Answered Prayer

My life, especially recently, is full of answered prayer.

I married my husband as an answer to prayer. (The part of me that is home to the “class clown” is saying, “What was I thinking???”) But the reality is that 21 years ago, after a history of failed relationships where I had played chameleon to please the boyfriend du jour, I pleaded with Abba YHVH to guide my love life. I had failed miserably. I couldn't trust my own judgment in this area of my life, that was clear. I needed Him to take over. And He did. I met “Mr. Wonderful” AKA “he who must be tolerated” (depends on which day) just a week after I prayed that prayer. We met in the parking lot of the Christian radio station where I volunteered as a prayer partner. We've been together ever since.

A few months ago, I asked Abba for help during Sukkot / the Feast of Tabernacles. If things worked out as I anticipated, I would be cooking for 300 people for eight days ... and those who had helped me in the past had moved away, one family to Wyoming, another to Arizona. Those of our congregation who would be attending the feast had deterrents to kitchen duty of their own: tiny newborns, farm animals that would require their attention, illnesses, injuries ... It did not look good. But “I lift my eyes to the hills from where my help comes.” (Ps. 121:1) I know my Creator, Redeemer, Bridegroom and Sovereign “did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” (2Tim 1:7) I also kept my concerns to myself, I did not want to face the barrage of questions about how I was going to pull this all off. The truth is, I wasn't going to do anything. YHVH was. And He did.

Early in September, I got an email from someone who offered to leave their home for a month and essentially join herself to my hip and help in whatever way possible. I have had help in the past that got upset when I did not say 'please' and 'thank you' at every request. I'm not mean ... but I do get stressed and I get terse. So, I was a bit skeptical at her very gracious offer. I needed someone I could work with. As Yah would have it, she was not deterred by the tepid response I gave at the time. And so she essentially moved in during the first week in September. We baked banana bread, carrot-pineapple bread; we made carrot juice and meatloaf. We chopped; we diced; we measured and re-calculated. She was wonderful ... and we were doing all things through Messiah who strengthened us. (Phil. 4:13) I was giddy with delight.

On the erev Shabbat / f'day before the feast started, we had another case of 10 pounds of events wedged into a 5 pound bag of a day. The rental RVs for the speakers had to be picked up in Gainesville (45 miles away, thus a 3 hour project) and the grocery truck bearing $7000 worth of groceries was arriving on that same day. Both projects were slated to be handled by the same men. Our Father's sense of timing – and comedy – is impeccable! As the guys who picked up the RVs returned to Lake City they drove past the truck bearing the groceries. They pulled into the driveway at our shul seconds before the truck did. They parked the RVs and then scrambled like ants at a picnic toting hundreds of boxes of food and supplies. Inside, the queens of cuisine checked the items off the list and loaded groceries onto shelves. We went into Shabbat tired, but with a great sense of victory and peace.

And just for the record, all 271 souls who signed up did not show. Although we had cooked for 300, “only” 200 arrived. This means lots of leftovers. I now know a half dozen ways to serve left over meatloaf. Let's hear it for the spaghetti with meat sauce and Tater Tot casserole!

The bottom line seems to be that worrying would have been a huge waste of energy! Abba made sure that I had help, that the food was served hot and on time every day and there was enough to share with the clients of the local soup kitchen ... and the best bonus of all, I emerged without being totally exhausted!! Our Sovereign is good beyond description!! HalleluYah!

So, all I can say is, “Trust Him.” He knows what you need far better than you do and will move heaven and earth to empower you when you seek to do things His way.

May it be for a blessing ...

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom / Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace --

Yocheved

Water, Water Everywhere

This summer has certainly been the summer to remember so far as rain goes. Tropical storms, hurricanes and just plain ol' rain. It's been wet, that's for sure. My neighbor's yard was under water for about 2 months; the one road into our community stayed underwater for just as long and baby frogs were underfoot – hopping frantically away at our every step while outside. Between the frogs and the crickets, walks with the dog at night gave me thoughts of being in a tropical rainforest. After years of insufficient rainfall in this area, the rain is certainly a blessing, and we are grateful for our Father's provision once again.

But I was feeling swamped in a different way ... One hundred twenty days before Sukkot, we realized (courtesy of the County Building and Zoning Department, thank you very much) that if we wanted to put in a few RV spaces at our congregation's property for hospitality purposes, we also had to put in a new septic system, run water lines from the existing well and have the power company put in an additional power pole. So we made inquiries, got some estimates and settled on someone who had been in business for years and with whom it would be 'one stop shopping'. He could and would do all the components of the job. Yay! Less minutia for me to manage! Simple? yes; easy? Not so much.

