Eucharistic Endeavors Part II

Some may remember my attempts this past Summer toward daily conveying my thanksgiving through image. I entitled this little project as "eucharistic endeavors," and continued the posts through the end of August.


Well, I then kinda became a college student, and that was the end of that. My artistic efforts have been about as dry as the dead leaves on the ground for many months. However, this beautiful Spring weather has set my creativity back into motion, and I have decided to resume weekly (vs. daily,) posts.


I hope you are all reveling in this magnificent season of new life as I am. Let us join in beholding the beauty that is before us.

To Be Home

I walk through my front door, gaze through my bedroom window, or sit down to the kitchen table for the thousandth time and contentment resounds in my spirit. Such things are so familiar and yet equally distant from me. I remember all of the times spent in this home. Though times of anger, frustration, anxiety, and chaos have all been present in this place - these are not the times I remember. Times of laughter, contented silence, peace, order, and love are what dance across my mind. Yet, for now, these must remain only as memories. 

What a great blessing to spend this past week at home. Each time I go away I forget of the beauty, the love, and the goodness that is present there. (Yes, even among the bickering and sometimes less than peaceful household.) I had forgotten how much I missed kissing each member of my family goodnight, playing games at my aunt and uncle's house, lighting a candle, reading books to my little cousin, sitting around the dinner table, being in the company of my grandparent's, cooking as well as partaking in good home cooked meals, and yes, I even missed doing the dishes and folding fresh laundry.


It's difficult to live in two different places. Each place has its struggles and stress, but each place is also richly furnished with blessings and joys. I must for now try to be faithful to each the best way I know how. Faithful to my duties as well as faithful to the people there. So, as I sit here at my desk I remember the place from which I have come. I love that place, and I love the people there. But now I must also be present to this place, right here, right now. At the moment that means closing my computer and opening my book, "On Law, Morality, and Politics". 


