the brew*crew adventure

The other night (when Chris was on the 'puter) my brain was so full of swirling ideas- thoughts I wanted to write about, and now here I sit, totally blank. So, I'll just share randomly about my life lately.

The house is quiet... I'm so glad that Chris was able to take the kids to their riding lessons this evening. *sighs* It's so nice to be alone for awhile, even though I spent the majority of the time adding all the necessaries to a big pot of chili, and mixing up some buttermilk cornbread. But now, dinner's on... and I'm alone with my thoughts...

After awhile the *noise* level of a 3yo, and 4yo seemingly simultaneously squabbling and then shrieking with delight over their toys, and wanting this, or that, all day, gets to ya if you're not used to it. I'm not used to it yet! LOL And it does make it especially hard to read aloud for any length of time to your 7 and 10yo! *sighs* T and N have been such a big help though, taking them outside to play, and helping to entertain them as needed. Of course, my kids are still needing their own normal amounts of Mama time and attentions as well, and then the sweet little 3 month old baby (who is really the easiest and quietest of them all) crying out for her bottle... it's just enough to tire my mind. My hat's off to you Moms of big families... Yeah, I'm still not accustomed to the added decibels during my days of having these extra kiddos here. Yet, I/we find ourselves growing quite fond of them all too.

And oh yes! Let me not forget our Rosh Hashanah celebration this weekend. It was a lovely, quiet time spent together. For our Sabbath meal, I baked my first round challah, and it turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself. Chris and the kids all agreed that it was the best tasting challah recipe that I've tried so far.

Blessed son and (goofy) daughter...

This particular Saturday was busy, with my all-morning CPR certification class (small class, got done early!), N's annual 20+ mile bike ride down a mountain with his AWANAs group, and T's riding horses all day with friends. When we all got home, we went over to visit with some friends for the evening. Sunday I baked a couple of apple crisps, put on some coffee, and we relaxed together during the entire cozy, rainy day. Eventually we all walked down to the creek, and read Michah 7:18-20, Psalm 118:5-9, and Psalms 33 aloud, shared about repentance, and thoughtfully threw bread crumbs and stones into the water, each one symbolizing a sin or regret that we were confessing privately to the Lord, never to be remembered, or brought up again... This is an ancient Jewish custom associated with Rosh Hashanah, called tashlich. We thanked Him for His forgiveness, for our redemption in Yeshua, our Messiah. Then we let Samson jump in, and laughed over his romping through the water antics. Notice him here in this picture, obediently waiting... so very patiently... oh, he wants in that water so very badly... and then with us throwing things in there, that he couldn't immediately dive in after... I'm sure that he thought we were torturing him...

Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.
He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our^[a] sins
Into the depths of the sea.
You will give truth to Jacob
And mercy to Abraham,
Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.

How our children glow during our Sabbath dinners. They enjoy the day of preparation, the expectancy, getting cleaned up and dressed up for a formal dinner (candles, special tablecloth, linen napkins, and our fine china) with *eachother*, and our Lord.

Friday evening I'd simply told the kids to get cleaned up for dinner, and Tabitha came out with one of her fanciest dresses on, had brushed and pulled her hair back and even put on perfume! She must have said "Shabbat Shalom" about ten times after dinner. LOL

I think we're all really learning to love the ceremonial familiarity of it all, and relish the blessings we pronounce upon eachother especially. It's been a wonderful new family tradition to share, and we are truly reaping a harvest of blessings from honoring the Sabbath more literally together. We're beginning to better understand the importance of it, why God made it such a priority as to model it Himself in the first Creation week.

So, I've finally gotten around to trying to finish my pinwheel quilt (a neglected project from back in January!), but had to stop before I hurt someone, due to my dinosaur of a sewing machine continually locking up on me every few stitches, which meant that I then had to totally dismantle the shuttle and all of its other immediately affected components. Now I remember why I didn't finish already! It's the machine's fault, of course! After about the tenth time of putting it all back together, I was throwing in the towel when Chris returned home from an appointment, and offered to try his hand at fixing it. So, by the time he'd finished his jerry-rigging (yes, it's truly jerry-rigged, with plastic shims now in place to *theoretically* keep it from jiggling and jamming again), I was already over it, and reading my book. Tonight, I'm tired- and reading my book. Tomorrow, I may try it out again. What's really pathetic is that I'm at the very end of the project- last step, sewing on the binding, but I'm just too lazy to do it by hand! Well, actually I'll have to do the *very* last stitches on the back by hand anyways, but hopefully not the entire binding itself. Anyways, that's my latest bit of excitement.

Chris has taken all of the doors inside of our house off their hinges- earlier last week, and we both worked on getting them all sanded and ready for him to paint them last weekend with his sprayer, but alas, it ended up raining ALL weekend long here... so our breezeway is full of doors, waiting for Chris to have another full day available for painting (hopefully this week!). We're trying to get that and some other esthetic things around here done in the next two weeks, before his Mom and step-Dad come over for a visit from central FL, during part of their vacation time. Goals are good. We're meeting them halfway between here and their time-share in Sky Valley, at a favorite restaraunt in Pigeon Forge for lunch. Then they'll follow us back here to spend a night with us, and then they're taking our kids back with them to spend a few days in their lovely cabin, sight-seeing and enjoying eachother. N and T are counting the days! Originally, the plan was that I would be going with, but since I'm babysitting these kids now, I can't. *sniff*

Oh yeah, I finally got to see the new Pride and Prejudice movie! We'd gone over to some friends' house, my friend Robin and I having the intention of scrapbooking, but since we hadn't seen eachother in so long, we just ended up talking and talking. Eventually she made mention of the fact that she'd gotten the new P&P movie for her b-day, but hadn't opened it yet, and I was ecstatic! Once she realized that I hadn't even seen it yet, we ditched the guys (who we'd planned to play cards with up till that point) and watched the movie. She hadn't seen it since it came out in the theatres, and was just as excited to watch it again as I was. Chris watched part of it with us (he's a fan of the A&E P&P), and said that it felt "adulterous to watch the parts being played by these other actors"! LOL I enjoyed it, was entranced the entire time...
Well, the kids and Chris are home, time for dinner. Later!