Did I mention the rain??? For the next 90 days it rained virtually non-stop. Day after rainy day went by and calendar page after calendar page turned in synchrony. Then suddenly -- Divine Providence I am sure -- the rain stopped ... and there were 30 days separating us from the Scriptural Fall Feasts when these RV spaces would be needed.

I realized we got the right people for the job when we got the phone call that said, “We'll be out there this morning” instead of me having to make the call and ask, “Where are you?” I praise You, Father! What a blessing!

As the job progressed, because of the new septic and the new network of water lines I was tasked with dealing with the Department of Environmental Health. My Beloved does not do bureaucracy well. He is fluent in hammering, tinkering, mowing and fixing, but schmoozing is not his forte. So off I went to deal with the 'Powers that Be'. These fine folks make sure that our water is pure and that it stays pure for everyone's safety and well being. I am happy they do what they do. They decided, like Shakespeare's Shylock, that a pound of proverbial flesh was in order. I was tasked with collecting a multitude of water samples. These water samples had to be done at certain times of day, with specific amounts of time between them and in a specific order. All the while, my Beloved is emoting over the agony he perceives in the process. (Fancy talk for he's kvetching my ears off already. It's OK.  I don't like bureaucracy either.) Am I flummoxed? No, not I -- I have peace that is flowing like a river.

In just a few days, b'ezrat YHVH (with Yah's help) the state inspectors will inspect and Yah willing, we will be done, done, done! And then a flood of a different sort will be upon us. We will be flooded by the blasts on the shofar calling to awaken us from our spiritual slumber and prepare us for an appointment with our King. We will be flooded with our own salty tears as we recount the times we've disappointed our Father in Heaven. We will be flooded with joy as we are reminded of His forgiveness and His promise to separate us from our sin, burying it in the deepest depths of the sea. And just five days after that, we will again be flooded with the excitement and joy of reuniting with our fellow Israelites and guests for our feast of Sukkot / Tabernacles. Wave after wave of emotion, wave after wave of love ... I could stand a flood like that!

This is the traditional prayer for rain ...

YHVH, Our El and El of our ancestors:
Remember Avraham who flowed to You like water.
You blessed him like a tree planted by streams of water.
You rescued him from fire and water.
He passed Your test by planting good deeds by every source of water.
For Avraham's sake, do not keep back water.
Remember Yitz'chak, whose birth was foretold when Avraham offered the angels a little water.
You asked his father to spill his blood like water.
In the desert Yitz'chak dug and found wells of water.
For Yitz'chak's sake, do not keep back water.
Remember Ya'akov who crossed the Jordan's water.
He bravely rolled the stone off the mouth of the well of water.
He wrestled with an angel made of fire and water,
And therefore You promised to be with him through fire and water.
For Ya'akov's sake do not keep back water.
Remember Moshe, who was drawn in a reed basket out of the Nile's water.
Who helped Yitro's daughters: He drew water and gave the sheep water.
He struck the rock and out came water.
For Moshe's sake do not hold back water!
Remember Aharon, the High Priest, who, on Yom Kippur, washed himself five times with water,
He prayed and was sprinkled with purifying water,
He kept apart from a people who were as unstable as water.
For Aharon's sake do not hold back water.
Remember the Twelve Tribes whom
You brought through the divided waters;
For whom You sweetened bitter water;
Their descendants' blood was spilled like water.
Turn to us, Yah, who are surrounded by troubles like water.
For the Israelite people's sake, do not hold back water.
You are YHVH, our Elohim
Who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall.
For blessing and not for curse. Amein.
For life and not for death. Amein.
For plenty and not for lack. Amein.

May the Creator and One who maintains all there is shower you with abundant blessings, now and always ...

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom / Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace,

Yocheved

At The Crossroads

This is an interesting time to be alive. Things that were absolutes not so very long ago are called into question now .... or even denied! In my own lifetime, I have seen many of these changes; and now I am witness to the questioning, the challenging, the groping for answers that now takes place.

When I was growing up, we believed in God; we prayed; we went to church and we knew that there was judgment after this life, and if love of God didn't keep us on the straight and narrow path, the fear of judgment did. It was only as a working adult that I came to the realization that there were those who just didn't believe. Whether they were raised in homes that were not God-centered or they left the faith for reasons of their own, I don't know. They just didn't want any part of "God".

