Category Archives: Living Holy

Do I Like Work?

Posted on May 28, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

When in the early phases of the gardens here at Agnus Dei hermitage,  Joyful Hermit considered a small gazebo to be built fairly close to the subdivision pond.  A man came who builds such garden structures, and JH showed the … Continue reading →

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Fortress of Solitude

Posted on April 11, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

When Porter visited, he delighted in the gardens and discovered a hidden area within the Young’s Weeping Birch, Chamaecyparis ‘Green Arrow’, a Japanese maple, and various perennials, that he called his Fortress of Solitude.  Of course, we adults marveled at … Continue reading →

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What Is Joy?

Posted on April 7, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

The Joyful Hermit today considers joy.  What is joy?  How do we get it?  Of what use and benefit is joy in our daily lives?  For the answers, JH turns to the spiritual because the spiritual is the root of … Continue reading →

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Choosing a Life Theme

Posted on April 4, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

Joyful Hermit has a theme of life.  You would expect a hermit to love God, but love is for everyone.  That is why Joyful chooses love as a theme for life, and the heart shape is a good statement of … Continue reading →

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Variations of a Theme

Posted on April 3, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

Efficiency nests in simplicity when we utilize variations of a theme.  Peace is the fruit.  This can be in temporal matters of our daily lives such as eating, dressing, working, sleeping, playing.  It can be in our giving, also, such … Continue reading →

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Lenten Lessons in Muffin Offering

Posted on March 21, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

Coffee-and-donuts is recent to the parish activities roster.  Joyful Hermit intermingles twice, and each time a widower mentions he’s not been able to eat donuts for 35 years.  Says if he did, he’d taste them for three days.  Joyful receives … Continue reading →

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Funeral Dinner Fruit Salad

Posted on March 14, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

The Joyful Hermit is asked to contribute a food item for a funeral dinner.  Such a fruitful way to help the grieving, and Joyful ponders the full effect of the project.  Given several options, JH settles upon a fruit salad; … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost Savers, Living Holy, Recipes, Spirit Lifters | 2 Comments

Decorating Liturgically

Posted on March 10, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

Lent is here, and The Joyful Hermit is changing the decor: simply, slightly, inexpensively.  Although many do not sense it, we humans are innately tuned to the spiritual seasons of God:  Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time. Years … Continue reading →

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Fortitude, Fudge: The Joyful Hermit Way

Posted on February 21, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

The Joyful Hermit made a batch of Fortitude Fudge the other day.  Fortitude is also called strength of soul, strength of character, spiritual vigor.  It is a supernatural moral virtue that strengthens the soul to great moral good without letting … Continue reading →

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Errand Day Joys

Posted on February 19, 2011 by The Joyful Hermit

Today I used  a 30% off coupon at Kohl’s, plus only purchased 60%-70% clearance toddler clothes. These will be donated to the Women’s Care Center.  I made a promise to God at Christmas that if the Kohl’s mailer had a … Continue reading →

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