*Bonus, great article: Restoring that which was lost!

L'shanah tovah ("for a good year") is a shortened version of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

This evening's Shabbat celebration will be a special one, for today marks the Feast of Trumpet's Eve. My daughter T, and I, have just made our first pinwheel round challah, using the challah recipe in this article. T loves helping with our challahs. We substituted freshly milled whole wheat flour for half of the flour called for, and used all-purpose for the rest (I like Hodsgon Mill's all-natural white ap). The challah from this recipe has risen fabulously so far (I've tried some that haven't)!

We've also made a carrot cake from scratch (complete with home-made cream cheese frosting, of course!), and we'll enjoy some apples with honey at our Sabbath table tonight, along with Apple Glazed BBQ Chicken. Chris has requested that I make some of his favorite, latkes. "Why wait for Hanukkah?" If I have time, I'd even like to bake an apple crisp from the recipe Carla just sent me *waving*. After dinner, we'll walk down to the creek behind our house and do tashlikh.

Tashlikh - On Tishri 1, during the afternoon, many Jews perform the ritual of “tashlikh,” or “casting off,” a ceremony in which Jews symbolically cast their sins into a body of water. We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. Often Michah 7:18-20, Psalm 118:5-9, and Psalms 33 and 130 are recited during the Tashlikh ceremony.

"Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” ~ Levitcus 23:24

My friend Carla has written a wonderfully informative article on the significance of Rosh Hashanah to us as the Redeemed, and shared some of her own family's traditions here.

Are you curious about the Feasts, God's Moedim, and why they should matter to Christians? Click here for a nice, concise overview.

Quote:

1. Overview - A compilation of Biblical material on the Feasts, along with notes on Purim, Chanukah and the Yovel Year.
2. Detailed Look - Insight into the prophetic and messianic signficance of the feasts, including application in the "New Testament."

Why were the Moedim given?

* To learn more of God, His creation and His plan, including keys to understanding role of Messiah and the end times when He establishes the Kingdom of God. The Moedim are all part of his "revelation" to us, as originally found in the Tenakh, and further developed in the New Testament.

Read more on Rosh Hashanah here at Hebrew 4 Christians.

Rosh HaShanah itself, or rather Yom Teru’ah, has prophetic significance in the life of the Christian. The blowing of the shofar is prophetic of the rapture of the church, where those who are part of the Bride of Mashiach, the church, will experience everlasting transformation:

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (shofar): for the trumpet (shofar) shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51)

Click here to hear the three different types of shofar blasts.

Read about the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah here at Biblical Holidays.

The Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are the holiest days of the Jewish year. These ten days are called the Days of Awe or High Holy Days. Unlike other holy days, they do not celebrate a season or historical event. This season is a time for looking inward to spiritual growth. The themes surrounding this holiday include:

• Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah literally is “Head or beginning of the year.”)
• God’s Royalty (Coronation Day)
• Day of Judgment
• Remembrance (Yom Ha-Zikaron, the day of remembrance)
• Birthday of the world

According to Jewish Tradition all the following happened on Tishri 1:

• Adam and Eve were created
• The Flood waters dried up
• Enoch was taken by God (Gen. 5:24)
• Sarah, Rachel, and Samuel (1 Sam. 1) conceived
• Joseph freed from prison by Pharaoh
• The forced labor of Hebrews in Egypt ended
• Job contracted leprosy
• Start of sacrifices on the altar built by Ezra (Ezra 3:1)

As we drove down a winding country road the other day, my son proclaimed to me, with satisfied air, of how glad he is that Fall is just around the corner. "It's my favorite season!" he announced jubilantly. "Oh, mine too!" I agreed, "for so very many reasons."

I love the coolness in the air, so vibrantly felt after summer's long, hot days... I love the smells of harvest and preparations for winter. To me it is the end of one year, and therefore intrinsically it is also the beginnings of the next... It has always seemed like a time of renewal to me, a shedding of the old... like so many falling leaves, bejeweled as they surrender themselves to death, thereby becoming the fertile ground of next year's blooms. It has been the season of my births, both physical and spiritual, and the season that I was full with the lives of my two winter-born babies growing inside of me. Yes, I love this time of year... for so very many reasons.

This month also commemorates the time that my husband baptized me 6 years ago now, on Rosh Hashanna, as we celebrated the Feast with our children and a company of friends and family in the Lord. The month of September correlates with the month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar, a time traditionally set aside by God's chosen people, ancient Israel, specifically "to reflect" upon the year closing. This idea has been on my heart lately, as I've been preparing for a time set aside... for me to reflect upon the preceding year. As a family, we will purposely re-dedicate ourselves to the Lord as we look forward to the next season of our lives together. It is the time of our Lord's High Holy Days, as given by Him to ancient Israel:

"And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts." " ~ Leviticus 23:1-2

:: Artwork is "Tomorrow" by Edward Raymes, from allposters.com

Preparations for the Fall Holidays begin a full month in advance. On the Jewish calendar is a forty-day season called Teshuvah (return or repentance.) It begins on Elul 1 and ends on the Day of Atonement (Tishri 10). This forty-day season is a time for one to annually examine his life and restore relationships between God and man. The first thirty days of this season are the thirty days of the month of Elul. The last ten days of this forty-day season are the Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement, or the ten High Holy Days (Days of Awe).

The Jews start the celebration of the Fall Holidays thirty days prior to the Feast of Trumpets, which falls on the first day of the seventh month. For thirty days the shofar is blown every morning in the Synagogue to remind the people that the holy days are approaching, and that they should prepare themselves. Their preparation consists of confessing their sins and seeking forgiveness, and going back to fix mistakes made during the year. The ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are called the Days of Awe.

