There is a saying popular in this modern age: "He who dies with the most toys, wins!"
It is an apt description of a modern age that has forgotten itself. A materialistic mindset that reduces human existence to the sum total of possessions and the amount on the balance sheet at the bank.
But let's look at…
It's absolutely uncanny how many times I've discovered the beauty and benefits of complimentary talents in couples. While it is true that the long a couple is together, the more "alike" they may become, the strongest relationships I've seen in my life are the couples that discover the treasure of the different talents, and complimentary…
There is a story on Mount Athos, that center of Orthodox monastic wisdom for centuries, of the circular cloud that forms on a regular basis at the top of the mountain. The science is easy. The warm and humid air from the sea is forced by the curve of the mountain up toward the cooler…
I never will forget the first time I went to the optometrist and he had to dilate my eyes for a procedure. The light in his office hurt my eyes because my eyes were letting in too much light.
Amazing. Too much light hurts.
But that's the nature of light. It doesn't judge whether you are able…
As of today, there are over 22 different countries that report at least one person reading "Orthodox On Purpose." For that, I am grateful to God. Of course the US still has the most readers, but for those of you in China, Bulgaria, Greece, and other nations, welcome and I pray our thoughts help you…
Hollywood movie critics often speak about this or that movie making it possible for an audience to "suspend disbelief" long enough to enjoy or be entertained by the story in a movie.
One of the best examples of this ability to "suspend disbelief" is the recent movie called "The Life of Pi." This movie is about…
There is a story about a young man who wished to become a monk in the deserts of Egypt. He went to a monk's home in the desert and knocked on the door. The monk inside ignored the young man, so the young man knocked again. After a long time the monk finally came to…
Everyone remembers Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It was published in 1843 and it captured the imagination of generations since. It made the name "Scrooge" synonymous with stinginess and self-centered bitterness.
But what made Scrooge have a change of heart? Do you remember? Exactly, it was the visit by the three spirits - The Past, The…
The young man was very frustrated. His dad had just gotten him a new hunting dog and this was the first time the young man had to train the dog himself. The process was a lot tougher than the boy realized and he was out of answers.
You see every time the boy would point to…
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." The quote has been described as an Arabic proverb, but more likely it comes from advice given in India by a leader who died under mysterious circumstances.
This attitude that my enemy's enemy is my ally has been used countless times in politics and warfare to justify the…