Nancy wants us to share our summer plans for fun in the sun. This is the last assignment for this year, but you all can still join in, and next fall, Nancy will start up again with a new set of assignments.
Daily academic studies have been over here for quite a while.
July first, Stuart (hubby) begins his term as department head in the Economics department at the University. That same week he has to go to a conference in Hawaii. And again, that same week, Rourke goes to Dallas Valley Camp with his buddies Dylan and Rylan. Trent and Myles started working 3 weeks ago at the Fort Trail Apiary just north of here, so they'll be working that week too. I'll be left to my own defenses with the two little ones and the big belly!
Trent and Myles go to camp in Oklahoma -Camp Yeshua - 2 weeks later. Trent went last year so he'll be rekindling old friendships, while Myles will be meeting all the folks he's been hearing about for the last year. Trent has kept in touch using the camps forums, MSN and Paltalk where some of these youth have been studying God's word on Shabbat together. Trent and Myles will also keep spending Saturday nights out with the youth from our congregation - a non-structured group - and they find fun things to do every weekend.
Sometime in the two weeks following their return, I shall be birthing this baby here at our home. Hubby will take a week off to help me afterward.
Other than that, there's no plans - but we'll probably be taking some sunny days to go to the beach - at B-Say-Tah. I did buy a bathing suit to wear during this pregnancy and have only worn it once. I hope to use it a few times.
Nancy's got a new blog, but the BFS assignments are still being posted.
This one has to do with declaring our fears - our fears which keep us from fully trusting God. Go to her site to read the whole assignment.
17 years ago, I was in therapy - psycologist therapy. Why? - well, child abuse has a way of knocking you off your game in your adulthood, and I was at the point where I was going to lose my job if I didn't do something to get my game back.
During that time, Juan -my councellor - gave me a test. One of the things it tested was my fears, inhibitions, etc. Friends, I knocked his boots off, I had such little fear - my scores were off the charts. Actually, having such little fear is not a good thing. God gives us fear to teach us when we're in danger. I had no concept of danger, what had I to fear? I'd been through just about every horrible thing you could go through. I could laugh in the face of danger because I had survived everything so far.
17 years later, my attitude has changed - but my fears have not. I still fear birds and magots - but I have no fear for my life and the things in my life - like control or power and such - because I gave everything to God. What was taken from me in terms of that cautionary fear, that has been restored to a healthy balance. Yes, I fear my children being run over, so I protect them and teach them how to cross a road. Yes, I fear my children not walking with the Lord, so, I'm diligent to keep renewing our focus on worshiping Him and Only Him.
But, I don't fear the things I have no control over. I don't fear death, for I know I'll go to be with my Abba. I don't fear the death of my babies, because I know He created me to birth them, and if He should take them, I know they are with Him.
What I do fear - is not hearing His voice - not Obeying His Word - and getting to heaven and having Him say, "Away from me, for I know you not. You call me Lord Lord, but do not do as I say." Again, this is a healthy fear, it keeps me from choosing to walk in my own ways, choosing to walk in man's ways.
And truthfully, when a bird flies into my house, or down my chimney - yes, I'll let out a scream. If I find magots in the garbage - the scream is just about as loud and the stomach churning is bad... but these fears do not hinder my walk with God.
I had nothing to give when I met him, so I had nothing to lose by giving it all to Him.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, `Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name?' 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, `I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!'
Hello everyone! I thought it would be nice to get to know one another's Favorite Bible Story...not necessarily a story in the Bible but the story of what your favorite Bible verse or story is and why. This will probably be a very easy assignment for us all but with warmer weather well on it's way, I know how hard it is to stay indoors, even for school work. Have fun with it and remember we only have two more BFS assignments left!
HMMM.. How does one choose one single "favourite" story from the Bible? Nancy said this would be easy, I beg to differ.
I guess my favourite story is this concept of the Tallit - the prayer shawl - the covering of the Lord. Every week when we celebrate the Sabbath, my husband comes to me at my end of the table. He stands over me, and I come to him, he puts his Tallit, his prayer shawl over both of us, and he blesses me - sometimes with Proverbs 31, sometimes just with a blessing from his heart. Then he moves to the children, where he stands over them, they gather under his wings, and he covers them with his tallit again and we together bless our children.
