Quote for the Day

She [Amma Syncletica] also said, 'Just as it is impossible to be at the same moment both a plant and a seed, so it is impossible for us to be surrounded by worldly honour and at the same time to bear heavenly fruit.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers [and mothers ;-) ]

Photoshop Fun

This began with two photos of planes flying at a local RC Airplane Fly-in.  With a little work in Photoshop, they went back in time and entered into combat. In reality neither was armed nor were they both in the air at the same time.  It's all a figment of my imagination, inspired by a tutorial in the December 2012 Photoshop User Magazine.

Quote for the Day

Abba Sarmatas said, 'I prefer a sinful man who knows he has sinned and repents, to a man who has not sinned and considers himself to be righteous.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

He [Abba Silvanus] also said, 'Unhappy is the man whose reputation is greater than his work.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

He [Abba Poemen] also said, 'If a man understands something and does not practise it, how can he teach it to his neighbour?'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

He [Abba Poemen] also said, 'If Moses had not led his sheep to Midian he would not have see[n] him who was in the bush.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

He [Abba Poemen] also said, 'Wickedness does not do away with wickedness; but if someone does you wrong, do good to him, so that by your action you destroy his wickedness.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

A brother asked Abba Poemen, 'How can a man avoid speaking ill of his neighbour?'  The old man said to him, 'We and our brothers are two images; when a man is watchful about himself, and has to reproach himself, in his heart he thinks his brother better than he; but when he appears to himself to be good, then he thinks his brother evil compared to himself.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

A brother questioned Abba Poemen saying, 'What does it mean to repent of a fault?'  The old man said, 'Not to commit it again in the future.  This is the reason the righteous were called blameless, fot they gave up their faults and became righteous.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

For Christian Voters

"Far too often, the church has abandoned its first love for the siren song of political parties promising protection, prosperity and peace. Far too many times, the church has ceded the practice of its faith to the spiritual and the private while leaving others to address matters of justice. And far too frequently, the church has attempted to speak truth to power while seeking and relying on that same power for protection."

A powerful message for all US citizens who claim the name Christian.  Read the whole article.

My Take: On Election Day, proclaiming my loyalty to Jesus

Quote for the Day

A brother said to Abba Poemen, 'Give me a word,' and he said to him, 'As long as the pot is on the fire, no fly nor any other animal can get near it, but as soon as it is cold, these creatures get inside.  So it is for the monk; as long as he lives in spiritual activities, the enemy cannot find a means of overthrowing him.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

The Wealth of the Church

I'm reading Redeeming the Past My journey from Freedom Fighter to Healer by Anglican Priest Michael Lapsley.  Lapsley was an anti-apartheid activist who lived in Zimbabwe while we were there.  He lost both hands and an eye to a letter bomb sent to him by the South African Government.  I never met him but remember the news when this happened.

Speaking of the Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah, Lapsley observes:

As I reflected on these passages of scripture and allowed them to do their healing work, it began to dawn on me that disability is actually the norm of the human condition.  Imperfection, incompleteness, brokenness--these are universal human experiences, and those of us with dramatic physical disabilities are mirrors for what is true of the whole human family.

He then tells this story:

There is a Christian martyr from the second century, St. Lawrence, who was commanded by Roman persecutors to produce the wealth of the church as tribute.  Of course, they were expecting gold and silver.  Instead, St. Lawrence brought the very old, the sick, the blind, and those who couldn't walk, and said, 'Here, here is the treasure of the church.'

Let us count the wealth in our churches today.

Breton Sailor's Prayer

Had to update this picture. It just seems so fitting for the

Breton Sailor's Prayer.

I Miss the Ocean

Quote for the Day

Some old men came to see Abba Poemen and said to him, 'When we see brothers who are dozing at the synaxis, shall we rouse them so that they will be watchful?'  He said to them, 'For my part when I see a brother who is dozing, I put his head on my knees and let him rest.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Illusion of Reality in Photoshop

A bit of fun with Photoshop. The frame was done completely in Filter Forge and Photoshop. No trees were cut. No metal was cut or nailed. Just a lot of 1's and 0's working together to create the illusion of reality.

Quote for the Day

A brother questioned Abba Poemen saying, 'If I see a brother whom I have heard is a sinner, I do not want to take him into my cell, but when I see a good brother I am happy to be with him.'  The old man said, 'If you do a little good to the good brother, do twice as much for the other.  For he is sick.  Now, there was an anchorite called Timothy in a coenobium.  The abbot, having heard of a brother who was being tempted, asked Timothy about him, and the anchorite advised him to drive the brother away.  Then when he had been driven away, the brother's temptation fell upon Timothy to the point where he was in danger.  Then Timothy stood up before God and said, "I have sinned.  Forgive me."  Then a voice came which said to him, "Timothy, the only reason I have done this to you is because you despised your brother in the time of his temptation."

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Atlas Exploited

Atlas Exploited: The Clever Hoax of Ayn Rand

You can follow Jesus or you can follow Ayn Rand. Unfortunately, some people are trying to follow both. They'll wind up doing the splits. You can't walk in opposite directions at the same time.

Quote for the Day

Abba Poemen said, 'God has given this way of life to Israel:  to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits of passion, jealousy, hatred and slandering the brethren; in short, everything that is characteristic of the old man.

-- Saying of the Desert Fathers

Quote for the Day

He [Abba Poemen] also said, 'Men speak to perfection but they do precious little about it.'

-- Sayings of the Desert Fathers