~excerpted from Fall Holidays Overview at Biblical Holidays.com

Celebrating the Fall Holidays has become a beautifully integrated part of our family's Christian traditions over the years, as we've been learning more about our Hebraic Heritage. Each year we have learned a little bit more about the Biblical Holidays, and their Messianic significance and associated customs, as we have celebrated them a bit differently each year, with friends and family, according to varying circumstances. I find the topic fascinating and love to learn about these Jewish roots of our faith.

Elul -- the month preceding Rosh Hashana -- begins a period of intensive introspection, of clarifying life's goals, and of coming closer to God. It is a time for realizing purpose in life -- rather than perfunctorily going through the motions of living by amassing money and seeking gratification. It is a time when we step back and look at ourselves critically and honestly, as Jews have from time immemorial, with the intention of improving.

The four Hebrew letters of the word Elul (aleph-lamed-vav-lamed) are the first letters of the four words Ani l'dodi v'dodi lee -- "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me" (Song of Songs 6:3). These words sum up the relationship between God and His people.

In other words, the month preceding Rosh Hashana is a time when God reaches out to us, in an effort to create a more spiritually-inspiring atmosphere, one that stimulates teshuva.

~ABC's of Elul

These 40 days were set for all future generations as days of repentance and forgiveness. These days are especially appropriate for personal reflection and repentance since they mark the perennial recurrence of Divine compassion.

~ excerpted from the history of Elul

Here is A Kids' Bible Study Workbook for Elul & A Family Handbook for Elul (both of which we'll be using during our Bible time this month, along with our Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays book) and other Fall Festival resources for your perusing.

Awake, you sleepers, from your sleep! Rouse yourselves, you slumberers, out of your slumber! Examine your deeds, and turn to G-d in repentance. Remember your Creator, you who are caught up in the daily round, losing sight of eternal truth; you are wasting your years in vain pursuits that neither profit nor save. Look closely at yourselves; improve your ways and your deeds. Abandon your evil ways, your unworthy schemes, every one of you! (Yad Hichot Teshuva 3.4)

~ from Gates of Repentance, Maimonides' Call to Repentance

Therefore, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. ~ Matthew 3.8

So, with all that I've shared above, you can imagine that when I came across Tonia's thoughtful post about setting aside 30 days for prayerful heart-searching, and consciously breaking away from materialism, as well as contemplating how to reconcile our deeply rooted consumerist mentality (just plain old flesh as one commenter pointed out) with our faith in a Holy God, it struck a timely chord within me. I think it's so awesome how the Lord impressed this upon her, especially during this historically significant season of introspection, repentance and renewal.

It truly does take a concerted, conscious effort to come out of our carnal mindset, to even recognize how deeply materialism affects our daily living, and imparts apathy into our lives...and not only during times of great wealth and abundance, but also as a result of the temptation to succumb to the tendency to use our own felt needs as excuses as to why we cannot necessarily give sacrificially of ourselves, in some way. I've found myself struggling with the natural tendencies to want to hoard... yech! The only way for us to return (teshuvah) to our Lord, and to His Charity, is through repentance... and we begin with prayer, studying Yahweh's Word... and fasting.

Fasting is something that I've been thinking alot about lately... and I plan to share some of my thoughts this month in particular as I partake in Tonia's challenge. She writes:

For 30 days, my family will buy nothing except our basic necessities. No clothes or books. No movies, no trips to the ice cream parlor. No paper, or pictures, or magazines. No fancy hair gel or take-and-bake pizza. Lattes? Nope. Nothing except what it takes to live. During that month, I will journal our experiences, and blog my thoughts about poverty and hunger and our response to those issues. I'd like to try and identify with some of the "least" (economically) of the world. We will try and live without electricity for a day; eat only rice for a day. Perhaps the family will sleep together in one room for a night - on the floor; or walk six miles one day - the distance some African women walk daily to get clean water.

The goal of this month-long fast is to break the grip of materialism in our hearts and minds. We want to live in gratitude, not discontent; and we want to live with awareness of the great responsibility our affluence has laid on our shoulders.

As I'd mentioned earlier this week, we are totally broke right now financially, and already have cut our buying/spending habits down to the bare necessities for living (ie; maintaining). We have been going without treats, fancy anything, eating out, buying books, even fieldtrips that cost a mere $3 ea., etc. for the past few months. I can understand how upon a cursory reading of Tonia's challenge, one in my position could feel that there wasn't much that they could do to participate. But one must look deeper... it's not about the stuff, and how much you do or don't have. It's about what's beneath the stuff... you, your family's mission together, our Call as Believers, that armature of our lives, that is hidden and so often forgotten beneath the clutter and everyday business of our lives.

I like Tonia's ideas for real-life, experiential object lessons to share with her kids, of how very different day-to-day life is for so many less fortunate people in the world. We may have to try out some of her suggestions ourselves. I was also thinking that we could build a sukah with our kids for the Feast of Tabernacles this year, and actually eat and sleep in it, outside, under the stars, remembering that He is our covering and our provision.

The Lord knows that we are but earthen vessels, mere dirt... and I believe that this is why He has given us these holy convocations, because we are a forgetful people!! They remind us throughout the daily living of each year to look to Him, for He is our sustenance, our Father.

And so, during this month of September/Elul, I/we as a family shall be focusing on Teshuvah - Repentance.

I have started a list of what the Lord would have me to do, to finish, to make right, both between myself and those around me, and between myself and God. I would like to be more consistent in remembering the Sabbath with a special weekly meal, and I would like to add the ceremonial remembrance of the less fortunate, or the "Giving of Tzedekah" to our time of Sabbath blessings (both traditional and spontaneously Spirit led). It is customary for Jewish homes to have a "tzeddakah box", where children and adults alike may make donations to charity during private family worship. I think this is a wonderful formality to start together. I'm thinking a huge glass jug or jar! Though we have as a family given offerings, we haven't had an ongoing "pool" like this. And then, as the Lord leads us, we will give it away.

