The Cards We Are Dealt
There are only three things every person in this world has in common. We are all born, we all die, and we all live. The first two are inevitable, and we can’t do much to change them. But the third one, that’s the one in which we have a say....
Honoring the Theotokos
As a sinful follower of Jesus Christ, my ultimate goal is to joyfully spend eternity in God’s kingdom. Since becoming Orthodox, I’ve frequently turned to the Theotokos for guidance. She is the most pure, with no ego or agenda, and totally devoted to serving and worshipping God. Because of her,...
Christ Is Here!
The twinkling lights speak of His presence. His birth returns light to the world as He illuminates every shadow of darkness in the world and within us. Christ is here! The evergreen speaks of eternal life. The candy canes display red and white stripes of blood and purity. Christ is...
Finishing the Race: A Daughter’s Tribute
My mother died recently. My sisters and I ordered the marker, and I was confronted with the dash between the dates, the dash in place of 84 years of living. We gave up trying to write an obituary for mom. She did so much in her life, it would never...
The Selfless Nature of Love
What does Christianity look like? That’s a question I’ve asked myself over the years as I’ve encountered groups/churches/cults all purporting to teach true Christianity. I’ve heard those who want to implement the Old Testament laws as the law of the land, a sort of ‘Christian’ Sharia law. I’ve met those...
A Paschal Meditation
I have always loved science and thinking outside of the box. My frequent questions were “why” and “what if.” Needless to say, they both got me into a lot of trouble, as I had a tendency not only to think the questions but to act on them. In my early...
Cherishing the Journey of Great Lent
I was so excited for Lent this year. During the 18 years we have been Orthodox, I have never been able to attend all the mid-week services because we have lived so far from the church. One pre-sanctified was usually all I could get to and not just because of...
Raising Family in the Image of the Theotokos
Almost 35 years ago, I chose to leave the Canadian military and get married. My mother was not impressed. She had spent her entire adult life trying to be someone other than a wife and mother and was hoping her daughters would continue the battle. She felt I was giving...
Pascha and the Transcendence of Time
We are creatures of linear time, always moving forward, only glancing back imperfectly at the past. We dream of traveling at will along our timeline. Whether it is Superman reversing the spin of the earth, the Enterprise creating slingshot effect around the sun, wormholes intersecting with solar flares or the...
Finding and Asking for Forgiveness
My first Forgiveness Sunday in 2000 left me feeling sore but satisfied, even though at the time I did think it was a bit redundant. After all, I was a Christian, so of course I was going to forgive everyone. But over the years, I realized words are easy; actions—not...
Celebrating the Theotokos Throughout the Calendar Year
When I was growing up, I never really gave Mary, the mother of Jesus, much thought, except at Christmas. We were a church-going family, and our church did the whole Sunday School Christmas play thing. That’s when Mary came front and centre. Who would play her? She was, after all,...
Contemplating Thanksgiving and the Gifts of God’s Creation
Thanksgiving—the time when we reap the harvest of our hands, when the efforts over the spring and summer show all was not in vain as we feast on the fruit (and vegetables) of our labour. At least that’s the theory. My Thanksgiving table is usually supplemented by the store or...
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