For health

I have made mention of this in prior posts, but never as a main topic, I believe.  The Orthodox understanding of the church is radically different than that of Protestantism.  I won't put words into Protestant mouths, but I can speak for Orthodoxy.  One of the main values of church is its healing properties. In this I am talking about health of the soul.  If we come down with some sort of physical ailment, a cold, the flu, chicken pox, an appendicitis, etc. we go see the doctor, or go to the hospital and we receive physical treatment from someone who has the knowledge and training to lead us back to health, through surgery or medicine.
The very same thing can be said of sickness of the soul.  Since the fall of Adam, man's soul has been darkened, diseased and distracted.  THE answer to this is the church.  Regular, consistent, whole hearted involvement in the Divine Liturgy, repentance, confession and the sacraments will purify our soul and prepare us for eternity.  Some may balk at this, but it makes perfect, logical sense.  Just as physical, tangible medicine will heal our bodies, so too, mystical, spiritual things will be medicine for our souls.
Just as it takes months and years to change a flabby body into a fit one, it will take years to change a diseased, darkened soul into an enlightened one.

Recognizing influence

It is somewhat difficult and obviously uncomfortable, to honestly identify those things that are influencing and directing our thinking.  Especially in the area of appearance, the culture in which we live will, undoubtedly, seriously influence our thinking and actions.  What we consider beautiful, cool, acceptable and favorable will be influenced by our culture. 
The extremely difficult thing about this is that because we find these things "good", we will feel inclined to justify these things, even when they may be contrary to historic Christianity.  It is difficult to be objective when the subjective is so enticing.  Work to the point of blood and talk to your priest.

Doing something, 2

It is probably safe to say that the main goal of the Christian faith is that is sanctification.  We must strive, endeavour and work to the point of extreme, at purifying our souls.  The corrupting influence of sin has become so common, typical and even comfortable, that we have lost all appropriate perspective of it.  Sin is horrible, ugly, and ultimately damning, that we must continually recognize its true nature.
All of this is an absolutely necessary part of our lives.  We must eradicate sin from our lives.  In addition to this, what are we to do?  I think the easiest answer is that of love.  We must love OUR neighbor.  This means that how that love manifests itself will look different for each one.  Regardless of one's situation, I believe that the way that love lives itself out is specifically, never in general.  Love is always specific.  The neighbor lady, the stock boy at the grocery store, the mailman, our co-workers, etc.  This is one reason that the church simply does not do door to door, it is too impersonal to be successful.  The same goes for mass evangelism. To love is to love specifically.
To put a somewhat finer point on this, we should make use of our strengths as well.  In whatever way we have strengths or abilities, these we can use for the good of others.  It is far too easy to fall into selfishness, even to be point of no longer seeing it.  If we can step back and objectively analyze ourselves, do so.  If we cannot, a spiritual father can help us see ourselves, typically in ways we cannot do ourselves.
So what to do? There is no list, there is no specific ideal. Everyone is different.  But we must do something.  Begin by speaking with your priest.

Going to heaven

I once overheard a child say, "I hope I go to heaven."  It is a wonderful thing to hear, especially from a child.  I am sure that most adults hold the same sentiment, but the thought occurred to me, do they understand what this means?
You have to begin with getting a definition of heaven.  What do they think heaven is?  From where does their definition of heaven come?  Also, from where do they obtain the concept of heaven?  From Christianity? From Islam?  From Mormonism?  Etc, etc.  Unfortunately, in many cases, heaven is a self defined concept, fabricated from one's imagination.  Obviously, a self created fantasy land doesn't really do anyone any good.  If one wants to base a belief in heaven from Christianity (for example), one needs to actually understand then what that looks like, from an authoritative source.
Heaven, in Christian terms, is not a mere amplification of worldly pleasure.  Heaven is an eternity in immediate, constant communion with the three persons of the Trinity.  Absolute love, absolute perfection, complete and perfect sinlessness in perfect harmony with God and man.  Like a historic church, right communion with God takes place in right communion with others, it is never "just Jesus and me".  Just as God has perfect communion in himself as three persons, we too can have perfect communion when that communion is between us, God and others.
In the same manner, if someone is looking forward to an Islamic paradise, that definition should come from the Koran, not the imagination.  So too with Mormonism or any other.
My point is this: if someone is looking forward to a Christian heaven, then that heaven is defined by the church.  If someone does not desire to live a Christian life, if someone does not love to be part of a Christian congregation, then they will not love a Christian heaven.

Doing something

They longer i live, the more depressing it becomes to live in the US.  There is so much sin, depravity, misdirection, deception and selfishness, not just in myself but in culture at large, that the idea of "doing something", ever increasingly looms large.
But the big question is, what?  How we answer that reveals what we believe is important, feasible and effective.  Unfortunately, far too many people think that politics is the answer.  Politics had its place, but redeeming culture is not its place. 
We may be in for a really rough ride over these next few years.  We will probably have to live through what we have sown.

Fantasy

I just watched a very good but short video on the place and form of emotions in the life of the Christian (see here).  Fr. Maxym noted that in the gospels when we see Jesus, we see him with emotions, but emotions that are perfectly balanced, controlled and connected with reality.  In Jesus, we see no fantasy.  Jesus' being and action are one.
This raises some questions in my mind about the place of fantasy in the life of the Christian.  Is it ever appropriate for the Christian to spend time thinking about that which is not real?  It is a thought steam that I need to spend some time considering and working through.  At this point, I don't have an answer, but I suspect that the answer is "no". 
What about potential reality? Possibly.  What about sinful fantasy? Obviously not.  I don't believe this question has anything to do with ruminating on future goals and plans, but even these should not preoccupy us in a way that distracts us from present reality and present responsibilities.  We really should be focused on loving those in our immediate reality and dealing with our own immediate sins.
As Paul says, "...while it is still called today, repent".

Exclusivity

Christianity is, by definition, exclusive.  This simply means that when Jesus taught us that he is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him, that is exactly what that means.  One cannot be an active Buddhist and inherit eternal life.  One cannot be an self conscious, functioning Muslim and be part of the body of Christ.
I believe it is pretty well understood and embraced that one is either a Christian or they are not.  There is no middle ground.
There is caveat though.  God sends no one to hell.  When one is striving to serve God, to love neighbor and to purify the soul, God happily, joyfully and passionately helps us and embraces us.  This is not to say that "once saved, always saved", our salvation is synergistic, in other words, we are responsible to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. And God is faithful to help us.
This caveat is all about the love of God, working with people, where they are.  The ten year old child growing up in communist China, who had never heard the gospel, could still be seeking after God with his inherent "made in the image of God" soul.  And God will accept that faithfulness.
It is the person who, though they may be nice, is deliberately rejecting the grace of God and only seeks to be their own God is the one who goes to hell, on their own choice.  The one who hates/ignores God during life will not want to be with him for eternity.