Shabbat Q & A

Question from a reader: How do I avoid the little jobs on Shabbat?

Answer: It takes planning to truly be able to rest on Shabbat. If you don't plan, things will creep up and need handling on Shabbat. Here is a list of tips that I have learned in the last few years as I try to set Shabbat apart. Some may work for you, and some may not. Take what works for you. :)

• Use paper plates for Friday night and Saturday. Leave those plates at the table and use them for each meal. Then you don't have to keep clearing and setting the table.
• Begin preparation day on Thursday. I really need the extra day to get everything done.
• Keep a simple menu on Shabbat. We eat roughly the same thing every week, to save thinking of something new.
• Do the laundry on Friday. This particularly holds true for diapers. I wash the diapers on Friday, no matter what. I don't want to risk running out and having to wash in an emergency.
• Start Shabbat with a clean kitchen and a clean house, as much as possible. Then if you need to sweep up the crumbs from Saturday breakfast real quick, it's not that big a deal.
• Use the crock pot. We have crockpot lasagna every Friday night. It goes in before lunch and I know dinner is taken care of. Then I can focus on cleaning, etc. (Our lasagna is vegetarian with broccoli and chickpeas, yum!)
• If you are eating veggies and dip on Shabbat, cut the veggies up on Thursday and put them in baggies. All you have to do on Shabbat is dump them on a tray.
• Teach the children to not make a mess on Shabbat. (still working on this one :)
• Assemble a "treasure chest" for Shabbat. Fill it with quiet, non messy activities for the kids, such as: coloring books, Bible dvds, simple games, music for dancing, ideas for scavenger hunts, Bible themed toys, felt sets, colored pencils, origami, puzzles etc. It only comes out on Shabbat and then gets stored during the week. Rotate the contents periodically.
• Keep yourself occupied with reading material, new teachings, an idea for a Bible study, music to listen to or dance with the kids. Go for a walk outdoors to enjoy creation.
• Keep things tidy during Shabbat by picking up the one item on the floor. If it gets to ten items on the floor, I think it's starting to look like work.
• Enjoy your day off. Really! You don't have to work! I love that no one can ask me to do anything, and I have Scripture to back me up. It's not selfishness or laziness. It's enjoying the gift that YHVH gave me.

Here are a few resources that you might find helpful in your home on Shabbat. They have found a happy home in our family.

• Shalom Sesame
• The Bedtime Sh'ma book and The Bedtime Sh'ma CD
• As Long as I Breathe by Zemar Levav
• Doorposts - A Day of Delight (translate ideas to Saturday rather than Sunday)

What do you do to make Shabbat go a little smoother? How do you avoid little jobs on Shabbat, and keep the day special for your family? Please share by leaving a comment.

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Shabbat Shalom!

Wow, we are only a few hours from sunset! I have had a wonderful day. I made a list and managed to get everything done. I tried really hard to set the mood, which I often overlook due to time constraints. I put a tablecloth out, set the table early, put music on, etc. Everyone responded to the atmosphere and we had a pleasant dinner. It was worth the extra effort, and I felt so much more relaxed.

Tomorrow we plan to listen to some teachings at El Shaddai Ministries by Frank Seekins.

Find it here.

Have a wonderful Shabbat!

27 days

Noah has been here for 27 days now, and, boy, has he grown! He is already 10 lbs. which is just amazing to me. He looks so much bigger now, and is attempting to make facial expressions, which is so cute. He also reaches out to grab me with his hands, which is a reflex, but so sweet. He loves to just look around and gaze at faces. This picture was hard to get, because he was squirming so much, and the picture kept coming out blurry. :)

This is a picture of cousins getting together on Shabbat. It was an impromptu get together which made for a pleasant afternoon.

Our days are getting progressively smoother. We are settling into a new normal. I think the biggest help for me was giving myself permission to just be myself. I'm not the woman with the immaculate house, and I never will be. People want to be with me because they enjoy my lighthearted company and my smile, not my neatly folded clean laundry. Which is a good thing, because I don't think I have any neatly folded clean laundry lol! There is a line from a movie that goes: If you look people in the eye, they won't notice what you are wearing. That is so true! It also seems true that if I am my normal confident colorful self, people won't notice my surroundings. :) Does this mean that I let everything slide and put a sign on my door that reads, "My house was clean yesterday, sorry you missed it," hoping no one will notice? Actually, I have found the opposite to be true. The less I worry about other people's standards, the more relaxed I become. The more relaxed I am, the more I accomplish. I feel like taking the time to read a story to the kids. I find delight in wiping that counter before I head off to bed. I'm really glad I tried that sourdough chocolate cake recipe. I don't feel guilty about ordering a kindle for myself with the cashback from our credit card. (It will be here Friday!)

