Well, we are just about back to what passes for normal around here. The contractor starts today fixing the roof. The ceiling will be next week, but we are back in our BED – which is a great blessing. I’ve gotten wonderful sleep the last 2 nights – even with the hole in the ceiling!
The Ol’ Curmudgeon has slept better, too. But I’m getting really tired of the smell of damp-but-drying-out attic insulation. I’m sure there are some mold/mildew spores in there, so all that will have to be replaced. I’m about ready to “crip” my way up a ladder and tape a big black plastic yard trash bag over that hole just to improve the smell!
What passes for normal around here is rather dull – and we like it that way. We observe the seasons, fasts and feasts of the Church from our living room. I have the camera fired up, and will get some pics of some of our Icon “clusters” as well as our Icon Corner. We check the Orthodox Calendar for the day online:
Today is Wednesday, September 2, 2009 (August 20, 2009 by the Julian calendar)
13th Week after Pentecost, Tone three. Today we celebrate the Afterfeast of the Dormition. Prophet Samuel (6th c. B.C.). Hieromartyr Philip, bishop of Heraclea, and with him Martyrs Severus, Memnon, and 37 soldiers at Plovdiv in Thrace (304). Martyr Lucius the Senator of Cyprus (ca. 310). Martyrs Heliodorus and Dosa (Dausa) in Persia (380). Martyr Photina, at the Church of Blachernae (Greek). St. Philibert of Jumieges (685) (Gaul). St. Oswin, king and martyr of Northumbria (651) (Celtic & British).
We read the scriptures appointed for the day:
The Scripture Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 9:12-10:7; Mark 3:20-27.
We read the Troparia and Kontakia for the day:
The Troparia and Kontakia for today:
Prophet Samuel, Troparion in Tone II —
Celebrating the memory/ of Thy prophet Samuel O Lord,// through him do we entreat Thee, save Thou our souls.
Troparion of the feast, in Tone I —
In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity,/ and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos./ Thou hast been, translated to life, as thou art the Mother of Life.// And by thy supplications thou dost deliver our souls from death.
Kontakion of the Prophet, in Tone VIII —
As a gift of great worth given to God before thy conception,/ from thine infancy thou didst serve Him, O most blessed one;/ and thou wast vouchsafed to declare beforehand the things of the future.// Wherefore, we cry out to thee: Rejoice, O Samuel, prophet of God, thou great high priest!
Kontakion of the Dormition, in Tone II —
The grave and mortality could not hold the Theotokos,/ who is ever-vigilant in her supplications/ and a sure hope in her intercessions;/ for He Who made His abode in her ever-virgin womb/ hath translated her to life,// in that she is the Mother of Life.
If there are readings from the Synaxarion online, we read those. We don’t fast as strictly as we used to – our sick and aging bodies just can’t do it anymore. So, under the direction of our Confessor, we have relaxed the fasts. If it’s a “bad” day for us, we simply eat what is easily available – whatever it is. Father has pointed out that having sickness and pain IS fasting – all the time.
And so we go on from day to day. The Ol’ Curmudgeon continues to improve slo-o-o-o-o-o-owly from his angioplasty. He has a stress test coming up in December, and we’ll see how things are doing. If he needs a bypass, we want to get that done while he’s still under COBRA.
In the meantime, trying to find health insurance in this climate and for a 60+ year old male with a bad ticker is an exercise in futility. None of the AARP or ASA companies want to touch him for anything that approaches “reasonable.” I’m about ready to set up our own little health spending account – a savings account that we control. Can’t get the benefits of “pre-tax” savings, but we don’t get that, anyway at this point. At least we’d have a bit saved up for our medical expenses.
And at the root of it all, however, we try to remember that God is in control of all. And to give Glory to God in All Things!
