Many years to gurneyhalleck1 and his family!
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gurneyhalleck1
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Andrew, our semi-pro photographer for the parish, will be getting them up in a day or two. He's amazing. I'll be sure to share.
It was, along with my marriage to Kate and the birth of my children, one of the most joyous, powerful, and awesome days of my life. I'm still on cloud nine like I'm five years old. What a day....
It was, along with my marriage to Kate and the birth of my children, one of the most joyous, powerful, and awesome days of my life. I'm still on cloud nine like I'm five years old. What a day....
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gurneyhalleck1
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Kate just cried and cried with joy after taking the Eucharist. I was glowing happy, but Kate just broke down crying. She was so filled with joy that our long, exhausting, tiring, frustrating, angst-filled search was OVER. She was just crying and crying....what a day
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Dorothea
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How wonderful! Your experience gives me a bit of the choked up feeling. So lovely, Scott. I'm so very happy for you and your family. What a blessing. Glory to God, indeed!Thank you, everyone. Today was HUGE for us. Honestly, I almost couldn't believe it. When I went up for communion, oh, goodness, it was beyond momentous. A year of watching people take communion, starving for it, it was truly powerful. The confession yesterday, chrismation today, seeing my family join with me....I have no words. As George Costanza would say, "I'm speechless! I am without speech!"
It was truly a great day. Father George went out of his way to pray for us throughout, mentioned us at the sermon and said such wonderful things, then at the closing had the Many Years song for us and just welcomed us with such warmth.
He blessed our icons afterward. My godfather had me help chant the thanksgiving prayers after the liturgy was concluded. That was lovely.
Father told me in an email how much richer our parish is now that we're a part of it. That just hit me hard. It meant so much that a priest cares that much. The right priest at the right time, truly put there by God. Father George is the best. When I first met him a year ago, he kind of intimidated me. He's a huge 6'7" big guy and he's tough. He comes across tough and a little intimidating when you first meet him. Doesn't take long to find out how sweet and caring he is.
Our kids took communion and seeing that was powerful. Then Kate came back to the pews and was crying. She was just bold-over, just overwhelmed that our five-year wilderness wandering was over. She's on cloud nine with me.
Thanks to Ortho Cat, Trent, dear brother, for starting this thread. If some of you only knew how many years, how many hours, how much heartache, how much sheer frustration and confusion I've had as to where I belong....for years and years.....One guy, a doctor at our parish named Bill just walked by me and patted me on the shoulder and said "welcome home." That pretty much sums it up. I'm very happy.
Thanks to so many of you in here like Ortho, Dorothea, Jesus4Madrid, Macarius, ArmyMatt, Proto, Gracefullamb, Philothei, Rusmeister, Eastern Drifter, Tapi, Jckstraw72, Maria Regina, and a host of others who have made me feel welcome and blessed. I'm honored to be among you as a brother in Christ. Thanks so much. I'm the most blessed man in the world right now.
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gurneyhalleck1
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Thank YOU, Dorothea. It has been a long, draining, emotional experience for Kate and I. The tons of late-night talks, sometimes going in circles, visiting an Anglican or Lutheran parish, reading Luther, the Fathers, the Catholic scholastics, volumes of Catholic histories, Orthodox writers, some people advising you one way, many the other....Satan breathing down your neck so hard the draft melts ya, and my overactive mind constantly saying "yeah, but" for everything. Always frustrated, always lost, going back to the Catholic Church and then sighing with angst, discomfort, and getting liturgical brain cramps with papal stuff. Going back to the Anglican only to feel it stood for nothing in the end, then back to Catholic, visiting other places, reading anything and everything....then running into Orthodoxy that was SO SO SO different, but "too foreign" and "too far away" Satan told me.
Honestly, the more Old Nick whispered in my ear, the more I knew Orthodoxy was right.
I'm really happy and the peace is finally upon me. Now I can actually pray, live my Christian life, and know the good fight.....
but, yeah, it has been an emotional journey. For Kate, like I said, she just cried like crazy today.
Honestly, the more Old Nick whispered in my ear, the more I knew Orthodoxy was right.
I'm really happy and the peace is finally upon me. Now I can actually pray, live my Christian life, and know the good fight.....
but, yeah, it has been an emotional journey. For Kate, like I said, she just cried like crazy today.
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