Some autumn afternoon light experiments in backlit photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157608182373926/

See photo set on Flickr at:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157607538839928/

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Big tree down right behind the church hall...  Thankfully, it fell the other way and didn't crush our hall or damage the church next to us!  More photos to come.

It was a grueling day and a long, howling night, but finally, Hurricane Dolly has said goodbye to us. Our electricity just came back on a bit ago. Thank God, everyone we've talked to so far from our Parish and in our neighborhood are okay. We had many downed branches and trees and bushes, lots and lots of both vertical and horizontal water, but other than that, we're all fine. Thanks be to God for all things!

More photos in a Flickr set at: Hello Hurricane Dolly

Or:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157606353428339/

Departed this life on Sunday, July 20th, 2008  - Feast Day of the Prophet Elijah - You will be greatly missed! To see the photos from his burial at Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery in Kendalia, Texas, see:

Orthodox Christian Burial  - Photos of Kevin's burial service.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157606355623640/

Holy Archangels Monastery Photos - Photos of the monastery grounds on previous visits.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157603855309578

Kevin (Zechariah) Adams

See SoundSlide Photographic Tribute to Kevin (Zechariah) at: Memory Eternal, Kevin!

Please sign the family's Guest Book - See link on Right below!

Adams, Kevin Brent   View/Sign Guest Book KEVIN BRENT ADAMS Use Skinner Silva Funeral Home logo EDINBURG - Kevin Brent Adams, age 52, passed away Sunday, July 20, 2008, at his residence in Edinburg. He was preceded in death by his father, John Camp Adams; and a brother, Randal Bruce Adams. He is survived by his wife, Tatyana Adams; two sons, Daniel and Nikolas Adams; a daughter, Sofia Adams; by his mother, June Adams; sister, Jerene Hilliard; mother-in-law, Antonina Esko; aunt, Mary Adams; nieces, Nancy and Elisa; and nephew, Jason; and other nieces and nephews. Divine Liturgy will be held at 8 a.m. with the funeral service to follow at 9:30 a.m. today, Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at St. George's Orthodox Church, 704 W. Sam Houston with Fr. Antonio Perdomo officiating. Interment will follow at Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery in Kendalia, TX. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Skinner Silva Funeral Home of Pharr. Sign the guest book at www.themonitor.com Published in The Monitor on 7/22/2008

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Gnomic

 

For the poetic form, see Gnomic Poetry.

In Ancient Greek, a general truth may be expressed in the present, future, or aorist tenses. This usage of these three tenses is called the gnomic (gnomic present, etc.).

A gnomic present states that something does happen or that something is true. A gnomic future, the rarest of the three usages, similarly states that certain events often occur, without being concerned with any specific impending event. A gnomic aorist (the most common of the three usages) likewise expresses the tendency for certain events to occur under given circumstances and is used to express general maxims (a rare English example of the gnomic expressed in a past tense is the phrase, "Curiosity killed the cat"). The gnomic aorist is thought to derive (as the English example does) from the summation of a common story (such as the moral of a fable).

The Gnomic Will

The notion of 'gnomic will' belongs to Eastern Orthodox ascetical theology, being developed particularly within the theology of St Maximus the Confessor. The term 'gnomic' derives from the Greek gnome, meaning 'inclination' or 'intention'. Within Orthodox theology, gnomic willing is contrasted with natural willing. Natural willing designates the free movement of a creature in accordance with the principle (logos) of its nature towards the fulfilment (telos, stasis) of its being. Gnomic willing, on the other hand, designates that form of willing in which a person engages in a process of deliberation culminating in a free choice.

Within the theology of St Maximus, which was upheld by the Sixth Ecumenical Council, Jesus Christ possessed no gnomic will. St Maximus developed this claim particularly in his Dialogue with Pyrrhus. According to St Maximus, the process of gnomic willing presupposes that a person does not know what they want, and so must deliberate and choose between a range of alternatives. However, Jesus Christ, as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity was omniscient. Therefore, St Maximus reasoned, Christ was never in a state of ignorance regarding what he wanted, and so never engaged in gnomic willing.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnomic

The Gnomic Will was illuded to by Abbot Jonah during his inspiring homily given at the final Divine Liturgy at the recent OCA Diocese of the South Assembly held in Dallas, Texas.

To see more photos, check out: The Gnomic Will  Beware! He has been recently sighted a number of times darting about, bird in hand, in various spots within our South Texas garden...

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Photo: The "Hermit Elder" - a Sage on "Little Mount Athos" - came out to talk to the young people after they boated

over to the holy island.

St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp, a Pan-Orthodox Christian Summer Camp, held in June/July 2008 at the YMCA Camp in Possum Kingdom Lake in North Texas. Clergy Chaplains were Fr. John Anderson, of St. Seraphim's Orthodox Cathedral in Dallas, Texas and Fr. Antonio Perdomo, of St. George's Orthodox Church in Pharr, Texas. In addition to daily prayers and various liturgical services, there were many fun activities throughout the week. These included archery, sailing, riflry, canoeing, swimming, some very puzzling craft projects, blobbing, horseback riding and a ride out to what has been dubbed as, "Little Mount Athos Island" where a wise old sage, a hermit of the mountain, came out and spoke to the young people. The week was sprinkled with spiritual topic sessions. This year's topic was on relationships: between friends, family, courtship and marriage. Nightly campfire question and answer discussions also took place with the older youth, young adults and clergy. The week ended with a talent show and some truly - amazing - skits and musical presentations. Before everyone left, each camper received an "award" for that which they contributed to this year's camp experience. After the obligatory group photos, all were sad to leave. Until next year... enjoy the photos.

All of the photos we have from the St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp can be viewed at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157606112852751/    Have fun, folks!

P.S.  Just a Musical Hint: I found that it's really nice watching the photos as a slide show while listening to Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" and then "The Rodeo Ballet", "Billy the Kid", "Appalachian Spring" et all...

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Dos assembly banquet

Newly returned from our Diocese of the South Annual Assembly held in Dallas, Texas, I wanted to share our photos from the journey. However, they are currently being held hostage by certain daughters who are still lingering up in the Weatherford, Texas area, with the somewhat flimsy excuse of attending St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp this coming week, begining Monday... So, you and I will all just have to wait for the 500+ photos they have on their various camera chips, and content yourself with a few I've "snaggled" from other more punctual internet sites. Above. one can see the backs of many dearly beloved people, including a number of special backs (see table to lower left). Our daughters and their friend Joanna are to the immediate left of these young gentlemen. We are seated several tables forward, just out of their sight...

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Pascha 2008

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