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  • Sunday Gratitude – 18.X.2026

    Sunday Gratitude – 18.X.2026

    Hi everyone! Glad to be back here. I’m still struggling with a lot, and there’s a lot that’s really overwhelming. However, I’m going to give it a shot as far as gratitude here.

    Most importantly, probably, is that my son had a surgery on his ear a couple of weeks back, and everything went really, really well. Yes, he had the same surgery back in February on the other ear, and it went really well, but there’s still a good bit of nervousness attached to all these things.

    St Louis arch and church

    Secondly, I recently took part in the Serbian Orthodox Choral Association’s annual choir festival. Because it was only a week after the surgery, I wasn’t going to go, but then there were people who had signed up who either couldn’t go or couldn’t sing, and I was asked if there might be some way that I could go. I managed to get things arranged, and I went. It was an amazing trip, and I hope to write about it separately. Most of us who went ended up driving, including the people I rode with, but everything went off without a hitch, there were no accidents or incidents with the driving, and the event was a lot of fun. I am very grateful for that, and for getting to see the city and experience the city a little.

    If any of you are interested, our choir’s performance can be found here (our group starts at 45:15):

    The weather has gotten cooler, and I’m grateful for that (St. Louis at over 90F was quite a shock to the system). This just seems to be one of those patches that is especially rough, so I’d appreciate your prayers for me and my kids.

    Orthodox Church St Louis

    Thank you ever so much for following; you are amazing!


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  • Wordle #570

    Wordle #570

    Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!

    Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.

    Line 1: “Pixie” only gives me one “I”. At least it’s something?

    Line 2: I should have noticed from line 1 that the “I” doesn’t go there, but I’m absentminded sometimes. The “R” showed up though, so it’s not nothing.

    Line 3: The spot for the “I” has been found, the “R” has not, but we could use some more letters.

    Line 4: I guessed at the pattern being “I” in the middle and “Y” at the end, which makes the “R” in spot 2 make a lot of sense. Three letters in the correct spaces, this can’t be too hard to solve now, can it? It does make me think about spellings sometimes, but that’s another tangent.

    Line 5: I had to go through a lot of letter combinations to think of “grimy, but it was one of those things that I knew was correct before I hit “submit”.

    There was an article in the U.K. Daily Mail today with a little bit about the woman who is the Wordle editor. The piece can be found here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11620241/Wordle-editor-reveals-words-people-complained-most.html

    Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!

    Happy Gaming!


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  • Wordle #569 – Another FAIL!

    Wordle #569 – Another FAIL!

    Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!

    Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.

    Line 1: “Opera” gets me a “P” and and “E” albeit placed wrong, but still not too shabby.

    Line 2: At least I know where the “P” is! Still working on the “E”

    Line 3: So, the “E” is at the end, and there’s an “I” somewhere.

    Line 4: Three letters in the correct spaces, this can’t be too hard to solve now, can it?

    Line 5: Yeah, I went for “pique”, but how many chances does a person get to do that?

    Line 6: Not “piece”?! Unbelievable! At least my streak was only 4! This was a really difficult word, and I’d be interested if there are stats somewhere as to what percentage of people get each word as opposed to failed. “Pixie” Craziness!

    Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!

    Happy Gaming!


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  • Introducing the Fellowship of St. Theophan the Recluse

    Introducing the Fellowship of St. Theophan the Recluse

    Fr. Andrew Jarmus is an Orthodox priest in Indiana who has really learned how to use social media well. He’s on multiple platforms, and I came to be aware of him through Instagram, where he does a series of mini-homilies.

    He has recently announced the establishment of a ministry to connect with people who might be interested in Orthodoxy but don’t necessarily have the ability to travel to church on most weeks. The ministry has been named “The Fellowship of St. Theophan the Recluse” and I’m embedding Fr. Jarmus’ instagram post about it here:

    The internet is a powerful tool and it certainly as been an incredible force for good, but it’s also something that can be a very powerful tool for evil. It’s important to support the good, which is why I’m sharing this today. 🙂


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  • Another Monday Edition of Sunday Gratitude

    Another Monday Edition of Sunday Gratitude

    I was trolling through blogs over the weekend, which I periodically do with my work on the Orthodox Blogs page at OrthodoxWiki, and I happened upon the post “One Hour in Dachau“, which is a powerful read about gratitude. It serves as a reminder from the life of St Nikolai of Zica that gratitude is not just important in the good things, but is especially important to cultivate during the bad.

    The last couple of days have been especially difficult. We’re not completely healthy, but I’m thankful that I think we’re past the worst of it.

    I am thankful for small kindnesses, even done by people who probably do so just in the course of a day’s work.

    I’m grateful to friends who are there in whatever capacity.

    And I know to be grateful for the hard times, even if it is easier to do so looking back on it all.

    Russian Orthodox chapel at Dachau, Pascha 2002
    The Russian Orthodox chapel at Dachau, Pascha 2002

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  • Wordle #568

    Wordle #568

    Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!

    Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.

    What happened to Wordle 567? I played it, and it was fairly late in the evening, but my phone’s screenshot function didn’t work. This has happened before, and I generally just reboot the phone, and everything is good again.

    This is what happened that night, but instead of going back to the Wordle to screenshot it, I just plain forgot. The word was “lemon”, and I did get it.

    Line 1: “Lemon” gets me the two vowels, but incorrectly placed.