I will spend less time blogging this month, as all of my computer time will be spent studying. Chris and I have already begun taking account of our household, and focusing on getting it in order. I'll be working with him on finishing up some more of our on-going house renovations here. We have been discussing our dreams for the future, and even so, surrendering them to the will of our Lord. As a family, we will continue to make a concerted effort to focus on our daily priorities, and to thoughtfully pray for our brothers and sisters who are in more difficult times and places than we ourselves are. We shall spend extra time prayerfully exploring our Window on the World book. We'll also be reading George Mueller: Champion of Orphans, by Fern Stocker.

We'll discuss how God uses us to help others according to our faith in Him, not according to our natural abilities and resources alone. What a relief this Truth is, especially when we seem depleted ourselves. Ironically though, I have found that it's especially during these times of neediness and dependency on our part, that the Lord likes to show Himself as our Jehovah Jireh. Just yesterday, as a friend remarked over how awesome is the opportunity that I have been given to influence the parents of the children I've recently started babysitting, I immediately thought of Jesus's multiplication of the boys loaves and fishes... and remarked that I am trusting Him to multiply my efforts... for they do seem so meager in light of the task at hand.

I shall be meditating on this Truth~

Ecclesiastes 11

Bread Upon the Waters

1 Cast your bread upon the waters,
for after many days you will find it again.

2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight,
for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

3 If clouds are full of water,
they pour rain upon the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where it falls, there will it lie.

4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed ^[a] in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.

6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.

It can easily become so overwhelming when we begin to consider all of this broken world's needs and illnesses, both physical and spiritual. But we must remember that we are just like that little boy, who had faith enough to offer up to the Rabbi's hands his meager portion. Oh, but it was enough!! Not because of his great wealth, or goodness, but because of WHOSE HANDS distributed it! What a rich thought! And it is with this in mind that I/we shall consider and hope to apply any nuggets of truth the Spirit imparts to me/us as we partake in fasting this month, as the Lord leads us.

"By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. 'This is a remote place,' they said, 'and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.'

But he answered, 'You give them something to eat.'

They said to him, 'That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?' 'How many loaves do you have?' he asked. 'Go and see.'

When they found out, they said, 'Five-and two fish.' Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand."

~Mark 6:35-44

(note: The Scriptures point out that Jesus was preaching to a crowd of 5,000 men, but since they were there to hear the teachings of the Messiah, they probably had their wives and children with them as well, and there were likely upwards to 25,000 people there!)

 

In John 6.6, we read that~

He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

What a comfort, He already has in mind what to do, He is but waiting for us to respond, to BELIEVE that He is ABLE to provide much more than we could ever think or ask! Truly, when things seem beyond our scope of provision, it is but merely a testing ground for us, but not for His sake... He knows what He shall do, and even what He shall accomplish through us. No, the test is for our own sake, that we may see ourselves in the mirror of His Words spoken, for what and who we really are... sinners in need of a Saviour. Lord, help us to overcome our unbelief.

My prayer is that we learn and partake together of the true fast...

Thank you dear Tonia, for reminding me to go deeper...

The Lord's "Much More"

And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. (2 Chronicles 25:9)

If you have made a mistake, bear the loss of it; but do not act contrary to the will of the Lord. The Lord can give you much more than you are likely to lose; and if He does not, will you begin bargaining and chaffering with God. The king of Judah had hired an army from idolatrous Israel, and he was commanded to send home the fighting men because the Lord was not with them. He was willing to send away the host, only he grudged paying the hundred talents for nothing. Oh, for shame! If the Lord will give the victory without the hirelings, surely it was a good bargain to pay their wages and to be rid of them.

Be willing to lose money for conscience' sake, for peace's sake, for Christ's sake. Rest assured that losses for the Lord are not losses. Even in this life they are more than recompensed: in some cases the Lord prevents any loss from happening. As to our immortal life, what we lose for Jesus is invested in heaven. Fret not at apparent disaster but listen to the whisper, "The Lord is able to give thee much more than this."

~ daily devotional by C.H. Spurgeon

In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow).

Click here to read more about Rosh Hashanah & Yom Teru'ah

Click here to read more about Sukkot~ The Feast of Tabernacles

Rosh Hashanah ~ ~ Shana Tova!!

~ A Blessed New Year!!!

Jewish Year 5766 : sunset October 3, 2005 - nightfall October 5, 2005
Our Honey Cake was/is (I had some for breakfast!) so YUMMY!

The kids so enjoyed singing "Happy Birthday to the World, Happy Birthday to the Universe!) N and T even stuck candles in the cake in the shape of a "W" for World, of course! We had dinner, shared some about Rosh Hahshanah, and lit the candles.

And so, our Rosh Hashanah celebration this year was simple, short and sweet. We thought it was very cool that after we'd finished dinner, and shared our devotions, prayer and cake, when we went outside (it was sunset), we heard and saw fireworks!! Just over the hill behind our house! The kids excitedly proclaimed "It's Rosh Hashanah! Someone else knows it's Rosh Hashanah!" They were jumping up and down on the trampoline, and T began to pretend that she was a firework. It was a fun, blessed evening.The first year we "celebrated" Rosh Hashanah, in 2000, we had an elaborate feast, complete with a couple of other Christian, Hebraic roots studies lovin' families that are dear friends of ours, in FL. After we'd all shared communion together, we walked down to the lake (it was sunset) where my husband, Chris, baptized me before our children and friends... I'd felt for years, since my return back to the Lord in 1994, that I wanted to be baptized again (I'd been baptized as a 9yo as well), now that I understood the significance, and so much had happened in those years between 9 and 21! And who better to baptize me than my head, the High Priest of our home, after Yeshuah. It was a lovely evening... intimate and sweet, and so significant to be baptized on this day, the day of new beginnings, of repentance and remembering our King. So, last night was also the anniversary of that special night in our lives, 5 yrs. ago now...

And, since we're celebrating, I'm splurging. couple of years ago, I bought one of these beautiful calendars from Galilee Experience. It was SO lovely, and a TOP quality calendar. This last year, I didn't buy one, and I've missed having it ALOT. So, I'm now getting one for next year... "For Zion's Sake" Calendar 2006. It's my New Year present to myself! Click on the link to see the various paintings featured in this calendar, as "high-quality reproductions of beautiful calligraphic designs by Israeli Messianic artist Hannah Willis, with Scripture passages in English (KJV) and Hebrew."

