Of Words and Works

“Do not grieve if you do not at once receive from God that which you ask. He wishes to benefit you still more by making you persist longer in your patient prayer before Him. For what can be higher than to address one’s converse to God and be in communion with Him?”
~St Nilus of Mt Sinai

Unfulfilled longings, unmet expectations, postponed happiness, failed attempts; It is hard to thank God for these things. Yesterday I got some disappointing news. Something that mattered to me got pushed away with an exhortation to redeem the time and heal. I’d rather not, but I will, and I will be grateful for the patience, peace, and kindness that come from waiting.

I am waiting on many things these days and I trust that it will benefit me still more to wait a little longer.

I don’t think I’ve ever just posted a link on this site before, but I thought this article was really thoughtful. It’s Anthony Esolen’s, so I guess that goes without saying.

Also, please note how reserved I’ve been about the beginning of baseball season so far. You’re welcome.

I Want to be on This Man’s Team

Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:1-6

How great that Father’s love must be,
How fond his yearnings after thee,
That he should say so tenderly,
“My son, give Me thy heart.”

~ J. H. Sammis

There is nothing more precious in man’s life than prayer. It makes the impossible, possible; it makes the difficult, easy; the uncomfortable, it makes comfortable. Prayer is as important to man’s soul as breathing - Patriarch Pavle of Serbia

Well hello! What a fine, upstanding snowman you are. I like your hairdo.

But wait, what’s this behind you?

It appears to be a tiny snowgoon! Don’t worry, they are fairly harmless by themselves, but then again, they are rarely by themselves…

Oh no! It’s a real Snowgoon!

And he’s got a whole army!

It was nice knowing you, Snowman.

Because I need another place to talk about me! www.twitter.com/catemacdonld. Follow me in a socially approved, non-stalker sort of way.

I am staying quite busy in other internetular realms.

For my thoughts on Lent and Fasting, go to MereOrthodoxy.com.

For a live radio detective drama written by Amanda Mae and me and starring about half of my sidebar, tune into biolaradio.com Wednesday at 6 or anytime after at agoodmanishardtofind.org. The hero’s name is Colt Carter. He’s Tracer Bullet, Johnny Dollar, and Sam Spade all rolled into one. You’re going to love it.

Professor: You all have been smoking that theological pipe for too long!
Cate, in her head: I have no idea what that means.
Guy who sits in front of Cate and on whom she has a little crush on account of his beard, whispering to his desk-mate: Wait, I was supposed to be putting theology in that pipe?
Cate (ALOUD): HA!
Professor: Can I help you?
Cate: Umm, no thank you. I’m good.
Guy in front of Cate: Looks behind him at her, giving her the what’s your problem eyebrows.
Cate, back in the safety of her own head: FAIL.