Calling All Makers: A Garden of Beautiful Free Resources

I live on a street with a fair number of retired couples who like to garden. These faithful tenders have spent time planting, weeding, pruning, and watering; consequently, purple petunias, yellow pansies, and pink roses greet me when I walk around my neighborhood.

Unexpectedly, I'm also encountering a springtime of arts on my computer screen, with beautiful and free material blossoming from well-nurtured places!

With my home full of makers (artists, poets, sword-fighters, and writers) I have particularly appreciated these talks about our role as creators.  Perhaps you will find one to nourish your soul or inspire your own art!

Heidi White gives a humble and inspiring talk: "Finding our Place in the Larger Story" from the Redeeming our Imagination conference for artists. After I watched it, I decided to share it with my children, and my teens appreciated it too. Afterwards one said, "I just got inspired on how to start my next science fiction!" and the other admitted, "I feel like I need to put more effort into my drawings." My littlest guy (8 yo) spent most of the talk wiggling around on the floor, so maybe he is a little young to appreciate it, but he did note the references to patterns that repeat across stories, and shared a connection between Zaine in his Lego Ninjago book and Martin the warrior mouse from the Redwall book Legends of Luke. 

S.D. Smith, author of our beloved Green Ember series, shares this talk: "Tolkien Can't Write Like Me" from the same conference. I haven't listened yet, but the title reminds me of his Q&A from the Hope*Writers workshop that I listened to a few weeks ago. Like Heidi, he emphasizes the need for humility and writing as a servant, out of love for the readers, as opposed to writing to be awesome. I look forward to watching this later.

The next two talks are from Dn. Nicholas Kotar, author of the epic fantasy Raven Son series. My older teen and I really liked this series that has been described as "Lord of the Rings meets 1984." Ha! The first talk is a zoom meeting sponsored by St. Raphael School and Ancient Faith Ministries. You can register join this meeting on May 4: "Don't Just Look for Good Culture: Go Make It!" His talk at the Doxamoot last year (which I heard on Amon Sul) motivated me to write a short story, and I am curious to see what he will share about Russian writer and philosopher Ivan Ilyin in this talk. The other interview with Dn. Nicholas Kotar looks like it will share many of the same ideas: "The Vocation of the Sub-creator" from the podcast Good Guys Wear Black.

These are the opportunities that have just sprung up this past week, but beautiful art is everywhere.

Have you tried the first opera in Wagner's Ring Series that inspired the "one ring to rule them all?" The Met Opera has a free one week trial. Das Reingold is mostly family-friendly and offers amazing set design and beautiful music. The children immediately picked up on the Lord of the Rings connections. I had never seen an opera before - what a great introduction for a Tolkien fan! I do recommend reading a summary of the scenes before watching. Operas are long! Depending on the ages of your audience, it might take you several days to watch one.

The entertaining and enlightening The Literary Life Podcast recently discussed Reading in a Time of Crisis and offers a free Handbook for Morning Time as well as an intriguing upcoming line-up of plays, novels, essays, etc.

On May 1, you can watch a ballet of Shakespeare's The Tempest on the Royal Opera House facebook page. You'll need to check to see what time 7:00 pm BST is for you! I highly recommend the free Shakespeare online course from Hillsdale College, with one of my favorite instructors, Stephen Smith, discussing Hamlet and The Tempest.

For older viewers, The Royal National Theatre is making both version of Frankenstein available for one week on youtube, April 30- May 6. Having the two actors playing Frankenstein and the monster switching roles on different nights really highlights the question: who is the real monster? Radio Read Along offers a well-done a free audio read-aloud.

Finally, I'll end with a tie-in back to Heidi White's talk. She mentions the role Anne of Green Gables played in her formation as a child. Hosts Heidi, David, and Tim discuss this novel on the Close Reads Podcast.

I know that I haven't even touched the surface of what is available. Perhaps our little tour of this spring's online art garden will inspire you to find and share other opportunities!

