Mother’s Day
by Taleen Khalaf (May ‘01)
As you of course know, Mother’s Day is on the 13th of May. Many of us are going to go through extraordinary measures to make our moms happy, like taking them out to eat at a fancy restaurant, or buying expensive gifts. But for those who are low on the dough and high on love, here are some very inexpensive ways to show your mom you care.
I hope these tips help you. Don’t forget to do the most important thing for your mom this Mother’s Day: say, “I love you.”
Holy Smoke
by Taleen Khalaf (Jun. ’01)
Did you know that what you smell can affect how you feel? It is known that the scent of lavender can calm you down, and the smell of citrus can perk you up. But what does the holy smoke that is wafted around the church during service represent? How is it supposed to make you feel? Have you ever wondered? Well, I talked to Father John of St. George in Houston, Texas, and this is what I got out of it. The smoke represents our prayers that ascend towards Heaven. It is a way for "us" to view that ascension. In Exodus, God told people to use the incense. Incense was so valued back then, that it was even given as a birthday gift when our Savior was born (trivia: Do you remember who it was who brought it? -Answer on bottom). Incense is an odor of spiritual sweetness. It’s perfect in that it is able to be viewed, the aroma of it is calming, and it’s a way of sending a sweetness to God. The scent of the incense affects our senses in that it is a "sweetness that overcomes our earthly body." So the next time you are in service, remember the meaning of the "holy smoke" and be alert to other ways our service includes all the senses of the body, both spiritual and earthly.
(Answer to trivia question: one of the Three Wise Men )
A Step-Daughter’s Story
by Michelle Swanke (Jan. ’02)
"You are soooooo STUPID!"
I began to cry. I had never been treated this way before: no 10-year-old should have to. "I only soaked the pan..." I tried, lamely, to defend myself in between sobs. "All you had to do was scrub it a little. Use elbow grease. Put some meat on those bones. Don't you have any common sense?!"
This began the week my dad married a new woman. Her name was Pam. Before they had gotten married, she was the nicest woman to me. I never knew what the term "two-faced" really meant until Pam entered my life. My stepmother always spoke to me on very harsh terms, at least when my father wasn't around. She was just that kind of person. When my dad was at work, she would have me clean the house, mop the floors, tidy-up my three stepbrothers' rooms, etc. But when my father came home, she was always too tired from "cleaning house all day" to do anything else. She was the perfect little housewife in his eyes.
The double standards placed between my stepsister and me made my quest to prove to my stepmother that I did have common sense all the more difficult. (I thought if my stepsister could soak a pan then I could too. Wrong!) My stepsister never seemed to get into trouble, so I thought that if I did what she did then I wouldn't get yelled at anymore. Then, maybe, just maybe, my stepmother would love me. This plan of action only resulted in hours of shouting to the point where I didn't have a life of my own.
It seemed I couldn't win. After trying everything I could think of to get my stepmother to love me, I told my dad how she was treating me. This plan as well backfired. He believed that I was making it all up or over-reacting. In time Pam got sloppy in her ways and my dad caught her being two-faced. He came home from work one day to witness my stepmother's incessant nagging and verbal abuse. After seeing this, my dad rescued me from my three-year horror.
After moving out of her house I began to understand some of the reasons why Pam did the things she did. I don't excuse her from what she put me through, but I can see why she may have treated me that way. From Pam I learned to be strong, to be tough, and to grow up. Maybe I built a brick wall around myself because of the things she said to me, but through the years my bricks have come down, one by one.
My only wish is that anyone else who has gone through, is going through, or will be going through this type of experience gets out of it as soon as possible. Through it all, I became a better person — but it was a painful way to do so.
Know God, Know Peace
by Carole Buleza
In saying “Through it all I became a better person,” Michelle has won a victory. The forces of evil are all around us. Viktor Frankl, a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, discovered that when he was stripped of everything—possessions, family, dignity, self-determination—and made to suffer physical and mental abuse, he still had one thing, and that no one could take from him: he could choose how he responded.
If we come out of suffering with hatred and anger, then evil has won. If we can see any shred of good from the experience, or, if we can still love, we have won. In truth, God has won the victory. When Jesus conquered death, He won the victory over evil. If you are suffering in any way, and powerless at the moment to change it, write on your heart the words of our Lord and Savior from John 16:32. “In this world you will suffer, but take courage, for I have overcome the world!”
Job, we read in the Old Testament, was a God-fearing and righteous man. He had everything—possessions, family, health— taken away. His friends told Him to question God, and to deny God. He repeatedly refuses to do so. At the end of the book God finally speaks, to Job, and Job finds that which is beyond price. When you have time, look up Job 42:5-6.
When I read Michelle’s article, I wondered how it fit in. The issue urges us to pay attention to our spiritual lives. Then I found the connection. Indeed, if we know God, nothing is beyond our strength to bear, or deal with. We can always retreat in prayer to that place where God is waiting to help us carry our burden. We can always find peace, if even for a moment. No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.
Having myself been a stepdaughter in a similar situation, I don’t mean to make it seem easy. I asked God, “Why?” I prayed and prayed and prayed. I discovered something myself—the truth of Jesus words, “Pray for those who persecute you.” If you haven’t tried it, do it. Finally it ended. And I can still love, even her.
Logos: The Orthodox Word Game
by Basil Dannebohm (Feb. ’02)
For years now, the young and old alike have enjoyed playing the popular game Taboo. NOW, Orthodox Christians will have a game similar to the hit. The game is called LOGOS and it seems to be sweeping the Orthodox world by storm!
