Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Pre-Christmas Parties

As Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Pre-Christmas parties are approaching with great popularity, for us, it is a frequent reminder to "stay the course" and focus on the calendar of the Church. We are Orthodox Christians living in secular societies, and although these conversations can be challenging with other PTA moms and co-workers, I thought I'd share how we at least try to respond. It's not worth it to get into debates about whether or not such activities have pagan roots, or if they are simply harmless celebrations of costumes and candy, of turkey, family and football. 

The only question to ask is:
Are we giving our children the best chance for a holy life?

We often go digging through trash to find a spark of something good to hang on to, especially, in order to justify our participation in events that our consciences speak otherwise about. This struggle can leave us troubled in our thoughts and souls, wondering if we did the right thing. I like to remove all doubt, and try to set up our kids for the best possible chance of success towards a holy life.

We can pay little attention to activities that we chose not to be part of. Giving more attention, subsequently, to the Church calendar and It's Saints. By doing this, we hope our children will grow to understand that as Orthodox Christians, we live out our faith without making exceptions here and there to fit in. We "fast" when others are "feasting", we look to the Saints as our super-hero's,  and celebrate the Divine Liturgy instead for the feasts below:
Oct 28 - Agia Skepi, Protection of the Theotokos
Nov 1st - Cosmas, Damianos, their Mother, also St. David of Euboia and St Eleni of Sinope
Nov 8 - St Nektarios
Nov. 9 - the Archangels
Nov 15 - Fast begins - Big day in our home!
We begin decorating and start our 40 Day Calendar
Nov 21 - Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple
Nov 25 - St Katherine the Great
Nov 26 - St Stylianos, Patron of Children
Nov 30 - St Andrew the Apostle
December is full of great Saints up until Christmas and beyond...

I ask myself...who has time for everything else with so many truly "holy days" approaching!

Orthodox Family Video for Pascha

Click below to watch this beautiful Orthodox video with English subtitles for your children and Church youth groups this year.

Without spoiling the end, it is remarkable how a young girl, named Seraphima spreads the message that "Christ is Risen" among other girls at an orphanage in Communist Russia.

It is sure to inspire every young person in their faith!

 Here is the link

Christmas Movie - The Star

Every holy-day season it seems Hollywood introduces a film to smear the true Christmas story and our holy Orthodox tradition with jokes, animation, wrongful depiction and false ideas of the persons of Jesus Christ, Mary, the Magi, etc. Last year (2017), the movie was called "The Star." 

I am convinced that when we "lighten up" and use humor for holy things the end is not entertainment, but a desensitization to holiness and destruction of true faith. It could be otherwise called blasphemy. They have put words into the onscreen mouths of individuals that never spoke them. And what children see.....children believe...


Alternatively, what children don't see....children will use their imagination to bridge the gap, for example, between what they see in an icon and the story they hear from the Gospel. Who today is explaining that Joseph was an honorable widow of 80 years and not the young strapping boyfriend to the most pure Virgin Theotokos?  (Buy this book here)

Therefore, here are a few Orthodox Christian videos from Youtube that I do promote, not for language as children look beyond words, but for the Orthodox graphics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1wbHXNA7A&index=2&list=PLADPaqreDzulzvP4_8e8AfwwBN1f9HugQ

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUTujZMGEkU&index=7&list=PLADPaqreDzulzvP4_8e8AfwwBN1f9HugQ

Lastly, if you do use video playlists to cast quality Orthodox programs to your TV, here is a playlist I have compiled over the years. I welcome you to send me any additions to review. Thanks be to God for all things, and may He bless the diligent workers in His vineyard who try to produce accurate and uplifting videos.

Teaching Ten - 10 Commandments

 We're in the process of teaching the 10 Commandments throughout our Orthodox summer religious education classes, and although we don't have an established curriculum, there have been many resources that I'd like to share in case others might need them. It could be a great Vacation Bible School program as well.

We teach one commandment every week, adding them to our two plaques cut out of cardboard. Along with the short lesson, we are watching small portions of this animated video  posted on youtube each week.  It really does seem that as the story of the Prophet Moses unfolds, so do the lessons of the 10 Commandments along with it. The kids are really enjoying the video. I find it well done, even if the Prophet Moses was not so muscular.

