Lessons from Rogue One: Part 2, Dying for Others

We are still reflecting on the "being willing to die for others" theme, but expanding it to find a way for all of us to participate, every day. Our lives may not be as dramatic as a climb to the top of the communications tower to send the secret information before the entire thing explodes. Jen and Cassian did a great job of that, but many of us are not called into those physical circumstances.

Some of us are - I am thinking of our brothers and sisters under persecution that do have to make extreme physical sacrifices as they flee their homes or offer their very lives.

But that is not my cross, not right now anyway. Does this mean I cannot participate in the greatest love?

Dying for others does not have to mean physical death.  If we live in a family, we don't have to look very far to find opportunities to participate.

Life offers a hundred moments a day to die to oneself. Especially during Lent, may our eyes be opened to seeing and embracing this! Here are a few scenarios that may or may nor be from our home:

• Praying the prayer of Saint Ephraim, with the twelve "God be gracious to me a sinner" bows between it, two family members disagree on how many bows have been done. Instead of arguing about it, one might humbly let it go and say nothing!

• With a light rain pattering outside and darkness already fallen, teenage son could grumble when reminded about taking out the trash, or (as he did - thanks be to God!) he could say nothing and humbly do his chore.

• When the children are all being naughty, each in their own special way that somehow seems to exponentially increase the propensity for naughtiness in the others, the mother can not yell, but instead close her eyes and say the Jesus prayer before proceeding.

Do you see the pattern? Every example involves being humble and restraining the tongue.

The Scripture could very well be demonstrated as, Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his TONGUE with his family!

These are only a few examples, and I'm sure you can think of many more.  Perhaps you will share in the comments below, so we can smile together. 

May God help us die to our own desires and making room for the life of our Lord Jesus Christ to manifest in us.

Christian Lessons from Star Wars Rogue One

Every single one of the main characters in the movie lays down his or her life for others.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

This movie impacted my heart more than I expected because it made me think about my own children laying down their lives, a far more intense idea than a vague someone.

I was asking myself, if I find myself in a situation like St. Sophia or St. Julitta, mothers who had to cope with their children be martyred, will I be able to handle it? Will my children be able to handle it? Will they stand for their faith like the child saints Faith, Hope, Love, and Cyricus?

I need to pray differently for my children. Sure, I will keep praying for them to be kept from harm, like the Children's Prayer to the Guardian Angel: Keep me from every evil, sickness, and grief. 

But also, Lord help my children be brave and courageous and willing to die for others, willing to die for their faith if that time ever comes. Lord, help me be brave and courageous and willing to die to myself.

That is the first lesson I gathered from Rogue One.

Jyn Erson
Captain Cassian
Chirrut Imwe
Baze Malbus
Bodhi Rook
K-2SO

They had courage to be willing to die for others.


If you are not a Star Wars fan, then perhaps you won't be interested in the rest of this series. Maybe you want to learn to make Veggie Loaf, instead of meatloaf, since Great Lent is here! Or you might like to learn how to turn a beloved children's book into a literature lesson.

However, if your family enjoys Star Wars as much as my family does, be on the lookout for future installments in this little series, Lessons from Rogue One.
Part 2
Part 3

On Beauty and Femininity - a Lenten Retreat

If you live in the Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi area, you might like to consider this Women's Retreat next weekend!

Holy Week Calendar for Children

I found a great idea for Holy Week, but wanted to make it fit with our Orthodox Cycle of services for this upcoming week.

So, with help from Illumination Learning and the Greek Archdiocese website, I synthesized the Calendar idea with our blessed Holy Week. And I'm happy to share it with you!

Click here to download the Orthodox Holy Week Calendar Project

Each day has the following four categories:

1) Theme for the day
2) Scripture Readings
3) Crafts to glue onto the poster
4) Hymns for the services that day

Cut-Out Cookies for St. Herman (GFCF No Nut)

Tomorrow we will visit a sister parish for their feast day - the glorification of St. Herman of Alaska! We've often celebrated St. Herman's Day in December with special treats, so we wanted to bring some Spruce Island Cookies for this special day in the parish's life.

However, my son, the one who is no-dairy-soy-egg-nut-wheat-corn, would not have been able to eat them without discomfort, so I tried a new recipe today, inspired by Katherine and Anna. I substituted sun-butter for part of the margarine, sugar for the powdered sugar (which has corn starch), and oats & gfcf mix for the flour. And the bottle of vinegar for a rolling pin.

We thought the results were good enough to share, since it can be hard to find good recipes for our gfcf-no-nut-no-egg family and friends:) At first, I thought they might be too crumbly and would need something like xanthum gum to help, but once they cooled they turned out fine.

Cut-Out Cookies 

(GFCF No Nut No Egg)

1 scant c. sugar
1/2 c. lenten margarine, softened (we use Earth Balance, soy-free)
1/2 c. Sunflower Seed Butter
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 c. Bob's Redmill Gluten Free baking mix (the one with garbanzo beans & sorghum)
1 cup oat flour (just took my stick blender to a bowl of oats, then measured out a cup)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cream together confectioner's sugar, margarine, sun-butter, and vinegar. Mix together the flours, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl. Add to the margarine mixture and stir until blended. If the dough seems dry, add a little liquid (rice milk, water, etc.) to correct consistency.

On a lightly oat-floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes (like a tree!) Place cookies carefully onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle cookies liberally with green sugar or leave plan to frost after baking.

Bake 6-8 minutes. Cool slightly on the pans. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes 1-3 dozen, depending on the size of your cookie cutter!