A few weeks ago, dear Hubby and I were confronted by a mutual acquaintance who started the dialogue with, “I've seen your video bible teachings online. How can you believe such bulls--t?” In the first place, years ago, in polite company, one's beliefs, although they may not have been shared, were respected. Elders and teachers were respected. It was a tough conversation. I must admit that dear Hubby handled it a whole lot better than I did. For the life of me, I cannot understand the aggression ... unless ... they feel threatened by what the bible says. And if they don't believe what the bible says, then why do they feel so threatened if it is of no consequence? So without all the gut-wrenching details, suffice it to say that this acquaintance is searching, but is 'too smart' to be 'hooked' by such drivel.

On the other hand ...

Just today, an acquaintance of mine asked if we could have lunch together. She is a beautiful soul, full of love for our Savior and His Word. She wrestles with what all Believers wrestle with: How to be in and stay in our Father's will; and how to please our Creator / Redeemer / Bridegroom / King. Having been raised in mainstream Christianity, she is having trouble reconciling recent revelations. Cultural norms, familial expectations and other concerns keep presenting road blocks (or at least speed bumps) to embracing the life of a Torah Observant Believer in Y'shua. But, she is knocking and continuing to knock, asking and continuing to ask and seeking and continuing to seek. Coming to this life is a process – two years, at least. It takes time to discard the habits of a lifetime and embrace the teachings of the Word ... like getting the Sabbath on the right day, ditching the pork and shrimp, and celebrating our Creator's feasts and not the ones of our current culture. The two years are an average, of course. The point is it takes a while to overcome the misunderstandings created by linguistic and cultural differences. But it can be done!

So here in a relatively short period of time, dear Hubby and I have been exposed to two very different examples of people at the crossroads. One of the things I learned along the way is that for every 'one' who verbalizes a thought, at least 'ten' were thinking about it. That means that all around us are people who are concerned with thoughts of God, the after-life or about the Heavenly Kingdom, whether they verbalize it or not. This puts a greater onus on those of us who believe the Word to act like it! We have an audience – a judgmental one at that – wherever we go! Do we have to be 'at the ready' to deliver a sermon? Well no, and yes ... as my favorite quote (attributed to St. Francis of Assisi but actually a paraphrase of his teachings) attests: “Always and everywhere, preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words.”

May it be our Father's will to gather the dispersed 'Lost Sheep' back into the fold having them submit to the authority of the One True Shepherd Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. May He give each aching, hungry heart what it needs to turn to Him. Where illumination of the Word is needed, may the Word have sudden clarity.  Where objections need to be overcome, may the objections evaporate like smoke. May the stony hearts be massaged into hearts of flesh, b'shem Y'shua who paid the price to reconcile us back to the Almighty.

Although we will not fully grasp all the ramifications of faith, we have in the words of Isaiah / Yeshayahu 35 'a clue':

Isa 35:1 The desert and the dry land will be glad; the `Aravah will rejoice and blossom like the lily.

2 It will burst into flower, will rejoice with joy and singing, will be given the glory of the L'vanon, the splendor of Karmel and the Sharon. They will see the glory of YHVH, the splendor of our Elohim.

3 Strengthen your drooping arms, and steady your tottering knees.

4 Say to the fainthearted, "Be strong and unafraid! Here is your Elohim; He will come with vengeance; with Elohim's retribution He will come and save you."

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped;

6 then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the mute person's tongue will sing. For in the desert, springs will burst forth, streams of water in the `Aravah;

7 the sandy mirage will become a pool, the thirsty ground springs of water. The haunts where jackals lie down will become a marsh filled with reeds and papyrus.

8 A highway will be there, a way, called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not pass over it, but it will be for those whom He guides — fools will not stray along it.

9 No lion or other beast of prey will be there, traveling on it. They will not be found there, but the redeemed will go there.

10 Those ransomed by YHVH will return and come with singing to Tziyon, on their heads will be everlasting joy. They will acquire gladness and joy, while sorrow and sighing will flee.

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom / Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace

Yocheved

Roadtrips and the Traveler's Prayer

My lovely granddaughters

I very seldom get to see my son, my only biological child -- only about once a year or so. He lives 1000 miles away in TX, so every visit is precious. When he called a few weeks ago and asked, “Can you pick me up on July 30^th?” it was all I could do to contain my excitement. In my heart, I was already on the way to the airport; but, I had to contain myself for a few more weeks. The days were filled with activities and as his visit approached a bit more cleaning and cooking. You know how it goes ....

