Has it been this long, really?

Has it been this long, really?

It's obvious that Facebook has largely consumed my time that I used to spend blogging...I suppose that's okay, but I find I'm growing weary of the machine gun pace on Facebook. It's a great way to stay in touch with people, but it feels like I'm being subjugated by a billion different TV channels that are often largely filled with politically based commercials. It's like listening to an endless stream of soundbytes...and I don't say that in criticism of others, it's just rather the nature of FB. I miss the more leisurely front porch style of Blogging. So, I'm back.

That said, what I don't miss here (or on FB) are online debates and arguing. This isn't to suggest I won't engage in a little comparing and contrasting of attitudes, ideas, or whatever but what I will be trying to consciously avoid topics that tend to engage the passions. Chief among these is politics. Ii once said on Facebook that the only thing that engages people's passions more than politics is pornography and I still think that is largely true. In my own life and experience, if I'd put half the energy and conviction into my faith that I put into my political persuasions then I might see some real progress. I will of course leave others to decide for themselves the extent to which this might be true for them. So, all of that said, they'll be precious little politics to be found here (at least as far as it depends on me...there seems to be no end to the intellectual reach that people will grant to politics).

Instead, I want to return to the roots of this blog which was really all about converting to Orthodoxy, living immersed in ancient Traditions of the Church, and more recently our efforts to live more self-sufficiently and sustainably - closer to God's gift to us...the dirt from which we were formed. (I'm learning to get over my fear of it...honestly). And also, the everyday struggles of fatherhood and family.

Since October I suppose a lot has happened. I've slowly continued with the Diaconal Vocations Program, having recently started the 4th Semester program on Liturgics which has been quite profitable to me personally. This is particularly true as we began Lent...I have felt a very strong pull to "come to my senses"...in the evangelical context one might say I've rededicated my life. If Lent is all about calling us home...well, I'm trying to listen.

Our Mission in Poulsbo has purchased land with a former American Legion Hall on it which we will convert into a Temple. It's an exciting time for us!

On the farm we've fought a vicious battle with rodents this winter and I think we currently have the upper hand. Egg production has been close to ZERO and this has weighed heavily on us financially. Many of the birds are finding their way into the freezer, but that is a slow process. Hopefully as the sun gets higher and more plentiful we'll start seeing more eggs.

The kids are getting rabbits this week and it is expected that this will put more meat on the table for us...though I am apprehensive about killing cute bunny rabbits, but we'll see.

Several high electric bills have made us painfully aware of the need to utilize wood. We were short on wood this year, but thankfully some friends offered some already downed and seasoned timber from their property in Port Townsend and this was truly a Godsend. That wood is now gone and I've been burning some wood that isn't quite seasoned.

Well if anyone happens to stumble by (I'm sure many have given up this blog), I do intend to be back on a fairly regular basis. Not because I feel I have anything particularly grand to say, but would like to sit on this porch and converse with people with similar interests. I'd be happy to have folks join me.