 Spruce Island Trees and the North Star of Alaska

St. Herman, pray for us!

Open as a reference for useful links and recipes. Not updated at this time.

edited March 2017: Chewie, we're home.



After a long break, I'm thankful to join you again!

Not Exactly How to Crochet a Monk Doll

Disclaimer - I didn't write down what I was doing as I went - so this is NOT a pattern. It's more like a trail of crumbs, my friend. Follow if you already know how to crochet and don't mind figuring out quite a bit yourself.... :)

First, follow this pattern using cream colored yarn, but don't make legs or ears: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80095AD.html?noImages=

For the black robe, I just traced a pattern, single-stitch crotched it, dropping and adding stitches to make each row the right length. I made two of those and then sewed them together. Start at the bottom of one side, go up and just past the shoulder, then run the yarn through the back of the neck, sewing the pieces together again at the other shoulder, finishing by sewing down.

Same thing with the hat - shaped it as I went, ripped some out, started over, repeat....


If I make another one, I promise to count stitches and write it all down as I go!

Online Children's Bible Reader

What a great idea: Children's Bible Reader Online. Children can click on which stories they want to hear.

In which the baby started speaking like a big girl...

My five year old is starting to say the correct words more often, words that make me realize I'll miss the old phrases. So here are a few, saved in a place for me to remember. Many of these terms have become new whole-family vocabulary.

Hand Sanitizer - Hanitizer
Presvytera Maria - Tezaria, Tezmaria, Prezatezmaria
Back Yardigans - Backward Guardians
Unpack - Repack ("RE" is the preferred prefix for many words)
Terri - Tehwee
Mrs. Maria - Mizariah
Chicken and Dumplings - Chiklin-dumplins

Many years to my five year old girl!

How to Make Koliva Memorial Wheat

If you've never shared Koliva in memory of a loved one, this is a special treat with symbolic meaning. (Seems like most traditional Church foods have symbolic meanings!) Wheat kernels must fall to the ground and die in order to create new life (Gospel of St. John 12:24), just as our souls and bodies must come to an end of our earthly sojourn in order to pass into new life in eternity.

 2 cups of wheat berries (the "soft" ones cook faster; can usually find these from health food store)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. white raisins (or whatever dried fruits you prefer)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin (optional)

1 cup finely ground zweiback toasts or graham crackers (optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
dragees or more nuts/ raisins for decoration


Day 1. Cover and soak berries overnight.

Day 2. Drain & rinse. Cover with water in large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-3 hours, until puffy and tender (keep covered with water and stir occasionally). A rice cooker or instant pot works great too.

Drain in a colander; rinse and drain again. Spread the wheat our on a smooth dish towel to dry overnight. (Don't spread them on a terry cloth bath towel. Please. Trust me.) You can just dry them for a couple of hours if you don't have an extra day :)

Day 3. Light a candle and pray. Mix all ingredients. You may decide to bring the mix to church to assemble. One time, when I arrived, another dear sister in Christ added a Lebanese spice and I wish I could tell you what it was - maybe star anise?  

In any case, put combined mixture on a tray that has been covered with wax paper.

Heap in a mound toward center and press to make smooth.

To top it: First sprinkle with 1 cup of finely ground zweiback toast or graham cracker crumbs, and then sift on the powdered sugar. (the crumbs keep the sugar from absorbing and disappearing into the wheat).

Make a cross in the center with koufeta, dragees, nuts, raisins, etc.

                        (This is Carol's Koliva)

May Their Memory Be Eternal!

(from the 2008 archives - I think it's worth sharing again)

Many thanks to Anna for her Magic Kale - I loved it. And here is one that came in my Farmers Market email this morning that I can't wait to try. Substituting pecans for feta might be nice for the fast. The recipe below is a direct quote from the NPR website, which you can visit by clicking on the link. Enjoy!  

Kale, Peach, Corn And Feta Salad by Deena Prichep for NPR
Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Dollop honey
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin half-moons
1 bunch kale (red Russian is especially nice), washed and torn into small pieces
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and coarsely chopped
2 ears corn, cut off the cob
3 peaches, cut into slim wedges
1/4 cup feta (preferably a moist, mild feta, like French or Israeli), crumbled

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, sherry vinegar and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the onion, and let sit for a few minutes to mellow. Add the kale and cilantro, and mix well to coat with the dressing. (Monica"s note: I like Anna's recommendation of "massaging" the dressing in.) Let sit for an hour, refrigerated or at room temperature, for the kale to absorb the dressing and soften. Scatter the corn, peaches and feta over the top and serve (or pack in containers for a picnic).

Asparagus and Gravy over Toast

My mother taught me how to make this old-school treat, and it is so yummy!

For the Nativity Fast this year, my focus is quick and easy, and this fits the bill.

Asparagus and Gravy over Toast

Ingredients:

1 can of asparagus spears – drain and reserve liquid
2 TBS oil
3 TBS flour
Asparagus liquid plus enough water to = 1 ¾ cups
2 TBS soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
5-6 slices of bread

Steps:

1. Over medium heat, warm oil and then flour and stir, stir, stir until it browns – about 5-10 minutes.
2. Slowly add liquid, whisking to avoid lumps.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes to thicken.
4. Add the soy sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer another minute while you toast the bread and warm the asparagus in the microwave.
5. To serve, place toast on a plate, top with asparagus spears and then gravy.

This gravy is also good made with any kind of veggie broth and served with any kind of pasta, rice, potatoes, peas, etc.

I adapted the gravy recipe from The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen by Peter Berley.