Motive to my Madness - Homeschool Blogger

All About Chanuka

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:01:00 -0600

I received the following from a good friend of mine. I hope you all enjoy this. I pray you all have a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving!

God bless you.

Regina

ALL ABOUT CHANUKAH

Chanukah, also called the Festival of Lights, and Feast of Dedication, is observed for eight days, beginning on the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev. Chanukah is a wonderful holiday of renewed dedication, faith, hope and spiritual light. It's a holiday that says: "Never lose hope." Chanukah commemorates the victory, through the miracles of HaShem (God), of a small band of Maccabees over the pagan Syrian-Greeks who ruled over Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel).

CHANUKAH" MEAN? has two meanings. First, and foremost, it means "dedication" because it was on Chanukah that the Bait Hamikdash (Holy Temple) was purified and rededicated to the service of Hashem, in 165 BCE, after many years of pagan defilement. ("BCE" means "before common era.") The other meaning gives us an easy way to remember the Hebrew date of the holiday: "Chanu" means "they rested", and "Kah" (composed of the Hebrew letters for 25 - "Chof and Hay") means "on the twenty fifth" (day of Kislev).
THE MIRACLE(S) OF

The year was about 165 BCE. A large group of men led by Judah the Maccabee climbed to the top of a mountain overlooking Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). It was the same mountain from which, many centuries later, the Crusaders would launch their attack against the Moslems and from which, the Jordanian artillery would shell Jerusalem in 1967. In 165 BCE, however, Judah and his men, with the help of HaShem, were about to complete a great victory, a triumph that lives on as the miracle of Chanukah.

The story of Chanukah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of the Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs, the dress, etc.

After the death of Alexander the Great, his Empire was divided among his generals. Israel - the Kingdom of Judea - was added to the Empire of Antiochus III, King of Syria. When Antiochus IV Epiphanies became king of the Syrian-Greeks, he was not content to accept the taxes and loyalty of the Jews as his predecessors had done. He wanted the Jews to lay aside their Torah and ancient religion, and, in their place, substitute the Hellenistic Greek culture and Grecian idols.

King Antiochus IV bore down on his Jewish subjects with a measure of ruthlessness, stubbornness and cruelty that earned him the nickname Antiochus the Madman. He defiled the Temple - filling it with pagan idols, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, and requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar. He forbade the Jews to observe the commandments of Brit Milah (circumcision), Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon), the Sabbath, and barred the reading of the Torah.

Jews who dared to remain loyal to their faith were brutally tortured and murdered. If a woman had her infant circumcised, she was murdered, the baby publicly hanged, and all who participated in the circumcision ceremony were executed and their property confiscated. Against this backdrop, Jewish resistance began to weaken and it seemed inevitable that the last remnants of resistance would soon be wiped out.

Then, one courageous old man turned the tide. His name was Mattityahu (Matthew or Matthias) and he was a Kohen - head of the Hasmonean family, (the high priestly family), from the Judean town of Modi'in near Lod. The Syrian-Greek governor of Matthew’s region set up an idol in Modi'in, rounded up the townspeople, and introduced an "enlightened" Jew who would sacrifice a pig on the idol in recognition of the decree of Antiochus. Old Matthew stepped forward and slew the traitor.

With the rallying cry of, "Mi La’Hashem Ay-li" (Whoever is for Hashem, let him come to me), he called the people to rebellion. A pitifully small number responded at first - the people were numb with fear and hopelessness - but Matthew’s five sons led the way. They fought the Syrian-Greeks, retreated to the mountains, and began a guerrilla war against the Syrian-Greeks and their Jewish allies. Matthew had not long to live, but on his deathbed he charged his sons to carry on the struggle.

The glorious brothers heeded his command. He passed on the leadership to his second son, Judah the Maccabee, who was a mighty warrior and a charismatic leader.

Many miracles happened. Outnumbered a hundred to one, Judah and his men won many battles. Jews came to join him. In a few years, he had defeated the mightiest armies of Syria. Victory belonged to the Jew, the pure, the righteous, the loyal defender of the Torah. Following the rebellion, the kingdom of Israel was restored for 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple.

So it was that Judah and his men climbed the mountain above Jerusalem and saw that there was no resistance. On the twenty-fifth day of Kislev, they marched into the Holy City and immediately made their way to the Temple, where they saw a sight that left them shocked and angered. Idols, filth, impurity were everywhere. They immediately began the process of cleansing and purifying the Temple along with rebuilding the altar, as the old one had been desecrated.

WHY EIGHT DAYS?

In honor of the cleansing of the Temple and its dedication, the Jews celebrated Sukkot, an eight-day festival that normally occurs earlier, in the month of Tishri. The next year they celebrated Sukkot at the correct time and kept the twenty-fifth of Kislev (Chanukah) as the beginning of a new eight-day festival to mark the victory HaShem gave them.

WHAT ABOUT THE OIL?

Although the eight-day celebration of Chanukah is historically correct, the familiar story of the "miracle of the oil" is based in legend. This account of a one-day supply of oil that lasted an additional seven days, has its origins in the rivalry between the Pharisees and Maccabees. The Maccabees were established as kings of Israel, although they were priests from the tribe of Levi. The Pharisees viewed this as a breaking of the Torah and thought the Maccabees should have relinquished the throne. In order to diminish the Maccabean role in the Chanukah story, the Pharisees both downplayed Chanukah, and also created the story of the oil.

IS CHANUKAH IN THE SCRIPTURES?

Yes! But not in the Tenakh, where you might expect to find it. In fact, the only book dedicated to the events of Chanukah is the book of Macabees, which is not included in the Scriptures. However, there is one mention of Chanukah in the Besorah of Yochannan, chapter 10, verse 22 (The Good News or "Gospel" according to John). Here we see Yeshua celebrating the Feast of Dedication (Chanukah) with his Talmidim (disciples) in Jerusalem.