Holy Week 2020 Quarantine Activities

In addition to praying and streaming church services, you might like to consider some of these options:

 scripture readings
 crafts/coloring pages for the young or young at heart
 memory verses
 links to listen to hymns

Although I got the idea from here, I arranged it for Orthodox Christian homes using our Church’s Scripture readings and hymns, with the help of the following sources: http://lent.goarch.org/# ; http://illumination-learning.com/main/project/holy-week/   ~Shamassy Monica Olsen


PALM SUNDAY
TOPIC: The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem
READING: Mark 11:1-11 (Entrance w/ palms) and in the evening at Bridegroom Matins Matthew 21:18-22
(cursing of the fig tree – good explanation of this here)
CRAFT: construction paper palm leaves

MEMORY VERSE: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark 11:9
HYMN: Troparion of Saturday of St. Lazarus, Orthros. Tone 1
O Christ God, when Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead, before Thy Passion, thou didst confirm the universal resurrection. Wherefore, we, like babes, carry the insignia of triumph and victory, and cry to Thee, O vanquisher of death, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord (You should hear this one Sunday morning and can listen here)

HOLY MONDAY
TOPIC: Bridegroom Matins – Parable of the Ten Virgins
READING: Matthew 25:1-13 (Parable of the Ten Virgins) and Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents)
CRAFT: Coloring page of Christ the Bridegroom; Glue 5 yellow birthday candles onto oil vessels in the Coloring Page of Parable of the Ten Virgins
MEMORY VERSE: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
HYMNS: Troparion “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, and blessed is that servant whom He shall find watching; and again unworthy is he whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, lest thou be overcome with sleep, lest thou be given up to death, and be shut out from the Kingdom. But rouse thyself and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O God, through the Mother of God, have mercy on us.”
Listen to Father Apostolos Hill

HOLY TUESDAY
TOPIC: Forgiveness of the Sinful Woman Anoints Jesus’ Feet
READING: Luke 7:36-49
CRAFT: Printed coloring page of Woman Anointing Jesus
Printed “Perfume for Jesus” jar - Either color it or glue colored paper to the jar
MEMORY VERSE: "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.”
HYMN: Hymn of Kassiani

O Lord God, the woman who had fallen into many sins, having perceived Thy divinity received the rank of ointment- bearer, offering Thee spices before Thy burial wailing and crying: "Woe is me, for the love of adultery and sin hath given me a dark and lightless night; accept the fountains of my tears O Thou Who drawest the waters of the sea by the clouds incline Thou to the sigh of my heart O Thou Who didst bend the heavens by Thine inapprehensible condescension; I will kiss Thy pure feet and I will wipe them with my tresses. I will kiss Thy feet Whose tread when it fell on the ears of Eve in Paradise dismayed her so that she did hide herself because of fear. Who then shall examine the multitude of my sin and the depth of Thy judgment? Wherefore, O my Saviour and the Deliverer of my soul turn not away from Thy handmaiden O Thou of boundless mercy."

HOLY WEDNESDAY
TOPIC: Holy Unction
READING: James 5:14-16
CRAFT: Trace child’s hand (optional also cut out face shape); use paint brush dipped in oil, paint, or water to paint crosses on the hands where we would be anointed for Holy Unction.
MEMORY VERSE: Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
HYMN: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other.”

HOLY THURSDAY
TOPIC: Mystical Supper
READING: Matthew 26:26-28 (Mystical Supper) and John 13:2-13 (Washing of Feet) and Matthew 26:36-46 (Garden of Gethsemane) and Matthew 26:47-56 (Judas’ Betrayal)
CRAFT: Print and cut out a chalice. Little ones might like to break saltine crackers into pieces and glue in chalice. You could also glue coins onto brown construction paper bag.
MEMORY VERSE: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42
HYMN: Troparion of the Mystical Supper
Receive me today, O Son of God,
as a partaker of Your Mystical Supper:
for I will not betray Your Mysteries to Your enemies
or give You a kiss as did Judas,
but as the thief I confess You:
Remember me, O Lord, in Your Kingdom

HOLY FRIDAY
TOPIC: The Cross, Christ’s Death and Burial
READING: Matthew 27:32-44 (Crucifixion) and Matthew 27:45-56 (His Death) and Matthew 27:57-61 (His Burial)
CRAFT: print a color a cross; vinegar on a cotton swab (smell/taste it); flowers for the tomb
MEMORY VERSE: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34
HYMN: 15th Antiphon, Plagal of the Second Tone “Today is suspended on a tree He who suspended the land upon the water.” Listen