In other words, I like me, and I would rather be me than try to fit in someone else's lifebox. I am the only one suited for my situation and I can handle it best when I embrace everything that YHVH put within me. If we can get a hold of this, it can only lead to good things! Many smiles to each of you. :)

I'm still alive

I think I will ramble for a few minutes, just so you know I am still alive.  It has been a very full couple of weeks and I have many things on my mind that I am trying to process.

School has been going well.  We are now halfway through the year.  If we maintain a good pace, we should finish roughly near my due date.  I have had a frantic need to have all their schoolwork lined up for the next, well, year and a half.  I am trying to stick with the Heart of Wisdom science and history rotation.  We will be heading into year 2.  I have decided to get a jump start, so we are in the middle of studying oceans right now.  Then we will spend some time on Ancient Greece.  That has been a tricky one for me.  I am trying to teach my children to think hebraically rather than greek.  How do I maintain that teaching when every study out there glorifies the Greeks, even though they ran around naked, abandoned their babies, and worshipped false gods?  The answer: Do it myself. 

Which leads me to another thing that has been heavy on my mind, the sanctity of life.  I struggle with the view our society has of life.  Even "believers" in the church, who march to stop abortions, will raise their eyebrows when you dare to have another child.  Am I missing something here?  I am allowing YHVH to bless me with another life to raise for Him, but that is not a wise choice?  Before which of my children was I supposed to stop having children?  Torah resounds with a very clear message: CHOOSE LIFE! 
Moses said it well:
 (Deu 30:19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,


(Deu 30:20) loving YHVH your Elohim, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that YHVH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

The Jews teach that to save one life is to save the world, paraphrased by memory.  Then I have saved six and hope I will have the opportunity to save more.  Life is precious, and we should reach for it with open arms, whether it be another baby, or a gramma who can no longer take care of herself.  CHOOSE LIFE!

I was blessed to learn that a friend of ours was blessed with a beautiful 5 lb. baby boy, and got him circumcised on the eighth day.  Praise YHVH!

Hopefully very soon I will know when I am due and who is in that big belly of mine.  My ultrasound is in just over a week.  Be praying for us as we have a three hour drive one way.  Hopefully before then I will have finished Doug's sweater and my final college assignment, which includes the chapters in my book from Beresheet to Shemot.

Writing has also been on my mind alot lately.  I feel such an urgency and a vacuum.  We need Torah based materials to teach our children.  But the resources available are few and far between.  (I am thankful for the ones I have found.)  I tried my hand at writing a science unit study this week, just to see if I had what it took.  I enjoyed working on it very much, but yesterday as I was writing, I felt a tremendous heaviness.  I asked YHVH, What do you want me to write?  "Torah, torah, torah.  My people need Torah."  So I will write about Torah.  I don't know near enough, but the value is not in handing people a pretty package with all the work done.  The value is in sending them on the journey to find the jewels for themselves.

I think I shall stop for now.  I am heading for a nice soak in the tub, which will hopefully relieve the pain and achiness I have been having in my thigh.  I assume it is due to the rapid shift in weight I have been experiencing. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Shabbat.  I am looking forward to resting after the busy week I have had.  Shabbat Shalom!

Psalm 37:6 Hebrew word study

Psalm 37:6

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.


Tsedeq - righteous - This is the idea of behaving right, walking a straight path, and performing justice.

Ore - light - Refers to light that brings brightness and order, enabling you to see where things are, etc.

Mishpat - judgment - This word involves making a judgment with discretion and according to the law.

Tsohar - noonday - This is a light that shines bright, sometimes described as a double light. A shimmering, glowing olive oil is also involved in this word. It is interesting to note that the olive is crushed before you get to oil. Some roots of this word involve pressing and crushing.

So here is my humble attempt at a better understanding of this verse.

Each day, decide to do what is right. How do we know what is right? By following what is prescribed in the law, YHVH’s law. The weightiest matters of the law are justice, mercy, and faith. We must use discretion and fairness in our dealings. We must have compassion on those around us, particularly those less fortunate. We must trust YHVH to keep His promises as we do our best to obey. When we do, He promises to make our efforts shine like a bright light. Those around us will be able to see clearly and know what to do because of our example. They will be able to bring order to their lives by seeing the law obeyed in our lives. In order for our light to be extra bright, we must undergo some testing and growing. We must do right even when it’s hard. But we can trust that YHVH will use our righteousness to help others to do the same. They will be blessed through us.

 

Psalm 37:4 Hebrew word study

(Psa 37:4) Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.


Anag - Delight- This is a rather surprising word. It gives an image of luxurious softness and pure pleasure. Picture sinking into soft satin sheets and being waited on. This is the type of pleasure we should get when we spend time with YHVH.

Nathan - Give- This word simply means to give as a gift.