The Tallit is a symbol, a picture, of the blood covering of the Messiah, who's blood has washed us clean and makes us able to stand in His presence. When I stand under my husband's tallit, I stand under his protection, as do my children - until the day they are prepared to stand alone before God - as men, or Janney with her husband.
Scripture shows us many of these pictures.
Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.
When Chavah stepped out from under her the protection of Adam, she chose to stand up for herself in the face of the Serpant and fell into sin, then Adam chose to take that step as well, choosing to take on the consequences of death for Chavah's sin - Adam took back that position of headship, took the responsibility for his bride's sin - becoming a picture of the Messiah, but trying in his own strength to cover their sin. Alas, Adam is not Messiah - he is fallible Man, he is but dust - incapable of saving himself.
Gen 3:21 ADONAI, God, made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
When God cast them both out of Eden, in order to restore them to a right relationship with Him, someone had to die for that sin. God chose the lamb, shed that lamb's blood, and covered Adam and Chavah with the skin of the lamb(s). That shed lambs blood is a picture of the tallit - a picture of the blood the Messiah would one day shed for all our sins.
Exodus 19:5 Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.'These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra'el." 7 Moshe came, summoned the leaders of the people and presented them with all these words which ADONAI had ordered him to say. 8 All the people answered as one, "Everything ADONAI has said, we will do." Moshe reported the words of the people to ADONAI.
9 ADONAI said to Moshe, "See, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, so that the people will be able to hear when I speak with you and also to trust in you forever."Moshe had told ADONAI what the people had said;
Another picture in scripture is when the chosen Bride - the Children of Israel - stand at Mt. Sinai, and enter into a covenant of betrothal with the Lord. Because of their sin, they couldn't stand in His presence unless they were covered. God again provided a covering, through the cloud that covered Mt. Sinai - another picture of what the Messiah would one day do on our behalf, cover our sin, so we could become the Pure Bride - presentable to the Lord.
Revelation 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his Bride has prepared herself - 8 fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear." ("Fine linen" means the righteous deeds of God's people.) 9 The angel said to me, "Write: 'How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb!'" Then he added, "These are God's very words." 10 I fell at his feet to worship him; but he said, "Don't do that! I'm only a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who have the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy."
11 Next I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the one called Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that he passes judgment and goes to battle. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many royal crowns. And he had a name written which no one knew but himself. 13 He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in blood, and the name by which he is called is, "THE WORD OF GOD."
Finally, the last picture of the Tallit, is the one where in Revelation, the Messiah returns, wearing that tallit as a pure white garment, stained with blood. This picture is a picture of the consummation of the marriage to Messiah's Pure Virgin Bride. In a traditional Jewish wedding, the groom lays down his tallit and the couple consummate the marriage, the stain of the blood consummation is left on the tallit as a witness to the marriage becoming complete. When Messiah returns wearing that blood stained garment, we can be certain of the fulfillment of the covenant of marriage - the blood stain is a testimony - that His work is complete - our sin is covered, we've been presented as the Pure Bride to the Lord.
Nancy's next assignment for the BFS is about our favourite travels, be it field trips, or family vacation or place. Check out the full details on her blog.
My favourite trip is home - I love to go home. Yes, MY home is here in Saskatchewan, but HOME is back in Quebec, back where I grew up, back where all my old friends are, back where my mum and in-laws are. We've been here 8 years this August, and only been back once. We were blessed to have many internet friends host us along the way to make our trip more friendly, and cut down on costs. We spent 4 weeks on the road, and stayed in 7 different home - there - and then again back here. Our trip took us all the way to Boston, even though Montreal was our goal.
Let me paint a better picture. We set off from our church after lunch, and traveled to North Dakota and into Minnesota. We spent a night there, then moved into Wisconsin where we spent a full day - two nights - with an internet friend in the Fond-du-Lac area. From there we traveled south through Chicago and learned all over again why we love our small city with no traffic, then under lake Michigan and into Michigan State where we stopped for a juice and a pee break at another internet friends house. Pushing off from there, we went north and crossed the St.Claire River at the Port Huron/Sarnia border into Ontario and spent the night with old friends in London Ontario. A nice long morning was spent enjoying our plentiful bounty of children - she had 5 at the time, I had 4 (now she has 7 and I'm expecting my 6th!) and we left late afternoon for Toronto, where a new friend had just re-established herself in the Beaches area along Lake Ontario. We took in some sites together, and then in the late afternoon went to Kingston for 3 days where Stuart spoke at a conference, and I visited with many old friends, and missed more than I would have liked!