First 4 -              Mans’ relationship with God

Last 6   -            Man’s relationship with fellow man

1.      I am your God. There are no other gods except me.

2.      Do not believe in other fake idols. Worship only God.

3.      Do not use the Lord's name without serious purpose.

4.      Work 6 days and dedicate the seventh for God.

5.      Honor your father and mother.

6.      Do not kill anyone or anything - including even a bug!Life is from God.

7.      Honor and respect marriage between one man and one woman

8.      Do not steal.

9.      Do not tell lies

10.  Do not be jealous of others.

Intro: Begin a discussion on how we know what right and wrong is? Ask for examples to be given of good behavior and bad. Where did we learn this? Most often answered, from our parents. And "Who" is the greatest Father of us all? God, who wanted us to have a set of rules to follow, so that we may live in harmony with His desire for us, and the world. These guidelines are called the 10 Commandments.

1st Commandment - God reveals "who" He is so that we may worship Him correctly. He tells us His Name (YAHWEH) We know our God created the World and everything in it. He says He is the Alpha and the Omega or the beginning and the end. And as Orthodox Christians, we know God to be 1 in 3 persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, just as we have mind, word and breath within the same person, Christ is the Word, the Holy Spirit the Breath all within the same one God. Video footage: The birth of Moses and his early childhood facing the cruel behavior of Pharoah, Moses attempting to do good

2nd Commandment - God cautions us to take care not to fill our lives with so many other things that there is no room for Him. Nothing can or should replace God in our lives, nor the time we devote to Him each day. Just as it is important to worship Him in Truth, as we learned from the 1st Commandment, now we must take care only to worship and honor Him as the only God. Identify together examples of false idols (see handout) or ask your teens to cut out "idols' from popular magazines. Especially super-heros and videogame figures today! Discuss trendy statues and how acceptable it is to display these in store windows and homes today, along with putting our faith or hope in superstitions, astrology horoscopes, fortune telling, and magic. (All of which if we have participated in, we need to confess!) Video footage: Moses before Pharoah, who calls upon power of magicians and says Pharoah is "god" Eventually led to desert, the Jews make a gold calf

3rd Commandment - How many times do we here people yell out "O My God!" Can you imagine if God turned His attention each time, only to be told..."oh nevermind...I didn't really mean to call for you?" This is a common slip up but it can show our lack of respect for God's name. Let us teach instead to use our Lord's name only in prayer and doxology!

4th Commandment: This is a good chance to ask our children how often and when they remember God? Do they think of Him first thing in the morning? How about during a lesson at school, or in an afternoon sport? When we are busy, do we remember God is with us or do we treat Him like He is invisible? God knows that our day is filled with many tasks...and for this reason, He asks us not to forget Him by making sure we purposely stop everything else.

Our craft was to decorate these boxes as our "Kivoto" or Tabernacle that Aaron was tasked to build to house the plaques and for Moses to enter in to speak with God. We glued a square laminated card inside listing the 10 Commandments which were visible through the window, and decorated the outside colorfully with paints and decals. We also encouraged the students to only put religious items inside (a small cross, or icon card they may receive as a gift, a prayer rope, etc.) and to keep the box near their icons at home... The boxes were purchased here 

5th Commandment - Honor your father and mother.

The relationship between Christ and His mother, the Panagia is an excellent example of this from the wedding at Cana. Although it wasn't time yet for Christ to begin His formal ministry, upon request of His mother, He did. Which is why we believe He still to this day hears the prayers/intercessions of the Mother of God on our behalf. Also, the obedience of Christ to the Father can be cited. For younger kids, the message is one of respect for the parents who have sacrificed and provided for you, even when we disagree with our parents. It is not blind obedience, but one from Holy Scripture, for which Father would give the child a stone if he asked for bread?

We learn to trust and love the parents who care for us, because parenthood is a God-given responsibility. Not like a pet we can go out and buy, or give away, etc.

