Robots or Those Who Choose to Serve?

The following is an excerpt from Mama's Torah on page 88, with a gentle reminder at the end that we are all on different areas of our Journey....

As born-again Believers we need to bear good fruit, and we need to help bring restoration to the whole house of Israel.  We can best do that by walking in the wisdom of Torah.  However, our walk must reflect our New Covenant redemption in Messiah Yeshua, and be written on hearts by the Ruach. (Jer 31:31-33; Heb 8:10; 10:16)

We must realize that Abba does not want us to be obedient because it is mandated that we do so.  He wants us to choose Him.  That is what it means to be part of the "chosen" people; we are chosen to choose.  "Choose this day whom you will serve, O Israel" (Joshua 24:15) (Ex 19:4-6; Deut 4:37; 7:6-8; 10:15; 30:19; Jer 33:23-26; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:9)

Abba is not looking for puppets or robots, but for a people who delight to walk in His way.  He tells us to "Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16)

He wants us to delight in the Sabbath rest of our Messiah, so He can "make us ride on the heights of the earth," and "feed us with the heritage of Jacob" (Isaiah 58:1-14; Hebrews 4:1,9).

However, we must realize that His many children can be in various stages of learning about His ways.  We must not try to force-feed them truths He mercifully shows us, nor be condescending to them.  Messiah Yeshua did not treat us that way, but instead came to us in mercy.  We must do the same.

 In my own anger at being deceived, I tried to force-feed people the Truth as I learned more and more about the deception of "Christianity" (this doesn't speak about ALL Christians but the beliefs of the vast majority of lukewarm Christians)...but they weren't ready yet....I didn't understand enough of the Hebraic mindset to simply live the Truth and let others inquire after me.  I was still stuck in the Greek mindset that I must evangelize to everyone!  Oh that I didn't step on so many toes in my infancy!  I am STILL but a babe in my knowledge of Torah, but may He continue to guide me and correct me and lead me in His straight and narrow path.
Shalom.

Galations is NOT anti-Torah

http://jim-staley.podomatic.com/entry/2011-06-14T11_13_07-07_00

I'd love to hear your comments!

Shalom

Some Questions to think about...

1: How does the Scriptures define our Love for God?
2: How do we know that we know the true God?
3: How do we know that we love the Children of God?
4: The New Covenant pertains to whom; The House of Judah, The House of Yisrael, or the Church?
5: How do we enter into eternal life?

I'd love for you to post your answers in the comments, using the Scripture to back up your answers!

Shalom,
Lori-Dawn

Should Christians celebrate Easter or Christmas?

Truth or Tradition-Should Christians celebrate Chrismas and Easter? from JIM on Vimeo.

YHVH Provides at the AHEA conference!

AHEA (Alberta Home Education Association)  was amazing for me….I got so much encouragement listening to a talk on workboxes, and how I can implement that system of activities with my 2 yr old.  He NEEDS this kind of activity on a daily basis, just to keep him out of trouble!  He’s not content to play with toys like the other two were!

I also loved Clay Clarkson’s talk on Disciplinology…which I blogged about already, partly cause a friend wanted my notes…lol

I learned a lot about apprenticeship as well, which I think is likely the route my boys will want to go.

I also got to see so many hs friends that I only see once a year!…seriously, everywhere I turned I’m sure I saw someone I knew!  I don’t usually feel like I belong in big huge places like this, but I truly did…despite all my weird ways! LOL  The fellowship was sweet! And being around other head covering women is such an encouragement to me as well...modesty rocks!

I was amazingly blessed while at AHEA this year.  Jamie didn’t have work for most of the winter, it was a hard year for us even when our seasonal business was up and running, therefore we didn’t have the savings we normally have for winter.

I had no money for gas, and my tank was on empty…YHVH provided a ride for me!

I had no money for a hotel, yet YHVH provided someone to buy a couple sets of books from me and we swapped the cash and books at AHEA, so there was money for my share of the hotel and a warm meal and $5 in change to spend in the Exhibitor’s Hall! 

