Cravings

[~Anastasia~]

Gurney (and others), what you are expressing is exactly how I feel and as a newly Orthodox Christian it is helpful to know that I'm not alone in being so aware of how I'm falling short. Sometimes when I talk to other converts (especially it seems recent ones) they speak as though they jumped in the deep end are doing fine and I'm not sure how that's even possible! I suppose it could be, but what are the odds that I joined a parish full of spiritual supermen, honestly.

There's a balance? Sometimes I don't want to whine about struggles. But I feel like I'm surrounded by Saints, too. (Actually, sometimes, I really do think many of them may be ... a lifetime of Orthodoxy or even many decades seems to have that effect!)

I'm not actually around very many "new converts". I went through catechesis with two others - one has been away for a couple of years taking care of her mother, and the other was the sole convert from his Catholic family, and I think must work Sundays. I do see him from time to time with his children, but we don't get a chance to speak beyond greetings.

So it was helpful to me too, to hear that others struggle. I think until Matt said so a few weeks ago here, I assumed nearly all Orthodox kept the fast perfectly all the time. Which was a good way for me to think when I DID manage not to break it - once I think? LOL - otherwise I might have been terribly tempted to pride. I thought I just FINALLY managed to do what others did all the time.

But CF helps me tremendously to see into the struggles others have. Sometimes I suspect they may overstate them (I STILL tend to see nearly EVERYone as a "capital-S-Saint - but that seems to be a very good mindset for me).

 

[Anhelyna]

Oh boy !

Struggles - my Confessor and I were talking about that today [ among many other things I'll admit ] - it cheered me up no end when a priest, while helping me, admits to his own struggles at this season

 

[Light of the East]

MITIGATION!!!! FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION!!!!! MITIGATION OF THE FAST!!!!!

CHEESE!!! BACON!!! HAM!!!

All on a nice slice of Pizza Hut pizza which was brought to our parish council meeting today!!!

Nom nom nom nom nom.......

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

And back to beans and rice tomorrow!!!

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

You might be surprised....there are people at my parish who seem super heroeish only to find out they don't fast AT ALL EVER! My parish has plenty of issues, so do I!!!

Gurney (and others), what you are expressing is exactly how I feel and as a newly Orthodox Christian it is helpful to know that I'm not alone in being so aware of how I'm falling short. Sometimes when I talk to other converts (especially it seems recent ones) they speak as though they jumped in the deep end are doing fine and I'm not sure how that's even possible! I suppose it could be, but what are the odds that I joined a parish full of spiritual supermen, honestly.

 

[~Anastasia~]

MITIGATION!!!! FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION!!!!! MITIGATION OF THE FAST!!!!!

CHEESE!!! BACON!!! HAM!!!

All on a nice slice of Pizza Hut pizza which was brought to our parish council meeting today!!!

Nom nom nom nom nom.......

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

And back to beans and rice tomorrow!!!

Lol, consider yourself lucky.

Some jurisdictions allow fish, and a bit of dairy, egg, or cheese in the sauce, apparently.

Never saw bacon or ham. But I won't tell.

 

[Anhelyna]

MITIGATION!!!! FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION!!!!! MITIGATION OF THE FAST!!!!!

CHEESE!!! BACON!!! HAM!!!

All on a nice slice of Pizza Hut pizza which was brought to our parish council meeting today!!!

Nom nom nom nom nom.......

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

And back to beans and rice tomorrow!!!

WHAT !!! ???? !!!!!!!

Come off it - New Calendar folk are permitted Fish oil and wine - where do you get the mitigation for cheese ? Bacon - you are surely joking ! Ham - same thing

Stop tormenting us !

 

[Light of the East]

WHAT !!! ???? !!!!!!!

Come off it - New Calendar folk are permitted Fish oil and wine - where do you get the mitigation for cheese ? Bacon - you are surely joking ! Ham - same thing

Stop tormenting us !

Doesn't mitigation mean the Fast is lifted for the day???

 

[ArmyMatt]

Doesn't mitigation mean the Fast is lifted for the day???

haha, no. it means it is lightened. yes, some places you can have fish, but all the other stuff (beef, dairy, etc) is still a no-go

 

[Light of the East]

haha, no. it means it is lightened. yes, some places you can have fish, but all the other stuff (beef, dairy, etc) is still a no-go

Well......guess I messed up.

Oh, well.....start again tomorrow. Try to finish strong.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Well......guess I messed up.

Oh, well.....start again tomorrow. Try to finish strong.

that's the name of the game, we all fall in some way, so we all gotta get back up again.

 

[Light of the East]

that's the name of the game, we all fall in some way, so we all gotta get back up again.

Meeeeaaaaaah......back to the beans and rice.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Meeeeaaaaaah......back to the beans and rice.

haha, yep

 

[anna ~ grace]

Ok, so the Orthodox give up anything that wouldn't be vegan? Wow.... That can't be easy. God bless you guys this Lent! And bring you near to Him.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Went to Vespers then confession tonight. Fasting reboot....

Father reminded me that the first half of Gret Lent is about us and our discipline and fight against ourselves where after the liturgy of the Cross it is 100% about Christ and denying ourselves not for self discipline or mastery, but to honor Christ.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Ok, so the Orthodox give up anything that wouldn't be vegan? Wow.... That can't be easy. God bless you guys this Lent! And bring you near to Him.

that generally is the norm, although stuff like age and health are always taken to account.

 

[Light of the East]

haha, yep

Just in case you thought I jest.....

Dinner tonight....actually not as bad as it looks. Nice brown rice, some chili beans w/ tortilla chips sprinkled on top. I'll get two meals out of this.

Beans and rice is, for a guy who has to cook all his own meals ... rather fast and easy. Boring after a while, but fast.

Fast for the Fast....LOL!!!

 

[Light of the East]

Ok, so the Orthodox give up anything that wouldn't be vegan? Wow.... That can't be easy. God bless you guys this Lent! And bring you near to Him.

At age 68, I could opt out according to Church rules, but .....

as sinful as I am, I need all the help I can get.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Ok, so the Orthodox give up anything that wouldn't be vegan? Wow.... That can't be easy. God bless you guys this Lent! And bring you near to Him.

At age 68, I could opt out according to Church rules, but .....

as sinful as I am, I need all the help I can get.

Yes, and I'm not allowed a strict fast - surgery in a few weeks. Surprising though how much I miss it now that I'm a little used to it. Great benefit can come from it, and I was not very happy about having to not participate much.

So it varies.

 

[anna ~ grace]

At age 68, I could opt out according to Church rules, but .....

as sinful as I am, I need all the help I can get.

Wow, you're 68? That's cool! In my husband's country, we'd call you "Uncle". It's a sign of respect, don't worry! Have a blessed Lent, Sir!

 

[anna ~ grace]

Yes, and I'm not allowed a strict fast - surgery in a few weeks. Surprising though how much I miss it now that I'm a little used to it. Great benefit can come from it, and I was not very happy about having to not participate much.

So it varies.

Thanks, Anastasia, that helps. At least you *want* to, and can still fast in a limited way. Maybe fasting can also be like a "two mites" thing. You may not fast a huge amount but there's love and hope behind what you are able to give.