I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈

A lousy excuse for an Orthodox Christian, wife, homeschooling mother, artist. Obstinately joyous. ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

18 years ago now . This year has been the most difficult, especially Lent and Pascha. I'm still hurting. Some, much, of this pain was caused by people who were at the service and celebration today. Still, becoming Orthodox was the best decision we ever made.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

Almost 17 years ago I showed up for my first Orthodox service. I'd been told I should try a Vespers service before I tried a Liturgy, because it would be easier. They didn't tell me to make sure it wasn't a Lenten service.
I showed up with my 6 kids, ages 8 to 6 months.
🧵

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@AppyOrtho I started a silly little art/quote book a couple of weeks ago and I actually have 19 pages filled!

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

"Do not judge" does not mean that "anything goes." But neither does "Go and sin no more" mean "Go find someone to throw stones at."

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

Forgive my penmanship, please; I am practicing with my new fountain pen.

I saw these two quotes yesterday. One was from my reading and one popped up on Instagram. I thought they were good together.

[Orthodox Redneck☦️ @OrthoRedneck]

One of the most compelling things I heard coming into Orthodoxy was a quote by St. John Chrysostom

“The Church is a hospital, and not a courtroom, for souls. She does not condemn on behalf of sins, but grants remission of sins.”

This concept was far removed from my understanding or at least what I was taught in protestant spheres. Outright judgement was often excused as "discernment". Condemnation cloaked as "tough love."

No one knows the trauma being carried by the next person. That trauma requires treatment. I guess I never thought of it until now, but as a cancer survivor myself but remission makes absolute sense.

Unless the illness is treated continually there's always a chance it can return.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@KySquirrel_90 @KJP You are awesome. Thank you.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@KySquirrel_90 @KJP No! Do you have a link?

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@KySquirrel_90 @KJP I'm reading Against The Machine by Paul Kingsnorth right now. It goes well with this book.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@AccentsSouthern I was literally just checking your store to see if you had anything featuring him.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@OrthoRedneck Whew. My godson, who's never been a great reader, recently a asked me for book. recommendations to improve himself. He was a little irritated when I sent him a list of mostly classic fiction, including Dostoevsky and Dickens. Now I can send him this to back me up.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@luinalaska I am obviously NOT a priest, but my take is that breaking a spell with another spell is not the way to go. This is why God gives us Holy Water. Literally.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@AppyOrtho Got that in grams?

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@KySquirrel_90 Jayber Crow!

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@OrthodoxTriumph @BrickEnthusias1 @findveritasx This

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@AppyOrtho I'm both. I'm proud of and thankful for both sides.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@9mmsmg This speaks to what you are saying
https://t.co/aFG9DMgCwU

[𝕽𝖊𝖉𝖜𝖔𝖔𝖉 ☦︎ @gh0stbrain]

"We must learn to find joy in the midst of increasing doses of sorrow; thus you can save your soul and help others."
- Fr. Seraphim Rose

[Mandy Sue | Artist and Writer @thewardinglight]

Yes. 100%, because right now we even have this infiltrating the Orthodox world, even with books about Orthodox saints. AI being used, proudly even, to write their stories and generate their images.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

Luke 18:9-14

[Babushka Adele @DohMkay]

So the lessons we learned.
1) Dont send nudes
2) If you receive any nudes, just delete them and do not share them with anybody.
3) If someone wrote you something in private or shared some photo with you, keep it private.
4) If you are going to condemn someone, be fair. Condemn everyone who is in the wrong. Condemn all sinners, not just your favorite one
5) or maybe dont condemn anyone.
6) X sucks and maybe its better for your soul to just log off.

[I_See_Pookas ☦️🇺🇸🌴🥩🛶🌈 @Stormimay]

@soupcanarchist @EasternMilk Luke 18:9-14

[Babushka Adele @DohMkay]

So the lessons we learned.
1) Dont send nudes
2) If you receive any nudes, just delete them and do not share them with anybody.
3) If someone wrote you something in private or shared some photo with you, keep it private.
4) If you are going to condemn someone, be fair. Condemn everyone who is in the wrong. Condemn all sinners, not just your favorite one
5) or maybe dont condemn anyone.
6) X sucks and maybe its better for your soul to just log off.