Orthodox Christian Mamas - Page 5

[SilmarwenCaran]

Wow I am so glad I found this post! I tend to lose inspiration for meals two weeks into fasting. I will definitely have to try some of these recipes. Thanks!

[lilyka]

Congratulations!!!

[Tradd]

Congrats, Bax!

[SilmarwenCaran]

^_^

[Nan Elizabeth]

St. John Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa periodically uses gluten-free prosphora for the entire congregation, so that people with celiac disease, gluten allergy, or gluten intolerance can partake. Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis of St. John Greek Orthodox Church can be contacted at 813-876-8830 or [e-mail] for more information.

[sraplayas]

Nan Elizabeth, thanks for your post--that is really interesting and helpful information. :)

[sraplayas]

How is everyone doing this Nativity Fast?

I'm expecting #3 and on the cusp (hopefully) of morning sickness--some days are better than others. Anyway, I am not really into the swing of things yet as far as really preparing things for DD and DS at home but November was a really quiet month (bed rest) so that was a kind of preparation in itself.:)

Anyone doing anything special at home with your LO's?

I think I'm going to order the Potamitis (sp?) coloring book for Nativity. Their books are visually stunning and it is a good way to get them thinking about deeper spiritual things vs. Jingle Bells. So hard to find that balance sometimes!

[lilyka]

Our Nativity fast has been a total fail.  its been a weird winter....Also interrupting the fast with thanksgiving just kills my thunder.

[PseudoDiva]

I haven't been fasting, either.  :-(  I meant to go to confession before my little guy was born and never made it.  I want, need to get back.  I go to church on Sundays but it always feels so disjointed.  I am out of Liturgy more than I am in, with nursing the baby or  chasing after my 21 month old!  I know this is just a season, but I feel very disconnected from the Church right now and I know it's partly my fault.  I know that nursing my baby and taking care of him IS a fast in some senses, but there is more I can do.

So glad to see this thread is still active!

[sraplayas]

Thanks for your posts, lilyka and PseudoDiva.

It is such an encouragement to me to know there are other OC MDC mamas. XO

This is the first time I've missed confession before Nativity Fast, and although I had very good reason for it, it's a bummer.  It is so hard to engage in the Liturgy when you have little ones. I've been nursing and/or pregnant for the last 7+ years and that creates a different dynamic (I know I'm not the only one like this!). It is part of working out our salvation!

The other challenge I'm facing, which isn't new, is feeling isolated. Our community is very small with very few adults and I am just longing for fellowship and spiritual encouragement with other OC women IRL. We were part of a parish, pre-babies, that was Wonderful and diverse and oh so nourishing. So much Community. I'm so thankful for other God-fearing friends but they aren't OC, and I so want my kids to see other OC families who truly live out their faith and Love God, too.

Thanks for letting me get personal here. How do you all feel about this topic? Do you have a community of OC women you can count on? How did this come about?

p.s. PseudoDiva--where do you live in CA?

[PseudoDiva]

I PM'd you.  :-)

[delicate_sunshine]

Yeah, our fasting is lackluster at best around here right now.  We might eat one meal a day that is fast friendly (like fish sticks and steamed veggies, lol) but most of our meals are definitely not.  We're eating a lot of frozen pizza and things like that.  We're in the middle of a move and I just don't have the energy to cook.  sraplayas, I understand the whole pregnant and nursing thing.  I have been pregnant or nursing (or both) for the last 3 years, and probably will be for the next several, so it's hard to really motivate myself to do anything remotely close to fasting since I'm so hungry all the time.  I really wanted to go for it this time since nativity fast is so light, but it's not working out.

[lilyka]

Well, if you are nursing you should eat whatever you need to and not worry about the food portion of the fast.  No need to feel any kind of bad about that.  You are growing babies for goodness sakes.

I noticed a couple of you mentioned not being able to go to confession before the nativity fast.  Is there a reason to go before?  is there a reason you can't just go now if you want to go?  

