Just watched some of your video serious, really love it sister!

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WONDER AND SURRENDER (Tuesday, February 2) ??and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ?Master, now you are dismissing (????????, releasing) your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.? And the child?s father and mother wondered (???????????) at all that was said about him.? (Lk 2: 27-33) Two things are happening in this passage: 1. Wonder and 2. Surrender. On the one hand, St. Simeon is filled with wonder, seeing this Child and His ?parents.? So Simeon takes Christ in His arms and ?praises God,? proclaiming his famous prophecy ? a prophecy not only about salvation coming to ?all peoples,? but about his own death, to which he now readily surrenders. On the other hand, St. Joseph and the Mother of God also ?wonder? at all that is said, as their cross-carrying, self-offering journey with this Child continues to be full of surprises. Indeed they ?wonder? as they do not fully understand, because ?wonder? begins where comprehension ends. And yet they will continue to walk this journey, in surrender to God?s will. Even when ?a sword will pierce the soul? of the All-Holy Virgin, as Simeon tells Her in the next passage (Lk 2: 35). Today let me stop and wonder at what God is showing me in my life, rather than fight to attain control of the situations and people He sends me today. Because ?salvation? or ?recovery? is a something, and indeed a Someone, I receive. It is not a Someone I ?figure out? or control. Let me be open to meeting Christ today, in openness to His light-giving will. In wonder at, and surrender to, His incomprehensible grace. (Check out the VIDEO about the Meeting of the Lord at our website: www.coffeewithsistervassa.com)

WONDER AND SURRENDER (Tuesday, February 2) ??and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ?Master, now you are dismissing (????????, releasing) your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.? And the child?s father and mother wondered (???????????) at all that was said about him.? (Lk 2: 27-33) Two things are happening in this passage: 1. Wonder and 2. Surrender. On the one hand, St. Simeon is filled with wonder, seeing this Child and His ?parents.? So Simeon takes Christ in His arms and ?praises God,? proclaiming his famous prophecy ? a prophecy not only about salvation coming to ?all peoples,? but about his own death, to which he now readily surrenders. On the other hand, St. Joseph and the Mother of God also ?wonder? at all that is said, as their cross-carrying, self-offering journey with this Child continues to be full of surprises. Indeed they ?wonder? as they do not fully understand, because ?wonder? begins where comprehension ends. And yet they will continue to walk this journey, in surrender to God?s will. Even when ?a sword will pierce the soul? of the All-Holy Virgin, as Simeon tells Her in the next passage (Lk 2: 35). Today let me stop and wonder at what God is showing me in my life, rather than fight to attain control of the situations and people He sends me today. Because ?salvation? or ?recovery? is a something, and indeed a Someone, I receive. It is not a Someone I ?figure out? or control. Let me be open to meeting Christ today, in openness to His light-giving will. In wonder at, and surrender to, His incomprehensible grace. (Check out the VIDEO about the Meeting of the Lord at our website: www.coffeewithsistervassa.com)

Our all-new audio PODCAST (ep.3) is posted, on the Meeting of the Lord! Enjoy if you've subscribed! If you haven't yet, you can SUBSCRIBE here and join us. Why? It's the cool thing to do. Click here: Sister Vassa Larin is creating Videos, Podcasts, …

Our all-new audio PODCAST (ep.3) is posted, on the Meeting of the Lord! Enjoy if you've subscribed! If you haven't yet, you can SUBSCRIBE here and join us. Why? It's the cool thing to do. Click here: Sister Vassa Larin is creating Videos, Podcasts, …