Take a moment to view this multimedia presentation, Shofar Ritual ~ How to Listen to the Shofar, which includes the sounds of the shofar for you to listen to, as well as explanations as to the significance and symbolism found within each unique sound... My kids loved this, and said; "Play it again Mom!"

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"The piercing blasts of the shofar provide some of the most evocative and memorable moments of the High Holiday period. But what does this unique mitzvah [commandment] signify? It may seem as if the shofar blowing is a passive ritual for the vast majority of Jews, who listen while a single person blows the shofar. But the sounds of the shofar are intended to spark introspection and change in the listener, hardly passive acts. This multimedia feature explains more about the meaning of the shofar and how to listen to the shofar sounds meaningfully.
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God ascends midst acclamation: the Lord to the blasts of the shofar. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.

~ Psalm 47.6,9

Click here to learn more and to hear it for yourself.

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The Use of the Shofar in the Bible (excerpted from Eddie Chumney's The Seven Feasts of Israel, all of which you may read online - just scroll down).

The shofar or ram's horn, has always held a prominent role in the history of G-d's people in the Bible:

The Torah was given to Israel with the sound of the shofar (Exodus [Shemot] 19:19).
Israel conquered in the battle of Jericho with the blast of the shofar (Joshua 6:20).
Israel will be advised of the advent of the Messiah with the sound of the shofar (Zechariah 9:14,16).
The shofar will be blown at the time of the ingathering of the exiles of Israel to their place (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 27:13).
The shofar was blown to signal the assembly of the Israelites during war (Judges [Shoftim] 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:1).
The watchman who stood upon Jerusalem's walls blew the shofar (Ezekiel [Yechezekel] 33:3-6).
The shofar was blown at the start of the Jubilee year (Leviticus [Vayikra] 25:9).
The shofar is a reminder that G-d is sovereign (Psalm [Tehillim] 47:5).
The ram's horn, the shofar, is a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and God's provision of a ram as a substitute (Genesis [Bereishit] 22:13).
The shofar was blown to announce the beginning of festivals (Numbers [Bamidbar] 10:10). The shofar was blown to celebrate the new moon on Rosh HaShanah (Psalm 81:1-3).
The blowing of the shofar is a signal for the call to repentance (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 58:1).
The blowing of the shofar ushers in the day of the L-rd (Joel 2:1).
The blowing of the shofar is sounded at the rapture of the believers and the resurrection of the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
John was taken up to Heaven in the Book of Revelation by the sound of the shofar (Revelation 4:1).
Seven shofarim are sounded when G-d judges the earth during the tribulation (Revelation 8-9).
The shofar was used for the coronation of kings (1 Kings [Melachim] 1:34,39).

MIKRA’EY KODESH

"Holy Convocations"
Author: Messianic Rabbi Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy

(Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted)

"ADONAI said to Moshe, "Tell the people of Isra’el: ‘The designated times of ADONAI which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are my designated times." (Leviticus 23:1)

YOM T’RUAH

"Day of the Awakening Trumpet Blast"

"ADONAI said to Moshe, "Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar. Do not do any kind of ordinary work, and bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI.’" (Leviticus 23:23-25)

With the coming of the fall part of the year, comes the final series of festivals, as detailed in our theme passage of Leviticus twenty-three. In rabbinical thinking, these last festivals are known as the "season of t’shuvah", the season of our repentance. Many scholarly studies have been done on the feasts of HaShem. To be sure, I would recommend that the serious student go back and conduct further research on his own, consulting various rabbinical commentaries and such, to gain an accurate and complete historical perspective on these feasts. However, these present commentaries are not designed to be a comprehensive work on the feasts, rather, I only want to supply the reader with some Messianic insights which I believe will enhance the average reader’s knowledge of Biblical things.

As previously mentioned in the overview, the Feasts of HaShem are meant to serve as daily, monthly, and yearly reminders of the wonderful historical plans that HaShem has for mankind. We in the Church usually only think of the feasts as past requirements that the Jews had to obey. Requirements which are now, somehow, spiritually fulfilled in the work of the Messiah Yeshua, and consequently, no longer pertinent for the non-Jewish believer. In a small way, the Church is not entirely wrong. Yeshua did come to bring to their fullest meaning, the feasts that are listed in Leviticus twenty-three. Yet I’m here to explain to the readers, the greater significance that HaShem had in mind when he instituted these holy gatherings. I wanted to reiterate some of the things that I commented about in the overview again, as we are entering into the final time period of the feast outline of Leviticus.

As the name of this commentary states, Yom T’ruah is another of the "designated meeting times" that the people of HaShem were to remember and meet on. In this particular case, Yom T’ruah was a day just for "meeting" and "remembering". The literal verse of instruction that I quoted reads just that way. The Hebrew word for day is "yom", while the Hebrew word for trumpet or ram’s horn is "shofar". The Torah instructs Am Yisra’el (the people of Isra’el) to commemorate this first day of the Hebrew month Tishrei with blasts from the shofar. This blast is called "t’ruah".

Your calendar probably calls this day "Rosh HaShanah". This name literally means "Head of the Year", from the Hebrew words "rosh" meaning "head" or "beginning", and "shanah" meaning "year". It gained this title when the rabbis created the civil calendar to be used by all Jews living in the Land of Isra’el. It eventually became the standard for all Jews everywhere. A religious calendar was already in effect when this change took place. Rather than replace the religious one, the rabbis simple adjusted it, making the beginning of the months Tishrei, instead of Nissan. This day has many significant themes attached to it. I want to list the other names of this feast, and then quickly explain the Messianic significance to each one. In this way, I believe the non-Jewish reader can quickly identify with the Scriptures and the People of Isra’el.

