Daily Life,  I Never Thought I'd Be In This Situation,  Prayers,  Quotations,  Reflections

Coming Apart

“And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little..”

— Mark 6:31a (Douay-Rheims Version)

Time has come for me to step away from blogging for a while, my friends.

I would like to put a good, stoic face on things and say that I’m just taking a summer break. But the truth is that I am increasingly weary… physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The cares of this world have gotten me in a pretty good headlock, and I simply don’t have the force to push back right now.

Many years ago, I heard an old Baptist preacher say, “If we don’t come apart for a while, we’ll come apart in a while.” So that’s what I’m doing. Coming apart to be quiet for a while in order that I don’t come apart.

I want to say thank you again to all of you who have prayed for our family during the recent health scare with our son. I also want to thank each of you who read here regularly for your support and encouragement. You cannot know how it feels in my heart to read someone’s comment, telling me that the words I wrote amused them, encouraged them, moved them, provoked them to thought. Thank you so much, for all of it.

My plan is just to take it day by day and see how I feel after a break. I’m praying it will recharge my batteries and perhaps renew my strength a bit.

In the meantime, I promise that I will pray for my readers daily. If any of you have specific prayer requests, you may leave them in the comments, or email me at skosteeple@protonmail.com.

We live in a difficult world, in trying times. There is great wickedness afoot, and precious little cultivation of beauty and quiet. Take good care of yourselves and your families, my dear friends.

~ S.K. Orr

11 Comments

  • Francis Berger

    Dear S.K.

    Believe when I tell you that discovering your blog has been one of the best things that has happened to me in the past two or three years. This does not imply any impoverishment in my life, but rather the richness of your writing.

    You do what’s best for you and yours, but I hope this break you are taking will not be permanent. You are a special and needed voice in the blogging world, and I hope your wonderful writing reappears in due time.

    Isten veled! (translate it)

    Francis

    • admin

      Francis, you’ve consistently been a friend to me, a voice of encouragement and a kindred spirit in so many ways. Thank you for your steady presence. I’ll be back soon as I can.

      And may God be with you, too, sir.

  • Brian

    This blog is what is good about the internet. I will stop in here to read your older posts occasionally as this was a “pandemic discovery” for me.
    I was thinking about my childhood when I was the victim of a weird bully at school. A very manipulative kid, he was a friend and persecutor at the same time….at war with himself. This lasted from 5th to 7th grade and it inspired (or frightened me into) the beginnings of a prayer life.
    Anyway, this kid ended up in prison from his 30’s into his 40’s and although I felt tortured in middle school, he did serve to teach me a lesson in caution that has served me pretty well.
    Recently I read about someone having a spiritual dream that involved our world events and ended with the words: “we are all connected” or maybe it was: “it is all connected”.
    I’m inspired to have a mass said for this jailbird of mine and for your intentions today. I usually use the Seraphic Mass website because the Capuchin Franciscans were good to me as a child…..and it’s only ten bucks per mass ; )
    I also can relate to some of the “angst” you are experiencing. I had a five year, roller coaster ride with some job-related and serious family issues. I have come out the other side of those for now. Your writing so clearly captures that feeling of……despair and beauty intermingled, hyper-awareness, maybe……I know the feeling anyway.
    Good luck and give a brief update every so often, especially when you need a prayer.

    • admin

      Brian, I would be hard pressed to express how much your comment meant to me.

      Thank you so much for having holy Mass said for us. I am going to find the Seraphic Mass site you mentioned. And I will be praying for YOU as well.

      And thank you most of all for your brotherly remarks about my writing and this blog, and for your good wishes. I will be back when I can.

  • Carol

    p.s.
    Two things:
    If you wouldn’t mind (despite being on a break from posting), could you just briefly update us on Jason’s health situation once the doctors are able to determine what the problem is?

    Also, as you’ve invited prayer requests, there’s something I would like to share with you and your readers:
    Given the extent of the world’s difficulties (pandemic, locusts, etc.), which do seem rather indicative of this being ‘end times’ –
    – and that the Bible talks about ‘cutting the time of trouble short’ for the sake of believers –
    – for quite awhile, I have felt ‘called’ to pray for a (literal) miracle to ‘save’ the world…

    …and now, I feel compelled to entreat you and your readers to ask The Holy Spirit for guidance as to whether your prayers might be needed in this effort as well. thank you.

    • admin

      Carol, my entire family and I are so grateful for your prayers, and I am thankful for your taking the time to read this blog.

      I also appreciate you asking about Jason. We are thrilled that his cardiac situation is all clear. A gastrointestinal issue seems to be the culprit, and he has agreed to the medication regimen prescribed (like me, he goes to great lengths NOT to take prescription medications). He’s doing very well, as are our daughter-in-law and the grandchildren. They are touched that you and others have prayed for Jason.

      I hope my tiny handful of readers will carefully consider praying, as you asked, for the Holy Ghost to provide guidance on the matter of His intervening to save the world. This is the most unsettling and remarkable time of our lives, and I can’t think of a time when His presence and guidance has been more needed. For me and my house, we will pray for guidance in this area as you have asked.

      Thank you again for your kindness, your support, your sincerity, and your spiritual assistance, Carol. Thank you so very, very much.

  • Carol

    And you take care of yourself as well, dear S.K.

    Praying for well-being for you and all yours.

  • Annie

    I hope this will be a time of refreshing, and peace. Holding you and your family in my heart and prayers.

    • admin

      Annie, I SO appreciate your prayers and good wishes. Thank you for being such an encouragement to me. I’ll return as soon as I can.

  • Kevin J.

    I discovered your blog from Bruce Charlton’s site, about a year ago. I liked it so much I read through the archive, and everything else since. I have not replied before, but figured it’s time to thank you for all these essays (or posts, or whatever, but they are good and literary) and that I especially enjoyed the tale of Jinx and of his finding his way to your home. One of my favorite sites. Enjoy your vacation.

    • admin

      Kevin, I am delighted and humbled that you enjoy this little blog. Thank you so much for commenting. I will return as soon as I can.