Rev. Michael Shanbour and the youth of Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Topeka have been working hard for the past few months designing cards, ordering supplies, packaging, and even shrink wrapping. The end result? They cooked up a game that is sure to be a treat for all ages.
LOGOS is played much like Taboo, with each player receiving a card with a "keyword" on it. Along with that keyword are a series of "hush words," words that would easily give away the answer. The player has to give clues not mentioned on the card that would allow his or her team members to guess the word in the allotted time. To insure an honest Orthodox game, a member of the other team watches over the shoulders of the "clue-givers" shoulder to make certain that the "hush words" are not muttered. If the words are mentioned, that particular card is pitched and no points are given.
The only catch is that the words used in the game have some connection to our Orthodox Faith. The words may be Old Testament character names, Saints, Church customs, or one of thousands of other "key" Orthodox terms. You never know what you will get when you play LOGOS.
Not only is LOGOS a fun, fast paced word game, but it’s an excellent way to brush up on your Orthodox terminology! Fr. Michael has already received hundreds of orders for this up and coming game.
If you would like more information on ordering LOGOS for yourself, the price is $24.95 each.
To order by email, send all inquiries to LOGOSGAME@aol.com. Specify the quantity of games needed and the shipping address.
To order by mail, send checks (payable to “Kids TLC”) to:
Ss. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church 2516 SW Huntoon Ave. Topeka, KS 66604.
For phone inquiries, just dial 785-354- 7718. The next time you have a group of your friends over, suggest playing LOGOS. It's sure to be a hit!
Get Real!
by Erin Learned (Mar. ’02)
During the past school year, I have made these two simple words a motto for my life: “Get real!” This year I discovered more than ever how “fake” people can be, and it has been driving me crazy. There is nothing that irritates me more than someone who acts one way around a person and then turns around and totally changes who they are. It eventually becomes impossible to tell who that person really is. Even some of my closest friends do it. I think the main reason behind their roleplaying is that they want to be accepted by all groups of people. In order to try to complete this insane task, they turn into the type of person that the people around them want them to be. Some people are really good at playing this little charade game.
The sad part about the whole situation is that the person eventually has no idea who he (or she) really is. He has become so caught up in trying to please people that he has forgotten what he stands for. I have decided that I never want that to be me. I am going to “get real.” I don't want to be a “two-faced” person who goes from group to group acting completely different. I have made it a point to look into my life and find out who I really am. The more that I look into who I really am, the more I discover how important it is to have God be central to that person.
I have found that the main thing that defines who I am is my faith. It is so awesome that I have something in my life that will never be fake. God is never going to act like someone that He is not. I guess the thing that makes me the most passionate about being real is the fact that God knows who I really am. There is no point in pretending like I am someone else. Even if I were the best actress in Hollywood, I still wouldn't be able to fool God. So why even go through the trouble? The only opinion that really matters is God’s. I want to encourage you all to “get real.” You would not believe how much easier it is to be the same person all the time than to act like a different person from time to time.
What is the best thing a person can be remembered for? (Jan. ’02)
He Said by Paul O’Callahan
When I think about some of my loved ones who have passed away I remember certain characteristics of their personalities. These character traits whether funny, quiet, mean, nice or whatever are what first comes to mind when I think of them.
We learn so much about people we are close to. We come to know their beliefs and find out their true feelings about things. We see them accomplish their goals and overcome hard times. People who are closest to us reveal their real selves. We see their weaknesses and their strengths. I find that in remembering them I don’t consider their mistakes but only their goodness and accomplishments. I find it hard to even remember anything bad about them.
I think that this kind of remembrance is one of real love. I think about when I die and how I would want people to consider me. I know I’ve made mistakes and have done wrong. Is this what I want people to remember? Absolutely not! The kind of memories I would like to leave are based on my goodness not my faults. The greatest tribute I can pay to the righteousness of my loved ones is to model my life after theirs and try to walk in their footsteps.
This kind of remembrance represents the kind of love that God has for me. He knows me like the back of his hand and still forgives all of my sins. He only wants to embrace me with goodness and love. I am called to walk in His footsteps and pay tribute to Him.
Just as I remember my loved ones, I ask that God will remember me and find me worthy to make my memory eternal.
She Said by Christine O’Callahan
Forgiving, loving, caring, sharing, optimistic — these are all qualities of humans that make them a being. After losing a loved one, one always tries to remember the positive characteristics of that person: the way they laughed or made you laugh, the way they cared for others, or just the way they lived.
Out of all of the qualities in a person, which one is the best that they can be remembered for? Well, I think the easiest way for me to answer that question is to think, "How do I want everyone to remember me?" As I think through all the different qualities, from being smart to being funny, I think it comes down to the way I treated others — including the people I knew and loved as well as the people I didn't know at all.
When I depart from this world, I know my family and friends will mourn, and I hope that they will remember all of the goodness in me. However, what about those I wasn't close to? When they hear Christine O'Callahan passed away, what will be their first thought of me as a person? One of the most important things in life is the way you impact others. I pray that I have not had a negative impact on anyone's life. The easiest way to achieve happiness is by helping others who don't have half of what you do. To get back to the subject: when a person loses someone, the most comforting feeling is knowing that people whom the deceased barely knew will mourn over their loss. They will because of what that one person did, how they impacted their life. Then you know that the person you lost will not only be remembered by family and close friends, but by "strangers."
In conclusion, the best thing a person can be remembered for varies from individual to individual, some personal characteristic or action. As for myself, the most important thing that I want to be remembered for is that every person I have met in my lifetime thinks of me in a positive way. I know that the ones I love will remember my best characteristics. I hope that even those less known by me feel the same way.