MESSIANIC SIGNIFICANCE

The actions of Judah the Maccabee and his men preserved the existence of the Jewish people. Antiochus IV had full intention to do away with the Jews either through assimilation or death. Without the Jews and the Temple, there could be no Messiah – no once and for all Yom Kippur sacrifice for our salvation. In this regard, Chanukah shares a similar significance to the spring feast of Purim, which celebrates the story of how Esther and Mordecai thwarted Haman’s plans to do away with the Jewish people.

LIGHTING THE MENORAH

The Menorah or Hanukkiah in Hebrew, that we use today, is a nine-branch candelabrum. On each night one more candle is added and lit, beginning with one candle on the first night of Chanukah and ending with the eighth on the final evening. The ninth branch is reserved for the shamesh, the servant light, which is lit first and used to kindle the other lights of the hanukkiah. The best time to light the Chanukah candles is at nightfall. The whole family and guests should be present. Young children should also be encouraged to light the candles. If someone can't be home by nightfall, we may light as long as people are still up and about - either at home or out of doors.

On Friday afternoon, the Chanukah lights (which will burn until 1/2 hour after nightfall) are kindled before the Shabbat candles are lit. Saturday night, after Shabbat ends, the Chanukah lights for Saturday night are lit. The generally accepted custom is to place the hanukkiah at a window so that it can be seen from the street. This is because we are required to proclaim the miracle publicly by means of the lights. Or, the hanukkiah may be placed on the left side of a doorway opposite the mezuzah on the right side, so that we may be surrounded by mitzvot (commandments) as we light the hanukkiah.

The lights must burn for at least half an hour into the night, during which time no use may be made of the light. The standard small colored hanukkiah candles will burn long enough, but - a word of caution - during the last few days of Chanukah when many candles are lit, if the family hanukkiot are too close together, the intense heat will cause the candies to burn down in less time. On the first night of Chanukah, three Brachot (blessings) are said. The third and last one, Shehechiyanu, is omitted all the other nights of Chanukah. The candles are lit after completion of the blessing. The first day’s candle is placed at the far right side of the hanukkiah. On each succeeding day, an additional candle is placed to the previous night's candle's left. The lighting is done from left to right, in other words, the new candle of each night is lit first. Light the shamesh candle first. Then use the shamesh to light the remaining candles from left to right.

HANEIROT HALOLU

After kindling the first candle (and on the second and later nights) while the others are being lit, this simple prayer is recited. It declares that we kindle these lights in memory of the miracles HaShem performed "in those days at this season," through the brave priestly family of Matthew. It concludes by declaring that all through the eight days of Chanukah, the lights are holy - and are not to be used as a light source; only to be seen as an expression of gratitude and praise to HaShem for his miracles.

- A SONG OF HOPE AND COURAGE
WHO HAS A SPECIAL STAKE IN CHANUKAH?

Women! It is customary that women do no housework for the first half hour that the Chanukah lights are burning. Why? First of all because the Syrian-Greeks mistreated Jewish women systematically through their vicious laws. Secondly, because a major figure in the victory was a Jewish woman named Judith. She won the confidence of the Syrian-Greek general Halifornus. Then, after making him sleepy with wine and cheese, she decapitated him. When she hung his head out the window, the Syrian-Greek army was demoralized and the Jewish victory was greatly facilitated.

THE DREIDEL

The Syrian-Greeks decreed that the teaching or studying of Torah was a crime punishable by death or imprisonment. But the children defiantly studied in secret; and when Syrian-Greek patrols were spotted, they would pretend to be playing an innocent game of dreidel.

The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, also called a "s'vivon," in Hebrew. It is traditionally used to play a lively Chanukah game. The dreidel has on its four sides, letters that tell the Chanukah message: a great miracle happened there - as if to say, "Play children, enjoy your beautiful gifts and your even more beautiful holiday. But remember, HaShem, our Creator, gave us the dreidel, as a miracle and we will show our gratitude with renewed dedication to Him.

"In Israel, the dreidel bears the letters Nun, Gimel, Hay, and Pay standing for "Nes Gadol Hayah Po", a great miracle happened here. In the diaspora, (around the world), however, the dreidel says the letters Nun, Gimel Hay, and Shin meaning "Nes Gadol Hayah Shom", a great miracle happened. So even the dreidel is no idle toy. As it spins, it delivers a message.

HOW TO PLAY DREIDEL

Each player places some dollars, quarters, dimes, or would you believe pennies, candies, raisins, or nuts into a kitty, and each player takes a turn spinning the dreidel.

"Nun" means nothing, you win nothing, you lose nothing.

"Gimel" means you take the whole kitty.

"Hay" means you win half of what's in the kitty.

"Shin" (or in Israel - "Pay") means "put in" - you lose, and must put one ... more into the kitty.

GELT

CHANUKAH

On Chanukah, it is traditional to give all children Chanukah gelt (money) and/or presents. Of course, this beautiful custom adds to the children's happiness and festive spirit. In addition, it affords parents an opportunity to give children positive reinforcement for exemplary behavior, such as diligence in their studies, and acts of charity.

MAOZ TZUR

Maoz Tzur

AL HANISSIM

Al Hanissim

OTHER PRAYERS

During the eight days of Chanukah, the entire Hallel (Psalms of praise taken from the Psalms of David), is recited every day in the Shacharit (morning) prayers. In addition, there is a special reading from the Torah Scroll each morning in the synagogue. The readings recall the offerings of the Nessi'im (Princes), heads of the Tribes of the Children of Israel during the inauguration of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
is a passage that is added on the days of Chanukah and Purim to the Bircat Hamazon (Grace after Meals) and Shmone Esrei (the Amidah - Silent Prayer) for morning, afternoon, and evening. It starts by expressing thanks to Hashem for the miracles of Chanukah and Purim. Then follows a section that is said on each specific holiday with details of the respective miracle that occurred on that holiday. is the universal song of Chanukah. It traces eras of oppression - Egypt, Babylon, Haman, the Syrian-Greeks, the nineteen centuries since the Second Temple was destroyed and praises HaShem for redeeming Bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) after each of them. A song of hope, it fills Jews with the courage to face the future and stresses the desire to a return of Temple and the coming of Moshiach (Messiah), Bimheira Beyomainu, (May it happen speedily in our days), Amen.

