<br />Commercial powdered egg replacer like ENER-G egg replacer. Use 1 to 1 ½ tsp. mixed with 2 T water<br />For lightness in baking, use some extra yeast or baking soda. You can also use fruit juice or tomato juice to replace some or all of the liquid in a recipe. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/">Farm Sanctuary</a></em></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div></div></div></div></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4766866078082355555.post-84710462368904610992008-05-06T08:06:00.005-04:002008-05-09T00:04:25.631-04:00Everyday Synergy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeR27X037-9q5TAEiy2ks88H4UE56U1To9afxWtcoYSaj1PTb878gm57a67gZhNgroAX0onRMgfu4hRvtSOxzv1YVVRo3RaXXJyEWrqZfTAvJqxanX9faPxTfXgBcRoHCIQ8bdb1ygVtg/s1600-h/person+by+cross+looking+at+peaks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198221887024295874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeR27X037-9q5TAEiy2ks88H4UE56U1To9afxWtcoYSaj1PTb878gm57a67gZhNgroAX0onRMgfu4hRvtSOxzv1YVVRo3RaXXJyEWrqZfTAvJqxanX9faPxTfXgBcRoHCIQ8bdb1ygVtg/s320/person+by+cross+looking+at+peaks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There is nothing we can do without God. Yet, one glance at our daily newspaper demonstrates how often we try to live without God guiding our lives. We are inundated with stories of war, poverty, cruelty, and injustice. Some stories become a source of common entertainment and casual conversation. Television news shows consistently highlight violent crimes as the major stories of the day.<br /><br />Many students are welcomed to school in the morning by metal detectors or police officers. Children and adults in distant countries suffer the cruel working conditions of sweatshops to provide us with fashionable garments and decorations. Billions of animals endure suffering and ultimately death in factory farms and slaughterhouses to provide people with foods that are pleasing to our palates. Environmental destruction and resource depletion are escalating.<br /><br />The "American way" has become a model of conspicuous consumption and a seemingly insatiable desire for more, more, more. Corporations have such a vested interest in ensuring that children become a new generation of consumers that they have infiltrated classrooms with marketing materials thinly disguised as educational supplements.<br /><br />These are some of the themes common to the world today. The enormity of the issues we face can seem overwhelming. But there is hope for a way out of this darkness. We do not have to sit by idly, resigning ourselves that the way things are is simply the way things will continue to be. We can challenge the cultural assumptions and live our lives in a more Christlike manner. By working with God, instead of against God, we have the potential to help usher in a more beautiful world.<br /><br />Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope John Paul II, in their <a href="http://www.ec-patr.org/docdisplay.php?lang=en&id=485&tla=en"><em>Declaration on the Environment</em></a>, noted that "The problem is not simply economic and technological; it is moral and spirutual." The world has been corrupted by the sins of humankind. But as Christians, we should be standing against injustice, and making conscious choices that take into account the suffering of people and the rest of God's creation. It is incompatible with a love of God to turn a blind eye to the suffering we are inflicting upon God's creation. Joanne Stefanatos, in her book <em><a href="http://holistic-veterinarian.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HV&Product_Code=AAMASOB&Category_Code=">Animals and Man: A State of Blessedness</a>,</em> stated this beautifully when she wrote that "We are called by God to reflect divinity, to become icons of Jesus Christ.... By our lives we must demonstrate the Gospels and the presence of Jesus Christ."<br /><br />But where do we start... what can we do... how do we do it? In a world plagued by so many problems, it can be overwhelming to know what to do. And in our fast-paced society, most of us have so many responsibilties with our jobs, our families, and other obligations, that we don't feel we have much time to do anything about the world's problems. In this blog, I hope to bring some of these issues to light. I also hope to show some simple choices we can make in our everyday lives to help manifest a more compassionate world. If we open our hearts and our minds, we will see that God has given us the wisdom and the gifts to discover creative solutions to the violence and injustice in this world.</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07942544284734276262noreply@blogger.com5