I made a beeline for a friends table cause I wanted to say “Hi” and I knew she always has lots of used curriculum to sell as well and you just never know what $5 will buy!  So after saying “hi” to her, she informs me that someone had stopped by earlier and wanted to give me a $50 credit at her store!!  Poor girl, I was in tears…hee hee.  I was so overwhelmed by my Heavenly Father’s provisions, I have no idea who He used so I will just have to thank Him and pray that that person knows that I was incredibly blessed!!  I was so excited!  I picked things up and put them back a few times…lol  wanting to buy JUST the right things!! Lol  

The friend I got a ride with and I, were of one mind regarding food so we packed our own food and ate our meals in her car while amusing her beautiful 3 ½ month old little girl…seriously the cutest baby ever...sigh, got me a good baby fix!

Then later during AHEA I was blessed with a box of used curriculum and with it came a $100!!!  It was all I could do to keep the tears from falling!  Thank you Father, as it was given to me anonymously as well!!!  After having gone around to the many booths, entering every draw possible and just looking at different curriculum with various friends, I already knew where the money would go!

So needless to say, this will be a memorable conference year for me! AND I won a vest at the stuttering booth…lol  I had a wonderful conversation with the lady that ran that booth and we were both thrilled when I ended up being one of the winners, she had no idea what my name was!

I LOVE how my Heavenly Father encourages me and blesses me when I least expect it! I can not wait to be able to bless others in the same way! anonymously! May my ears and eyes be open wide for the opportunities He will provide!

The Refiner's Hand

Here is a blogpost from a friend...as I prepare my heart and home for Passover, it has special meaning for me.  I want to be refined so that others can see my Master's image in me as well.  Got a ways to go...lol 

Malachi 3

¹BEHOLD, I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], Whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger or Angel of the covenant, Whom you desire, behold, He shall come, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap;
³He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness.


A story goes like this:

Several years ago, a group of women studying the book of Malachi and pondered these verses. Curious as to how the process of smelting silver applies to God’s treatment of His People, one woman went to observe a silversmith at work.

As the silversmith held a piece of silver over the fire, he explained that he needed to hold the silver where the flame was hottest in order to burn away all the impurities. The woman, remembering the Biblical verse, asked if he had to sit there the whole time the silver was being refined. The silversmith responded that not only did he have to sit and hold the silver the entire time, but he had to keep a careful eye on it, because if the silver was left in the flame a moment too long, it would be destroyed.

“How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” the woman asked.

“That’s easy," he replied. "When I see my image in it.”

⁴Then will the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in ancient years.

blessings,

Gail

Wow...how things change!

Last year, I was absolutely obsessed with learning all the roots and the history of the various "holidays" I grew up with...being horrified each time I found out where it originated from!  Our family spent the year getting rid of anything in our lives that had pagan roots and we shared our findings to our friends and family, only to be shut down and told that we were wrong to actually think that YHVH meant what He said when He told us we are not to worship HIM in the same manner the pagans worship their gods.  Some phrases they used were, "that's not what it means to me!" or "I prayed about it, but I don't feel convicted to change".  Oh the sadness in my heart when I heard those words...I could have said the same thing as a child and gotten disciplined hugely for not simply obeying the words of my earthly Father!  How is it different with our Heavenly Father?  Will He not chastise those who don't obey Him simply because they didn't feel convicted?

It was no surprise to find out that it was the Catholic church that seemed to think that "Christianizing" the pagan festivals, somehow redeemed them!  I mean if you think about it, Catholicism is a huge mishmash of pagan rituals and some Scripture thrown in, along with a huge chunk of man-made doctrine.  I say "some" Scripture because the whole "Old" testament is irrelevant don'tcha know....it was "nailed to the cross"! (yes I'm being VERY sarcastic here!)  and Christianity is just a branch off of Catholicism. 