WHAT DOES "

Chanukah

Chanukah
is also called "The Festival of Lights" referring to the flames kindled on each night. Chanukah is also called "The Festival of Light." It is the victory of the forces of "light" - which include faith and loyalty to Hashem and the Jewish tradition and the will to fight for these beliefs - over the forces of "darkness," represented by the hedonistic lifestyle of the ancient Syrian-Greeks.

Comparison of Day 2 Creation, The Laver, Unleavened Bread & 2nd Assembly in the Book of Revelation

Fri, 9 Nov 2007 22:32:00 -0600

Day 2 Creation

Genesis 1:6-8 Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7. God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. 8. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Dylan made a profound (or at least I thought profound) statement to mother the other night. He came to her and told her that he could see where there could have been a race of people BEFORE Adam and Eve because “everything was created in the beginning”. I started this study BEFORE Dylan made this statement and as I read the stated I had a few questions form in my mind. Some of these questions are as follows:

This was the beginning ~ was there an earth before creation here?
Where did the water come from?
Was there another great flood BEFORE the flood of Noah’s time?

I must say, I haven’t found any concrete answers to these questions, but I did write them down in my notes for possible exploration later. With that said, I will now move forward in this comparison.

Psalm 148:4 Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens!

Isaiah 40:22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

Job 22:14 Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that he cannot see; and He walks on the vault of heaven.

Let there be a firmament: Strongs Hebrew 7549: raqiya (raw-keé-ah) from 7554; properly, an expanse, i.e. the firmament or (apparently) visible arch of the sky:--firmament.

In the midst: Strongs Hebrew 8432: tavek (taw’-vek) from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the center:-- among (-st), X between, half, X (there-, where-), in (-to), middle, mid (-night), midst (among), X out (of), X through, X with (-in).

Heaven: Strongs Hebrew 8064: shamayim (shaw-mah’-yim) dual of an unused singular shameh (shaw-meh’); from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):-- air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).

On this day God divided the waters. There was a separation. He created an atmosphere we can live in. He [set] water in the heavens [apart] from the water on the earth. He {sanctified} a place for us to live.

The Laver

Laver: wash basin ~ A basin for water where the priests washed their hands and feet as required when they performed their functions of ministry.

Exodus 30:18-21 You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19. Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; 20. when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord. 21. So they shall was their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.

Exodus 38:8 Moreover, he made the lave of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Exodus 40:30-32 He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31. From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32. When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Exodus 28:43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die.

Day 2 and The Laver: Separation of the waters of the heavens and the waters of the earth; creating our atmosphere: -- sky. Heaven and earth are no longer one but two. The Laver- a method of cleansing; a way to remove the dirt and grime attained from sacrifice at the altar and the walk over. A means of sanctification for the priest. They are [set apart]; a cleansing.

The words sanctify and holy have the same meaning. Sancto in Latin is holy and ficio means to make. It means to set apart for holy. The Hebrew word is qadesh. God is holy, his place of worship is holy.

Leviticus 10:10 And so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean.

Exodus 3:5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

Joshua 5:15 The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

God is holy, his name is holy, his place of worship is holy, his dwelling place is called the holy of holies, the most holy place. God is holy in his person and character.

Adjective: Qadesh: God by nature is holy. His holiness is defined in Isaiah 6:3: And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.”

Numbers 14:21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Verb: Qadash: The root is to cut and to be separate.

Exodus 19:22-23 “Also let the priest who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them.” 23. Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.’”

Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

The Greek word for sanctification (hagios) means “to purify, to consecrate or set apart.” Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby the believer is renewed in the whole man after the image of God. The believer is then enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. Again, “Sanctification is that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which the holy disposition imparted in regeneration is maintained and strengthened.” (A.H. Strong)

We know that regeneration is an act of God the Holy Spirit. Sanctification has both divine and human aspect. God is the author of sanctification. The agent of sanctification is God the Holy Spirit. In sanctification we see the work of God’s grace, exercising in the believer, the result of our response and obedience to God.

If sanctification is a sovereign work of God, then how can we obey? There are two truths. The sovereignty of God and human responsibility. These truths are brought together in the progress of sanctification.

2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

1 Thes. 2:12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.

Sovereignty of God is not a discouragement but an encouragement to true holiness. It is God’s divine power which gives the believer the motive to exercise obedience. When man sinned every part of him was affected by sin. Sins pollution spread into all our parts. Sin like a river of black, muddy water spread into all parts from our hearts. [Matthew 15:18-20] [Matthew 12:34]

The image of God was shattered. In sanctification it will touch and heal every part of man that was affected by sin. It will restore again to the image of God.

[Ephesians 4:22-24] [Colossians 3:10]

Regeneration is the head of the fountain and sanctification is the cleansing flow of the water to all the parts, cleansing agent. Regeneration is instantaneous but sanctification is progressive. Sanctification is an immediate work of the Holy Spirit on the souls of the believers, purifying and cleansing from the pollution of sin and renewing to the image of God through Jesus.

Not only is there guilt in the sin but there is pollution of sin. It is the pollution of sin that is opposed to God’s holiness. Pollution of sin keeps men away from the holy God. [John 3:19-21]

We are called the temple of God. We are the temple of the living God. 2 Cor. 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” [also 29:45] We must allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse our temple so we will be sanctified unto God for holy purposes.