[PseudoDiva]

There's no reason to go before, I guess.  I am not regular about confession.  I go about 4 times a year.  I wish I went more.  Every time I go I am so glad I did, but it's been a long time.  :-/

On another topic--do any of you know of good Orthodox books about raising children?  My toddler is quite challenging these days.  It matters so much to me to be an attached, sensitive parent, but I know that God also calls us to train our children.  He is pushing boundaries right and left and I am starting to feel rather at sea about how to encourage his curiosity without letting him run wild, if that makes sense.  

[lilyka]

I have a really good one but can't find it right now.  If i forget to come back to this remind me.  

[elizaveta]

I just discovered this thread! Nice to see other Orthodox Mamas! I've been so inactive... it's horrible. We've been living in Kansas for two years now and we only have a small mission about 20 miles away and the people there are amazing and diverse (Romanians, Greeks, Lebanese, Egyptians, etc --- I love it!), but I only discovered the mission a year ago and I've only been a handful of times... Liturgy is on Saturday mornings and unfortunately I was in cosmetology school on Saturdays up until recently. Now I'm available to go, but just lack the motivation to wake up and go... and DH loves sleeping in, which doesn't help, because I want to go as a family. And the mission rarely does Vespers, which is the worst, because I love Vespers! We're moving back to Russia in a few months and hopefully I'll be able to get my act together! Lots of churches to go to, so there are no excuses to be made! 

[sraplayas]

elizaveta, welcome. :) maybe you can stay connected with us when you are in Russia, too?

[PseudoDiva]

Welcome, Elizaveta!  :-)  

I have a question for you ladies about St. Nicholas.  Do you observe the day?  What do you do?

Also, we live 40 minutes from our parish (I think I've mentioned that ad nauseum!) and our sons are 21 months and 2 months.  I've felt terrible that we haven't been able to go to services that much.  We are hoping to go to the big St. Stephen liturgy on the 26th since he's our parish saint, but how do all of you handle that?  My husband says it will change in future years and we can attend more, but I worry we're setting a bad precedent now by staying home.  

[lilyka]

I can't imagine letting a 40 minute drive stop me.  but driving that kind of distance is pretty standard around here and where I grew up.  My kids always did pretty decent in the car though.  Just stuff them full before you go and if you can swing it time it to coincide with a nap.  I would plan some time though to get their early enough for a change of clothes/diapers, feeding and run around time.   And perhaps if you can work it out this would also be a good time to take care of confession.  

One family at our church just makes a day of it.  They arrive early and hang out at Fr. and Presv.'s house.  by the time liturgy rolls around they the boys have slipped into some sort of routine for the day.  an then attend the evening service in their pajamas.  For morning services they will sometimes come the night before and sleep over at Fr.s house.  

Of course liturgy is going to be participated in mostly from the Narthex while nursing and herding children.   That'not a bad thing.   it is only for a season and would happen regardless of if you are driving 4 minutes or 40.

[PseudoDiva]

Originally Posted by lilyka 

I can't imagine letting a 40 minute drive stop me.  but driving that kind of distance is pretty standard around here and where I grew up.  My kids always did pretty decent in the car though.  Just stuff them full before you go and if you can swing it time it to coincide with a nap.  I would plan some time though to get their early enough for a change of clothes/diapers, feeding and run around time.   And perhaps if you can work it out this would also be a good time to take care of confession.  

One family at our church just makes a day of it.  They arrive early and hang out at Fr. and Presv.'s house.  by the time liturgy rolls around they the boys have slipped into some sort of routine for the day.  an then attend the evening service in their pajamas.  For morning services they will sometimes come the night before and sleep over at Fr.s house.  

Of course liturgy is going to be participated in mostly from the Narthex while nursing and herding children.   That'not a bad thing.   it is only for a season and would happen regardless of if you are driving 4 minutes or 40.

My first son screamed nonstop in the car for his first 4 months.  My second is on track to do the same.  Sitting next to him helps...sometimes.  I am virtually housebound at this point because the crying while I drive is so distressing to me.  So no, they don't do too well in the car.  

I fully expect to participate in Liturgy at a distance and I don't mind that.  My participation is of a different kind right now.  I guess I was more asking how people have found a balance between observing Church traditions and not overtiring the little ones.