Finally, the 30^th arrived and we headed towards Orlando to collect him and my two gorgeous granddaughters (ages 6 and 7 ½.) Hubby and I and Gila (our new puppy) loaded in the car and headed south on I-75. Three hours drive and plenty of time to think. This past Shabbat's message was still in my head. This past Parsha, D'varim, (Deuteronomy 1:1 to 3:22) spoke, in part, about just before the Israelites entered the promised Land, they had to rout the Canaanites. Sichon, king of the Emori and Og, king of Bashan stood in the way of the Israelites possessing what they had been promised. Would the Israelites rise to the occasion or would they fail the test? How badly did they want to acquire what they had been promised? We are no different. We face the same challenges daily. How badly do we want to take possession of what we've been promised? Our enemy lulls us to sleep with apathy or distracts us with a substitute for the greatness that has been spoken over us. We are super-conquerors according to the scriptures, but do we give up when the task seems difficult? Do we get diverted by the smoke and mirrors offered by the enemy? The questions facing the Israelites and us is do we have faith in Word; do we have faith in the promise; and are we willing to be obedient? Lots of people believe in God, the real question is, Do they believe God? Huge difference!

The enemy had put up roadblocks to my joy on this occasion too. The week before meeting up with my Son and Grand-girls included a trip to the dentist for a difficult extraction (who knew that the root of the canine/eye tooth went up to the eyeball ... or so it seemed!!). I came home and while putting something in the cupboard a can of black beans fell out and hit me in the face ... in just about the same place. OWW!! (Don't worry, I got even. I ate them!!) A few days before, someone in the mishpokha had spoken unkindly which saddened me; Hubby and I had quarreled which left me smoldering; and work and projects seemed to multiply in the dark and that feeling of being overwhelmed was starting to take hold. “BUT WAIT!! There's More!” as the infomercials say. The deal is, I know Who I believe in. He has promised to love me and take care of me. I have been promised the peace that passes all understanding. The only time I don't have that peace is when I-I-I-I-I lay it down!

So to occupy my time while I rode the three hours to Orlando (also, to ignore driving rain and the ballet dance of lane-changing that the semi-trucks seem to find so amusing) I got out my tablet and kept myself busy working on this blog. I got a substantial amount done and ... I hit the save button. It all disappeared. The original of this blog and all the other documents I had in the que were gone. I searched the file manager. Gone. I searched the SD card. Gone. All that was left was the documents that had been uploaded to “Dropbox”. I considered crying. Nope. That just leaves me with fat lips, red eyes and a stuffy nose. Again, the basics of the book “The Garden of Emuna” came to mind: Everything happens for a reason. “Must have been something in that blog Abba YHVH didn't want me to say.” I told Hubby. Hubby, to his eternal credit, was quiet. No “could-a, should-a or would-as” crossed his lips. We were close to Orlando; I put my tablet away and let out a deep sigh.

A few minutes later there was jumping and bouncing around the car as we reunited with my family. Only Gila, who at 8 months old has only been with Hubby and I, was not elated to see Son and Granddaughters. She warily stared at them and trembled like a leaf during a hurricane. We stuffed the luggage and balloons into the trunk. Once we were back in the car, Gila laid down next to my leg and slept all the way home. I drove --

The visit was so short, just 2 days! But I am ever so grateful for the time we had together. We went to the natural history museum, the butterfly pavilion and drove around showing the Grand-girls the sites of our personal history. We had pizza; we had ice cream. We watched “Lion King” .... again. My grand-girlies got massages from Grandma. They brought me baby frogs. (Ewww!) We spoiled each other rotten. It was glorious!!

Then, this morning came. I lavished one more indulgence on them: pancakes ... with whipped cream. And the 6 of us (counting Gila) piled in the car to make the return trip to Orlando. Again, the semi-truck ballet and the driving rain. Again, the Traveler's Prayer:

May it be your will YHVH our El and El of our forefathers, that You lead us toward peace, emplace our footsteps toward peace and guide us toward peace and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness and peace and return us to our homes in peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush, (bandits and evil animals) along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing on all the works of our hands and grant us grace, kindness and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our supplication, because You are the Elohim Who hears prayer and supplications. Blessed are You, YHVH, who hears prayer (and I add) Through Y'shua our Messiah who is the Way back to You. Amein.

Ambush ... an interesting word. Evil animals ... surely, not in this day and age. Hmmm.

Hubby and Gila and I took the long way home, taking back roads and stopping for lunch at Chic-fil-a. The lines were long, but the service was excellent and everybody was in high spirits. We ate in the car and enjoyed every bite.  Celebrating freedom of speech is delicious!