The last leg was a three hour trip into Montreal, to Stuart's childhood home - where we unpacked again and relaxed for a few days. We had made plans to have Passover with his brother and wife, so after a short 3-4 days with MIL and FIL - we went an hour more east to Andrew's house and spent Passover weekend with them at their beautiful country house in the woods, far off the beaten path.
Now we were on our way again, out to the eastern townships to spend the night with my old college friend, and on the way we stopped at a new internet friends house for a few hours. My college friend married her college sweetie, and Stuart and I were at their wedding - they have 4 children, so the 8 kids and 4 adults had a great time together. Boston was next on the tour of the east, to meet my best friend. "How?" you say, can she be your best friend, if that was the first time you met her? Well, Susan and I started as internet friends, and then our friendship grew to paper and pen - and the deep intimacy of our relationship in Christ, our joys and trials as wife and mother, our love of knitting, books, nature, and babies just cruised into a natural state of being each other's bestest..
Back to MIL/FIL for another few days of family time with my mother, my sister and all the IL's and childhood friends and first church friends. And then we retraced our steps, back to Kingston for a night with Vicki and Andrew and the girls, then to London, then to Wisconsin, and then a long all nighter drive home, with a secret growing within me.. Asher had been conceived on the trip, and we were just finding out about him as dawn approached. (Funny, the trip we had taken previous to that was down to Denver, and on the way home I found out Janney was on the way too!).
We couldn't make this trip anymore, our van is full, no room for cargo, and in August, the whole family won't even fit in the one van anymore, so I think that's the end of "family" trips, unless we travel in a convoy!
Hebrews 11:8-10 By trusting, Avraham obeyed, after being called to go outv to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz'chak and Ya'akov, who were to receive what was promised along with him. For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.
Nancy is hosting Pat and Jenny's idea to day - to share a blessing that God has given you, and one that you have "paid it forward". Read the whole assignment here.
Nancy is so humble, she didn't want to be credited for the things she's done in service to the Lord. I admire that in her, as I'm very different. While on the one hand, I love to love the Lord - by serving His Children - I also love to love the Lord by sharing what I've done. I don't share to gain my own glory - I share because I think these sorts of acts of kindness are so far from our current society that we need to encourage one another in how to reach out and show God's Love. We need to show each other how to "listen to the prodding of the Lord" and how to listen to the hurting and the needy in our community. Very rarely in our world will people actually ASK for help. It's our duty to be listening - listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit - and listening to the little hints from our community which tells us there's a need.
Back when I was a young Christian, I was mentored by a woman who just really knew how to listen to God. First, our first week in service, she reached over the pew and invited us to her weekly Bible study. She told us to bring the kids, others did. Eventually as the kids got bigger, and noisier, she decided that she would pay for a babysitter for us so that we could still come, but not have a financial burden. Sometime during that time, someone signed me up for a food basket for some holiday - and then someone signed me up for winter clothing for my little boys. I never found out who it was, but I suspect she was the one. She just knew that because my husband was a student, and I didn't work, and we had 3 little children - that money must be tight. She was right. - That time in my life was a real blessing from the Lord, not only in the tangible things that were provided for me - but in the learning - the mentoring that she gave me. I will never forget her love for me.
