The Scriptural Deacon

Yes it has been ten years since my wife Joanne and I were Crowned in Marriage! The Queen of my heart!!! The First Dance around your Holy Altar O' Lord The Kiss as new Bride and Groom All the items needed for the Service - The Crowns, The Candle, The Common Cup, The Ring Holder, The Rope to Bind Our Hands Together   The Ones at the Heart of our Love and Marriage - Picture from our home Chapel The Cross - The very image and center of love. What the sacrifice of marriage looks like in action. The true death of self and the new life with another, all for the glory of God. Also, realizing the great fact that Jesus must be the foundation and at the middle of every marriage.  The Trinity - Another image of Love. Father and Son in perfect union by the Love of the Holy Spirit. The same love that God pours into our hearts, in order that we can love him and one another.  Jesus Christ - The very one who brought Joanne and I together...

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Spain. Yes, we left behind the five kids with awesome and loving grandparents. Then made the journey over the great pond, just 8 short hours in the air. It was a fantastic trip. We landed in Madrid, then went to a beautiful wedding in Toledo. I am one who likes to watch and pay attention to what is going on around me and often later reflect on the different things that I observe. I have narrowed down my observations on this trip to around five blog post that I would like to share with everyone. By doing this I can bring together food, love, relationships, travel, and God. While at the same time not rushing to tell you the stories that made the biggest impression upon myself. The first event I would like to relate to everyone is the taxi ride from the airport in Madrid, to our hotel that we would be staying in when we returned from the wedding. Now I do a lot of driving back home and am not one who scares easily by clo...

This has been a very busy and crazy week/weekend. We saw the passing of Hurricane Florence, which gave the kids three days home from school. That made for a long, long, weekend, but we did make it through. The backyard is a mess right now and will need a bit of attention when it finally dries out back there. Also around the events of the hurricane I began a new Bible Study at church on the Lord's Prayer. For this eight week study we are meeting on Wednesday night. Thankfully, it is off to a great start. So last night on the way home I stoped by the grocery store and what items did I find from my very short shopping list? Which included: milk, bananas, sting cheese, and orange juice. Just the cheese and juice. No milk. Hardly any fruit in the store. The place was empty. I was truly shocked by this. Most produce, meats, fresh food in general, where nonexistent. When I got hame and told Joanne what had happened, it made me think, our food supply is on a very short sting. Here ...

Not only are we celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, but here in North Carolina we are also in the middle of Hurricane Florence. Since I do not have enough time to prepare a new sermon or post for this feast day. I looked back and found this homily that I wrote several years ago. Its focus in upon the lordship of Jesus and how it effect our lives, as well as our world. I think it is well worth a read. Just to note: The family and I are doing well. We prayed Vespers last night (nothing like singing "Our Lord I have cried to you hear me", with a two year old screaming at the top of his lungs. Then again I am sure that we sometimes sound just like that to God) and Matins together for the feast. It was rough morning though, I think a bit of cabin fever is already setting in. It will be a long weekend I am sure. I pray that all of you are safe, knowing that God through his divine protection is watching over us. God's blessings to everyone. E...