Around 4 pm, when I realized I hadn't heard from my son, I sent the following text (His responses are preceded by an asterisk * ; mine by a dash - ).

•       - Hola'! Hope all is well. Just wanted to check on you. Love you.

• * http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/08/san-antonio-airport-evacuated-after-bomb-threat/1
• * We are stuck in the airplane on the tarmac. Luckily S fell asleep and O is playing her video game.
• - OMG ... What a homecoming! YHVH be with you. Big hugs.
• * Update at 4:25 pm ET: At a briefing, San Antonio's police chief said a caller reported three vehicles in the lower level of a parking garage contained explosives. Bomb sniffing dogs 'got three positive hits for possible explosives on three separate vehicles/” The male caller also made “non-specific threats” for both terminals. Police are trying to trace the call.
• - Scary. Our feeling is that this may be a terrorist's test run or diversion (for a different target)
• * No, this is real. There are about 15 planes waiting. They just brought ice. S is still asleep.
• - Let me know when they release your plane.
• * (at 6:15) OK, we were let out. Getting out of the airport is the challenge now.

Ambush! Who would have thought that the word would be so appropriate? Evil animals. What other description could apply?

I am indeed grateful that my Creator / Redeemer / Bridegroom / King saw fit to answer my prayers so positively. I'm even grateful that the tablet “ate my homework.”  The story wasn't finished when I wrote that version! I am so happy to have this opportunity to praise my Father! He is indeed great, and greatly to be praised! My Son and Granddaughters are safe and the enemy is defeated again. Praise Yah!!

May your travels on this sod be filled with peace.

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom – Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace --

Yocheved

Two Opposing Concepts OR A Tale of Two Doctors

This week, as I pondered the topic for this blog, I gravitated towards two opposing concepts: Healing Attitudes vs The Divine in Exile. At one point, as I wrestled with the philosophical fork in the road, I saw the connection ... or rather, their mutual exclusivity. That being said, here we go:

A couple of weeks ago, my dear husband had another doctor's appointment. He, until his injury last September, had not been to a doctor in the entire twenty years of our marriage. Since September, however, he has well made up for lost time. The doctor on this occasion was his primary care physician. It's one of those things that Medicare requires – that you have a primary care physician. During the visit that day, we were greeted with some interesting news, and I am quoting the doctor here: “The human body was designed to live 50 years and doctors keep you alive after that.” I was too stunned by the arrogance to launch into scriptural statements, arguments of personal belief or anything. I just sat there with my mouth open. He then ordered 5 vials of blood to be drawn and told my beloved that even though his cholesterol was fine, he (the doctor) was putting him on statins for the rest of his life. Not, “I'm giving you thirty days to make some dietary changes” but, “This is what we're going to do.” Period. That was the only time he made eye contact. The rest of the time, he read paperwork and initialed pages. We complied with the blood tests – the doctor wanted to check his vitamin D level – it's all the rage now, I imagine. We even got the prescription filled, since the doctor's office called our pharmacy and they called us to pick it up. The first pill was never taken. Nor was the chemical stress test that he ordered. My husband and I both felt that these tests, medications and chemicals were outside of our Father's will – for US.

Rather than comforting, encouraging and “educating” which is what the word 'doctor' originally meant, we were distressed, agitated and confused. All the tests ordered so far by the vascular surgeon who had done the repair on my husband's injury had unremarkable results, so, why this fishing trip from the GP? How could someone so completely disregard the Divine in the creation and maintenance of the human frame? We were baffled at the whole event. And saddened.

We put out some feelers with our friends in the medical profession as to which doctors they would recommend. We just could not see going back to this particular doctor. One friend gave us a glowing recommendation of someone that she saw professionally and for whom she has worked. We made an appointment immediately.

We walked into his office and were amazed at the difference between the two. Where doctor A had modern and streamlined décor, a blaring TV and automatic doors, doctor B's office was filled with handmade decorations and photos of them on a medical mission trip(s). One painting depicted the many names of God. WOW! What a difference! The personnel in Doctor B's office were loving and caring. We even prayed with the office manager that day. The attitude of healing – LOVE – permeated every corner. Everyone had a smile, a kind word and the doctor took his time with us, getting to know us and making sure he understood the medical history in context. My darling husband, who sometimes embarrasses me with his candor, asked the doctor point-blank why he hadn't retired yet. The doctor was surprised by the question and then laughed. “I love my work,” he said. “I am visiting with my friends.” Oh, my! If ever there was a medical version of love at first sight, this was it.