Names, Themes, and Hebrew Idioms associated with Rosh HaShanah:

1. Season of T’shuvah – this title, borrowed from the proximity of this particular feast to the Day of Atonement, suggest the attitude that is assumed during this most important time of the year. The Jewish nation as a whole wanted to spiritually prepare their hearts to meet their Creator on the Day of Atonement, hence the title given to the entire time period. As believers in Messiah, we already recognize the significance of his effectual blood sacrifice, thus we too can appreciate the state of mind that the Nation of Isra’el was trying to reach. Because many Jewish people as of yet do not have a personal relationship with Yeshua, I feel that their attitude during this time is appropriate, as, according to rabbinical belief, the Messiah could come to vindicate his chosen people during this season.

2. Rosh HaShanah – as previously stated, this day is recognized and celebrated as the head of the Jewish Calendar year.

3. Yom T’ruah – because the Torah explicitly commanded Am Yisra’el to sound the shofar on this day, it is called by this name. In Hebrew thought, a shofar is used to sound an "awakening blast" to the listener. Sometimes the call was to assemble, while at other times, the call was to war. In the case of the latter, usually a trumpet was used, instead of the traditional ram’s horn. At any rate, the Chazal (Sages of Antiquity) taught that the sound that the shofar made during this time period was to awaken the sleeping sinner from his spiritual slumber, and challenge him to make t’shuvah, repentance, unto the LORD his God. Because of this, Yom T’ruah is better translated as "Day of the Awakening Blast". A spiritual call to assembly was what the writer of the New Covenant had in mind, when he penned the famous words in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. That quite a few believing Gentiles and Messianic Jews (myself included) teach that our Messiah could return on or around this season, is no small secret. We would do well to study this feast more in our non-Jewish Church settings.

4. Yom haDin – translates as "The Day of Judgment". On this day, the rabbis believed that three great books in heaven were opened, and HaShem the Almighty Judge would weigh each man’s worth (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 6b). During this time period, all of the dead was raised to face the Ancient of Days, linking this day also to the great time period of resurrection. This is quite possibly the time period that Dani’el was referring to in Chapter 7, verse 10, of his book. Also the apocalyptic author John made references to books in Revelation 20:12-15.

5. Chevlai shel Mashiach – translated as "the Birthpangs of the Messiah". This final theme associated with Yom T’ruah is a much-repeated one throughout the Torah, especially in the prophets. The idea that one day there would be a great time of trouble on the earth, focusing primarily on the Nation of Isra’el as a people, is a major theme even in some New Covenant passages. Perhaps the most well known passage comes from the book of Jeremiah. In 30:4-7, the prophet speaks of the coming time of dread and terror as likened to a woman in the pains of childbirth. In other words, the Torah suggests that one day, most likely before the Messiah returns, the peoples of the world, and the Nation of Isra’el in particular will have to suffer a horrendous time of "birthing". This "birthing" is necessary for the Messiah to be "born". The language here can be confusing if you fail to remember that this is very figurative writing here. The authors employ heavy uses of real life images to convey what they are seeing in the Spirit. We know that Messiah was already born once. Yet, in a spiritual sense, the Torah teaches that all of creation is still waiting for him to be "born". For in this second "birth", the new heavens and the new earth will finally come forth also.

What can all of these different names and such teach us about the nature and purposes of HaShem? Our God is in the business of calling men back to himself. In order to get man to realize his fallen spiritual state he sometimes needs reminders. The Torah says of itself, in Psalm 19:11, that by it’s words "your servant is warned". Warned of what? Of the impending doom that is to befall all of the evil of mankind and the deeds that they do. Within this warning is a message of mercy; the time to repent is now! Turn to HaShem with your whole heart, cry out for his mercy, beg for his forgiveness in pardoning your sin, and receive his atonement! There used to be a time when the average person living within the community of Isra’el could bring an offering to the LORD, and the LORD would forgive him. To be sure, we will discuss that time period known as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in our next commentary on the Mikra’ey Kodesh. But history and the Torah record that our Great High Priest Yeshua changed all of that. Today, if it is the mercy, forgiveness, and atonement of HaShem that you seek, then accept Yeshua as your Savior, and your will find those things! You don’t have to wait until Yom Kippur to pursue atonement.

Yeshua offers it freely today, to anyone who will put his or her trusting faithfulness in him!

"Besides all of this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; for the final deliverance is nearer than when we first came to trust. The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light." (Romans 13:11, 12)

"Chag Sah-meach Yom T’ruah!"
(Happy Festival of the Day of the Awakening Blast)

For further study, read: Leviticus 23:24, 25; Numbers
10:10; Nehemiah 8:1-3; Psalm 47:5; 81:1-4; 89:15;
98:6; Isaiah 26:19; 58:1; Joel 2:1, 2; Zechariah
12:10; Matthew 24:8, 31; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18

~Messianic Rabbi Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy
yeshua613@hotmail.com

We have entered into my favorite time of the year, the season of the Fall, the time of the Lord's High Holy Days. For a great overview of this celebration, and its significance to us, as the Redeemed of the Lord, please check out this link, which has many excerpts from the book, A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays, which I have found to be MOST helpful to us in our endeavours to learn more of, and partake in, our Hebraic Heritage over the years. Rosh Hashana is a time for contemplation and reflection upon the year now passed, a time for setting our houses in order, for conscientiously making sure we are in right relationship with our brothers and sisters, and for remembering our King - above all else. It's a time to spark and engage the imaginations of our children. On this day, we remember the creation of the universe by Adonai!

We're making honey cake today, and have begun our yearly immersion into studying these festivals anew, as we celebrate our Lord and Messiah, basking together in His fulfilled promises to save us, and His much anticipated return!!

Every year I, we as a family, learn more of each Biblical holiday we study. Here, I thought that I'd share some more about Rosh Hashana and the Days of Awe, written from a Christian perspective.

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The Ten Days of Repentance

As mentioned above, most people are neither entirely righteous (tsaddikim) nor entirely wicked (resha’im) on the day of Rosh HaShanah. The Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, or Ten Days of Repentance, provide a time for us to repent and turn whole-heartedly to the LORD in order to be sealed into the Book of Life. These days set the tone for the coming most holy Day of Atonement.

