It has been a little while. My last post is dated Nov. 25, 2023.

It is amazing how in one day so much can change.

On the 13^th of November, 2023, we received a phone call that my wife’s mother had suffer a major stroke. She was hospitalized and temporarily paralyzed. My mother-in-law lives over 5,500 miles away in Ukraine. She was the caretaker for my father-in-law, who has a some health struggles of his own. Thus, both of my in-laws were left in deep need if substantial care.

Early in 2023 my wife’s only sibling, her brother, was drafted into the Ukrainian army. He was the one who was checking up on his parents but after being drafted, of course, he could not do this.

My mother-in-law would need full-time in home care to recover from her stroke. There was no one local to provide care on this level. If help was to come, it had to come from my wife and me, but there we were thousands of miles away. So, in a whirlwind of frantic planning and such, we got a ticket for my wife to travel back to Ukraine on the 20^th of November. Traveling to Ukraine is no simple task at current.

Due to the tragic war in Ukraine, there are no flights in or out of the country. It makes travel complicated, to say the least. The destination in Ukraine, where my family lives, is just under 100 miles west of Kharkiv. Kharkiv has been relentlessly bombed by the Russian Federation. So, her trip must take her across most of the territory of Ukraine. And that by bus. Her trip in total was over 48 hours.

In November, as the 20^th grew closer, I began to feel sick in my stomach. This was not because I had a virus. The thought of sending my wife into a war torn country was very difficult for me. I wanted to go but priest salaries in the OCA are not flush. This trip would strain our already tight budget anyway. Plus, we would need to bring financial help to our family there.

Some folks heard of what was going on and helped us out financially, I’m very thankful for their kindness.

The reality was – if we didn’t bring help, then who would? Sometimes, all you can do is “bite the bullet,” as the saying goes. Bullets really aren’t that soft. It was not a great situation but we had to act and had to get help to our family. My wife would be a more effective help to her parents. There was no great way forward, but forward we had to go.

Plus we have our kids here and I have pastoral responsibilities. Someone had to hold this fort down. But that didn’t make us feel much better. I felt terrible sending my wife off alone. It was quite difficult for me. I felt a bit helpless. None of the seemingly very substantial reason brought me much peace. Really, my wife had the most difficult task.

I felt sick driving her to the airport, I felt sick as I watched her go through security, I felt sick driving home. I think I just cried a bit when I got home. I can be a bit of a baby sometimes. The plan was that she would be gone for a month. It was a long month. Sometimes the days are longer when you are counting each one.

The Lord knows all things. In every situation there is life and opportunity from Him. I had to entrust to Him the most precious thing to me in the whole world – my wife.

I also realized how accustom I am to everything she does. Wow, she does a lot. I had to wear her shoes a bit around the house when she was gone, nothing like walking a little in someone else’s shoes to appreciate what they do a little more. The kids shouldered up to help also.

One of the things I had to sacrifice was writing. I was able to put the finishing touches on the article I had been working on (in November) and publish it, but after that there was no time to write. That dinner won’t cook itself. The floors don’t vacuum themselves either. Crazy stuff! Somehow before it was all magically accomplished, oh, no wait, that was my wife! Least you think I’m an incompetent bum, I do my own laundry and make the bed sometimes. I also make a great fried eggs and bacon breakfast. Really, I think that is a top notch talent.

Anyway, I also just was not in a mental place to write. I worried everyday for my wife.

Thanks be to the Lord that she returned home safely on December 21^st of 2023. She was exhausted. None to soon was her return as the missile and drone strikes increased quite a bit just a few days after she got home. So much suffering is caused by war. Most of the time it is the “everyday” people that suffer from it the most. Those who orchestrate wars rarely suffer directly from it. Sometimes they even get rich off of it, quite rich. And of course, there are always complex geopolitical reasons and justifications for war. This does not change the fact that the blood and tears of suffering people are thrown as fodder to feed the lust and power of worldly goals. Men and women drunk on power spend human life as if it were pennies. Sooner or later they will have to answer for the blood they so readily spill.

But on another note, by God’s grace, my mother-in-law was able to regain strength and get around with a walker. At current, she is pretty much home bound. I’m sure we will need to help again. But I don’t think I’ll send my wife off by herself again.

Who knows what a day will bring? One day can so alter the course of so many things. Yet, God’s hand will guide it all. No matter what comes, if we keep our hearts on Christ, it will be for our salvation. Even the suffering caused by the power lust of rulers will work for salvation. The Lord will redeem it. Sometimes I don’t see how but I know He will redeem.

My wife returned safely and I think I cried tears of joy. We tumbled right into the Nativity and Theophany season. What a bright time and it keeps you busy. I also decided to simply focus on those blessings that I have. My wife being top of the list. It seemed a good time to focus in on family and the local church. The world seems pretty competent at going crazy whether or not I write a blog post. Anyway, I have well over 250 articles on my blog. If someone really wants to read something on it, there is plenty.

I’ve slowly gotten round to writing again. Here is my first contribution after a few months. I’ll be writing more. I do enjoy it.

There are also some exciting things in the works, such as the blessing that the Homilies of St. Seraphim (Zvezdensky) On the Diving Liturgy that I translated will be coming out soon in book form. More on that as it get closer.

We’ll see what the days ahead bring. You never know. One day can change so much.