So, now I take what she taught me and I pay that sort of thing forward. Last year I went to visit a friend who had a new baby. They were in the process of trying to sell their house, for they could not afford to live there anymore. I noticed one day that the piano was gone. She'd sold it. Now upon reflecting, I realized that a woman who PLAYS her piano doesn't sell it easily, she must have been very tight financially. I went to my elders and asked them if we could help. They gave me a gift card to the mega grocery store - which has a gas station affiliated. I hesitated to give her this gift card. I didn't want to offend her in any way. She had never said they were in financial dire straits. I walked up to the door, knocked and nearly in tears for fear of offending my friend, I handed her the gift card. Just then, her husband came in from the back yard. In a kind of shock, she showed her husband. I excused myself, saying I had to pick up my son from the dentist, and went away. She sent me an e-mail that day, telling me that her husband had an opportunity to get a job - he's a self employed cabinetmaker who builds custom kitchens. He had been outside walking and praying as I drove up the driveway - he was asking God how he was going to get to this job to put in a quote, he didn't have any gas in the van. My heeding the voice of God provided them with money for gas, food and he got the job.
Other things I have passed on: When I moved from Kingston to Saskatchewan, I was overwhelmed with the job of packing. A friend called, said she was coming, arrived with donuts and told me, my job was to keep the coffee coming. She stayed with me for two days, helping me get packed up, and the day the movers came, she was there with donuts for the moving crew and kept me company and kept order - she saved my sanity! Now, I don't let friends move alone. I have helped dozens of friends move - knowing it's just overwhelming to pick up your life and take it somewhere else. Our congregation is also great at this, people will show up with trucks and muscles and move people within the city - nothing like a dozen or so people from your faith community coming together - to WORK together - to tend to the needs of one of our own. I've been blessed to watch my then 12yos work along side a man in his retirement years, as they built computer furniture for a newly moved family - it was the beginning of an intergenerational relationship between them.
I've picked up hitchhikers, brought them home for the night (they usually bunk in the hayloft - or tent in the yard) and fed them. There's nothing greater than meeting these exciting young people - learning of their traveling adventures - and sharing my faith with them as God opens that door. One time we had a sweet French couple who were riding their bikes across Canada come stay. We prayed before the meal. After dinner, they asked me about the fact that we prayed, did we do it every day? It gave me a chance to share my testimony - in French. Who knows what seeds were planted that day - did God water them, did they sprout and grow? Another time I picked up a young woman who had been abandoned by her boyfriend in our city, she was trying to get home to another city. She was only wearing a tank top and shorts. I couldn't imagine how she was going to survive the cold of that night. I brought her home, fed her, got her a coat I didn't wear anymore and gave her some money so she could get a bite to eat down the road. She asked me why I was being so nice. I told her I couldn't imagine being in her situation, my husband would never abandon me like that and leave me alone and in such a dangerous situation.. this was the least I could do.
And lastly.. Yeshua forgave me my sins - everyone of them. Those I had done before I met him, those I still do today, and those I'll do in the future. Paying it forward, I've learned to forgive those who sin against me. I forgave my father for the abuse I suffered as a child, I've forgiven friends for hurts they've done recently, and I know that there will come another day when I'll have to forgive again - because life's like that.
I pray that as you've read my testimonies, that you'll see, it's all God working through me, because I have been greatly blessed, it's because of this that I can in turn greatly bless.
From Matthew 25 31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. 33 The `sheep' he will place at his right hand and the `goats' at his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, 36 I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' 40 The King will say to them, `Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!' 41 "Then he will also speak to those on his left, saying, `Get away from me, you who are cursed! Go off into the fire prepared for the Adversary and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 a stranger and you did not welcome me, needing clothes and you did not give them to me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they too will reply, `Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, needing clothes, sick or in prison, and not take care of you?' 45 And he will answer them, `Yes! I tell you that whenever you refused to do it for the least important of these people, you refused to do it for me!' 46 They will go off to eternal punishment, but those who have done what God wants will go to eternal life."
Nancy's new assignment This week's assignment is The Three R's -- Reduce, Recycle, and Re-use. I thought since today is Earth Day and this month is Arbor Day that we all could share ideas or tips that we use for recycling, reducing or re-using items in our home. Do you recycle at all? Does it just seem nearly impossible to recycle? Trying to catch every piece of trash that goes into the garbage is a hard one for me too. I have a friend who is very diligent with it and so are her children! It amazed me to see how they re-spect nature and use the Three R's in their home. I challenge you all to write about your ventures with recycling, reducing, and re-using your trash and take a pledge to at least try to use some of the tips that you read about on this assignment. Don't forget to add your favorite scripture for this assignment.
