Return to hiatus

Having posted on the Alabama tornadoes, I am going to return to a short hiatus. I still wish to get a little rest and time for reflection. Do keep on praying for the Alabama recovery as it will take months for recovery to happen.  Read More →

More tales from Alabama 2011

Yesterday we had a potluck at one of our members’ home. It had been scheduled from before the storms as an end of Bright Week, Pascha celebration. And, we did do that, but we also spoke about our experiences with the storm. No, we did not do it in an organized way. It was not a debriefing session; it was a potluck. It was just that people shared with each other, and people asked each other how... [Read more]

faq

Alabama tornadoes and small heroes

After a tragic day like yesterday, the tendency of the news media is to concentrate on tragedy, survivors, and big heroes. And it is well that they get news of the tragedy out so that aid can come in. Big heroes need to be celebrated because they remind us of those moments of shining light even in the midst of dark events. I am less sanguine about survivors, because all too often the news media can... [Read more]

blog

Tornado follow-up, Alabama 2011

As you know now, over 190 people died in Alabama alone yesterday. I suspect the count will go up slightly as some of the wreckage is dug out. The first three-quarters of the clip above is about Alabama, and it will give you an idea of what happened in the large swath hit by the tornadoes. The Birmingham police chief has a phone line open so that missing people can be reported because the devastation... [Read more]

notice

Tornados in Alabama, April 2011

I am coming off of hiatus long enough to ask for prayer for those injured in our area. Above, you will see the video of a tornado roaring through the center of Tuscaloosa. It was measured at one mile wide. The main hospital in Tuscaloosa is mildly damaged, but continuing to function as I write. As the newsmen have commented, we were seeing debris clouds here in Alabama that are more typical for the... [Read more]

Hiatus

We are at the end of Holy Week. Everyone’s schedule will get very busy. But, as I have been thinking about it, and talking to a fellow priest, this seems like a good time to take a hiatus. I will not be publishing anything for a bit, at least through Holy Week and Bright Week, and maybe on beyond for a bit. Sometimes it is good to let something go for a bit to devote some additional time to the... [Read more]

Don’t just feel, give!

During Lent we are called to fast not simply for our spiritual health, but also in order to save money that can be given to the poor. But, we have to actually give to the poor. It is no good simply feeling bad about the poor. And, please, do NOT just click on a Facebook page. Father Orthoduck has bad news for you. Clicking on a Facebook page may get Betty White on Saturday Night Live, but it does... [Read more]

Pride, Pharisees, and Prostitutes

The other day, I wrote a post about our attitude needing to be that we are the worst of all sinners. Let me follow up on that by commenting on what appears to many to be an oddity in the New Testament. Many have noticed that over and over again, it is the “good” people who do not respond to Our Lord Jesus Christ, while it is those whom society considers “unclean” that consistently... [Read more]

guidelines

The USA, an elementary school schoolyard

Most of you do not realize that Father Orthoduck is an Adjunct Professor of World Religion at an university in the USA. He finds it very interesting to read the answers that students give to various questions. But, the one below had him laughing quite hard. This is only a partial excerpt from all that the student actually said. Another interesting aspect that I touched on in my post was the actual... [Read more]

Home robbery of heat pump

Yesterday the heat pump on the exterior of our house was stolen. Since Alabama is in the 80′s, it has not been too bad. However, it has certainly been rather surprising. The worst part is that this type of theft is beginning to grow across the USA. I may try a post later on tonight, but no guarantees.  Read More →