July 18 Dr. Dylan

Friday:  Today is THE BIG DAY! Dylan and Kelly are across the pond for the purpose of Dylan's graduation with his PhD in Orthodox Theology awarded from St. Mary's University, Twickenham. Kelly was kind enough to make available a LIVE Stream connection accessed via her post on FB. All I had to do was to wake up at 4:15 AM (!!) and sit here at my computer desk and SEE with my own eyes the whole ceremony, with Dylan receiving the reward for all of his labor over these years. 

I snapped a bunch of "screen shots" as the ceremony went along, none of which are very clear (pixel-wise); but thankfully Kelly posted on FB some clear shots she had taken during the whole ceremony which I stole from her to post HERE. 

This first picture (taken by Kelly) is of Dylan waiting for the announcement of his name and degree title to be finished before he walks across the platform  ...

These next few are screen shots:  See Kelly?

Dylan is accepting his degree from ... I think (??) the President of St. Mary's University.

Here he is processing up the aisle at the close of the ceremony.

And here is Kelly ... can you see her?

These last few pictures are ones Kelly took, I believe, after the ceremony. I cannot identify these two gentlemen, although they were probably named during the ceremony--perhaps they are two of the professors Dylan worked with as he studied for his doctorate.

Here is a beautiful picture of Dylan and Kelly ... they look super happy.

Dylan's book: "THE KINGDOM of GOD and the COMMON GOOD, Orthodox Christian Social Thought" is due out in the next little while (the book was basically written as part of his PhD). Here is a quote from his book: "Jesus taught that whenever we feed the hungry or clothe the naked, we do that for Him (Matt. 25:40). But our economics today look much different than that of first-century Judea. Other Christian traditions have developed their own modern social thought to address contemporary economic problems since the Industrial Revolution. But what about the Orthodox Tradition? This book surveys Scripture, Orthodox Church history, and modern economics to provide the frameworks, principles, and tools needed to fulfill Christ's teaching today."  

I am super proud of Dylan's hard work (and Kelly's too!) during these years of study, full-time work at Acton, parenting FOUR interesting offspring ... and I am relieved for him too--that all of the extra hours spent in study and pursuit of his doctorate are over. He is looking for a way to use his doctorate to perhaps begin his own "think tank" geared solely to Orthodoxy and the practical outworking of it in everyday life and in the Orthodox Church itself. 

Since this is MY blog that I have been keeping now for 18 years--and it is a record of MY thoughts and history, I need to interject something in this post: 

I find myself torn about Orthodox theology. Dylan and Kelly are well aware of this. We don't discuss differences between "theologies" because we already know they do not line up with each other. All of us understand and respect each other's love for the Lord, so we leave the rest alone. 

But I have been challenged over the last 20 years (since Dylan's chrismation) to try and figure out why my heart hurts so badly whenever I am confronted in my head about the differences in what is taught in the Orthodox Church vs what is taught in my own church. I pray (almost daily) that God will lead and guide Dylan and Kelly in His paths and ways and that the Lord will have complete lordship over their lives and family. But I fasted last week with the purpose of asking God ... how exactly should I pray about this conflict I feel about Orthodoxy in general? I just haven't known HOW to approach the Lord about it.

I am thankful, and now feel completely relieved, because God heard the cry of my heart and answered me in such a direct and clear way! How? Well, a few days ago, the kids and I were talking about something--I can't even remember what the subject was except that Aidan said: "Well, I could just tell myself it was TRUE and then it would be okay." I am racking my brain to remember what brought up the subject about TRUTH ... but I responded by telling Aidan that if we LIE to ourselves, eventually we DO believe the lie is actually TRUE and then we are SELF deceived. To be deceived by your own self is really really sad! He thought about that for a bit and I could tell he was turning that over in his brilliant mind.

Anyway ... that conversation about TRUTH and LIES came back to me later in the day and the Lord used it! None of us want to believe a LIE! What a waste of time! And energy! So I have started asking the Lord, starting with myself: "Lord, show me if I am believing FALSE teachings from my protestantism'. Show me if what I have been taught does not align with YOUR TRUTH." And I am praying that about Orthodoxy too. I am asking the Lord to reveal anything that doesn't line up with His Word and His ways, to Dylan and Kelly ... and their dear Orthodox community.

And now I have total peace about it. These verses really speak to me ...

Isaiah 40.6-8:  A voice said, "Shout!" I asked, "What should I shout?" "Shout that people are like the grass that dies away. Their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of flowers in a field. The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 42.8: "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else. I will not share my praise with carved idols." 

Hosea 8.6:  "This calf you worship was crafted by your own hands! It is not God! Therefore, it must be smashed to bits." 

So, I am asking God to "smash to bits" ANYTHING that goes against what is HIS Truth in our lives. Please do this! Thank you, Lord, for Your powerful Word that teaches, convicts of sin, reveals Your awesome glory, and points us to Christ, the Living Word.