8 years ago, I lived in the burb part of a city. Once a week the garbage truck would come by, and an hour or so later, the blue bin truck would come by.. and away would go all my waste - both recycleable and non-recycleable.
Then we moved here. Here, there is no nice weekly truck.. or two.. There's no local dump to take it to either. If I want to rid myself of my household waste, there's a few ways to go about it. DIG A HOLE - Make your own dump. OR - STORE IT!
Now I have a pristine piece of land, there's no dumps by previous owners - compared with many of my neighbours, who do have huge dumps on their property. I had a friend who moved into their property and had 5 huge truck loads of scrap metal removed from their property - and then they had the big clean up - where they had another 8-10 truckloads take stuff to the dump, and they still have dump sites on their property.
So, what I do is, I have 4 large rubbermaid buckets between my washer and dryer. One contains glass and tins, another cardboard and household paper, another plastics, and another has bottles and things that can be returned for deposit. We separate as we go all day long. Under the sink I have a kitchen catcher sized bag that lasts about 48 hours or so - maybe a little more. Into that goes things like styrofoam meat trays, or sticky dirty tin foil that can't be washed properly. When that bag is full, a boy takes it to a shed and stores it in the shed - sometimes for 6-8 months. We used to burn these bags of kitchen trash, but the burning barrels are full of ash now, and we can't seem to find more burning barrels. Now we have to haul it to the city dump - pay 5 dollars for a half ton load. Trent and I did this last week. The rest of the kitchen garbage - the vegetable stuff, goes into a pail under the sink and later into the compost heap - where the dogs, cats and chickens self serve and then leave the rest for the worms.
Oh, those buckets in my mudroom, between my washer and dryer.. those I have to take to one of three towns. My town has paper, plastic and tins, but not glass or bottles. The town to the east has bottles, paper and tins, but no glass or plastic. The town to the west has paper, plastic, tins, glass, but no bottles. Each town is 10 minutes away - well, except my town, my town is 2 minutes away. We try to take them every week or week and a half.
So next time you think recycling is too much trouble for you to separate and take it to the curb in a separate blue box.. think about how blessed you are that someone comes to pick it up! Think of how blessed you are that you don't have to store your garbage for 6 months.
It's my way of life. I have no other options. - well I do, I could dump it all on my own yard and have it blow about in the wind, or have my horses get injured by it. Oh, and about 3 years ago, a neighbour took some paper recycling to the local town here.. the one 2 minutes away. She dumped her paper in the blue bin, but some how an envelope with her name on it flew out, either when she was dumping, or when another person came along.. and the police found it and fined her for littering!!! You can't win!
I reuse my milk jugs to haul drinking water to the house. I don't make crafts or bird houses, or bird feeders or anything like that.. but I do sometimes cut off the flat bottom of the milk jugs to put over baby plants before the threat of frost is over, that way it makes a little green house over the plants.
Luke 12: 42-44 42 The Lord replied, "Nu, who is the faithful and sensible manager whose master puts him in charge of the household staff to give them their share of food at the proper time? 43 It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes. 44 Yes, I tell you he will put him in charge of all he owns. (CJB)
Sorry, I had to come back and write more - I know this post was already getting long, but I have more to say.
I just took my son potty. I noticed there was a poop smudge on the tiles. Instead of reaching for one of those disposable clorox towelettes - I reached for a rag, used some water and wiped it off. Minutes later, I had to wipe my daughter's bum.. Again, instead of a disposable whatnot - I used a rag. I never bought those baby wipes, I have dozens of cheap face clothes that I used to wipe bums. We just rince them under water in the tap and squeeze out the excess, wipe the bum, and then throw it in the laundry, never to be used again until it's clean again.
I used cloth diapers - can you imagine me storing a year's worth of diapers? - forget trying to burn diapers.. I have had to use them for the second year as his volume of pee was too great for the cloth diapers, but that's why I also worked hard to get him potty trained soon - a year of disposable diapers was enough for me!
Water conservation.. I use infant potty training to conserve using cloth diapers and having to wash them..With Janney, she was pretty much potty trained at 10 months old, having rarely sat more than a moment in a wet cloth diaper.. but then we took a trip across Canada, and she sat in disposables for a month - and it took me over a year to get her potty trained after that month in disposables. Infant potty training is the best - compared to disposable diapers which fill landfills, and cloth diapers which use water and time and energy to dry them.