Read 2 Kings 23:1-6 ~King Josiah’s cleansing the temple
Read Matthew 21:12-13 ~ Jesus cleansing the temple
Read Psalm 79:1-9

When a vessel, cup, altar, or instrument was set apart for divine worship it was never used for common purposes again. So, to sum up the laver for us: The priests (Aaron & his sons) had already made the sacrifice at the Brazen Altar. They had blood on their hands and dirt on their feet from their walk from the altar to the Laver. They could not take the uncleanness- representing the pollution of sin into the holy place. They now had to be cleaned of this residue [be set apart], be made holy. Nothing unclean can come before God. This too is a separation as He is separating clean = holy from unclean = residue of sin. To stand in the presence of God, we must be set apart, sanctified, made clean; otherwise, we would be consumed by God’s holiness.

2^nd Assembly in Revelation: Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9. ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life. {Give ear} 11. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me.’”

Rev. 1:18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

This was a set apart people. They were a holy people. Did this mean they would not be persecuted or have trials and tribulations? No, Jesus told them to be faithful until death and He will give them a crown of life. They are a sanctified people [set apart]. They will have persecutions, but He will be there in the end. He is telling them to stand firm in their faith, unwavering.

Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:6 Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.

Exodus 12:14-20 (summarized): 7 days you shall eat unleavened bread.

On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses.
If you eat anything leavened from the 1^st day until the 7^th day “that person shall be cut off from Israel.”
Must observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread- for on this day God brought Israel’s host out of the land of Egypt.
It is a permanent ordinance from God.
He tells us when: In the 1^st month (Biblical), on the 14^th day of the month at evening – you shall eat unleavened bread, until the 21^st day of the month at evening.
7 days there shall be found no leaven in your house.

Deut. 16:8 Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God; you shall do no work on it.

6 days no leaven shall be eaten
7^th day – solemn assembly to the Lord – no work on this day.

Significance: Unleavened Bread speaks of sanctification. Jesus was set apart. His body would not decay in the grave.

In the bible leaven symbolizes error or evil. It is the substance that causes fermentation.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread proclaims that Christ’s physical body would not experience the ravages of death while in the grave; for He was sanctified (set apart) by God the Father.

4682 matstsah (mats-tsaw) from 4711 in the sense of greedily devouring for sweetness; properly, sweetness; concretely, sweet (i.e. not soured or bittered with yeast); specifically, an unfermented cake or loaf, or (elliptically) the festival of Passover (because no leaven was used then) : -- unleavened (bread, cake), without leaven.

Bethlehem: House of Bread.

Matthew 16:12; Mark 8:14-15; Luke 12:1; Romans 6:13-22; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Jesus is our House of Bread. There was no leaven in Him, i.e. no sin or malice. His body would not decay in the grave because He was set apart [sanctified] by God. He was different. Death had no hold on him.

Leaven is symbolic of the sin in our lives. Pride (puffed up), malice, bitterness, etc., etc.~ disobedience to God ~living for self. God has called us to be set apart. Remember the exodus from Egypt. Israel was freed from the slavery of sin. This is representative of sanctification. We are daily called out; set apart, sanctified…this is not a one time thing.

So, we draw to an end the comparison of Day 2 Creation, The Laver, Unleavened Bread, & the 2^nd Assembly in the Book of Revelation. The connection that I put together through this study is they are all talking, teaching about sanctification.

This study took me longer to complete than the others I have worked on. I was tested throughout this study. Immediately after starting this study, we went through two attacks on my daughter. I cannot go into detail on these attacks, but I can say that I believe these were a test for me. As parents we all carry the attitude of, “Do what you like to me, but leave my kids alone.” Well, God, I believe, wanted to see how I would react to these attacks. Would I hold to my faith, as he instructed the 2^nd Assembly in Revelation, or would I give to flesh and react in anger? I found myself having to ask these questions and make a choice. I believe we are a called out group. We are walking in the progression of sanctification. How will we react to the persecution, the attacks, being thrown in prison? Will we hold our faith until death or will we cave in to human nature and walk with the pollution of sin. I can say that thankfully I took these things to God in prayer. My prayer was and still is that everything I do or say will bring glory and honor to Him, my blessed creator. God is faithful. He will give us a heart of forgiveness if we ask for it. He makes a way of escape, we must choose it.

God's Unfailing Mercy

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:43:00 -0500

Good afternoon. I shared with you all a few weeks back that I had started a new job. Well, just let me reiterate that this was God's will for me. More confirmation of this has just been pouring in like you would not believe. God's timing is remarkable. He had me start this new job in the slow season. When I say slow, I mean R-E-A-L S--L--O--W--! There is hardly anything to do and the phones barely ring. I almost feel guilty getting paid to just sit there. We are so slow that they have told me if I want to bring a book to read they don't mind. So, I took them up on it. I have been bringing my Bible and notebooks. They are actually paying me to sit there and study my Bible! This is certainly a God thing. When I am at home I have things demanding my time and I struggle sometimes with how do I do it all and so often I have made the mistake of postponing my study time. God is allowing me to get EXTRA study time at work. This is so awesome. I just praise Him for this time He has granted me.

I would now, like to share some of the teachings I have gone through this week. I have done some studying in the 1st parts of Genesis. The notes which are about to follow are NOT notes that I took from this study, but notes a dear friend of mine sent to me. I pray you are able to glean something from these notes and encourage you not to fall into the same traps I have in the past with putting off your study time. Make time to study....to draw near to God...and He will draw near to you.