Mish alah - Desires- The base of this word is to draw out. It can refer to the spoils of battle, prosperity, or unknown knowledge.

Lev - Heart- In Hebrew thought, the heart is the center of our being, our inside authority, or base for wisdom, understanding, and thought.

To put this verse in a more Hebrew context, it might look like this.

When you spend time with YHVH, bask in the luxurious and rich experience of being in His presence. Receive each bit of wisdom as a gift. Find your wholeness and completeness in Him. Then He will surprise you, and give you gifts far beyond what you can imagine. He will search your deepest being, the part of you that you barely know. He knows the part of you that you dare not share with anyone else. He knows what you always dreamed of, but feared you would never realize. He delights in giving you those very things that you thought you would never see. He also wishes to give you wisdom, understanding, and peace. He will make your desires His desires as you delight in Him. And you will be overwhelmed, because all you really needed was the beauty of His presence.

Positive Reflections

My Mom and I were talking about the power of our positive words.  When we speak goodness, truth, positive words, particularly Torah, the whole universe is knit together.  However, when we speak negative, hurtful words, we actually bring violence to the earth.  Storms, hurricanes, volcanoes, are the earth violently responding to the curse and our negative words.  Words are powerful.  I believe it is Brad Scott who teaches more on this subject.  Well, this thought has really stuck with me the last few days.  What is my speech bringing to the environment around me?  What is it bringing to my family?  What is it bringing to me and the little baby inside me?  I have tried to be very mindful of my speech the last few days, and I encourage you to do the same.  I have failed miserably, but I'm trying and growing.

Here are some positive thoughts to get us all going.  They are quotes from the Amidah.  Doug pointed out to me that each prayer ends with "Blessed are you, YHVH..."  So, here they are.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the shield of Abraham.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who resurrects the dead.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the holy Elohim.

Blessed are you, YHVH, gracious giver of wisdom.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who desires repentance.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the gracious one who pardons abundantly.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the Redeemer of Israel.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who heals the sick of His people, Israel.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who blesses the years.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who gathers in the dispersed of His people of Israel.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the King who loves righteousness and judgment.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who breaks enemies and humbles sinners.

Blessed are you, YHVH, mainstay and assurance of the righteous.

Blessed are you, YHVH, the builder of Yerushaliym.

Blessed are you, YHVH, Who causes the pride of salvation to flourish.

Blessed are you, YHVH, Who hears prayers.

Blessed are you, YHVH, Who restores His presence to T'zion.

Blessed are you, YHVH, Your name is the Beneficient One and to You it is fitting to give praise.

Blessed are you, YHVH, who blesses His people with shalom.


Shabbat Shalom, everyone!

Happy Feast of Trumpets!

Wow! This must be a record for me.  Every stitch of work I can dream up is done, the bills are payed, the food is put away, the kids are bathed, and everything is ready for our Yom Teruah celebration tomorrow.  We're just watching "Annie" while we wait for the new moon.  Tomorrow we are off to my parents' house to celebrate Yom Teruah.  I hope everyone has a wonderful day and I'll be back tomorrow evening with some pics.  Off to enjoy my family!

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Yom Teruah!

Healing, Part 4

My heart is very full tonight.  I had hoped this would be my last post on healing, but it is not to be.  YHVH told me to make an appointment with my OB when I began praying for healing.  I went to see her today, and fully expected her to find no scar, and be able to give a testimony.  I did indeed give a testimony.  I told her how I have been praying for healing and she was quick to notice that it seems to be vanishing from one side over to the other.  I explained that I was praying for complete healing and she agreed that it would be healed.  I know I did what I was supposed to do, and a major seed was planted in her heart.  Praise YHVH!  But the scar is not completely gone yet.

But my flesh is tempted to wonder.  Did I miss something?  Did I do something wrong?  I exercised faith.  I repented of my sins.  I confessed YHVH before men.  I have praised Him and thanked Him.  As I prayed, I felt very weak in myself.  I shouldn't feel this way.  YHVH is so good to me.  But I want this blog to be an honest blog.  Even in the Psalms, David often cried out, not understanding, tired of waiting.  YHVH gave us emotions, and He understands.  Our emotions bring us to His feet.  We can crawl up in His lap, and He rocks us for awhile.  We cry and He comforts us.  He gives us words, fitly chosen just for us.  Here are my words, chosen for me.

Wait on YHVH: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on YHVH.

(Psa 27:14)

My Elohim, my Abba, keeps His promises.  He knows what is best and understands things far better than I do.  I'm going to keep hanging on to his tsı̂ytsith, just like the woman with the issue of blood.  He has healed my scar so much already.  He will finish what He started.  Praise YHVH!

Shabbat Shalom everyone!  Have a blessed and restful day.