I use my clothes line as much as possible. I haven't started yet, it's still too cold - the items would be out on the line - and I only have enough line for 3 wash loads - nothing would be dry to take down by the time the 4th load was washed. But in two weeks or so, I should be putting everything out on the clothes line for the rest of the summer.
I don't read magazines.. so I'm not wasting that "paper pulp" - I read books, and I use the library, and we have thousands of books in our own personal library - some stored on bookshelves, some stored in rubbermaid boxes in the basement waiting for more shelves to be made.
I don't use much paper towel in the kitchen.. I do use some.. but I wipe up spills with dish towels or rags and I wash them. I don't use much that we would in our day call disposable - because disposing of it is such a pain.
I whip my eggs and whip cream with a wisk, I make bread by hand, not with a machine, I use a knife not a food processor to cut vegetables...
And when it's all said and done, I don't do this for the environment, I do it because it's my way of life, it's slower, it's more family oriented, it's more user friendly, it's .. it's just easier to me. My Unassisted Birth group and my Homeschooling group have both been discussing a number of articles that came out this week, about Rationing food in the USA, or The Very Great Depression of 2008. When you look at some of the posts Julie writes about Haiti - the devastation of famine and bad economy - when you look at Lori's blog about starvation and malnutrition and insufficient healthcare.. .. and then I see a commercial about how much thinker the Mr. Clean wipes are - more like towelettes even though they pop up like a kleenex.. UGHHH! It makes me want to scream! How dare I use a Mr. Clean wipe, and then throw it away.. our world is throwing away the lives of the people in Haiti with just as much disdain and disrespect.. and it's not just Haiti, it's everywhere - We have such affluence and blessing of the Lord here, We MUST NOT FORGET that God created this world, not for the glory of the world.. not because the earth is such a masterpiece, not because it's beautiful.. God created this world to be our home.. for US.. God's purpose is US - Humans - God's children. We MUST put people first. We must turn our focus off ourselves and start seeing the world through much larger world view glasses - and decide that we're not going to be complicit in aiding the devastation of other peoples like the Haitians.
Ginny has already commended me on my small part.. Thanks.. but my small part is still not enough. And not because of the way I'm abusing the earth.. because I don't think I am.. my small part is not enough because I'm still living a comfortable life, and not devoted enough in prayer for Lori's hospital patients, or the children who need families, or my neighbour who still doesn't know his Messiah. Where's my acts of service? Am I giving enough to charities? Lori's sister needs things like plastic cups for the children to drink from - have I sent any money or cases of peanutbutter or tuna fish to Julie's orpanage? Nope... But, I have told my husband I want to support The Lords Prayer ministry in Liberia, where John and his wife are building a school, teaching the children who their saviour is, and is training them up to be the next generation of educated people, of Servants to the Lord in their nation..
And now I shall end my rant..
John 3:16 - for God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall have live and not die. (the Sombra's Memory version - probably mixed up version of lots of translations)
WEEE, Nancy used my idea for this weeks BFS.. what an honour.
My friend Susan and I were talking last week about how we really need a new passion. For so long, raising kids, homeschooling, knitting, reading, learning about unassisted childbirth, and healing with herbs has really fed all my passions, but I feel like I've sort of become saturated, learned all I need, or at least know where to go easily for updates or to answer a question.
But now I need something new. Something to challenge me and make me feel that burning desire to dig deeper.
I think it'll be learning to read Hebrew. I already have baby knowledge. I know the letters, the sounds they make, and I can sound out words - but I want more. I want to be able to read Hebrew. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to read Frog and Toad Together in Hebrew? or Madeline? or Curious George?
Think of how exciting it would be to read Where the Wild Things Are in God's Perfect Original language?
Seriously, while I'd love to read these wonderful children's books, the real flames behind my desire to read Hebrew is not for children's books, it's to read God's Love story to us, in it's original language, no interpretation or slant by the one who translated it, just God -speaking directly to me. To truly understand the depth of the mean behind each individual word.