Anyhow, this year, has had a very different feel so far.  Now that I KNOW where certain days come from, I have no desire to celebrate them...like yesterdays valentines day.  It came and went.  I know I am loved.  I am growing more and more confident as a wife and mother. I have security in my identity in Yahshua.  I am an Israelite.  I belong to the Olive Tree and as a grafted in branch, I have the same blessings that the rest of the "tree" has....as well as the same conditions for those blessings.  It seems this year is a pruning year...digging deep and getting rid of sin...even just recognizing sin! oy!  I do not enjoy this process, and yet it is exciting because I know now more than ever that my Heavenly Father loves me, because He chastises those He loves!
Have you ever wondered why it seems that some Christians are incredibly blessed even though they don't keep Yah's commands?  I used to, and it really bugged me.  But then I read the verse that talks about, YHVH not being a respecter of persons.  He blesses whom He wants to bless, He doesn't need a reason. I got hung up on the unfairness of that for awhile...but quickly got over it. lol  Because He is also a Keeper of His promises, and I know that if I obey Him and follow the conditions He's given for certain blessings then He will bless me as well. 
Right now, He is teaching me to be humble and submissive to my husband....sigh...I have Irish blood in me...freckles and fair skin...yes I also have the quick temper to go with it!...LOL  However, that is NO excuse!  I am learning to shut up and say "yes dear" a little more often, while still failing at it other times...lol  Jamie even tests me every now and then with a big smile on his face letting me know that it IS indeed a test...LOL  I love Jamie's sense of humor!  Knowing my weaknesses, and "helping" me to overcome them with humor truly is a sign of wisdom and love.  In an effort to create more peace in our home, I've started to lay low on mixed group teachings and simply go to Jamie when I have questions.  This IS after all the way it is supposed to be according to Scripture!  I do not believe that women should be preachers, teachers or leaders among the men.  If there are men present, then that role belongs to them and it is their own shame if they are not fit for the task!  They will be held accountable for their leadership role of their family....or the lack thereof.  I will talk more about this in another post though....lol 
Enough of the update.  check out my other blog if you want to see a cute picture of my daughter that was recently in the Calgary Sun!

A Guest Post!

 I share the same thoughts about Christmas as my friend Leslie and would like to share them with you as well.  Shalom.

You can click on the title to go directly to her blog. 

WHY I DO NOT CELEBRATE christmas

December 14th, 2010

MY REASONS:
Two things I’ve learned this year about Christmas:
1. It is nowhere in Scriptures and in no way accurately depicts the birth of the Messiah. In fact, there is a feast that does reflect the birth of Yeshua.
2. Not only is it not Scriptural, it is actually a pagan holiday- from the date to the tree, to the gift-giving and the wreath.
Now there are a few things I know about YHVH, our Elohim:
1. He is a jealous God.

“For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.” Deuteronomy 4:24 (see also Exodus 34:14)

2. He wants me to worship Him in spirit & in truth.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24

3. He does not want me worshiping other gods- so much so that He gave it to Moses as the very first commandment.

“And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.’ ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’” Exodus 20:1 (see also Deut. 5:6-7)

4. Nor does He want me to worship Him how others worship their gods. Those practices are detestable to Him.

“Take heed that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? –that I also may do likewise.’ You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abominable thing which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. “Everything that I command you you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to it or take from it.” Deuteronomy 12:30-32

“Thus says the LORD: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are false. A tree from the forest is cut down, and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. Men deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” There is none like thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.” Jeremiah 10:2-6

MY FEELINGS:
Often times when I feel convicted about something, I only share the conviction but not the feelings that accompany it. I’m afraid this may cause me to seem like a stoic, heartless believer. And that just isn’t the case. My heart is no different than anyone else’s―it longs, it aches, it breaks. So, if you have the impression that I have no reverence for memories or tradition, or that I all too quickly toss aside anything that has the smallest hint of impurity in it or that I believe myself to be above it, please know that it is far from the truth. I must get down on my knees DAILY and repent. YHVH (Lord), our Elohim (our God) has much work to do with me still. Just so we’re all clear. This isn’t about being perfect, it is about following direction.
Some of my favorite memories from my childhood involved things like easter egg hunts and putting cookies out for Santa. And I was happily set out to make the same kind of memories with my own children. Now, I know some of you never included those activities in your religious celebrations, but we did not know any better. I first read the Bible as an adult, and for all I was aware as a child, God and Santa were good friends. That sounds a bit absurd, but honestly the thought never crossed my mind what the Lord, YHVH, wanted me to do. I just pursued what I wanted, and as I matured, what I “thought” was best.
As I grew in my faith, I knew what was bad, and I avoided those activities. I did not kill anyone; I felt guilty when I lied; I tried not to steal. I understood the blacks and the whites. And I thought Jesus just encompassed all the grey with his love. I believed (I think because I was taught) that all those grey areas, the iffy subjects, did not matter because I was a believer. Because I loved him, I would always be washed white— no matter how many stains I willingly got on my shirt. As long as my heart and mind were on Yeshua (Jesus), I did not think whatever worldly occasions I embraced really mattered. I did not know this, however:

“The inclination of the human heart is evil from youth.” ~Genesis 8:21
“Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.” ~Proverbs 4:23
“All a person’s ways are right in his own view, but YHVH weighs the heart.”  ~Proverbs 21:2

Please hear me correctly: I certainly believe Yeshua ha’Moschiach came to redeem us from our sins so that would could be washed clean. But he will come again to gather his sheep, and who are his sheep? Those who listen to his voice and obey his commands. So, if there is something the Almighty commands us not to do, wouldn’t you want to know?
I did not come lightly to the realization that I needed to change a few things- that some things to which I’d grown accustomed, YHVH, in fact, detested. I am admittedly a bit sad this year, for the changing of traditions, for the fact it saddens others around me. Oh, how I wish we had not inherited futile, useless customs! I am trying my best to follow YHVH’s leading on this and pray for His guidance as each situation arises. There is a time for everything. There will be a time to speak and a time to be quiet, a time to participate and a time to stay away. And there will be a time to celebrate! YHVH gives us wonderful Feast days, all His appointed times, His prophetic messages. HalleluYAH!
May YHVH light your way as you walk the narrow path.
_________________________________
I leave you with a conversation I had the other day with my oldest son, who is 11:
Me : “I have to admit, honey, I am gonna miss Christmas a little.”
Son: “Don’t worry, Mama, as we celebrate the feasts more & more they will become fun traditions too.”


Filed under: "holy"days? Comments (7) Article tags: bible, Christmas, commandments, holiday, paganism, YHVH

Thankfulness...

The World is Mine

The World Is Mine
Today, upon a bus I saw
A lovely maid with golden hair;
I envied her_ she seemed so gay_
And, oh, I wished i were so fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot, and wore a crutch_
But as she passed, she had a smile!

Oh, God, forgive me when I wine;
I have two feet! The world is mine!

And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
The lad who served me had such charm;
He seemed to radiate good cheer;
His manner was so kind and warm.
I said, "It's so nice to deal with you.
Such courtesy I seldom find."
He turned and said, "Oh thank you, sir!"
And then I saw that he was blind!

Oh, God, forgive me when I wine;
I have two eyes! The world is mine!

Then walking down the street I saw
A little boy with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched as others played;
It seemed he knew not what to do.
I stopped a moment; then said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
And then I knew he could not hear!

Oh, God, forgive me when I wine;
I have two ears! The world is mine!

With feet to take me where I'd go_
With eyes to see the sunset glow_
With ears to hear what I should know_

Oh, God, forgive me when I wine;
I'm blessed indeed! The world is mine!

- Author Unknown

A Challenge...

"Well, He knows my heart"

Oh how lukewarm I feel after watching this video...I desire a heart like David's, humble, ready to repent and CHANGE, accepting the consequences of my actions when I DO sin!  I want my heart to mirror Yah's heart!!  No more excuses,  but to dig into Torah and KNOW His heart so He can circumcise my own!  With tears I write this, as I know how selfish I am and how much I need to change and WANT to change! Thank you Abba for Your grace and mercy as I seek YOU and learn how YOU want me to worship You and live my life for You.

Struggles

Well, it's high time I updated my blog!
I will start by saying, I've been questioning a lot of things lately....mostly I've been struggling with the validity of the Bible....now before anyone freaks out, just listen to what my struggle was, and what I came up with, there's tons of room for comments at the end and I WOULD love to hear them if you have any!

We know that Yahweh told us not to add or take away from the Scriptures, right?  Deut. 4:2 "²Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." and again in Deut. 12:32 ^"32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it. Thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it."