Questions and Concepts for Parsha Berei****

(Genesis 1:1 - 6:8)

The first few chapters of Genesis make up one of the two foundational texts for "deeper" Torah study, (Torah is God's instructions. The 1st 5 books of the Bible.),with Ezekiel's "chariot" vision being the other. The Genesis account proceeds from God, through the heavenly realm, down to man on earth. Ezekiel's vision is the converse, from man on earth, through the spiritual realm, up to God. If one attempts to take a strict literal/chronological view to Genesis, many inconsistencies seem to appear. For instance, in 1:2 it says the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, yet these waters are not created yet. In chapter 1, Adam and Eve are created at the same time, whereas in Chapter 2, Eve is created subsequent to Adam. Genesis 1:12 shows vegetation on the earth, but 2:5 says there was not yet vegetation. The aforementioned conflicts are difficult to resolve at the literal level. The deeper level of Hebraic understanding (called the "sod") often offers the explanation. Put in simple terms, creation emerged in "stages" each one associated with a certain "level of existence." (Each one of these levels is called a "world" in Hebraic study.) The first of these "worlds" is present even prior to creation (before Genesis 1:1), as man was already "created" in the "mind" of God. This is the "image" to which man was made.Beginning with Genesis 1:1, we are dealing with three such worlds "within creation." These worlds are distinguished as follows: A. Man before he was placed in Gan Edan (the Garden of Eden) B. Man living in Gan Edan C. Man after he was expelled from Gan Edan Man before Gan Edan (Genesis 1:1 through 2:3) did not exist in the physical realm that we live in--in fact, he did not have any "form" as such. This only comes with his placement in Gan Edan. (Where did Adam "reside" before God put him in the "garden"?) Even in Gan Edan, man was still a spiritual entity--with some type of "form"however. He did not receive his present physical manifestation until being expelled from Gan Edan in Genesis 3:24. At the "sod" level, the "garments" God gave to Adam and his wife in Genesis 3:21 means the corporeal bodies they would need to exist in the physical world after being expelled from Gan Edan. These four worlds of existence for man are found within this verse: "Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."(Isaiah 43:7)Corresponding to these worlds of creation, we see three different names for God being used. Prior to Gan Edan, God is called by the name Elohim. During the time Adam lives in Gan Edan, God is called by the combined name YHVH-Elohim. Subsequent to Gan Edan, God is know simply as YHVH.The name Elohim is associated with the attributes of judgment and restrictiveness. These attributes were necessary to "set aside aplace 'apart' from God" in order for anything else to exist, as well as setting the limits and rules of creation. The combined name YHVH-Elohim shows the harmony between the judgmental and merciful aspects of both God and man, as existed in the time of Gan Edan. The name YHVH by itself indicates God's mercy that permeates the physical world which came into realization, post-Gan Edan, allowing it to exist with God's provision.
In Genesis 1:4, God "separates" between light and darkness. As only things that can be mixed together can be separated, and as darkness is the absence of light, it is difficult to understand how they could be "separated." At the deeper level, the term "separated" means "set aside". This "light" is a special light that has been set aside for the righteous in the world to come. ( See Deuteronomy 4:41.)
There is a subtle yet significant spelling variation found in verse 2:7. The term "create" is normally spelled "tvav-yud-yud-tzadi-resh" - with two "yuds". The Hebrew sages interpret this as meaning that man has been created for both this world and for another world after he is resurrected. This is the first "hint" at the idea of resurrection found in Scripture.
In Genesis 2:7 we are told man comes from the dust of hte earth, and that God blew into man's nostrils the breath of life. This shows that man exists both below in the physical world and above in the spiritual world(s).
In Genesis 2:9 God warns Adam not to "eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil." In the Aramaic translation (i.e., Targum Onkelos) this verse is translated in a verbal form as: "...the eaters of whose fruit would discriminate between good and evil." Here, "discriminating between good and evil" is seen in a negative connotation. this of course appears to make little sense. Again, the answer is found at a deeper level. Simply stated, everything that comes into our lives is allowed by God. The only "choice" we have is how to react. (The Talmudic saying is; "Everything is under the fear of heaven except the fear of heaven.") Thus, at a "higher level" (where Adam was and where we strive to be) we should view both "good" and "evil" as having the same purpose and source--they both come from God and exist in order for us to be brought closer to God (i.e., Romans 5:3-5). To "discriminate" between them, in the sense of attributing only "good" things as being from God, and what we perceive as "bad" as ultimately coming from anything but God, is wrong.
Verses 3:1 and 3:14 are the first to mention of an important principle found throughout Scripture called midah k'neged midah-- "measure for measure" (punishment or reward). As the serpent was the more cunning than any other creature (3:1) he was punished for his transgression more than any other creature (3:14).
In verse 3:3 Eve replies to the serpent that she was not to eat or touch the fruit of the tree. This was not what God said however, He only commanded not to eat. Eve's "adding to the Word of God" was used by the serpent to deceive her.

Consider this concept:

Genesis 2:10 mentions the river that comes from Eden to "water the garden." The river is associated with the flow of God's spiritual provision for the earth. (Note that it reappears in Revelation chapter 22). Genesis 2:10 contains three Hebrew verb forms, indicating past, present, and future. Elsewhere in Scripture, God is called the one who was, who is, and who shall be and Yeshua is said to be the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The Hebrew word for truth, emeth, is made up of the beginning, middle, and the ending letters of the alphabet (aleph-mem-tav). The numerical value of "emeth"is 441, which is 21 squared. God described Himself to Moses as, "I am that I am." The numerical value of "I am" (ehyeh) is 21.

May something said here today be a nugget for you to take with you. God Bless You and have a GREAT week.

Regina

High and Low

Sat, 6 Oct 2007 15:54:00 -0500

God desired a dwelling place in the lower realms. With these words our sages describe the divine purpose in creation.

What are the lower realms? It is common to refer to the spiritual as higher than the material, and to the physical universe as the lowest of God's creations. But are these designations truly justified? After all, God not only created all spiritual and physical entites but also the very concepts of spirituality and physicality. He transcends both realms equally and, at the same time, is equally present in both, for His all-embracing truth knows no limit or categorization. So why should the spiritual be deemed loftier than the physical?

To understand why the physical is indeed lower than the spiritual, we must first examine the meaning of the term olam, the Hebrew word for world. Olam means concealment. A world is a framework or context within which things exist; and in order for anything to exist, a concealment must first take place.

The reason for this is that the basic (and only) law of existence is that there is none else besides Him ~ that God is the only true existence and that nothing exists outside of His allpervading reality. In order for anything else to possess even the slightest semblance of somethingness or selfhood, this truth must be veiled and obscured. Hence God's creation of worlds - concealments within which things may exist distinct and apart (at least in their own conception) from the all-nullifying reality of God.