Here's what I mean. In our English Bibles, the words of Genesis 1:1 read like this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (CJB),(KJV)and(NIV)
But look at how full it is when you read it in Hebrew (hear it read at Hebrew for Christians I couldn't capture the sound file.)
בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ
The word Brei'sheet: Beit, Reish, Alef, Shin, Yod, Tav.
Here is JUST THE FIRST WORD of the Torah, and it tells the whole story of God's love. This is taken from Rico Cortes website, Wisdom In Torah.
The story here: The father, who is the head of the house, created a house (or place) for His son, and taught him the alef-bet. And by the strength of Yah, He will judge the land with fire, and He will put us to shame on the first of Tishrei, and they will all fear Him, and will repent when he dies on the cross, and their desire will be for Him. And in Integrity, He will make a covenant of fire with us. And the shabbat will be a light for His daughter, mankind, for it was made as a gift for us.
The WHOLE GOSPEL JUST IN THE FIRST WORD OF SCRIPTURE IN HEBREW.
God's language is so much more complete than our English - how much more we can know our God - our Saviour - through reading HIS word in HIS language.
And that's why I want to learn to read Hebrew. - but it's a long journey. I have to practice, get more fluid in my ability to read, and develop my vocabulary. - And if you think I wrote this whole post myself.. lol. NOPE, I had to call Trent to help me with that whole Bresheit thing. How neat to be able to FOLLOW your child in his passions.
Nancy wants to know what's cooking? Spring has sprung, we're all changing speed, has your menu planning kept up? or are you slowing down on the big prep meals?
In my house, pregnancy is changing both my energy level and my pallat, so there are days when an elaborate meal is planned, and other days....
Trent and I went shopping yesterday, I was looking at some of the "prepackaged" meat meals - things like Honey Garlic Chicken to throw on the barbeque. A 1.5 kg box - essentially one meal for us - was in the $19-$22 range, Too expensive. I looked into a 4 Kg box of frozen chicken breasts; $25 - and a few bottles of prepared sauces set me back $3 each, but for much cheaper, I've got 4 meals worth of meat - but the same idea, throw some chicken on the barbeque.
I also bought some pre-made burgers. I have lots of ground beef in the freezer, but it's time and energy consuming to make the patties, so .. for energy preserving, and time saving, I've bought burgers for the Barbeque too. I made sure to buy some things to make a burger a nice meal, some mushrooms and onions to saute, cheese, and those sauces again, not to mention tomatoes and lettuce. We don't eat lots of burgers, so this will be rather novel for us for a while.
I did the same things with chicken wings, bought a big box of frozen wings, no flavour, and we can either bake them with sauce, or barbeque and sauce later. A 2Kg bag of flavoured chicken wings was $15, but a 4Kg box of unflavoured chicken wings was the same $15.
And, for spending over $150 on groceries, I was "given" a box of strawberries. I bought two, paid for one, and will bring strawberry something to Shabbat on Sunday - that is if the second box lasts me until then. Asher has learned a new word "tawbewy" and he's been asking for them all day.
Mt 22:4 - So he sent some more slaves, instructing them to tell the guests, `Look, I've prepared my banquet, I've slaughtered my bulls and my fattened cattle, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding!'
Nancy has another fun assignment, we're to reminisce on an occasion where we laughed so hard, we nearly pee'd our pants.. (read the whole assignment by clicking the picture)
Oh friends.. I have this story written down it was so funny. It's in my journal from when the boys were little. It's written twice, once from my perspective, once from Stuart's. I'm going to share with you exactly how it's written (maybe with a few little bits in there to elaborate)
Tale as told by me
Myles: Mummy, come wipe my bum! (as sung in the typical way) - then Hey, I'm not finished yet - get off!!
Daddy: Who was sitting there first?
Myles went poo and then when he got off to reach for the toilet paper, Trent jumped on. Stuart asked who's poo was in the toilet. They both had lumps in the toilet.
HOW GROSS!
Daddy threatened to spank both their bums for fighting, but also because Trent didn't wait until Myles was finished. I hope you've learned to give each other privacy by now..
