Orthodox Gardener - A Prayer Life that Embraces the Noise. Plus, an Early Spring Tour of the Garden

[@dlw3425]

Thank you for your encouraging words and the tour of your lovely garden. I live in a large city which is quite noisy with all the traffic. God has graced me with a small yard and some flowering plants, some with wonderful scents. I do enjoy the sound of my neighbor’s’ children laughing and playing. I have difficulty ignoring the sounds of blaring hard rock music from a neighbor a few doors away and from the autos that rattle the windows. I’m reminded to pray for those souls. It’s easy to get caught up in the world in a large city. Your video provides a peaceful respite. May God bless and grant you and your family many fruitful years.

[@OrthodoxGardener]

Thank you for your kind response. The situation you described about the blaring of music and the rattle of the windows reminds me of a situation St. Porphyrios experienced. He was assigned to a church within the Polyclinic Hospital in Athens, a positioned he greatly desired, but on the first Sunday of his new assignment, he could hear music blaring just outside the church door, as well as the constant noise from buses honking their horns on the street. It disturbed him so greatly that he resolved to leave his assignment. He prayed earnestly about this decision because many people vouched for him in order to gain this position. He prayed to God to send him a simple sign. One day, a woman came with her son to the church to light a candle. The. son was carrying his physics school book and St. Porphyrios was keen to take a look at it. As he leafed through the pages he came across an experiment: If you throw a small stone into a calm lake you see the water making ripples over a small area. If you throw a larger stone, the ripples become larger and overtake the first ripples. St. Porphyrios received the answer to his prayer. The small ripples represent the noise and distractions outside, but it can be overtaken by the prayers of great spiritual intensity being said inside. He reasoned that if you have your mind on God, who can cause you any harm? I think about St. Porphyrios when I find myself in a situation that tries to take away my peace - my prayer. Thank you again for reaching out to me. May you have a blessed Lenten Fast. Glory to God! ~Jurgis

[@Holidays411]

very beautiful garden!

[@OrthodoxGardener]

Glory to God! Thank you. ~Jurgis