    Line 2: Shuffle the “O” and the “E” again, they’re still not in the right places, but I’ve got an “R” to try to place as well.

    Line 3: Man! these letters are not being easily found!

    Line 4: I kept moving the “O” to the left, so why not start the word with it… and a prime candidate here is “opera”. So glad it was the answer!

    Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!

    Happy Gaming!


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  • Wordle #566

    Wordle #566
    Wordle #566 game board

    Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!

    Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.

    Line 1: “Sleek” does well here, and it’s surprising to see that this new word also has two “E”s, though it seems that it’s not in a double “E” combination (unless the word happens to be “eerie”).

    Line 2: I guessed that the “E”s might be in the 1st and 5th spots, and it seems I’m right. The “L” still needs to be placed correctly though.

    Line 3: Yes, I was having trouble thinking of things to play.

    Line 4: I was certain “delve” was the answer – until the “D” flipped over grey. You mean I have to think of something else with even fewer available letters?

    Line 5: Well, since it seemed like it was unlikely one of the consonants left would work after the “L”, so if I make that an “I”… well, “belie” becomes apparent.

    Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!

    Happy Gaming!


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  • Songs of the Season – S’nami Boh – St. Michael’s Choir, Binghamton NY

    Songs of the Season – S’nami Boh – St. Michael’s Choir, Binghamton NY

    Christ is Born!

    Snami Boh/Snami Bog – God is With Us!

    God is with us!
    Understand all ye nations!
    Understand all ye peoples!
    And submit yourselves!
    And submit yourselves!
    For God is with us!
    
    
    Chanter: 1. Hear ye, even unto the uttermost ends of the earth: 
    Choir:for God is with us. 
    
    2. Submit yoursleves, ye mighty ones:
    for God is with us. 
    
    3. If again ye shall rise up in your might, again shall ye be overthrown:
    for God is with us. 
    
    4. If any take counsel together, them shall the Lord destroy:
    for God is with us. 
    
    5. And the word which ye shall speak shall not abide in you:
    for God is with us. 
    
    6. For we fear not your terror, neither are we troubled:
    for God is with us. 
    
    7: But the Lord our God, he it is to whom we will ascribe holiness, and him will we fear:
    for God is with us. 
    
    8. And if I put my trust in him, he shall be my sanctification:
    for God is with us. 
    
    9. I will set my hope on him, and through him shall I be saved:
    for God is with us. 
    
    10. Lo, I and the children whom God hath given me:
    for God is with us. 
    
    11. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:
    for God is with us. 
    
    12. And they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, on them hath the light shined:
    for God is with us. 
    
    13. For unto us a son is born, unto us a child is given:
    for God is with us. 
    
    14. And the government shall be upon his shoulder:
    for God is with us. 
    
    15. And of his peace there shall be no end:
    for God is with us. 
    
    16. And his name shall be called the Angel of Great Council:
    for God is with us. 
    
    17. Wonderful, Counsellor:
    for God is with us. 
    
    18. The Mighty God, the Highest Power, the Prince of Peace:
    for God is with us. 
    
    19. The Father of the world to come:
    for God is with us. 
    
    20. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
    for God is with us. 
    
    21. Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen:
    for God is with us. 
    
    God is with us!
    Understand all ye nations!
    Understand all ye peoples!
    And submit yourselves!
    And submit yourselves!
    For God is with us!
    
    
    
    

    For all of you celebrating Christmas today, may it be a joyful feast!

    (It took awhile, but I found my favorite arrangement of this!)

    P.S. “Bog” is “God” in Russian (long “o”) but in Ukrainian and Rusyn, the “g” is softened to an “h”-sounding thing, hence the variation in spelling.


    In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.


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  • National Public Radio Broadcast with Blisswood on Orthodox Christmas — Blisswood

    National Public Radio Broadcast with Blisswood on Orthodox Christmas — Blisswood

    NPR Orthodox Christmas Blisswood Happy Eve of Nativity! National Public Radio’s (NPR) Morning Edition recently reached out to Blisswood! I was interviewed for the 3 minute short radio story… 195 more words

    National Public Radio Broadcast with Blisswood on Orthodox Christmas — Blisswood

    If you haven’t checked out Barbara Bruce’s site Blisswood, you really ought to. She was interviewed here about Orthodox Christian Christmas traditions, so go check it out!


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  • Wordle #565

    Wordle #565
    Wordle #565 game board

    Never played Wordle? Check out my Wordle strategy page!

    Wordle explanations are posted a day late to ensure that no one accidentally sees the solution before playing.

    Line 1: At least “layer” got me a couple of letters here – an “E”, correctly placed, and an “L” that needs to find its home.

    Line 2: Moving the “L” over one finds its place, but now there are three other letters to discover.

    Line 3: Using the “U” here, not sure what the word means, but I only have the “O” left.

    Line 4: So here’s a thought… What if it’s a double “E”? I got the “E” right off the bat; nothing saying that there couldn’t be another. What letter would combine with “L” for a blend? “S”! So with “SLEE” and “P” and “T” already being played, I went for “sleek” and that was the word!

    Did you get this Wordle? Tell me about it in the comments!

    Happy Gaming!


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  • Songs of the Season – Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLachlan – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings

    Songs of the Season – Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLachlan – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings

    Since some of you are celebrating Three Kings Day today. 🙂

    In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.


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