The Christian and Rosh HaShanah

There are many things the Christian can learn from the Jewish observance of Yamin Nora’im and Rosh HaShanah that are helpful in our walk as talmidim of the Mashiach Yeshua.

First, the month of Elul and the preparation for Rosh HaShanah reminds us to be ready for the soon appearance of Yeshua our LORD. Though we do not know the exact day or hour of His return to possess His kingdom on earth, we are commanded to watch and be ready for His soon appearance. We ought, therefore, be in a constant state of repentance as we seek to humble ourselves and walk with our LORD.

Second, Rosh HaShanah itself, or rather Yom Teru’ah, has prophetic significance in the life of the Christian. The blowing of the shofar is prophetic of the rapture of the church, where those who are part of the Bride of Mashiach, the church, will experience everlasting transformation:

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (shofar): for the trumpet (shofar) shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51)

Third, the Tashlikh ceremony reminds us that our LORD is a God of new beginnings, and even if we have sinned and fallen away from Him, He is faithful to restore us and cast our sins away from us. After all, God sent His only Son Yeshua to be our Sin-Bearer and Kapparah, so we can take comfort in His forgiveness when we earnestly seek to repent from the harm we have done and begin anew with God.

Fourth, we should be grateful to the LORD for writing our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life, or Sefer HaChayim. Of course we do not believe that we are made acceptable in the LORD’s eyes by means of our own works of righteousness (Titus 3:5-6), but that does not excuse us from being without such works (as fruit of the Ruach Hakodesh in our daily life).

Finally, we anticipate the prophetic fulfillment of the LORD’s covenant faithfulness to Israel when we understand that the Yamim Nora’im foreshadow the future repentance of national Israel in the days to come. Yom Kippur is the Holiday that pictures the full restoration of Israel to all her covenant promises. The B’rit Chadashah will be embraced and Yeshua will be revealed as Israel’s Savior, LORD, and Deliverer.

Terms relating to Rosh HaShanah:

Elul - The month preceding the month of Tishri and set apart as a season of repentance and preparation for the Days of Awe.
Selichot - Penitential prayers said during the last week of Elul.
Erev Rosh HaShanah - The evening before Rosh HaShanah marked by additional services at the synagogue.
L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu - This phrase is a customary greeting on the Jewish New Year and means "May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year!” and is sometimes shortened to "Shanah Tovah":

Rosh HaShanah - “The Head of the Year.”

The Jewish New Year. Celebrated on Tishri 1 and 2.

According to the Rabbinics, there are actually four “New Year’s Days” in the Jewish calendar:
Nisan 1 - The Biblical New Year, sometimes called New Years Days for kings
Elul 1 - The New Years Day for tithes
Shevat 15 (Tu B’shevat) - The New Years Day for trees
Tishri 1 - The New Years Day for years and the beginning of the Days of Awe

Yom Teru’ah - The “Feast of Trumpets” and progenitor of Rosh HaShanah. Teru’ah means a loud noise either by blowing a shofar (e.g. Lev. 25:9), silver trumpets (Numbers 10:5-6) or by shouting (Psalm 100:1).

The purpose of Yom Teru'ah was to shout unto the LORD in prayer -- similar to the idea expressed in the Psalms such as “Shout unto God with a loud voice!”
(Psalm 47:2).
Tashlich - (“casting off”) A traditional ceremony in which individuals symbolically cast their sins into a body of water. We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins.
Shabbat Shuvah - The Sabbath that falls during the Ten Days of Repentance, usually observed by listening to sermons about repentance in the synagogue. Shabbat Shuvah is called the “Shabbat of Return” because its special haftarah reading begins with the words Shuvah Yisrael “Return O Israel,” from the prophecy of Hosea.
Tzom Gedaliah - the Fast of Gedaliah, one of the minor fast days.
Yamim Nora’im - The Days of Awe or the High Holy Days.
Chet - Literally: "missing the mark"; a Hebrew term for sin.
Teshuvah - Literally: "returning"; a Hebrew term for repentance.
Machzor - High Holy Day prayer book.
Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement and Judgment on Tishri 10.

Blessings for Rosh Hashana ~ A Home Ceremony ~

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What Makes the High Holy Days High?

I don't know about you, but each year at this time I have to remind myself just why the upcoming holidays are called the High Holy Days. After all, many of the biblical holidays seem as special as these.

At Passover we ask, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" Perhaps Passover should be a high holy day. In the winter, we enjoy Hanukkah-menorahs, potato latkes, dreydels, eight days of gifts. It's a pretty "high" time. Why not call Hanukkah a high holiday? Purim, with its parties, plays, carnivals and hamantashen is certainly an up time. We get silly and have a pretty "high" celebration. Why isn't Purim considered a high holiday?

Why do we call only Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur High Holy Days? What makes the High Holy Days so high?

Rosh HaShanah, which literally means "Head of the Year," isn't a High Holy Day because it's considered the Jewish New Year. It's nothing like December 31 with all its revelry. So, as a New Year's celebration, if it leaves so much to be desired, why call it "high"?

It's "highness" is found in the real meaning of the day. The name Rosh HaShanah is not found in the Bible, but in Jewish tradition. The biblical name for this day is Yom Teruah, "the Day of the Blowing" (of the shofar, the "ram's horn").

The shofar blew to warn the people of Israel of danger, to call the congregation to worship, to announce a fast, but most importantly, to awaken the people to repentance. Rosh HaShanah is a "high" holyday, not because it has become the traditional New Year's Day, but because the sound of the shofar was heard and the people were called to the higher activity of appreciating the kingship of God.

Yom Kippur, the second High Holy Day, is the annual time the nation of Israel had their sins atoned for. The day was accompanied by animal sacrifices, an awesome ceremony by the High Priests, and a general sense of relief when the sacrifice was offered and atonement was made. But there is no more Temple, no sacrificial system. So why is it still called "high"?

