|
Sep. 20, 2009
The Big Event
After all that planning, and talking, and discussing, and date changes, today was finally the day. I sat at the computer a few times and watched the TorahCalendar.com site to see if the date would change, and it wasn't changing, but the hour clock was telling me the moon should have been sighted by then. So I went to Karaite Korner and found that the moon had actually been sighted about two hours earlier, so we were good to go. I showed Stuart and he said to rally the troops and get ready to go to the beach.
On the way up, we stopped at the store and bought some apples - we had the Challah packed and some honey and grape juice, and the shofar and our wedding clothes. As we drove, I read from Revelation - Chapter 1... and so on till we got there. We had also written out a short "order of service", but as we progressed to the lake and realized how cold it was, we decided to mikveh in the lake and then head straight home to do the rest.
Here's how it looked when we arrived. Cold enough that in shorts and a t-shirt, Asher wanted a towel to keep him warm.
Now he needs to completely cover up.. he's brrrrzing and he hasn't even touched the water yet.
WHY are we here? This is the question we really wanted to answer for our kids. I anointed them all with oil of Frankincense and Myrrh. We read through Number 29:1-6 and Leviticus 23:23-25. In these passages, we're told to keep the first day of the 7th month as a holy convocation, to do no work, to blow the shofar and to offer sacrifices. We explained to Janney and Asher about the new moon, and how it had been seen in Israel, and then Trent blew the shofar.. I tried too, but I made it squeak.lol
The we read from Exodus 19:9-15 about how the Israelites consecrated themselves by washing themselves and their clothes and waiting for the Lord. We consecrated ourselves by participating in a symbolic tradition called Tashlich by standing at the water's edge, taking some time to bow before God and confess our sins, and then symbolically throw those sins into the depths of the ocean so we can start anew.. we threw rocks to represent our sins..
Then we began our immersions. Stuart took Janney in, while we watched and prepared to receive them back with towel.
I took Elias in.. he shivered as I got him naked to take him in..
Down we went
And nery a peep out of that tough little guy. I quickly came back to shore and wrapped him in a towel and handed him to Rourke and toweled off myself. It was definitely NOT a swimming day, but it wasn't bitterly cold, the water didn't bite.
Trent took in Asher, who was not keen on the whole idea, he would have opted out if we'd have let him, but I knew it wasn't going to hurt.
Rourke dashed in before Trent was even out, so Trent went back with him, and dunked him just as he had dunked Asher.
When it was Myles turn, Trent decided this needed a little formality and he said the traditional immersion blessing in Hebrew, B'Shem haShem , B'Shem Yeshua haMeshiach, B'Shem haRuach HaKodesh and immersed him with "brotherly love"
Then they worshiped God with a little rough housing in the water and some"forceful immersions".. and a big tough human tower
We quickly dried up and went back to the van, where we had intended to get dressed in our "wedding clothes" but Stuart convinced us that we should just get in and we'd drive home and finish up at home. Elias was shivering and Janney and Asher needed to get warm too (though they could have shivered through a few more turns on the slide if we had let them).
On the way home, I continued with our reading in Revelation and got all the way to Chapter 8 before we arrived home.
Back home, we cleaned up the kitchen a touch, and I prepped the meal items, while everyone got dressed in their "wedding clothes" and Stuart read some stories to the kids. When we finally sat down, Stuart read some tradtional blessings from the Sidur for Rosh Hashana.
This is the bread I gave to Roxanne, who came by for a quick visit earlier in the day. I made it last night, but because I added more honey and apple sauce to my regular challah recipe, it made a lot more bread, so I had a second one. I blessed her family with this one, which was slightly smaller than mine.
Oh, I'm so embarassed to show you my own bread, which, while I think it's absolutely lovely, and it tasted devine.. I only noticed this FLY as I was uploading the photos. I was up until 3 last night.. and I'm blessed with this FLY! Arghh.. such is life on the farm in the fall.
 That bread graced our table for our little family service
Apples and honey are traditional - symbolic of the Garden of Eden and blessings of a good year.. May your name be inscribed into the Lambs book of Life, for a good and prosperous new year.
Elias sure enjoyed the sticky sweet bread and apples and honey.
I tried again to blow the shofar, and failed, but Elias insisted he wanted to try too.. very cute. He did manage a sound.. not the traditional Tekiah, Teruah, Shivaree.. but cute none-the-less
We did eat real food, a little.. some beef and barley soup, but our tummies are lovely and full with sweet bread and honey and apples. What an amazing journey today has been, from start to finish.
I Love you my Lord, You are the Way, The Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by YOU. This day has shown us how we are to watch for you. We experienced the scent of the Lord through the anointing oil, we experienced the sound of the Lord through the sound of the shofar, and we know what he'll look like when he returns through our reading of Revelation. Today, our relationship with Him grew, we're more aware, more prepared to be ready for Him when He returns in the clouds. We'll be looking up for the New Moon, and there he'll be, dressed in a robe to his feet, hair and beard white, eyes blazing, a double edged sword coming from his mouth, in his hands will be the seven stars, and the seven menorahs, and the trumpets will sound!!!!
Lashana Tova my friends.. Happy New Year.. May you have a sweet and prosperous year.. and may you grow in your likeness to our Messiah as you walk out your faith. |
|
Post A Comment!
Send to a Friend!
|
Comments
|