God created both higher spiritual creations and lower physical ones. The difference between them lies not in their essential closeness to or separateness from God, but in the degree of the concealment their worlds provide. A lesser concealment may allow for things to exist, but these existences will be conscious of their Creator and utterly subservient to Him, acknowledging their total dependence upon Him. In this there are many gradations and degrees - the greater the concealment in any given world, the more of a self the creations of that world will possess.

In this sense, the physical world is the lowest world of all. So great is the physical worlds concealment of Godliness, that the selfhood of its inhabitants is absolute: by nature, the physical object or creature strives only for its own preservation and advancement, regarding its own existence as the axis around which all else revolves. The world of the physical not only dims its divine source but obscures it entirely, even allowing for creations that deny their own origin and essence.

As you read the above, put some deep thought into it. What is this saying to you? I tried this. I answered the questions as I read through this and drew a conclusion. My thoughts on the above are below:

What are the lower realms? :- Earth (man/woman/animals, etc).
Are these designations truly justified? :- Yes. Angels are closer to God, in that they carry out His will. They stand in His presence without being consumed.
Why should the spiritual be deemed loftier than the physical? :- In the spiritual you are closer to a ONENESS with God. You know, REALLY know, your Creator.
Olam: Concealment. A world is a framework or context within which things exist, a concealment must first take place. :- A wheel within a wheel.
Nothing exist without God. He created all~EVERYTHING.
A lesser concealment may allow for things to exist, but these existences will be conscious of their creator and utterly subservient to Him, acknowledging their total dependence upon Him.:- This, to me, is the angels. They know God created them, they worship him, they carry out His work; but there is NO freewill. They can't choose.
The greater the concealment in any given world, the more of a self the creations of that world will possess. :- This, to me, equals a free will. Without choice there isn't love, there isn't relationship. That's not to say the angels don't love God, they just can't choose to lvoe him. They were created to do so.

We, as humans, revolve around self. Some of us don't even see a need for God in our lives. We have to "die to self/flesh" to live for and know God. God, I think, removes some of the concealment ~ blinders from our eyes so we can know he is there, know He is God ~ choose to worship & love him.

He circumcises our hearts to remind us we need him, then removes the blinders little by little so we can catch glimpses of him until we can see him face to face (like Moses) without being consumed.

We can choose more concealment. We have free will. Some of us would rather try to do it all on our own as if we are God. We want to be, and ofter times make, ourselves our gods/idols. This, of course, comes with consequences. Separation from God instead of unity with Him.

I pray I have said something here that you can hold to. I hope I have given you just a little nugget to take with you and may God increase that nugget as you seek Him. I once heard, "We did for something which is of value to us." This statement is so true.

God bless you.

Comparison of Jonah and Peter

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:18:00 -0500

Below I have a comparison between Jonah and Peter that I did as part of a Bible study. I pray you will be able to glean some information from it. This is just what I drew out of this study.

Thank you for taking the time to review this.

God bless You.

Regina

Jonah: An Israelite

# 5352: na qah naw kaw’: A primitive root; to be (or make) clean (literally or figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be bare, i.e. extirpated:- acquit X at all, X altogether, be blameless, cleanse, be clear (ing), cut off, be desolate, be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, X by no means, be quit, be (leave) unpunished, X utterly, X wholly.

# 5355: na qiy naw kee’: innocent-blameless, clean, clear, exempted, free, guiltless, innocent, quit.

Peter:

6358: patywr paw-toor’: passive participle of 6362- opened, i.e. (as noun) a bud:- open

6359: patiyr paw teer’ from 6362- open, i.e. unoccupied:- free

6362: patar paw tar’: a primitive root, to cleave or burst through, i.e. (causatively) to emit, whether literal or figurative (gape) :- dismiss, free, let (shoot) out, slip away.

6363: Peter peh’ter or pitrah (pit-raw) from 6362, a fissure, i.e. (concretely) firstling (as opening the matrix) firstling, openeth, such as open.

Jonah	Simon (Peter)
To make clean, to be bare, acquit	Opened, a bud- open
To be blameless, cleanse, clear, cut off	Open- unoccupied, free
Desolate , free, guiltless, innocent	To cleave, burst through, to emit, dismiss
Be quit, unpunished utterly, wholly	Free, let out, slip away
	Firstling (as opening the matrix),
	Openeth, such as open

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Jonah

God called Jonah to go to Nineveh (Assyria) & speak against it (the words the Lord told him) so the people would repent.
Jonah didn’t want to! He did not like them. He would rather see them go to hell than repent. So he ran from God. He was headed in another direction; Tarshish. (He went to Joppa to get to Tarshish.)
The sailors started out crying out to their gods, but before they threw Jonah overboard they cried out to his God, the one TRUE God.
The sailors “feared” the lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of WISDOM.
Chapter 1:17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, & Jonah was in the stomach of the fish 3 nights & 3 days. (Jesus was in the grave 3 nights and 3 days.
Jonah was thrown overboard- the waves pounded him. He was near death & he cried out to God. God sent the big fish to swallow him. He was thankful. God brought him from the “pit”. – He remembered the ways of God and God saved him.

(Jesus descended to the pit before being resurrected.)

God called to Jonah again to go to Nineveh & proclaim His wrath. Jonah obeyed.
The people heard Jonah. The people believed in God. They called a fast and changed from their wicked ways. (They repented & God relented.)

What season is this? It could have been Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

God relented; he did not destroy them.
Jonah became angry with God because the people repented and were spared destruction.
Jonah knew that God is merciful, gracious, & compassionate. He knew God’s loving kindness.
Jonah prayed for death. He would rather die than see these people saved. He had not forgiven them.
Jonah left the city. God caused a plant to grow to provide him shade and Jonah was happy.
God sent a worm to kill the plant. The sun came up and beat on Jonah’s head and God sent a strong hot wind (scorching). Jonah again prayed for death.
God told Jonah that he (Jonah) had compassion on a plant that he didn’t make grow, so how much more should God have compassion on Nineveh?