6th Commandment - Do not kill anyone or anything - including even a bug!
Life is from God. This is a great chance to emphasis where life comes from, how we were made in His image when God breathed life into the dirt of the Earth, and how if we stop breathing, a.k.a. without that "breathe" we die/return to dust...therefore being in this world, we are like God's respiratory system, breathing because of Him and with Him! Since we are not the authors of life, it is not our right to take life. For older ones, the chance to mention suicide, abortion if appropriate. Some Orthodox elders were sad to walk on grass for even it is living! Possibly mention the harmony amongst all living creatures as bearers of His image.

7th Commandment  (You shall not commit adultery) Honor and respect marriage between one man and one woman. This command reversed the communal living of polygamy of the Jews and strengthened the bond of commitment, that through the mystery of marriage, like Christ with His Church, we co-journey to heaven with one partner. Our symbol of this unity is even manifested physically, like a key that fits only one lock!  God does not bless same-sex unions, two mommy's, or homosexual lifestyle choices, as difficult as it is for some to avoid the temptation. There was one Adam, and one woman created for Adam, Eve.


8th Commandment -   Do not steal.

Remember, this begins with taking something as a child, without asking a parent.Anything that does not belong to the person, or was purchased by them. The virtue is one of obedience, and always seeking the blessing before doing something, rather than acting on our desires/wants or passions. It teaches us discipline and not to desire material items, which often is the motive behind the act of stealing. If something is needed, our heavenly Father provides, or we work hard to earn what we would like.

9th Commandment -   Do not tell lies

Lying is the opposite of Christ, for He said He is the Truth. THE truth, not one of many truths. The evil one is the deceiver of all, and when we lie, we are working together, in conjunction with him rather than with Christ. There is nothing we should be ashamed of,  or worry about when telling the truth. When we tell the truth, we stand with Christ, and His power will strengthen us.

10th Commandment - Do not be jealous of others.

Again, another root of sin which is pride, and thinking only of one's self. Desiring something, whether it be an item or a characteristic of some one else is a lack of gratitude for what one does have, and all of God's blessings. It is a comparison of ones self to another, and it is selfish because jealousy desires for you to have it in the end. Sometimes this can lead to scheming and more negative thoughts, even before action is ever taken. Sin begins in the desire. Being satisfied and thankful are the ways to avoid this sin.

Christians in the Holy Land

Even though you and I may live far away from the Holy Land, as Christians and as Orthodox Christians we must stay educated about the situation there. Everyday life is VERY hard for the faithful people who remain there. We can keep them in our prayers and also do more for them by educating others about the injustices that occur. The images of the wall that Israel has erected are just horrifying. Bethlehem is completely trapped. Try getting across to see a doctor, or go to school...practically impossible and life-changing overnight. It reminds me of other ancient walls, like that in Berlin which I visited and saw how people who tried crossing were killed. Not exactly peaceful co-habitation.

View this 60 Minutes special that aired on Sunday, April 22, 2012. Click here.

The producers are correct - this is sacred space for us. Christians should not be squeezed out. We must peacefully proclaim the land where Christ was born, crucified, and resurrected as Holy Ground.

Please view this video and pass it along to others you know. There is a second video on Taybeh, the last village that Christ visited before His crucifixion. I remember fondly Dr. Maria Khoury and her children. We must do all that we can to support them and encourage them not to leave Palestine! They are the hope of future generations!

Click here to view a friend's album of pilgrimage pictures of the Holy Land

A Secular Society

"Secularism is more dangerous than communism. It is religion being ignored."

After some time away from this blog, and more reading on my part, there are things that I have not yet stated on this blog that are of utmost importance to the salvation of our children, who will grow up amongst a secular society. First, let's get them out there in the open...and then secondly we can figure out together how to make sure our kids understand these realities.

1. WE DO NOT ALL HAVE THE SAME GOD.
Anyone who denies the inseparable Trinity, One in essence and undivided cannot confess to believe in our God, who existed before all ages as the complete Holy Trinity. There are some who say we have the same God the Father, as in the Father of Abraham, however these people deny Christ and the Holy Spirit and therefore can have no commonality with Orthodox Christians.

2. SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES ARE NOT ALL CHRISTIAN.
Today, it is popular for many to seek out experiences of hypnotism, meditation, yoga, horoscopes and fortune tellers. These are all ways of opening ourselves up to spiritual demons that can do great spiritual harm to our souls. At first, they seem harmless or even holy and divine, but this is how we are tricked into participating, and later the darkness of these experiences will be made known. Some even go so far as to suggest that the Holy Spirit transcends all faiths - this is blasphemy. The Holy Spirit was given to the One Church established by Christ, and those outside of it, cannot be in communion with It.

3. NEVER JOIN IN FOR THE SAKE OF WORLD PEACE.
The time is already approaching when we will be led into the idea that for world peace it will be in everyone's best interest to use one bank, one food supplier, one currency, and one watered down idea of "god"... this trap will take many away from the Orthodox faith because people will not understand that they will be denying Christ and led into a system which does not recognize the One True God. We might be asked, "How could you be against the rest of us? Don't you want world peace?"

4. SIN HAS BECOME FASHIONABLE.
How sad but true this above statement is, which is why the persecution that our children will face will be that of ridicule, teasing, embarrassment, and the likes. Already...which teenagers can dress modestly, attend Church and keep the holy days holy, remain a virgin, and wear a cross without being made fun of? Despite what thoughts might sneak in to throw us off course, continue fasting, praying, and confessing the Orthodox faith - these things do matter!

5. NEVER ACCEPT AN INVISIBLE MARK.
Yes, it seems obvious right...isn't everyone familiar with what the Bible says? But look closely at the words of Geronda Paisios who personally wrote on this subject and insisted on the circulation of it in his own handwriting in 1987. He stated, "after the computerized numbering of everyone, (through the bar code, i.d. cards, credit cards, etc)...they can proceed quickly to say on television that someone took the card of so and so, and took out his money in the bank. They will advertise the perfect system, the marking on the hand or on the forehead with laser rays, which will not be discernible externally with the 666 the name of the antichrist."

Lastly, from the past week's Scripture readings, and words of St Paul, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers...I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock...So be on guard!" Acts 20:28-31

Having openly stated these things publicly, I anticipate that it may stir some feelings, reactions, remarks and possible disagreements. Please respond. Let's share resources and books to further our understanding of these issues so we can pass the Truth on to our children.

Red Envelope Day

Here's an idea that I'm planning to participate in. Consider the impact it could make, and join in. Anyone who says this isn't an Orthodox issue is in denial. Life is the greatest gift God gives, and therefore we must pray not only for the protection of unborn children, but for the healing of all women who have painfully been deceived by the evil one. Let all come to know the great love our God has for those who turn repentant and seek His mercy. A broken and humbled heart God will not despise.

Here is the plan:

Get a RED envelope (from a place like Kinkos or a party supply store) and mail it on MARCH 31ST to the White House.

On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write a short message of your choosing. For example:

"This envelope represents one of the 50 million children who were murdered by an abortion. ABORTION KILLS. CHOOSE LIFE!"

Here is a plea from a special Orthodox priest we are in contact with:

"I entreat you to consider taking part in this - hopefully - nation-wide effort to speak up for the pre-born child. It is time to do whatever we can in behalf of those innocent ones, who cannot speak up for themselves."

Visit this website for more details.
The more we send, the more powerful this symbol will be.

Choosing a School

Training Up a Child: Educational Options for Orthodox Christians

Excerpts from online article by
Bishop THOMAS (Joseph), Ed.D.,
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

"Before you examine the school’s ability to teach academics, however, it is absolutely necessary that you determine whether the school is Christian-friendly, Christian-tolerant or anti-Christian. If you find the school to be Christian-friendly and capable of teaching academics, you may want to utilize it as part of your responsibility to rear and educate your children. If, however, the school is merely Christian-tolerant or is anti-Christian, it behooves you to look for other choices. Let me stress that in raising your children, it is their eternal salvation which should be at the top of your priorities. This is your responsibility before God."

"Whatever teaching method you choose, Christ must be at the head of the classroom. The icon of Christ is what your children must view in you, in their teachers, on the screens of their computers, and in the faces of their peers."

