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As with the appearance of light, darkness retreats; so at the franfrancd of humility, all anger and bitterness retreats.
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Saint John Climacus
step 8 : the ladder of divine ascent: step 6
on anger
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The beginning of freedom from anger is silence of the lips when the heart is agitated; the middle is silence of the thoughts when there is a mere disturbance of the soul; and the end is an imperturbable calm under the breath of unclean winds.
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Saint John CLimacus
step 8 : the ladder of divine ascent : no. 4
as we forgive
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During the upcoming Fast we approach the mystery of repentance and ask the Lord to forgive us of our sins. But this will only be given to us only if we forgive each other’s offenses.
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Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
A homily preached on Cheesefare Sunday of 1901
never despair
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Nothing equals or excels God’s mercies… a sign of true repentance is the acknowledgment that we deserve all afflictions, visible and invisible, that come upon us.
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Saint John of the Ladder
step 5 : the ladder of divine ascent: no. 38
change of mind
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repentance is reconciliation with the Lord
by the practice of good deeds
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Saint John Climacus
step 5 : the ladder of divine ascent: no. 1
the heart you need
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afflictions will never cease, but God gives us the kind of heart we need, not to simply withstand them, but to profit by them.
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like a city under perpetual siege, the human heart will always be surrounded and under perpetual attack, but it will always have God as its defender
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elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra
the hope that is in you
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repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair.
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Saint John Climacus
step 5 :: the ladder of divine ascent :: no. 1
fast friendly paleo chocolate delight
To no longer live exclusively for myself, but for God, also means that I now live for my neighbor, loving him as myself. + Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra
My kids often want a sweet during Great Lent. But I also try to keep sugar to a minimum.
Did you know that sugar is actually a toxin to the body,and robs you of minerals (1 molecule of sugar takes over 50 molecules of magnesium to digest!). But most relevant to us about sugar, with two in the house recovering from Chronic Lyme, is that sugar is an immune suppressant. Not only does sugar compete with vitamin C for valuable space within your white blood cells. It has been shown that 1 tablespoon of sugar reduces immunity for hours after consumption.
We have modified our fasting for Great Lent – due to the Lyme and some threats from the doctor. My doctor said that I am so aenimic due to one of the coinfections of the Lyme that she threatened me with IV iron. (I have resorted to my least favorite food – liver – but just a few bites a day. It’s all I can bear. The iron pills were not raising my numbers sufficiently and despite the taste, I feel better after eating the liver. Just more proof – and in no way strange – that God made always nourishes better than man made.)
Other than that we are mostly adhering to a very vegetarian Paleo diet.
We tried this Super moist orange laden chocolate cake yesterday, which you can find at Strictly Delicious. It is definitely “strictly delicious” and beyond yummy. I have to share on their behalf.
Normally I cut back the sugar in every recipe but found it wasn’t necessary to reduce it one bit in this cake.
This dessert is fasting and family friendly. We will be making it again!
the greatest commandment
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longing for God extinguished longing for parents. and so anyone who says he has both is deceiving himself. he should listen to Him Who says “no one can serve two lords”
saint john climacus
step 3 :: on exile or pilgrimage :: no. 16
gladsomelife.com 