Orthodixie

What? Me, Seminary?

HT Jean-Michel

This, ladies & gentleman, is no laughing matter! It’s scary to know what personal information is being made public about us these days!
For example.

HT My oldest

It’s hard to keep up with the gang at GetReligion. They’re everywhere! GetReligion is like a magazine — delivered up fresh daily MORE THAN daily!

Recent posts of note include this one, this too, and more … (I also stole the pic from them.)

It’s the weekend. It’s the Fast. Dixie provides good prep.

If you must, here ’tis.

Oh, and the bumper sticker.

I don’t like Fasting.
It’s too expensive.
We have to change our daily status quo.
We have to give up our “same-oh same-oh.”

It costs so much more to switch over to Organic Soy Milk from our regular milk. Veggie Burger costs more than hamburger, and eating out at Red Lobster is killing our budget!

The other day in coffee hour, we were talking about one of the ethnic groups in our church, and how they always mess things up for the rest of us by seeing things so differently, and how their kids are such a problem for everyone.

I could hardly get into the coffee hour because some weird visitors were standing by the door wondering if they would stay or leave. They were obviously not Orthodox! They were huddled as a family by the door, coats in hand. They looked like refugees from some disaster. I had to say, “Excuse me.” and push past them just to get in to the food line. I think they finally left.

The coffee hour didn’t have nearly enough doughnuts and bagels for me. I was so hungry! And they ran out of stuff before the children even came in from Church School. Man! It’s a good thing we got our three doughnuts before they got there! You should have seen their faces when they pawed through the empty doughnut boxes! I know it’s time to fast, but they need a lot more goodies on the table so we can have a good hearty coffee hour meal, and maybe something for the kids.

I get these letters from charities asking for money for the poor and such. I just can’t do anything about it because we’re spending all our money on these high tech substitutes for meat, and dairy. Besides, we’re taking a cruise in a couple of months.

Ah fasting. I just don’t enjoy it. It’s just not fun for me, I’m sorry.

– humor from Ephrem Ron Moore

Pic FWD courtesy of Jean-Michel.

I was blessed to read Dawn’s manuscript back in the summer, while at Camp St Raphael. You’d think that would have given me enough time to produce my own review. Slack, slack, slack. In the meantime, as the time nears, here’s one from another …

In her new book, The Thrill of the Chaste, Dawn Eden writes with a naked truth and passion seen in few writers since Augustine and Pascal. Sprinkled with wit and quips, Dawn tackles a serious subject in a sometimes light-hearted Chestertonian manner by flipping the world upside down, removing the spin on life, and calling a thing what it really is. Yet, she remains bold enough to open her heart to the reader as she shares her own personal experiences in a manner that is anything but preachy. Having been part of the crowd disinterested in the pursuits of chastity and learning most often by trial and error, Dawn digs deep into the Sex in the City lifestyle and writes about it as is and the dangers that lifestyle holds for the modern woman.

Her book is rich with compassion and hope of renewal for those singles who have been misdirected by the Sex in the City message. Dawn provides not just an alternative view on life, but THE view of life as intended by delivering a message that is truly a counter-cultural remedy aimed at ending the woes found in today’s relationships. Through most of the book, she makes the case that the modern person is settling for too little pleasure by holding tightly to the Desperate Housewives mentality; clearly, we are meant for more than the whims and fads for which we too often settle.

The Thrill of the Chaste is a book that has been needed for many years to fill an absence in the chastity literature genera: the target audience is not teens but mature adults and young adults. In her book, Dawn also manages to bridge the gap between the secular and religious reasons for chastity as it calls us to rethink the meaning of sexuality. Staunch secularists will call it too religious. Conservative Christians will call it too secular, but what the text cannot be called is wrong. She speaks the truth, for she has “been there and done that”.

In brief, this is not your typical Christian self-help book or dating guide — neither is Dawn your typical Christian. With ease, Dawn blows John Eldredge out of the water and kisses Joshua Harris goodbye. Dawn makes the case for chastity, and she proves it.

Thanks to FWD from Paul Catalanotto.

Of course, if you’ve not already, you must view this excellent PR stunt.

Starting today. Click the above link.