Tale as told by daddy
Myles wanted me to clean his bum. When I got to the bathroom, there was two bum naked boys fighting over the toilet - Myles saying he hadn't finished yet. I said Trent had to wait or go back downstairs, but Trent said he was on first.
Me: "Who's poo is that?"
Trent: "Mine"
Myles: "Mine"
Me: "What's both your poo doing in there? No pow-pow poo poo's!!"
They both "went to the bathroom" and Myles got off to get cleaned up and Trent moved in at the given opportunity and started before I got there to take care of Myles. After Myles was clean..
Trent: "Daddy, can you wipe my bum?"
Me: "No Way!"
Now it's many years later and we still get the giggles over someone saying "Who's Poo's in the toilet?" or singing out "Somebody wipe my bum."
And what more appropriate verse is there than this?
De 23:13 You must include a trowel with your equipment, and when you relieve yourself, you are to dig a hole first and afterwards cover your excrement.
I thought this week that we could all give back to others. Since it's coming up on Good Friday and Easter and Christ gave His life for us, that we could give back for as little as the cost of a fifty cent card and stamp. A friend of mine at our co-op, she doesn't have a blog but SHOULD had a great idea for everyone to send a card or gift if you would like to a child who is suffering with an illness or maybe incurable disease. Above and below are the links for the Make a Child Smile organization. What the assignment this week entails is for all of us to go and pick up the name and address of a child that we will pledge to send a card to. You can even send it anonymous since I know so many people are worried about internet safety. I, personally, always feel a strong calling to help others, especially children who may not physically be able to help anyone because they're fighting for their lives. The information for the company is below in case you're leary of sending a card to them. You can also mail it to me and I'll send it for you if you'd like. My address will be listed in the first comment. You can also add to the assignment by having your children join in a send cards with you...make it a family affair. If you'd like you may post pictures of what you're going to send, i.e., card, gift. or anything you felt led to send. Thanks and have a great day!
Founded in May of 1998, by Alexandra Bakker, the Make A Child Smile Organization, also known as MACS, has been a source of support to children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and their families. Emotional support is provided by creating the opportunity for people to visit the MACS website and learn about the children and their illnesses. Each month, new children are featured. A picture and biography describing the child and information about their family is published on the website. Hundreds of 'net surfers, schools, service organizations, girls/boys scouts and church groups use the MACS website as a philanthropic project where they can send cards, letters and small gifts to the featured children and their siblings through postal mail. In December of 2000, MACS was granted tax-exempt status so that it could expand its mission to include fund-raising efforts in order to provide financial assistance to qualifying families for help with medical, funeral expenses or other costs associated with the child's illness. Our Mission To provide emotional and financial support to families whose children suffer from chronic or life-threatening illnesses and also give those who visit the MACS website the opportunity to participate by sending mail to the children.
Me again
God calls us to love one another, to take care of widows and orphans, to visit the infirmed and those who are in jail etc. Recently Oprah has had a show on called The Big Give. While I agree with Oprah's sentiment, giving "BIG" like Oprah is encouraging her players to do is beyond most people's ability, and truthfully, it's more than God asks us to do. You have to wonder when something is trying to be bigger and better than God... but.. my point in not participating in Nancy's BFS is not that I don't agree with the premis, I do, but the thing is, I prefer to respond to the call of those who are in need right here in my little world - taking a meal to the mom who just gave birth, giving a lift to a hitchhiker, helping a working mom bake treats for her son who's away at trade school, helping a friend with a move etc.. It's important that my children see me serving God's children, and it's important that they participate too. Pure and Sensible says she's going to get her children to write some letters - and I agree, this is a good way of fulfilling this weeks assignment - but I also like to stand before the one I'm serving, blessing someone with gifts is nice, but relationship is what God wants.
Could I also suggest you visit Julie's blog and read her post on compassion from yesterday - Pastor Straton Gataha has a very good lesson about compassion to his own community in Rwanda.
All these things are fulfilling God's Mitzvah - His Good Works - His Commandments - to love one another. Thanks Nancy for another great assignment
Header Banner photo - My ornamental crab apple tree in fresh bloom, in the middle of my circular driveway.~~~~
I am Sombra, and these are the stories from our house. We're a Messianic family where academics often take a back seat to the work and adventure of life.