WAITING TO MEET HIM (Monday, February 1) ?Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to (?????????????) the consolation (??????????) of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord?s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus?? (Lk 2: 25-27) So Simeon did all this ?waiting.? Not just waiting, but expecting and longing in hope, in faith, for The Expectation (?????????), as the Messiah was often referred to in Tradition. Because faith, as Hebrews 11 reminds me, ?is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of ?things not seen.?? (Hebr 11.1) And many saints before Simeon ?died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar.? (Hebr 11:13) Today I?m reflecting on the ?righteousness and devotion? of this waiting, this longing, which blesses this ?cloud of witnesses,? together with St. Simeon, even before the fulfilment in Christ. This ?looking forward to the consolation? is apparently essential to meeting Christ, and already a blessing in and of itself. ?Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,? says the Lord, ?for they shall be filled.? (Mt 5:6) So today let me direct my desires and hopes toward Light, directing my vision toward Christ, in His Spirit-filled word. He has come, indeed, to meet me. So let me let Him make that meeting happen, in the temple of everything He sends into my life today. (Coming up today, our next audio podcast on the Meeting of the Lord! Hurry up & SUBSCRIBE, zillions, and join us: Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

WAITING TO MEET HIM (Monday, February 1) ?Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to (?????????????) the consolation (??????????) of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord?s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus?? (Lk 2: 25-27) So Simeon did all this ?waiting.? Not just waiting, but expecting and longing in hope, in faith, for The Expectation (?????????), as the Messiah was often referred to in Tradition. Because faith, as Hebrews 11 reminds me, ?is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of ?things not seen.?? (Hebr 11.1) And many saints before Simeon ?died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar.? (Hebr 11:13) Today I?m reflecting on the ?righteousness and devotion? of this waiting, this longing, which blesses this ?cloud of witnesses,? together with St. Simeon, even before the fulfilment in Christ. This ?looking forward to the consolation? is apparently essential to meeting Christ, and already a blessing in and of itself. ?Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,? says the Lord, ?for they shall be filled.? (Mt 5:6) So today let me direct my desires and hopes toward Light, directing my vision toward Christ, in His Spirit-filled word. He has come, indeed, to meet me. So let me let Him make that meeting happen, in the temple of everything He sends into my life today. (Coming up today, our next audio podcast on the Meeting of the Lord! Hurry up & SUBSCRIBE, zillions, and join us: Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT (Sunday, January 31) ?O Lord, You sent down Your All-Holy Spirit at the third hour to Your Apostles. Do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but renew us, who pray to You.? (Byzantine Troparion of the Third Hour) It is almost nine o?clock (i.e. ?the third hour?), and I am running late. I received some disturbing news earlier this morning from a dear friend, who has been diagnosed with a huge tumor, and must soon undergo very serious and unexpected surgery. She is my age, and stronger than I am in faith, I must say, because in this case, quite amazingly, I found her words to me, full of humble practicality, very strengthening and consoling, while I had nothing to offer but dumbfounded grief and pain for my beloved friend. Today, at this Third Hour, let me be strengthened and renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, sent down so abundantly and continuously upon us, in dear friends, in our fellowship of the Spirit, in the one Body of Christ. May He be our continued Source of strength, humility, courage, and mutual love, in one another and through one another, on our cross-carrying journeys, toward the Light of His and our resurrection. ?O Good One, renew us, who pray to You.? (Please send up zillions of prayers for my friend. And check out our all-NEW audio-podcasts here. Just try it. You'll like it: Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT (Sunday, January 31) ?O Lord, You sent down Your All-Holy Spirit at the third hour to Your Apostles. Do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but renew us, who pray to You.? (Byzantine Troparion of the Third Hour) It is almost nine o?clock (i.e. ?the third hour?), and I am running late. I received some disturbing news earlier this morning from a dear friend, who has been diagnosed with a huge tumor, and must soon undergo very serious and unexpected surgery. She is my age, and stronger than I am in faith, I must say, because in this case, quite amazingly, I found her words to me, full of humble practicality, very strengthening and consoling, while I had nothing to offer but dumbfounded grief and pain for my beloved friend. Today, at this Third Hour, let me be strengthened and renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, sent down so abundantly and continuously upon us, in dear friends, in our fellowship of the Spirit, in the one Body of Christ. May He be our continued Source of strength, humility, courage, and mutual love, in one another and through one another, on our cross-carrying journeys, toward the Light of His and our resurrection. ?O Good One, renew us, who pray to You.? (Please send up zillions of prayers for my friend. And check out our all-NEW audio-podcasts here. Just try it. You'll like it: Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE (Saturday, January 30) ?Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.? (Proverbs 18: 21) Ouch! Yes, my words can spread ?life,? or my words can spread ?death.? Not only by way ?of the tongue,? as it was when Proverbs were written. Today my sharing of words happens increasingly online, in what I choose to ?forward? or ?share? via text-message, tweet, email, or otherwise. I?m thinking about this today, because yesterday I received a nasty email, and then forwarded it to a close friend, saying something to the effect of, Look, she?s at it again, this one. I shouldn?t have done that. I could have ?stopped the madness,? so to say, by just keeping it to myself. Simple abstinence in forwarding, and wise use of ?DELETE? would have been a beneficial exercise in compassion and withholding of judgment. So today let me be a bit more abstinent with ?the power of the tongue,? which nowadays is magnified through the abundance of words I can choose to share, or not to share, online. If I happen to come across damaging or death-bringing information, let it stop with me, rather than be spread by me, so that others are not subjected to ?eating its fruits.? And let me be grateful today for lessons learned yesterday, in light of God?s always life-giving Word. (Happy Three Holy Hierarchs, NC-zillions! Don't forget to check out our all-NEW, critically-acclaimed audio podcast & SUBSCRIBE to get 2 of these weekly. Because you're worth it :) : Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE (Saturday, January 30) ?Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.? (Proverbs 18: 21) Ouch! Yes, my words can spread ?life,? or my words can spread ?death.? Not only by way ?of the tongue,? as it was when Proverbs were written. Today my sharing of words happens increasingly online, in what I choose to ?forward? or ?share? via text-message, tweet, email, or otherwise. I?m thinking about this today, because yesterday I received a nasty email, and then forwarded it to a close friend, saying something to the effect of, Look, she?s at it again, this one. I shouldn?t have done that. I could have ?stopped the madness,? so to say, by just keeping it to myself. Simple abstinence in forwarding, and wise use of ?DELETE? would have been a beneficial exercise in compassion and withholding of judgment. So today let me be a bit more abstinent with ?the power of the tongue,? which nowadays is magnified through the abundance of words I can choose to share, or not to share, online. If I happen to come across damaging or death-bringing information, let it stop with me, rather than be spread by me, so that others are not subjected to ?eating its fruits.? And let me be grateful today for lessons learned yesterday, in light of God?s always life-giving Word. (Happy Three Holy Hierarchs, NC-zillions! Don't forget to check out our all-NEW, critically-acclaimed audio podcast & SUBSCRIBE to get 2 of these weekly. Because you're worth it :) : Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