So, in closing, I will say this: thank you, my dear family and friends, for so graciously receiving me. I will see you again in May.

~~~~~
I ran across a lovely song by Miranda Lambert called "The House that Built Me," and thought it quite appropriate. Here are a few of the lyrics:

You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can. 
I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am. 

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it 
this brokenness inside me might start healing. 
Out here its like I'm someone else, 
I thought that maybe I could find myself. 
If I could walk around I swear I'll leave. 
Won't take nothing but a memory 
from the house that built me.

-Miranda Lambert, The House that Built Me

Here are just a few photos from my time at home.

Enjoy!

My Aunt's very own beautifully made cupcakes made for my cousin's birthday party

A scene I have greatly missed. I am so blessed to be a part of this Parish. 

Pre-Sanctified Liturgy at St. Catherine's.

Flaming Candles in the Narthex

Sharing a delicious cucumber-tomato-avacado sandwich with my mommy.

"For even the wise cannot see all ends" - A Question Concerning Capital Punishment

Though matters concerning capital punishment are often debated on a basis of pure political and economic thought, when it comes to matters of life and death, such discussions surpass the bounds of political rhetoric. As with all matters of ethics, it is important to examine the intention and motive behind the matter at hand; and this topic is no exception.

A spirit of retribution appears to be the main governing motive behind capital punishment. Yet because it is impossible to restore the life that was lost, capital punishment seems to arrive at an insatiable end. To return death with death is hardly a reasonable solution, for what is accomplished in doing so? What in taking another life rectifies the life already taken? For the life of the victim is not restored, nor does the heart of the convict come to contrition. As the old saying goes, “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Upon execution under the state, the cause of death stated on the felon’s death certificate is homicide. Homicide is defined as, “the deliberate and unlawful killing of another person.” What one man was sentenced to death for, another is justified under the law, to commit the same offense. By sentencing one to death, one is assuming the authority to violate life. Are we, as human beings, adequate judges of fellow human beings? J.R.R Tolkien provides beautiful insight into such questions. The character, Frodo, in expressing his wish that the creature, Gollum, would have received the penalty of death for his actions, receives this response from the wise wizard, Gandalf: “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the wise cannot see all ends.” The very act of sentencing of a criminal admits to our own fallibility as human beings, and the judge and jury are no exception to this reality. In essence, man has no claim to another man’s life, and is not fit to judge otherwise.

However, while we are not worthy judges of who deserve life and who deserve death, this is not to say we should idly regard those who have taken life. Rather, I would argue for a sentence of life incarceration as opposed to the death penalty. Life incarceration prohibits the convict from committing additional offense to society, yet allows more fully for human error in the event that someone be wrongly accused. This alternative, under the appropriate conditions, would aim at a goal of the convict’s repentance rather than a recompense that cannot be fulfilled.

To violate life in any form is to negate the value that life itself holds. Therefore, let us value life and thus do all we can to preserve it.

 This blog post is an official entry for the <a href="http://www.joshuapondlaw.com/scholarship">Law Blogger’s Scholarship</a>, sponsored by The Law Office of Joshua Pond, <a href="http://www.joshuapondlaw.com/">http://www.joshuapondlaw.com</a>.

©Madeleine Stokes 2013

A Belated 12 Days of Christmas

In just a matter of days I will be back on campus and getting right back into the never-ending papers, reading, and test taking. Before then, however, I thought I would post just a few photos from my soon to end - Winter Break. Excuse my tardiness; better late than never I suppose.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Remembering St. Nicholas

"It is a very good day." My professor remarked at the close of class this morning. "Why's that?" a classmate inquired. First looking me square in the eye he said, "For it is the Feast of St. Nicholas!" he exclaimed with an exuberant smile on his face.


What a good day it would be indeed.

The day was full of celebration; including a St. Nicholas party, delicious food, Christmas caroling, as well as an unexpected celebration to finish it all off. My lovely, thoughtful, and wonderful roommate gifted me with a St. Nicholas Day surprise. I was out of the room for a time this afternoon, and upon my arrival, I was greeted with a tidy, decorative, and festive room. Christmas music was playing, Christmas lights were hung, "Happy St. Nicholas Day!" signs were up, and a shoe filled with chocolate gold coins sat on the ground. Time was taken out of a busy schedule of studying and reading to bless another. This kind act bore great gratitude and appreciation.

As she and I read the Akathist of St. Nicholas tonight and say our prayers, I am reminded of God's great faithfulness. May St. Nicholas teach us what it means to give with truly cheerful hearts this Christmas Season.



O champion wonderworker and superb servant of Christ,
thou who pourest out for all the world
the most precious myrrh of mercy
and an inexhaustible sea of miracles,
I praise thee with love, O Saint Nicholas;
and as thou art one having boldness toward the Lord,
from all dangers do thou deliver us,
that we may cry to thee:
 Rejoice, O Nicholas, Great Wonderworker!


A blessed St. Nicholas Day to you all!

Patience

Patience is the companion of wisdom.

-St. Augustine

I used to write

I used to write letters
I used to sign my name
I used to sleep at night

Before the flashing lights settled deep in my brain
But by the time we met
The times had already changed
So I never wrote a letter
I never took my true heart
I never wrote it down
So when the lights cut out

I was left standing in the wilderness downtown
Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last
It seems strange

How we used to wait for letters to arrive
But what's stranger still 
Is how something so small can keep you alive
We used to wait
We used to waste hours just walkin around
We used to wait

All those wasted lives in the wilderness downtown
Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
Ooooo we used to wait
Still moving through the pain

I'm gonna write a letter to my true love
I'm gonna sign my name
Like a patient on a table
I Wanna walk again

Gonna move through the pain
Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last

-Arcade Fire, "We Used to Wait."

Things Worth Waiting For:

Care Packages

The Changing of Seasons

 A Warm Fire

A Scrumptious Meal

A Learned Piece of Music

Play

"Well done thy good and faithful servant."

Homesick

     "Fall Free Days," AKA a 5 day weekend in October, for most people involves a wonderful, restful, few days home. This is of course, unless you live thousands of miles away from home, and are faced with staying 5 days on a vacant campus, moping in your room wishing you were some place else. My roommate, Alicia, and I were very likely to face this doleful reality, when a good friend of mine, Monica, came to the rescue.  Her lovely family graciously welcomed us to their home. We enjoyed a long weekend of delicious home cooked meals, good conversation, a welcoming church community at Vespers and Liturgy, restful studying, and time to complete load upon load of laundry.
     Many, many thanks to their family!
     Staying in a living, breathing, functioning home made me realize how I long to be home - my home. I know this place is where I am meant and purposed to be at this season in my life. I am growing, thriving, and enjoying every second. Yet, there is a pressing undertone of sadness every time I think of home. I miss faces, places, familiar sights, sounds, and voices. The funny thing is I have never been one to be particularly homesick. These are such odd and foreign feelings I am processing through. My lovely roommate and I, Alicia, are blessed enough to process through these un-tread waters together. One day in particular we were both feeling especially homesick, when she brought up an interesting point. These feelings of homesickness are unnatural to us. We were not intended to unearth our roots and move somewhere else, leaving our friends and family. We were intended to stay loyal to, and cultivate the "soil" in which we have been planted. An odd pang of irony sets in when realizing this is indeed where I need to be, and yet it is exactly where I was never intended to be.
     One night I was again having a rough stretch of homesickness, and I texted my Godmother asking for prayer. In her deep wisdom and consolation, she replied saying that while these are hard emotions to work through, they are also good for our souls. It is a continual reminder that we should indeed be homesick - homesick for our eternal home with Christ. These too, were emotions never intended to enter mankind. For just as in the beginning, we were intended to live with our Savior in perfect communion, forever and unto the ages.
     When the pains of longings for home arise, I set my hope on the times I will see my family, speak with them, and hug them again. Meanwhile, there are still places to grow, papers to write, and people to meet here and now.  It is in times like these to also remember that when a (healthy) longing in my heart for my heavenly home arises, there is still work to be done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some pictures taken from our time spent on Fall break. Enjoy!

A Fitting Hospitality Icon Hanging by the Jekel's Front Door

In Honor of the Candles We're Not Allowed to Burn at College

Some Leisurely Reading of LOTR

Coffee & Cicero

Fall Colors