So this began my troubled state...what then do we make of Paul's letters? that today's churches seem to preach from yet forsake Torah.  I had been stressed hugely this fall about this.  I KNOW that today's churches are NOT where I want to be, nor do I find them (generally) to be a holy place to worship Yahweh.
It seems to me that today's churches abuse Yah's grace way too much, otherwise we would see them still studying Torah.
It seems the church is trying to fit in with the world so that those who "visit" are comfortable there and come back...sheesh.  Talk about salt that's lost its savor!  If the Rauch HaKodesh can not draw people back then perhaps something is wrong with the church!  Are we not supposed to be a set apart people? a peculiar people is what Scriptures say! (Deut 14:2) That doesn't sound to me like we're supposed to "blend in" or make the world "comfortable".  Oy, the enemy seems to have deceived many....the narrow way is not that narrow anymore if you look at today's churches...and yet, it truly is just as narrow as it's ever been, and it makes me nervous for all those involved in today's churches. (I'm being very general when I say 'churches' please remember that)  I think about the church we left 2 yrs ago and how their goal was to be "fun and relevant in today's world"....the worship service was less about worshiping God and more about, "do I look and sound good to everyone?" and then there are the small groups that you sign up for, but if you're not "cool" enough no one phones you to join any of them (I'm not even kidding).  Oh and I forgot to mention the introduction of the pastor being more like a Jay Leno show! sigh...I forgot to mention the clothing issue...or the lack thereof...should I really have to cover my son's eyes during the worship service because the lady in front of him is wearing thong underwear and low rise jeans...oh dear, I'm getting way off track, where was I, oh yeah, we need to be the salt of the earth. Yahweh called His children a peculiar people, set-apart, in the world but not of the world.
Ok so back to adding to the Scriptures...
So everything after the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) was added.  That doesn't mean that those other books are not important! Just that we need to weigh them against the Torah...just like any non-fiction book out there.  Here is what my friend Sombra wrote on facebook recently, in answer to the question, why would she read the apocrypha.

Why are the Apocrypha writings any different from the BritChadasha(new testament) writings?? Who made the decision which books are for the Canon and which are not? - and do I trust the theology of those men???? I STUDY Torah... that is my teaching book..... but I do read from other writings, like the book the Heart of David by Dr. Hazim.. so why wouldn't I read a book written about what happened to Judah Maccabee and how God used him to restore Torah to the Jews? Have I read the other books of the Apocrypha? um, yes, some.. but can't recall anything at the moment, and there's also the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher and the Book of Adam.. but STUDY? I Study Torah.. and everything else is measured against Torah.

She just said it so perfectly well, I had to share it...and now I'm off to find a Catholic Bible with the Apocrypha!  Not to study mind you, but to read and perhaps learn more history of that time period! And I've never read the story of the Maccabees and Hanukkah IS in 30 days!!!
More wisdom from Sombra below...lol

And it says it LAST in Revelation... the question is.. what is THE WORD that is not to be added to?? If we're not to add to the BIBLE, NOR TAKE AWAY from it, then how dare we write any new commentaries, or discussions, or how we walked it ...out.. because that's what the New Testament is.. and if we're not to take away from it, how dare we say that words from the Torah are no longer relevant

so is the WORD of God, the 66 books of the Bible? Is the Word of God the 66 books and 15 books of the Apocrapha? Is the Word of God everything that happens in our lives? or is the Word of God the Torah? I think you could make an argument for each of those, but when it comes to adding or taking away, I think the only definition that fits is the Torah.

It's the 6th month...otherwise known as Elul.

First of all...how do you even say it?!  Eeelul?  Eloool?  sigh...Good thing we are going to start learning Hebrew this year...
Soooo what's so great about THIS month?  Well, it's the last month of the Jewish year....next month we start over in our Torah portions, back at the very beginning of the Bible.  The 6th month is a month of looking back over the year and making wrongs right, and extending forgiveness to those who have hurt us, whether it was intentional or not.  What a perfectly good way to start the new year, eh?  Starting with a clean slate...starting at B'resheet, the beginning.  This is the first year we have observed the Feasts of Yahweh.  And so far, I have not remembered to blow my shofar every morning when I wake up this month.  It's something I'd like to remember, simply so that I'm reminded to think about the past years and people that I've hurt.  It's kind of like wearing tzitzits...just to remind us of how Yahweh has commanded us to live.  Because I love Him, I want with all my heart to obey Him and I'm overwhelmed sometimes at the grace He extends as I seek Him and learn how He wants me to live and honor Him...I often feel like a little toddler learning to walk...very unsteady and lacking balance at times, and then sometimes being able to run wildly until I hit a wall...sigh.

What have you been up to this month in preparation of the Feast of Trumpets?

Moved and Settling....

Wow, we're all moved into our new place and trying to sort through and unpack the boxes....which is going rather slow because my little independent one yr old is acting out a bit by going from one room to the next being a whirlwind tornado leaving a disaster in a matter of seconds!  Seriously, I now understand why there are "mommy's helpers" for hire!!! 

The move went well, we hired movers, but they could only take about 3/4 of our stuff...sigh.  We do a better job packing a truck full, but then we're not as careful as they were and pack it pretty tight.  So the move ended up dragging from Sunday all through Friday....Friday being the day we did the walk thru and left the keys on the Stove and forgot our expensive milk in the fridge...sigh.