Here's a sample of our all-new AUDIO PODCAST! Check it out & subscribe to get two of these weekly, to listen to with your coffee (or tea), or on your way to work! Coffee with Sister Vassa Official Website

LOVING THE LIGHT (Friday, January 29) ??And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that their deeds may be clearly seen, for they have been done in God.? (Jn 3: 19-21) Yes, indeed. It is by doing what is ?true? that I come to the Light, and so come to love the Light rather than darkness. The Light is God Himself, the Creator, so I receive creative energy by moving toward Him, however small and however slow my steps may be. It is not an immense effort on my part, to do the next right thing, rather than avoiding it. But such daily, small steps are ever-regenerating, ever-new, because they are done ?in God,? Who, unlike ?darkness? is not a ?nothing.? I mean, ?darkness? or ?evil? is the absence of Light, so its deeds are not creative, and thus never new. If I choose to ?do evil,? I find that in essence I just do the same thing over and over again, in circles, in self-centered circles, the result of which is having nothing of value to share; having nothing to give. That?s why ?evil? is full of neediness and isolation, in the self, which desires to be served and yet not to serve, and by all means to ?not be exposed.? It is averse to vulnerability. Today let me open up to the Light, in a bit of heartfelt prayer, as well as honesty toward myself and others. Let me recognize the Great Fact that ?the light has come into the world? and is willing to walk with me, and share my vulnerability, on the light-giving and love-giving path of His cross. (Do not forget, dear zillions, that we have launched our all-new, critically-acclaimed audio PODCASTS! Yay! Find out more and subscribe here: Sister Vassa Larin is creating Videos, Podcasts, …