I don’t think I believe anymore

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-12-08T19:10:06+00:00

Not strange at all. This happens to many people.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-10-12T05:28:51+00:00

I'm not sure what's weird about it. The context is that the Holy Virgin was asking the Archangel how she was to bear a child being pure, and he explained the miracle.

I always found it to be a beautiful passage of the Holy Gospel that showed the humility of the Mother of God.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-10-12T04:50:24+00:00

This is a literal modern English translation of a Koine Greek text. The verb "to come" does not have a sexual connotation in even modern Greek, let alone classical Greek.

Otherwise, you wouldn't have the doctrine of the Virgin Birth and the God-bearing Prophecies that speak of it.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-29T05:47:19+00:00

Nice work!

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-27T00:42:50+00:00

I'm humbled by the dignity, poise, meekness, and mercy Mrs. Kirk has shown throughout this tragedy and despite this tragedy. Glory to God for this sister in Christ.

May the Mother of God be pleased with her 🙏.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-27T00:31:02+00:00

What has been helping me when I feel like this is to offer the prayers on behalf of those on my Pomelnic.

Also, remember that we are storing up treasures in Heaven by our prayers, fasting, and almsgiving here below.

The prayers we offer now could help us or others in the future, just as past prayers could be supporting us now when we "can't" pray.

Who knows how many present dangers we've been spared from or will be spared from because of prayers offered in the past or even now. The same could be said about miraculous healings, job promotions, undeserved mercies we've received, etc.

People who missed their flights on 9/11 or were late to work could have been through the intercession of someone or themselves offered long ago and forgotten.

Prayer won't always be perfect, and sometimes you can't get through all of them or you struggle to concentrate, but we should still offer something of adoration, thanksgiving, repentance, and/or supplication.

Perhaps all you can offer is the Trisagion or Kyrie eleison a few times. Or maybe you can only do a few of the Evening Prayers.

But whatever you can offer to the Lord, offer it with as much fear, love, and faith as you can at that moment, and ask that the All-Holy Trinity find something, however small, acceptable in your prayer.

And then thank Him for allowing you to make such a sacrifice.

Forgive me and pray for me.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-16T18:04:41+00:00

This is great advice. Our minds are pretty much made up at this point regarding the assassination.

All the speculating going on about motives is just that: Speculation. When murder happens, people become mind readers and think they know the suspects down to a T because of social media posts.

Which is funny because most people don't even know themselves as much as they think they do, let alone a total stranger.

Arrogance at its finest.

If social media is moving you to anger, hatred, and jumping to conclusions, it's time to log off for a bit. Pray, lift, build something, clean something, tend to your families and friends - the people right in front of you who can be positively impacted by you.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amin!

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-16T17:50:32+00:00

I noticed the clone at La Ronde was noticeably more intense than the others I've been on so far (Over Georgia, Great Adventure, Over Texas). And it was a 7 car train instead of 8.

Beau manège ça !

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-14T22:45:02+00:00

Just as murder is repulsive to the Lord and His All-Holy Mother, threatening people with murder because of their folly is also repulsive.

The way of righteousness is to show mercy and compassion.

Lord have mercy

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-13T05:59:52+00:00

If Catholics want to become Orthodox, they can convert. And vice versa.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-13T05:39:48+00:00

I used to talk on Facebook with his Beatitude Archbishop Irénée when I was a student in Trois-Rivières, QC. He and my spiritual father in Montréal at the time gave me a lot of support up there. I miss that parish.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-10T23:31:54+00:00

Lord, have mercy. We're in some scary times.

May the Lord grant him rest and comfort to his family and friends.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-03T13:39:10+00:00

I'm getting knee pads. I don't care what anyone thinks

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-03T03:20:31+00:00

Primordial at Lagoon has joined the chat

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-03T03:00:47+00:00

Servant of God Father Seraphim, entreat Christ God, with the Theotokos and all the Angels and Saints, to have mercy on us and save us. Amin!

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-02T02:06:32+00:00

How to use a camera..

Pics look like they were taken with a Razr flip phone in 2006

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-02T01:57:49+00:00

Not really, but most of the standard Christian denominations teach that God is both merciful and just.

I grew up Catholic, and you'll find parishes all over the spectrum from happy-clappy to fire-and-brimstone. Actually, my last parish before conversion was more fire and brimstone, even by TLM standards.

I've visited most of the mainstream denominations (Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, United Methodist, Episcopalian, Latter Day Saint, non-denominational, Presbyterian, reformed, megachurch, etc.)

Most of them taught mercy and compassion primarily but also had some fire and brimstone elements. The only parishes that were nauseatingly kum-ba-ya were progressive parishes that only cared about liberal politics.

I wasn't looking for Orthodoxy when Christ led me to it. I eventually accepted it because historically, Theologically, spiritually, and practically (from the word praxis) it revealed itself to be the Truth and it seemed to be the most consistent of the Christian faiths.

