Blessed Day Of St. Panteleimon (Yesterday)

O holy prize-winner and healer Panteleimon, intercede with our merciful God that He may grant to our souls the forgiveness of our sins.





I really love St. Panteleimon and his story. At Vespers on Wednesday they chanters kept reading that St. Panteleimon was rightly named. I looked the name up and it means "all-merciful." Shoot, he was rightly named. I found his story and thought I'd post it.

The name "Panteleimon" means "all-merciful". He was born in Nicomedia of a Christian mother and a pagan father and studied medicine as a young man. A priest, Hermolaus, discipled him in the faith and baptised him. The pagan doctors denounced Panteleimon as a Christian after he healed a blind man by calling on the Name of Christ. He was brought before Emperor Maximian, but it is said: "He stood before the earthly ruler in the body, but in his mind he stood before the heavenly King." He openly confessed to being a Christian and healed a paralytic right there in the court. The Emperor had him tortured repeatedly, but the Lord would always appear and heal him immediately. Then three others were put to death: St. Hermolaus, Hermippus & Hermocrates; and Panteleimon was to be next. So he knelt in prayer. The executioner tried to behead him with his sword, but it broke on the saint's neck as if made of wax. When Panteleimon was done his prayers, he gave the word to the executioner, who then beheaded him. An olive tree next to the spot became laden with fruit. St. Panteleimon's body remained uncorrupt. He reposed on July 27th, 304. His name is invoked at the blessings of water and of oil.

From Mary Braun

1. FIRST NAME: Erica
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My middle name after my grandma's middle name.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? On Thursday about money troubles.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I write at a slant --- bad for addressing envelopes...it's okay though.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? salami and ham
6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No.
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Well, if I knew my thoughts probably not, but I can be friendly. So, maybe.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? no, I don't have the patience. I tried to start diaries and journals and I would write once and that would be it.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Yes, but I haven't perfected the art of sarcasm.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Probably.
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? No preference.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No. But I can hold babies for hours without pain. It's a learned trait.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cookie Dough and Rocky Road.
16. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their attitude - How friendly they seem to be.
17. RED OR PINK? pink
18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I have a hard time following through with personal discipline.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Rebecca.
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Sure, why not?
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? White shoes and gray sweatpants.
22. THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Creme Brulee
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Sophie's voice.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Pumpkin Orange.
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Ooooo toughie. The Bishop's hands MMMM gingerbread.


26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Yumi.

27. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Of course, Mary's wonderful.
28. FAVORITE DRINK: Shirley Temple/Hawaiian Punch
29. Favorite sport: Football/Basketball
30. HAIR COLOR? Red.
31. EYE COLOR? Blue
32. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS! I should but I don't have the patience.
33. FAVORITE FOOD? Right now---guacamole
34. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Only Happy Endings
35. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The beginning of The Passion (Oh, the irony), before it gets too bloody.
36. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Striped Blue and white shirt.
37. SUMMER OR WINTER? winter
38. HUGS OR KISSES? For now, hugs.
39. FAVORITE DESSERT? Right now --- pie. But I looooove creme brulee.
40. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Teehee Sara.
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Ruth
42. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? Exodus
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? A sticky note that says, "I Love You Sophia."
44. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? I didn't watch TV last night.
45. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Sophie Larsen's babbles and Sean's laugh (awwwww)
46. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
47. THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Boston
48. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Sure.
49. WHEN WERE YOU BORN? November 17
50. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Orange, CA

The Next Best Thing to Moving Out and Growing Up

Well, it's more of a transition but I have moved out. Besides my winter clothes that I left at my Mommy and Daddy's house I have moved into my grandparent's home. I feel pampered to have a bathroom with its own bath/shower about three feet away from my bed. I'm not expecting the "guest" room for long but I'll be a perfect tenant in hopes my grandma will let me stay there.

The move has been pretty natural, I do find myself missing my parents. After the move, when spending time with them at dinners and such I do feel bad leaving them. Not because of anything they've said or done just because I've been the last kid at home for a few years. I guess it felt sort of like my duty to not leave them. I know they're fine, and I might be projecting a little. I don't like driving too late so I'm not staying for movie nights and other things, and I feel like I'm missing out on my special time with them. Plus, they NEED me, right?!? ;)

Living with Sophie again is actually pretty cool. I'm sharing her computer and internet connection with her now so blogging will be less frequent (not that I blog that much anyways). People always told me when I was younger that once you grow up you're actually friends with your siblings. I never would have believed them, but it's TRUE! When I was nine I would have said, "YOU KIDDING ME? I want nothing to do with these people! I didn't choose to have three mommies!" (Two older sisters and a mother). I also told myself I would let my kids watch TV until they chose to stop. Ha! How viewpoints change. She's also been pretty nice. I fell asleep watching a DVD on my laptop, and when I woke up the next morning she had put it away and tucked me in. When I told my mom this, she said that Sophie had acted like a mother to me, and so she earned some motherly nagging points for that. :)

My mom responded verbally to one of my posts a couple posts ago. The one called Growing Up. She thought I explained the transition perfectly. Progressing from being a teenager to an adult is one of the most difficult transitions in a person's lifetime (Coming in second to parenthood). She told me something also very wise. "It's a big transition and one you can't rush through."

So, when I feel like I want to go on autopilot for a few days or make decisions that will rush through my process, I keep repeating:

"Don't rush, don't rush. I need my time. Time is on my side!"


Don't rush, E Rica. Time is on my side.

Being a tweenager takes a lot of prayer and lots of advice! I'm all ears!



Our father who art in heaven, bless my father and mother, my guardians, and those who are in authority over me, for their love and tender care for me, and the benefits I receive at their hands. Help me, I pray thee, to be respectful and obedient to them in all things according to thy will; and give me thy grace to perform all my duties carefully and faithfully, to avoid undesirable company and influence, and resist all temptation that may come my way; that I may live a sober, righteous and godly life, ever praising thee, and glorifying thy Holy Name. Amen.


O Blessed Lord, who hast set up for us an example of ideal purity, strengthen me, I beseech thee, when temptation besets me, and when strong passions seek to overwhelm me, that I may remain constant in virtue and innocent in thought, word, and deed, doing such things only as are well-pleasing unto thee; grant me growth in wisdom and understanding, that I may serve thee in holiness all the days of my life: through the intercessions of thine all-immaculate Mother and of all thy Saints, especially my patron Saint Ruth, Amen.

LOL!

Funny Cat-herding video


I think Fr. Mike will especially like this one. :)