Akathistos

Lenten Chocolate Cake- (my go-to fasting dessert- yum!)

3 cups flour
2 tsps. Soda
6 tbsps. Cocoa
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
3 tbsps. Vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cold water
powdered sugar (optional)

Measure flour, soda, cocoa, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.

Add vinegar, vanilla, oil, and water and mix well.

Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Let cake sit for 1 hour and then sprinkle powdered sugar on the to.

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Another really great EASY option is to mix one can of pumpkin puree with a box of cake mix and bake according to the directions on the box (from Alana). You can use any kind of cake mix (chocolate, devil’s food, red velvet), but I love using a spice cake mix.

I’ve made “muffins” by mixing together one can of pumpkin puree, a box of spice cake mix and about two small apples cut into small pieces- they were excellent!

Geri is asking for our help to do a good deed for a young girl with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Please check out her post and help out!

Please view this slideshow to learn about the horrifying results of using plastic bags.

One simple and cheap way to help reduce waste is to use reusable shopping bags.

My grocery store sells them right by the checkout counter and many stores (as well as countries) across the world are banning the use of plastic bags- and even paper- in stores.

You can try making your own.

Catechumen commented, “Many people “go green” with very different motivations. Why do you pursue green living?”

My Orthodox faith has greatly impacted my decision to begin “going green.”  As an Orthodox Christian, I feel the great call to love- to love God, to love others, and to love this Earth that the Lord has so graciously given to us.

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos (Bartholomew I), the “Green Patriarch” is quoted in his message on World Environment Day as saying, “Human beings have adopted a greedy attitude towards nature resulting to the catastrophic climate change witnessed, water pollution, overfishing, loss of biodiversity, desertification, forest destruction and other manifestations of an unprecedented ecological crisis.”

He has declared polluting to be a “sin” against creation and “a sacrilege” of the duties given to mankind to protect Earth and Nature.  As God instructed in Genesis 1:28, we are to be caretakers of this place that he has created for us- “we are to cultivate it and keep it.”

God created the Earth and called it “good” (Genesis 1:31).  Unnecessary waste and pollution destroys this goodness and spoils the ability of God’s creation to glorify its creator.  As humans, we are given the right to have dominion over the Earth, but that does not mean that we are to exploit it.

In many ways, “going green” is quite simple.  In others, it may feel very daunting.  Every thing that we do, not matter how inconsequential it may seem, has an affect on the Earth, positively or negatively.

Here are 10 practical actions J. Matthew Sleeth recommends in his book Serve God, Save the Planet:

1. Turn off the faucet while shaving, brushing teeth, and washing hands.
2. Pre-cycle by buying minimally packaged goods and choosing reusable over disposable.
3. Buy only “tree free” toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues made from recycled paper.
4. Bike, walk, carpool, or use public transportation instead of driving.
5. Change at least five light bulbs to compact fluorescents.
6. Install low-flow shower heads.
7. Caulk and weather strip around windows and doors to plug air leaks.
8. Use no pesticides or chemicals on your lawn or garden. (I’ll add HOME to this list)
9. Pick one endangered species and do something to help save it.
10. Pray for people whose forests and habitats have been destroyed by material consumption.

Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. (Chelsea Green, 2006).

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Look for more posts in the future describing the simple changes that I have made in my own life and changes that I hope to be able to make in the future.

I took the pledge at SeventhGeneration.com to Get Out of Hot Water and received my free book yesterday.  Naturally Clean is a great resource!  I am so glad I was able to get it for free. (In the future, I will post about great freebies like this!)  I’ll post some of the information that I am learning from this book soon.

Product Description

Compelling evidence links the chemicals in household products to cancer, asthma, allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome-also known as environmental illness-hormonal disruption, reproductive and developmental disorders, and other conditions. Yet cleaning products are exempt from the full ingredient disclosure on product labels as required for food and personal care products and enter the marketplace with little or no testing for potential health risks.

Naturally Clean explains the dangers of traditional cleaners and provides illuminating statistics that illustrate how the chemicals found in almost every home are known or likely to cause a host of serious health problems. The book’s easy-to-understand introduction discusses basic household chemistry, concepts of toxicity and types of toxic exposure, and the difference between natural, organic, and synthetic chemicals.