Where we had, with doctor A, encountered coldness and people just doing their job, we now had, in the case of Doctor B, been invited into a compassionate family of wellness. We had experienced the distinction between the Divine in Exile and Healing Attitudes. The term 'Divine in Exile' comes from a quote I heard from Rabbi Martin Buber, of blessed memory. He said, in essence (paraphrasing), that the Shekinah is the Divine Presence dwelling in the human frame. The Shekinah is at home only where there dwells a potent will for a covenant with the Almighty and an equally potent STRIVING for the realization of the covenant with the Almighty.

Y'shua said, “love your enemies, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and persecuting you so that you become sons of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:44-45. So now, I have someone / something else to pray for: May the hardened, arrogant heart of doctor A be softened and turn toward his only hope for life and salvation. May it be our Father's will to break the hardened heart and caress it back to life, in Y'shua's Name. May the Divine leave its exile and dwell with him, giving him new life, new hope and revitalized insight and abilities. Also, May our beloved Father in heaven, bless Doctor B with all this and more, always and forever.

So now it is time for some 'one on one' time with the face in the mirror. What have I done or said that would push the Divine, the Ruach haKodesh / Holy Spirit, into exile? Have I been rude, knowingly or unknowingly? Have I been unkind? Have I gossiped? Have I been self-righteous? Have I been arrogant, ungrateful or mean? Have I strived, with all my might, to be in a covenant relationship with You, my Creator, Redeemer, Bridegroom and King? Oh Abba, why is the person I want to be always wrestling with the person that I am? Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim, And renew a steadfast (Strong's 3559, upright, faithful, stable) spirit within me.

Matthew 5, verse 46 continues: “For if you love those loving you, what reward have you? Are the tax collectors not doing the same too? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than the others? Are the tax collectors not doing so too? Therefore, be perfect (Strong's 5046, complete in mental and moral character / fully mature) even as your Father in the heavens is perfect. Amein, and amein.

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom --

Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace --

With Love,

Yocheved

Modah ani l'fonecha -- I Gratefully Acknowledge You

I was not born into a Jewish home. Quite the contrary: My family is as Italian and Catholic as they come. And that was the way I was brought up. I knew rosaries, fish on Fridays, confession and novenas. I received 'First Holy Communion;' I was confirmed; I was married at 18 in a Catholic church – to a Baptist!! “Scandalosa!!” as my grandmother would say. But, somewhere in my DNA (whether my physical or spiritual DNA, I don't know) is a Jewish gene. Something in my soul responds to things that are typically Jewish. I'm not talking about blintzes and knishes, although those are little gastronomic wonderments; or even Hanukkah and hamentaschen at Purim. I'm talking about the Jewish way of thinking about things. I've got a part of that. HOW that happened exactly, I can only speculate. Yah alone knows for sure ... But, I do have a part of that.

Here's what I mean:

One thing that is typically “Jewish” is answering a question with a question.

“How are you?”

“So, with all that is going on, how should I be?”

See what I mean? I do that. I also start reading a book from the back. I knew exactly how all those Agatha Christie mystery novels that I read as a teen would end from the start, but that's what made the rest of the book make sense to me. I could more clearly see the character development and trace the story line by knowing the end in advance. Although my Agatha Christie days are well behind me, I do the same thing with magazines and newspapers now. Drives my husband nutz.

Prayer throughout the day is another “Jewish” thing. Granted, my personal goal is not to be “Jewish” so much as it is to be conformed to the Scriptures in all areas of my life. At the risk of being offensive, I did not trade in the Pope for 10,000 rabbis who don't agree with each other. The only way to have unity and peace is in conformance with the Master Document: The Scriptures. It is the 'Owner's Manual' for life. Not what we think it said; not what we were told it said; but what it actually says. I'll give you a case in point. You know the verse about, 'life is in the blood' (Lev. 17:11) the word used for life in that instance is not chai or chaim but nefesh. Nefesh means 'breathing being' or 'soul'. The soul – the life force that gives us breath. The soul being in the blood is a more complex concept. Nefesh is spelled in Hebrew: nun, pey, shin. Each letter in Hebrew, similar to hieroglyphics, has a meaning. The letters of 'nefesh' nun נ, pey פ, shin ש mean respectively, life/activity; mouth/word/speak; and eat/consume/destroy. To put those concepts together then, it becomes: Soul: life's activity that consumes the Word. THAT is what is inherent in our blood!  (As an aside, I know that the verse I mentioned is speaking of animal sacrifices as atonement for sin. I know that animals, although they follow their own Torah - that is, you won't find a dolphin in a tree or a giraffe diving for seaweed - don't consume the word.  My focus was the word nefesh, because our concept of Scripture says is incomplete, at best.)