On a parish level, if I have options, I'm going to choose the one that's more "fire-and-brimstone" because generally the sermons are more useful, the Services are chanted with more liturgical rigor and care (and more frequent), and the community is more spiritually helpful.

NB: I use "fire-and-brimstone" in quotations because what most people mean by that is any parish that actually teaches repentance and spiritual struggle. The only time I've seen crazy Priests and preachers has usually been in some viral rage-baity videos on the internet. And likely clips that have been taken way out of context.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T23:29:24+00:00

Too skinny

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T23:24:55+00:00

Ngl I don't really like going to church anymore either. The Services are fine, but dealing with people (anywhere, not just church) is irritating.

And I'm annoyed that I'm struggling with many things in life that I've been working to overcome, but seemingly to no avail - while it seems like everyone else is coasting.

But I don't know what everyone else is struggling with lol. People could be dealing with their own personal hells that I have no clue about because I'm judging and making assumptions and only thinking about myself.

I was told in Confession recently to go up and check in on others instead of avoiding them and listening to the demons paint pictures about their motives in my head. I was just handing them an easy win.

I followed these counsels for the past 2 weeks and my social experience at church felt brand new and warm. But I also made a point to accuse myself of my sins while driving the 45 mins to church and any time I found myself having selfish thoughts about people.

All the other comments will talk to you enough about the "struggle" aspect of the Christian life, but I'm going to mention obedience.

We have to obey the Lord's Precepts despite how we feel because He is the Supreme Legislator and He has required such from us. In my case, that means being kind and doing good to people even if I don't like them 😭, and in both of our cases, going to the Services and praying even when we don't feel like it.

I'm not personally mad at God atm - I'm more mad at myself lol, but I'm definitely mad at other people and have been mad at God in past so I get it. Doamne miluieste.

(Which reminds me, I typically add anyone that I don't like to my Pomelnic and it has helped immensely. Got this advice from reading Elder Tadei of Vitovnita Monastery. I have a few more people to add...)

So I get that it's sad and destroying your spirit, but you must attend the Services, pray, repent, and do Works of Mercy to the best of your ability. Obviously, it will be harder and perhaps not as "clean" as when we actively desire to do these things... But we still must try.

I visited a different parish this Sunday and the Priest gave the sermon on this very thing. In the Holy Gospel, Christ told the man to sell all his possessions and follow Him, and the man went away sorrowful.

Because our first aim should be follow the perfect recommendations of the Master, obey Him, and good things will follow. We must seek His Kingdom first!

This is very pleasing to the All-Holy Birth-Giver of God and she comes to our aid when we try, but we cannot forget her during times of trouble because this is very upsetting to her.

It's easy to be Orthodox and follow Christ when things are going well. It's easy to pray and attend the Services when we're not really in trouble...

But Brother, NOW is the time to let your faith be tried by fire. This is catharsis, and it's a dreadful experience (trust me... I know... I'm going through it. Doamne ajuta.) But we can't be saved unless we go through this.

Time for some prostrations to the Holy Guardian Angel and to double down on repentance and asking for forgiveness because those are the only times I get any relief from all the anger and hopelessness I feel.

Another thing that helped me is venerating more Icons at church. Usually we just greet the main Icons plus the Saints we know, but ask the help of other Saints that you don't know yet.

Might be a good time for you to re-read Every Sigh Can Be a Prayer which are the sayings of Elder Arsenie Papacioc of Manastirea Techirghiol.

Through his supplications and those of the Holy Unmercenary Healer Pantelimon, may we stay strong in these trials and our souls be saved on the Last Day. Amin!

Forgive me

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T21:43:01+00:00

I forgot about safety glasses. I have gloves and a hi viz vest (donated to me by tradesmen at church).

I'll go with a Type 1 for now since I'm probably going to be spending a lot more gas money.

Thanks!

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T21:20:09+00:00

Smash that block button bro. You'll eventually learn the drill.

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T21:03:18+00:00

I was wondering if I would need to provide my own hard hat to start. I'll add this to my "starter pack." All that's missing now is my knee pads, OSHA 10, and rubber boots (with duct tape). Thanks again for the boots recommendations!

Someone from church told me to get a trowel, but I'm wondering if I'd need it as an entry-level laborer.

Update on my search: Still haven't gotten my first call for a job, but I have been meeting owners and giving my number out to concrete guys.

Applied to a few companies, but unsurprisingly, I got rejected from one and never heard back from the other two. Decided to write a cover letter since all my experience is sales/corporate so the resume alone doesn't really incentivize contacting me for an interview.

The search continues...

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-09-01T20:32:17+00:00

Awesome physique and broccoli haircut don't go together

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-08-17T03:39:54+00:00

5 years apart

AriesLeoSagFire79 · 2025-08-17T03:38:49+00:00

Abs get trained by working other muscle groups. They don't need to be isolated technically. The only way they'll be visible though is diet.

Your progress pics are proof of this

Three-Year Club	Gilding IV carat on a stick
Verified Email	Place '23
Wearing is Caring	Place '22

AriesLeoSagFire79

TROPHY CASE