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

*** Special thanks to Ashley who first posted this article ***

New Movie Review

Fr. Demetri has recently screened the movie "Come What May" and wishes to recommend it most highly to everyone on his e-mail list of over 1000 souls. Here is the website where the trailer can be viewed: www.adventfilmgroup.com

There are no professional actors or actresses. In fact, the majority of the characters are played by former home school students. In addition to the pro-life message, there are at least two excellent sub-messages as well: courtship over dating, and marriage commitment.

In Father's words, he stated,"There was a presence of goodness in this movie that actually touched my very soul. I hope that it will somehow make the theaters, but everyone should have a personal copy as well."

I have not personally seen this film yet, but if I do, I will be sure to post my thoughts as well. Anyone else heard of it?

Church & Elections

With topics like Abortion/Sanctity of Life, Homosexual Marriages, Euthanasia, and Human Cloning on the line in this election, I am saddened that our Orthodox bishops and priests aren't saying more to educate the people. I and others fear we are at a point of turning our backs on God as a nation. We cannot vote for the guy we like best, we've got to VOTE ON THE ISSUES. This takes courage to talk about, because it's not the popular thing to do...and for many of us, it may cause friction within our own friends and families. So, I ask you to check out the new survey on this blog and share your thoughts.

The Results

There are officially two days left of our first survey, "What is the greatest threat facing our Orthodox youth today?" The results have shown an overall consensus of 48% to the Media as the #1 threat, with Parents who feel unqualified as Orthodox Christians themselves falling to second at 29%. Vanity and Body Image came in third with 23% of the votes, and Other Denominations placed last at 14%.

What do you make of the results? Surprised? Maybe not at all? Could the results reflect that we feel most threatened by what we have least control over? Or that the pressures around us sometimes wins instead of what we know to be best for our kids? It's tough...and no one knows that better than parents!

So let's get talking about what we can do, in regards to the Media. To be more specific, we're going to define the media to include television, movies, the internet, and music. This as an opportunity to share our frustrations and even more productive, our methods of combating influences that we may deem harmful. What's your approach? Can you use examples? If this is the biggest threat, how do we counter it?

Orthodoxy & Evolution

If your teenagers or children are enrolled in public school, chances are, they're learning about evolution - and more specifically, that we, as humans, evolved from apes, monkeys, and chimps. What is your response as parents? Does this discussion arise in your homes? Yesterday, on our visit to the Zoo, I was discussing this with an 11 year old boy, from a devout Orthodox family...but, he was pretty convinced that this "theory" he learned in school was factual. Here are a few ways to tackle the challenge:

1. If monkeys evolved into humans, why are there still monkeys in the world? It doesn't make sense that some monkeys would become human over time but not all of them.

2. If humans were once monkeys, who do we say our Lord, Jesus Christ was and is? Was He too once a monkey?

(This is crazy and quite blasphemous, but should get the point across) The answer is, of course not! Jesus became man, like us, while remaining fully God. In this way, He shows us what it means to be perfect and made in God's image without sin, revealing to us our potential to share in His holiness.

The animals, although created by God for man, were not made in the image and likeness of God. Rather, as St Basil writes in his Oration on Creation, we are called to work in harmony with the animals, with love and thankfulness for the assistance they provide us. For example, there is a reason a horse can run faster than us, or that animals have fur for the winter, and claws for food. We need them, as they need us. For more examples, look at the lives of St Gerasimos and the Lion, St Herman of Alaska and the bear, or St Mamas the lover of animals. You might be surprised to discover experiences of deer entering the Church, birds singing the Divine Liturgy, and a lion who appeared to bury St Mary of Egypt.

Lastly, our rich Orthodox tradition teaches that before the fall, the animals lived without fear of man, aggression against one another, or violence. It was only after the fall that man witnessed animals scurrying away from them. Even so, we can find God's all-powerful authority over His creation and in return, the obedience of the animals to Him, through examples like Jonah and the whale, David and the Lions, Christ and His choice donkey, and God's taming of the animals at the feet of our Orthodox martyrs during their sufferings.

*Clarification* Yes, it is true, the world and its state continues to evolve, adapt and change. Man arrives at new theories, various species are being discovered and cloned, and medicines developed. However, to Orthodox Christians, God is central to the equation, always, as Creator and Lord. Our anthropology, or understanding of the human, is defined by Christ and perfected in Christ alone. We understand who we are, by understanding who He is.