Upon rising each morning, the observant Jew prays,

“Modeh/Modah ani l'fonecha” I gratefully acknowledge You, (which continues on ...) O living and eternal King, for you have returned my soul within me with compassion – abundant is your faithfulness!

Imagine that! Thanking our Creator for having survived the night; thanking Him for the blessing of another day with our consciousness intact. No stroke or heart attack felled us by night. No mayhem, like falling tree limbs crashing through the window or home invaders shook our shalom/peace or injured or killed us. We slept. We awoke. We can think, breathe, move. Our bodies function as they were designed. There was no fatal hiccup. Do we celebrate these things ... or do we swat at the alarm clock and mutter obscenities? (Years ago while working the night shift, I may have come in contact with these behaviors. =)   ) Connecting with the notion that we can choose our thoughts is empowering! We do not have to be locked into behaviors of the past. We can choose, this day, who we will serve: the grumbling behavior of the past or the gratitude, appreciation and love of today.

If we had energy to go through our day with a sour start, can you imagine the energy and joy we might have if we started the day with gratitude? I say, it is certainly worth a try. What we've been doing for ages has not worked so well for us, has it? For those who are parents or have had parents, how much more did we get from our folks or do we give to our children for a simple, “Thanks, Dad” or “Thanks, Mom”? Throw in an “I love you” and we parents are over the moon with delight! Can you imagine what the Creator could do for us, could do with us or could give us, if we just remembered Him as the source of all goodness and thanked Him for each gift? Bribing the Creator of the universe are we? No, there is nothing we can do to bribe Him. But when we thank Him, when we gratefully acknowledge Him, don't you think we make Him happy? The Word says that “the joy of YHVH is our strength”. May I suggest that it is not the Joy He gives us that keeps us going; rather, it is the joy we give Him. In my mind, thanking Him for what we have tears down barriers to having more. It opens the flood-gates, if you will. Quite frankly, when we have more, we can do more – for our families, for our community and for YHVH's Kingdom.  Consider this graphic:

So, let's do this. This coming week, let's start each day by thanking our Creator for our very lives before we get out of bed. I'll do it and you do it too. Let's meet here, by next week and compare notes. Comment with your experiences and I will with mine. I'm willing to guess that someone will report a miracle. How about it?

Modah ani l'fonecha -- I gratefully acknowledge You, O living and eternal King, for you are great and worthy to be praised forever!

Shalom, shalom from our house to yours --

~ yocheved

In the Beginning

As some of you may know, I moved my blog here to "Blogger" because the site crashed on which I had previously had it.  This was my initial offering from May 2012.  I'm including it here simply because in it I share the rhyme and reason for starting this blog about prayer.  May it be for a blessing. ~y

This blog has been a long time coming -- the idea for it came to me years ago.  As with any commitment, for which my husband asks, "What are you willing to give up in order to assume this new responsibility?" I took a while to ponder the consequences of starting such a venture. And so, finally, we begin ...

A few years ago, frustrated at getting catapulted into my day without having time to pray, I thought that by having a blog in which I studied prayer, verbalized prayer and invited prayer, I might actually get around to praying on a regular basis.  Just like when the Temple in Jerusalem stood: the sacrifices and prayers were brought on time, every time. Over the intervening years, I've purchased prayer books with the thought of using them to springboard into my own conversations with Yah. I've read the Psalms; I've read the Scriptures looking for examples of prayer; and I've "beat myself up" .... and, oh, yes, I've prayed.  I've prayed in the car, I've prayed with friends, I've prayed with my husband.  I've prayed for rain, for wisdom, for healing, for provision, for 'special intentions' and more.  I've wrestled, travailed, cried out and groaned.  I've spoken to the Almighty as one speaks to a Dad, a Lover, a Friend and my King ... all the while hungry for more.

I don't know where you are in your walk. Heck, I don't really know where I am in my walk. What I mean is, I know where I've come from; I know where I want to go; but the reality is since we don't know the end of the beginning as YHVH does, we don't know all the twists and turns our lives will take until we take our last breaths.  All we can do is focus on what Yah wants from us and do our very best, confident that He will supply the grace and the strength to push through the adversities that will undoubtedly assail us. With that thought, let's look at the Disciples Prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13. 