Peter (also went through Joppa)

1. In Matthew chapter 16, the Pharisees come to test Jesus. They asked him for a sign. He asked them if they knew how to discern the skies, but cannot discern signs of the times. (seasons)

2. He tells them a wicked and adulterous generation seeks the signs. He tells them the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah (3 nights & 3 days).

3. After the test of the Pharisees & Saducees the disciples came up, but they forgot bread. Jesus told them to watch out & beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees.

4. The disciples thought he was saying that because they didn’t bring bread, but Jesus corrected them. He wasn’t talking about the leaven of their bread, but of their teaching.

5. Jesus asks the disciples who the people say he is.

6. They reply that some say his is John the Baptist, or Elijah; but still others called him Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

7. He then asks then, “But who do you say I am?”

8. V 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” V.17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

9. As we reflect back to the book of Jonah, it says, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah”, and told him to go to Nineveh. In Matthew v17 we see Jesus told Peter that God had revealed to him who he was. Both Jonah and Peter studied the Torah. They both knew the season. They knew what time it was because of studying and following Torah.

10. In Matthew v 4 Jesus had told the Pharisees and Saducees the only sign would be the sign of Jonah. Peter knew who Jesus was because of studying Torah. He knew the season. This is partly why Jesus called him Son of Jonah.

11. In Matthew 16:22-23 Jesus had already told the disciples what would happen to him, but Peter being very upset, did not want this to happen. He said, “God forbid it.” Jesus then rebuked him and called him a stumbling block because he did not want God’s will; Jesus as our sacrifice, to save many; but he wanted his will…Jesus there with him as teacher. He loved Jesus.

Jonah did not want God’s will, the people of Nineveh spared. No, he would rather die. Peter did not want God’s will, Jesus to suffer as the sacrificial lamb that many (all) may have life. He wanted Jesus there with him!

Jonah’s name means acquittal- to make clean, cleanse, hence the repentance of Nineveh.

Peter’s name means a bud-open, to cleave or burst through, free, let shoot out, slip away-open.

Hence through Jesus’ sacrifice the barrier between us and God (sin) would be open. We would have an advocate with God. An opening to God.

Sukkot: The Feast of the Trumpets

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 00:06:00 -0500

Leviticus 23:2,4 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say ynto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My Feasts... 4. These are the Feast of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumsion is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The Feast of Trumpets is a memorial Sabbath, a day of special significance, designed to bring the faithful into remembrance before the Almighty.

I had an opportunity to join a group of people who were keeping the feast called Sukkoth. They had their sukka and a beautiful Sabbath meal. It was so beautiful. I hope to join them again and get some pictures of the sukka. It was so wonderful, encouraging, soothing to be in the company of these people and in the company of God.

I am not a great authority on the feasts of God. In fact, I am just starting to learn about the feasts. I can tell you though, that since starting to learn about them, God has brought me into a deeper relationship with him. My whole life I have been taught that the commandments in the Old Testaments were "The Law" and that God knew no one could live by the law and that was why Jesus came. "Jesus nailed it all to the cross." I believed this, but as I study I find that yes Jesus came to the earth, died on the cross, and was resurrected for us; but NOT to do away with the commandments. Matthew 5:17-18 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

Jesus did not come to do away with God's commandments, He came to show us how to keep them! He loves us! To look at these feasts and commands through our natural eyes, it seems an impossible task, trying to keep them. To the natural eye, it looks like legalism; but when you look at them through God's eyes it is AMAZING

My family and I recently started keeping the Sabbath. Honoring God on the Sabbath, and TRULY resting. We have seen SO many blessings through trying to obey God's commands. I say trying because I haven't learned it all, but I am trying to put some feet to my faith and walk in the TRUTH that I learn.

As we prepared for Sabbath dinner in the sukka, we had the lighting of the candles and the blessing, the we had the blessing of the wives. This was so beautiful. They read Proverbs 31, the virtuous wife. Once they completed the reading of the scripture, one of the gentlemen stood and told how God had blessed him with a virtuous woman. He then proposed to her! It was AMAZING!! There aren't enough words to express the beauty of Sukkot. Once we completed these parts, another gentleman blessed the children.

The feasts are not binding like legalism, but are freeing. They bring you closer to God. Torah (the 1st 5 books of the Bible) was translated as The Law, but a more accurate translation is The Instruction. The Torah is the instruction of God. I am NOT suggesting that we do not live by the New Covenant (New Testament), I am saying that I believe we should take the Bible as a whole. I believe we should live by the Torah as well. As far as the blood sacrifices during the feasts, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. We do not have to sacrifice lambs, bulls, & rams. Our spotless lamb was sacrificed because of His love for us.

Sukkot is 7 days. May you consider learning about Sukkot and other feasts and Sabbaths of God. He will truly bless you. As you read and study these, do not do it in your own understanding, but ask God to reveal His Truth to you. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.

God Bless You.

Blessings in What Looks Like Failures

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:07:00 -0500

Hello Again My Friends,
This week has been a real challenge for me and at times I must admit I felt as if I had failed. (This wasn't something someone told me, just what my mind was telling me.) You see, September 7th was my last day of work at the doctor's office I have worked at for 7 years. I start my new job (clerical in a fertilizer company) on September 24th. I had 2 weeks at home and BIG PLANS! I was going to de-clutter my home and get everything organized BEFORE starting the new job. Things went pretty good the 1st week at home. I seemed to get a good bit accomplished. Then, last Saturday I started with what I thought was a head cold. By Sunday it was moving into my chest. By Tuesday I have full blown Bronchitis (still with the head part of it). I am on a powerful antibiotic and an inhaler to try to help break up the congestion in my chest. I am physically very tired. So, boy has this cramped my style in getting my home in order. I have hardly managed to get the bare essentials done. I do a little work, then I must take a LONG rest. Of course, to me, this feels like failure. I had so hoped and dreamed of getting things in order.