A room-by-room guide provides tips for:

A healthier kitchen
Keeping your bedrooms safe
Mold, mildew, and soap scum: spotless bathrooms
Special precautions for cleaning children’s rooms

Naturally Clean also features a comprehensive product selection guide that analyzes over 300 natural and traditional cleaners: everything from laundry products through oven cleaners, disinfectants, spot removers, carpet cleaners, and bathroom cleaners. This handy, easy-to-use reference rates the household cleaning products found on the shelves of natural food and grocery stores, providing Seventh Generation’s pick of your healthiest and safest options. A resource guide tells readers where to find additional information, and an at-a-glance glossary helps understand key terms.

Royalties from the sale of Naturally Clean will benefit the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (www.checnet.org) in their efforts to educate parents about environmental toxins that can affect children’s health.

Do you use cloth diapers?  Are you interested in trying them out?

Check out BabyCheapskate for a great giveaway!

My husband and his friend stayed at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in West Virginia about a week ago.  My husband goes there at least twice a year, and this time he was able to purchase a copy of from the Little Mountain.

This is an incredible documentary.  Not only is it informational, it is beautiful done!  I was so impressed with the cinematography.  The movie surpassed by expectations.

It is certainly something to be shared with Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. Please consider purchasing this video.

From the Little Mountain takes you through a year at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in West Virginia. This video is an attempt to portray some of the beauty and struggle of monastic life using quotes from the Scriptures and the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church. Insights about monasticism from one of the senior monks at the monastery are given as you are visually taken through the Church liturgical year and the changing seasons in the mountains. This is a unique documentary of an Orthodox monastery in the 21st century, but the imagery and principles set forth are as ancient (and relevant) as those written by the 6th century instructor of monks, Abba Dorotheos.

Healthier Snow Cone

Crushed Ice
1 pkg. fruit juice, boiled down to half (flavor of your choice)

Adults: Boil down fruit juice in a slow simmer until half of the water has evaporated- makes a thinker, sweeter juice. Chill 1 hour.

Kids: Just before serving, crush some ice cubes in a plastic bag and pound with something fun- toy hammer, a shoe, a rock, etc.

Pack ice chips into cups, pour chilled juice over the ice and serve.

Rebecca suggested using frozen juice concentrate.  If you try this, you may need to water it down a little bit. I’ve never tried it that way :)  I’ll have to next time!

Markella was born and lived in the village of Volissos of Chios and lived during the fourteenth century. Her mother was a devout christian but her father was an idolater. At a young age, her mother passed away and Markella continued to study her bible, pray to God and live a life according to what she was taught.

Her father began to have sinful desires for Markella. By the time she had reached her eighteenth birthday, her father’s desires had begun to show and his behaviour resulted in Markella leaving home. She went to a nearby mountain and hid in a bush. Her father found her, with the help of a local herdsmen and they set fire to the bush to force her to show.

Markella ran to the sea to escape but her father aimed an arrow at her and wounded her. The blood of the saint dyed the rocks and local legend shows an area that is still marked by her blood.

Her final moments were spent in prayer to Christ with a request that the rocks would open for her to hide from her father and this happened. Everything but her head was covered so when her father found her, he cut of her head and threw it into the sea. Her head floated to the nearby beach of Komi.

Holy water is said to spring from the rocks that mark Markella’s martyrdom and this place is visited by pilgrims. Up until 30 or so years ago, on her name day, the water used to literally boil during the service. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen anymore, however the Saint still performs miracles to this day. On her name day people from Chios, from all of Greece, and from all over the world make the pilgrimage to her church.

taken from here and here

If you were to view my feedreader (or aggregator), you would see several categories, which signify what is important in my life:

• Friends/Family
• Orthodoxy
• Frugal Living
• Samples/Free Stuff
• Recipes
• Blogger Friends (people who I have met online, but not in “real life”)

It is from these places that I am going to begin to share more.

What *new things* to be looking for in the near future:

• More Recipes
• Tips for “Living Green”
• Ways to live more frugally
• Crafts for Kids
• Coupons (online or in-store)

I plan to incorporate all of these things into my “Orthodox Blog” without leaving out what is most important in my life: My Faith.  As Rebbeca commented, “After all, our spiritual life should permeate our whole life, shouldn’t it?”  Yes, it should and I, prayerfully, hope it does.

BTW- I use Google Reader. And I really love it.