The Violent Munkee

When my boy was a baby boy...



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Do You Smell That?

marlboro puffs

and that perfume your boyfriend bought

the rich sweet smell of exhaust from a 72’ dodge

dense particulate matter of black diesel chug

hyper sweet vanilla car fumigator

yes, i'’d love a bite of your french fries

old spice is not a supplement for bathing sir

stinging astringent smell of burning clutch

more tar please mr. tar truck

grey blue tire smoke penetrates closed helmet visor

horses eat hay right

cows eat rotted carcass

coffee yeah

sweet fruit truck

savory wheeled taco factory

magnesium white smoke flare

jasmine citrus sweet blooms

mom must have made casserole

freshly fried donuts

chinese delight

greek burger smoke

dryer sheets swirl

and i'’m home

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Shadow Magnet

Past, present, and future...

Friday night, 7pm in San Dimas at St. Peter Orthodox Church. The smoke of incense is still clearing as a grey haired priest stands up robed in a black riasa with large cross hung round his neck. His eyes scan the room as he takes a sip of his coffee, calmly sets it down and rips his riasa off, performs fifteen back flips and commences the beating of the entire room with a single hand. Saw Fr. Hopko speak this past weekend and even though the place was packed I wish more could have been there to hear him. Father is 66 now and is spry as a 25yo, but his wisdom surpasses many aged years beyond him. Father being former professor of dogmatic theology and later dean of St. Vladimir’s possesses unfathomable knowledge of our faith, and yet every word is relayed with love and deep conviction. This is all to say, if Father Hopko comes to town, drop everything and go see him your time will be well spent and your head will be left spinning.

Here we are in the middle of the Apostles Fast. It's three days of fasting and I still want a hamburger.

Sara's due date was Sunday. All that crap about due date simply means, the baby could come today, or in two weeks. Talk about exercising patience. In the mean time we'll busy ourselves with reading books about labor, practicing relaxation techniques, and I'll get a bit more practice in with my "very pregnant wife massage".

Your prayers are appreciated.
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Orthodox Missionaries



Beniy and I after our morning run...aren't we dashing?
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Sleep Talkin'

The other night while laying in bed, having just settled in, my dear Sara said to me, "Honey, it's weird that you used to talk in your sleep all the time and now you don't anymore."

A smile stretched across my darkened face, "Maybe I've said all I needed to say."
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Book Meme

1. Total Number of Books I've Owned:

Not nearly as many as most people who consider themselves readers, probably not as many as folks who don’t read. My best guess would be right around 2500.

2. Last Book I Bought:

I just picked up Howard’s End, by E.M. Forster, haven’t yet cracked it yet as I’m trying to get through Fellowship before summer ends. I’m a slow reader of many books all at once.

3. Last Book I Read:

The last book I read was Woman Warrior, by Maxine Hong Kingston. This book caught me off guard and left me feeling as though I’d been pushed out of a moving car. The book documents a hard life in a hard culture. Good read.

4. Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Tortilla Flat was a close second especially for Steinbeck’s ability to pack a full and wondrous story in to a book of less than 200 pages.

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien

These books drove deep into me as a person and forced me to think on deeper matters such as, honor, courage, and loyalty. Many books may change a person in little ways; this trilogy changed me in ways unimagined coming from fantasy.

The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis

These books are great on so many levels, children’s fantasy mingled with great theology.

Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card

The life a boy destined to save the world. This book was a laser blast to the chest, very engrossing right down to the last page.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent, John Climacus

Intensity in ten cities! Once is definitely not enough, this needs to be read again and again. The harsh and difficult lives of men many of whom have found rank amongst the angelic host.

5. People I Will Infect With This Meme:

Bryan-Peter, Sky, Beniy, Brett, Sara, James, Katie, Erica, Sean, Dawn, and Chance.

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A long way off the mark....

RULES FOR LIVING

Let yourself be persecuted, but do not persecute others.
Let yourself be crucified, but do not crucify others.
Let yourself be insulted, but do not insult others.
Let yourself be slandered, but do not slander others.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Such is the
sign of purity. Suffer with the sick. Be afflicted with sinners. Exult with
those who repent. Be the friend of all. But in your spirit remain alone.
Spread your cloak over anyone who falls into sin and shield him. And if you
cannot take his fault on yourself and accept punishment in his place, and do
not destroy his character.

+ St. Isaac of Syria

Orthodoxy sets the bar very high, it doesn't candy coat it's words and tell us we are almost there. This is one of the things that drew me to this Holy faith. It has a real view of holiness and a real vision of what we will be like when we are in fact holy. Though I may never in this world measure up, I know with certainty that many have and this is encouraging, this is hope filled, and soaked in grace.
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Star Wars: Episode III

Blogodoxy has a review of the new film that says very well much of what I feel about it. Thorough enough to change the mind of James? I think not.

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