 Friday is also the day that while I was sweeping out the garage, Jamie and the kids made a final dump run before loading up the last tiny bit of outdoor things to be moved.  While at the dump, Jamie lost his footing and fell out of the back of the truck and landed on his head and right shoulder.  He tore a ligament in his shoulder and broke his left thumb!  So his right arm is supposed to be in a cast and his left thumb, wrist and forearm are in a cast with pins holding his thumb together...right now he's in tons of pain and is hopped up on Tylenol 3's with caffeine and codeine...oy....and yet extra strength ibuprofen works better for him.  Weird...lol

Today is a somewhat "normal" day.  We are trying to find a routine even though we are still in unpacking mode.  The kids and I need some semblance of normal.  A schedule of some sort so we know what is happening with our day, this will eliminate a lot of meltdowns and unmet expectations.

That's the update for today.  Check out my other blog for an update on my thoughts about birthdays!

Takin' a Break.

Yup, takin' a break from blogging for at least a month. Maybe two! lol  Am going to concentrate on purging and packing my house up and moving to the country.  I'm excited to get out of the country!  And Starbucks will still only be 5 minutes away! hee hee
You can read a better update on my other blog. 
Enjoy your summer! Shalom!

Feelin' Productive!

What an awesome day!  Even though we all slept in til 9am, I enjoyed such a good day! by noon, I had my Bible reading done, bread rising, 2 loads of laundry done, kitchen nice and clean and picked something up from freecycle!

It is now 4 pm, bread is in the oven, a huge garbage bag of toys is purged along with another garbage bag of clothes. The kids are happy, I am happy...what more can you possibly want??!!  Well, other than winning the lottery, but you have to actually buy lottery tickets to win...lol

 I was nervous this morning though and wondered what my day was going to be like...Malachi right from getting out of bed was literally running from one bad thing to the next, looking at me with a question in his eyes..."are you paying attention to me mom?"  yes...I was nervous indeed!  He's been a good little guy though with his new toys from freecycle! Yes this is why I purged a huge garbage bag of toys...lol to make room for more...but I DID get rid of more than I brought home! Yay me! lol

Off to make supper and brave the park later on!

A short and sweet explanation of things!

Yahshua is the groom. Israel was the bride. They were married at Mount Sinai. Did he throw away his bride and replace her with another? Or did he remarry his bride? He REMARRIED his bride. I praise YHWH that I am Israel! Through faith I am joined to his family and become his bride. Who was the law given too? ISRAEL.. his bride.

Who's in Your Home?

This was on a blogger friends blog, she had read it in a newspaper
and it was submitted anonymously.

A few months before I was born
my Dad met a stranger who was
new to our small town.
From the beginning, Dad was
fascinated with this enchanting
new comer and soon invited him
to live with our family.

The stranger was quickly accepted and was
around to welcome me into the world a few months later.

As I grew up , I never questioned his place in my family.
In my mind he had a special niche.

My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me
the word of God, and dad taught me to obey it.

But the stranger? He was our story teller.
He would keep us spell bound for hours on end
with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics,
history or science, he always knew the answers about
the past,understood the present, and even seemed to be able
to predict the future!

He took my family to the first major league ball game.
He made me laugh, and he made me cry.
The stranger never stopped talking, but my Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us
were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say,
and she would go to her room and read her books.
( I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our house hold with certain moral convictions,
but this stranger never felt obligated to honor them.
Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home...
not from us, our friends, or any visitors. Our long time visitor,
however, got away with four letter words that burned my ears,
and made my dad squirm and my mom blush.

My Dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol
in the home, not even for cooking. But the stranger
encouraged us to try it on regular basis.
He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished.

He talked freely ( much to freely) about sex.
His comments were sometimes blatant,
sometimes suggestive,and generally embarrassing.

I know my early concepts about relationships were influenced
strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he apposed the values
of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked..... and never asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger
moved in with our family. He has blended right in
and is not as fascinating as he was at first.

Still, if you were to walk into my parents den today
you would still find him sitting over in his comer,
waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name? We just call him T.V.

(I'm happy to say that when we move next month, TV will not be coming with us!)

Aaronic Blessing

Walking as Messiah Walked:Guarding TORAH