HOLY SATURDAY
TOPIC: Victory over Hades
READING: Mark 15:42-47 and Luke 23:50-56
CRAFT: Arrange & glue bay leaves and rose petals on a page. (like what the priest throws in the air during the Liturgy Saturday morning). See ideas below if you want to assemble your Pascha Basket today.
MEMORY VERSE: "(Christ) gave Himself as a ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into Hades through the Cross ... He loosed the bonds of death" (Liturgy of St. Basil).
HYMN: "Arise, O God, and judge Thou the earth: for Thou shall take all heathen to Thine inheritance". Listen

Other optional hymn for older children, 9th Ode from Canon (a conversation between our Lord Jesus and His Holy Mother, getting close to Pascha with all that talk of rising!):

"Weep not for me, O Mother, beholding in the sepulcher the Son whom thou hast conceived without seed in thy womb. For I shall rise and shall be glorified, and as God I shall exalt in everlasting glory those who magnify thee with faith and love."

"O Son without beginning, in ways surpassing nature was I blessed at Thy strange birth, for I was spared all travail. But now beholding Thee, my God, a lifeless corpse, I am pierced by the sword of bitter sorrow. But arise, that I may be magnified."

"By mine own will the earth covers me, O Mother, but the gatekeepers of hell tremble as they see me, clothed in the bloodstained garment of vengeance: for on the Cross as God have I struck down mine enemies, and I shall rise again and magnify thee."

"Let the creation rejoice exceedingly, let all those born on earth be glad: for hell, the enemy, has been despoiled. Ye women, come to meet me with sweet spices: for I am delivering Adam and Eve with all their offspring, and on the third day I shall rise again."

PASCHA
TOPIC: Resurrection of Christ!
READING: Luke 24:1-12
CRAFT: Dye red eggs; make Resurrection Cookies; assemble your Family Pascha Basket:

What goes into a Pascha basket? Nichola T. Kraus has written an informative article about what goes in their baskets, and what each thing symbolizes. This explanation from "Children of the Church" posted by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Texas reminds us that, "...each of the foods in the Pascha basket have rich meaning, as does everything in Orthodoxy. Glory to God!" If you would like to print something with pictures to use in teaching your children, you might like this one that the kids might color.

Pysanki eggs  & also Ukrainian coloring possibilities

MEMORY VERSE: "He is not here; he has risen!" Luke 24:6
HYMN: Pascha Troparion - Listen to many different languages

Lazarus Saturday

As the Church secretary, I type up our parish's weekly Sunday bulletin. When I started on next week and got to Lazarus Saturday, I started weeping.

Coronavirus Quarantine.

Our parish usually has a beautiful Divine Liturgy, followed by a huge Pancake Breakfast together. I just received an email from my dear friend who makes all the pancakes - with the Lenten Pancake recipe for me to email to the other families in our parish. She wanted to make sure everyone could enjoy pancakes even if we couldn't all be together to eat them!

Elizabeth's Lenten Pancakes

1 cup flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp flax meal

3 Tbsp water

3 Tbsp oil

1 cup almond milk

Makes 8-10 pancakes

photo from mangiaregreco.com

Our family usually makes Lazarakia in the afternoon. Very traditional recipes for these Lazarus-shaped buns abound.
But my family enjoys this easier version that I shared this past January at the St. Emmelia South Conference.

Even if you don't have little children at home, I encourage you to give these a try. The adults in my workshop had quite a good time making them. Not one completed Lazarakia looked like another, and they were all great!

EASY LAZARAKIA - adapted from Fabulessly Frugal

refrigerated crescent roll dough for the mummy wrap
chocolate chips for the eyes
peanut butter, jam, or hazelnut spread
bananas, cut in half the length of the banana

photo from Fabulessly Frugal

Step 1 - pinch 2 triangles into 1 larger rectangle.
Step 2 - cut the sides like shown above
Step 3 - spread a little peanut butter and top with a slice of banada
Step 4 - wrap to look like a mummy
Step 5 - add chocolate chip eyes & bake according to package directions

Now, if only I had the sheet music to practice Rejoice O Bethany! At least we can listen to it.