As if this wasn't bad enough, I made an error in our check book. We have ONE automatic draft (our insurance) and I FORGOT to subtract it out! We have had this thing for YEARS but I still forgot! Of course, it hit before I was able to make a deposit. So needless to say I had a fee from my bank plus the amount of this automatic draft that I wasn't planning to pay this week.

Sounds pretty crummy...well, I am NOT going to sit and whine about what happened because as bad as this all sounds there is SOME good in it. 1st blessing: Wednesday (after a horrible night trying to sleep and cough on Tuesday) my DH and DDs left me in bed! I slept until 4:00pm. I could NOT believe I slept the whole day away, but I did feel better when I got up and started moving. 2nd blessing: This was also the day I discovered my mistake in the check book and I was so worried about what DH would say. Here is the blessing part. He reacted TOTALLY different than I imagined. I had imagined this grizzly bear asking me how I could forget something that has been coming out for years. You know, with the yelling and look of disappointment.
() That is NOT what he did though. His reply was more along the lines of "No, this is NOT a good thing, but you are almost always right on top of things. The bills get paid because you do it. You know when things are due and you take care of them. You usually do very well with this and I am sure this is not as bad as it seems right now. You are human and humans do make mistakes." Boy was I shocked and happy. I knew God had heard my desperate prayers. You see, I was more worried about DH's reaction than I was my actual mistake. This mistake COULD have cost us a lot of money, but in the end it cost us $25. Our bank has an overdraft protection plan. They paid the insurance and charged me $25 for not having the funds there. Praise to God, EVERYTHING outstanding had cleared BEFORE this insurance payment, so this was the ONLY overdraft we had! What a blessing.
Blessing 3: DH & DDs all knew what I had planned as far as home went. While EVERYTHING I had hoped to get done hasn't, a lot has gotten done because of them. They have ALL pitched in and helped get things a little more under control. I am so BLESSED to have this family! Blessing 4: My mom has been helping DDs with their school to try to allow me to rest.

So, after reviewing the blessings....my week has NOT been a total failure after all. Life throws obstacles and all sorts of bad things at us, but if we look hard enough we can usually find a blessing somewhere in there. As I was having my quiet time with God and reviewing this week with all of its ups and downs, the following verse spoke volumes to me. You see, I was still having my pity party when I started my quiet time. I had to ask forgiveness. God is showing me that I can be content no matter what my circumstances are as long as I go through those circumstances with HIM!

Php 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I pray something here has encouraged you in some way. May you have a blessed week end and upcoming week.
Love,
Regina

Please leave comments if you would like. I enjoy reading them.

Introduction

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:26:00 -0500

Good evening all. My name is Regina. I live in beautiful South Carolina, USA. I am the mother of 2 very beautiful DDs. The oldest one will be 14 in October and the younger is 10. We are in a house full of Hormones!! There are times when I wonder if we will make it through these teenage years without some one being medicated. Ha! Ha!

My DH of 15 years (16 in Nov.) is a truck driver. He used to be over the road, but thankfully is home daily now. He generally works 6 nights a week. We tend to meet in passing. He speaks as he is going to bed and I am heading out the door for work. Yes, I said work. I work a full time job outside of the home as well as try to homeschool my children.

We have been homeschooling approximately 7 yrs now. We started when DD13 was in second grade. She went to a private school for kindergarten and 1st grade. She was in kindergarten when the tragedy at Columbine happened. I still remember how heart-breaking it was having her ask me if she was going to get shot at school like all of those other children did. This is when God started birthing in me a desire to homeschool. As we all are, I was reluctant when this calling 1st came. I did not think I could do it, and especially not sense I work outside of the home and finances (and sanity levels) didn't allow for me to come home. All throughout 1st grade she expressed concerns that her teacher did not like her. At 1st I dismissed it as a child who didn't want to go to school, but the more I listened to her, the more I thought she might be on to something. This, too, broke my heart.

As the year progressed we found ourselves in dire straits financially. My husband was unable to work for 16 months due to health issues and we simply could not afford the private school on just my income. (Funny how God gets us to do WHAT he is calling us to do. ) I started attempting to be obedient by researching homeschooling. I only know one other family who had done this. They were a true blessing! God then directed me to a book in our local library: "The Survivor's Guide To Homeschooling". This truly was a God send! I read this book, renewed it, and gave it to my mother. When I 1st told her I was planning to homeschool, she asked me if I had lost my mind! (She was serious! ) My reply to her was that this might be the most sane thing I had ever done. Now...the hard part....what curriculum should I use?????? Thanks to the previously mentioned book, we decided to start with Bob Jones University. I was very impressed with this curriculum. I really liked the way it used biblical principles for teaching...i.e. precept upon precept. We used this for the 1st 3 years of DD13's homeschool experience.

When she started the 5th grade we moved to Switched on Schoolhouse through Alpha Omega productions. I learned about this curriculum through the lady who worked in our local Christian bookstore. My DD13 had been wanting to get report cards and this curriculum offered that! It also tremendously helps me with my compliance forms for our accountability association.

I have worked the last 7 years in a local doctor's office as a receptionist. God recently moved me from here. The last 2 weeks I have been home with my family before starting my new job. I will still be in the clerical field, but no longer medical. I am going to work in a fertilizer company. I know nothing about fertilizer except you use it in gardening and with your household flowers, etc. This will be totally new for me, but I have a tremendous peace about it. I know this is where God is sending me. The people I am going to work for are Christians. They also homeschooled a few of their children, who are now homeschooling the grandchildren. It's nice how God puts like-minded people together.

I am totally new to blogging. I pray this didn't bore you too much. Maybe next time I can talk a little about how I manage to do both... homeschool and work.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my ramblings.
God bless you.