Even without the Temple and the sacrificial system, the concept of atonement, of having ones sins forgiven, was maintained in the diaspora. The foundation was laid in the Torah; the actuation occurs every day. Thus, we fast on Yom Kippur as a reminder of the sacrifices in ancient days. This, too, is a high activity, and thus Yom Kippur became one of the High Holy Days.

The ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are called the "Days of Awe," the Yamim Nora'im, days in which to make amends with those whom we have wronged in the past year-especially God. Having spent time before Rosh HaShanah examining one's life (traditionally, the entire month before-Elul-is used for this purpose), when the shofar sounds we begin seeking reconciliation with those we have wronged in the past year.

On Yom Kippur, when the final shofar blast is heard, we symbolically see the gate (ne'ilah) of heaven closed for another year. Hopefully we've made amends with all those we've wronged and will find ourselves written in the Book of Life for another year. The Days of Awe add to making the High Holy Days high.

During this season, the routines of life-making a living, raising the children, enjoying a hobby-are downplayed in deference to considering the kingship of God and his rule in our lives. That's why these two holy days and the days in between, although not described as "more important" in the Bible, have been elevated to the status of the "High Holy Days." The rabbis understood just how important repentance, reconciliation and atonement were. We who are Messianic know that we have all of this through Yeshua. May our observance of the High Holy Days be truly high this year.

~Rabbi Baruch (Barry) Rubin

Read more about the historical significance of, and how to celebrate the High Holy Days here.

"Chag Sah-meach Yom T’ruah!"
(Happy Festival of the Day of the Awakening Blast)

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Shofar

------

There are things that are important for us, so we speak about them.

There are things very important to us -- and so words flow out from us, bursting with emotion, meaning and depth.

And then there are things that shake us to the core. The core of our being does not wait for the mind's permission or for the right words -- there are no words that can contain it. It breaks out in a cry, in a scream and in silence.

This is the sound of the shofar: A crying voice, not even of a human being, but of an animal's horn. We need the animal -- not for its coarseness, but on the contrary, because we need to express something so sublime, it cannot find words; so essential and unbounded, the mind can neither fathom it nor hold it back.

The very core of our souls needs to cry, "Father! Father!"

A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
Elul 29, 5765 * October 3, 2005

Fall is here!! Taba alerted me yesterday that it was the first day of Autumn, Yippee!! She can hardly wait for winter (snow), so she went bounding through the house exclaiming the arrival of this joyous season to anyone who would listen.

I am so grateful this Fall... While my daughter counts the days until winter's arrival, I'm basking in the beginnings of this season... my favorite time of the year... I'm so thrilled that we can actually experience and enjoy the season much more fully than we did in FL, where there wasn't much change in the weather really to speak of, and definitely no display of Fall colors like here in TN, which brings such of a sense of nostalgia, rich with remembrances that are embedded in my soul from years that I spent growing up in the Pacific NW.

This year, I've been especially overcome with this sense of fullness it brings to my soul, an expectancy of yet unknown discoveries...a promise of life to come, memories of harvests past, and future bounties. As the leaves take on their brilliant colors, even as they're preparing to die and flutter down, where they will be lost forever to a season of dark, still rot beneath a blanket of gloriously clean, white snow, I'm reminded of how in their very death, these leaves provide warmth and nutrients for the plants that will grow up from their rich decay next Spring... What a miraculous display the seasons do show us, of the cycles of life to death to life again... these leaves are glorious, and the hillsides will soon be ablaze with their display, famous for their beauty... *sighs*... death... I have alot of self to die to right now. But therein is found the promise of a simultaneous harvest...

Yes, Fall, in all its fullness, is especially rich in analogy to me right now. It's a time of harvests, of thanksgiving, of death, which is really making way for life anew... beginnings. A new season, a time of reflection and repentance, as we prepare for a new year, as we look forward to rest and renewal, to beginning again... Redemption is upon us... Autumn is full this year. My cup truly overflows... and Lord, I am thankFULL.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

~Matthew 16.24,25

Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

You have put gladness in my heart,

More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.~Psalm 4.6b-8

In the midst of this cool and brisk season, my Creator is greeting me with crisply glorious promises of wonderful blessings to come. This Fall I will have breathed on this earth for 32 years... This Fall we've lived here in TN for a whole year now. We are starting afresh with our studies... Soon we shall be celebrating Thanksgiving, and the Feast of Tabernacles, and then Rosh Hashannah, and Yom Kippur... all of these Fall Feasts from the Bible have such richly prophetic Messianic significance. We have learned so much from them over the years, and their object lessons have been living water, quietly drawing our roots deeper into Him, as our understanding of the great heritage we've been grafted into grows. Yes, life with our Lord is rich... I do hope and pray that it will be a fruitful year, a faithful year.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper.~Psalm 1.2,3

~ Problem of Job ~ William Blake, illustrations for the Book of Job

"At this also my heart trembles,

And leaps from its place.

Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,

And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.

He sends it forth under the whole heaven,

His lightning to the ends of the earth.

After it a voice roars;

He thunders with His majestic voice,

And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.

God thunders marvelously with His voice;

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.

For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth';

Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.

He seals the hand of every man,

That all men may know His work.

The beasts go into dens,

And remain in their lairs.

From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,

And cold from the scattering winds of the north.

By the breath of God ice is given,

And the broad waters are frozen.

Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;

He scatters His bright clouds.

And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,

That they may do whatever He commands them

On the face of *the whole earth.

He causes it to come,

Whether for correction,

Or for His land,

Or for mercy.

"Listen to this, O Job;

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

Do you know when God dispatches them,

And causes the light of His cloud to shine?

Do you know how the clouds are balanced,

Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?

Why are your garments hot,

When He quiets the earth by the south wind?

With Him, have you spread out the skies,

Strong as a cast metal mirror?

"Teach us what we should say to Him,

For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.

Should He be told that I wish to speak?

If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.

Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,

When the wind has passed and cleared them.

He comes from the north as golden splendor;

With God is awesome majesty.

As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;

He is excellent in power,

In judgment and abundant justice;

He does not oppress.

Therefore men fear Him;

He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart."

~Job 37