Our Father -- What comforting words!  He wants to be Daddy to us. Not just me; not just you; but all of us who inhabit the earth.  Daddies provide for their children, keep them safe, love and encourage them.  Daddy, Our Father.

Who art in heaven -- Heaven, the abode of the Almighty; Heaven, the place that completely complies with the Creator's will and thus experiences perfect peace.

Hallowed by Thy Name -- His Name is 'kadosh', a Hebrew word that means 'set-apart', not common.  We would say 'holy'.  He is so holy that even His Name is holy. We cannot fathom the intense purity and holiness that is YHVH / Yahweh.

Thy Kingdom come -- We say these words, but do we understand what we're asking? We're asking for YHVH's kingdom, in all its fullness, purity, holiness and majesty to manifest ... now, in our lifetime!

Thy Will Be Done -- Are we willing to completely release our own will and submit ourselves to Him to let His will be done?  This is such a personal emotional wrestling match! We are so used to having our own way!  We decide virtually everything about our lives: what to eat; what to wear; where we live; who our friends are and so forth.  What if every decision were submitted to YHVH?  What if we asked 'permission' to eat that cream puff or drink that coffee? Would we hear, "Yes, my child, go ahead" or is it more likely that we would be guided to fruit and pure water? What if we submitted ALL areas of our life to Him? What if that submission unleashed victories in our lives that we never knew were possible? Would we then let His will be done?

On earth as it is in Heaven -- YHVH's will is fully manifested in the heavenly realm.  In Heaven, all is perfect order and peace. It boggles my imagination to consider the soaring, infinite possibilities of what this earth would be like if this earth were completely submitted to YHVH's will.

Give us this day our daily bread -- Notice that we are not asking for a massive 401K, a mansion in the midst of 1000 acres, or a fleet of servants, houses and cars at our disposal.  We're asking for this day's bread. Provision, not riches. On another level, it is the "Bread of Life" Y'shua we are seeking. He is the physical embodiment of the entire Scriptures. Every prophecy is about Him. Every expectation is of Him.  Every daily rendezvous with our Father in prayer takes place because of Him. He is the Bridge back to the good graces of our Heavenly Father.  HalleluYah!

Forgive us our trespasses -- We all fall short of the mark.  In fact, that is what 'chet' the Hebrew word for sin means: missing the mark. We don't have to be raging rebellious renegades to be in trespasses -- having done wrong -- we just miss the mark.  May our Father in His mercy overlook our fragile will to do right and and "lead us into paths of righteousness for His Name's sake", as Psalm 23 says.

As we forgive those who have trespassed against us -- Oh! the innumerable times someone has taken a pin to our balloon!! It could be as simple as a look or an unanswered email or a forgotten anniversary. If we harbor all those resentments, not only do we do ourselves harm, physically and mentally, but we block the forgiveness that YHVH holds ready for us! Y'shua's last few words on the execution stake included a plea that His Father forgive us because we had no clue as to the scope of our transgression, sin and savagery to Him. By our sin, we all had a hand on the hammer that drove the nails.

Lead us not into temptation -- One version of this prayer says, 'Lead us not into hard testing'.  Every day we face tests as did our father Abraham.  Without knowing where he was going, Abraham left the only home he had ever known to follow the "Voice" of Yah. Without taking time to wallow in the grief of the impending loss of his son Yitzchak / Isaac, he saddled his donkey himself to take the son of the promise to Mt. Moriah to be a sacrifice to the "Voice" of the One who brought him to the Promised Land. May we never face such excruciatingly painful choices.  May we never be tested or tempted beyond our capacity to choose the right thing -- the will of the Most High Elohim.

But deliver us from evil -- This is the ultimate blessing, to be beyond the reach of our adversary, satan.  May he who roves about as a hungry lion seeking to destroy the flock of the Shepherd, be left hungry ... toothless and clawless.

For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, forever -- There is no other Elohim. YHVH is the Most High El, the Kingdom, power and glory belong to none else. At some future point, Messiah will be given the full measure of His authority as Ruler of this world during the 1000 year Messianic Age, at the end of which time He will hand this then perfected world over to our Father.

Amein -- This word means "I agree" or "So be it". And by uttering this word we give our full concurrence and compliance with the words Y'shua spoke as He taught His disciples. We have no rebuttal to His teaching us how to pray.

So, this concludes my initial offering.  May it be for a blessing to you and yours. I look forward to your comments and to praying with and for you. May YHVH bless and keep you!

Shalom, shalom --

Yocheved