January 27, 2010 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
As of late our home has been a place of trials. Nothing physically wrong, but just Satan trying to make us feel alone. But YHVH has kept encouraging us and showing us the truth through His word. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Praise!
I have been studying the Torah lately to do my own “survey” of the teachings that our Father has given us. As soon as I finish D’varim (Deuteronomy) I plan to keep going through the Tanak. During this study I have learned that His laws weren’t just given at Mt. Sinai (most of us reconize that several came long before), but they were re-stated all along the way. Right up to the end of the Tanak. It’s amazing how modern christianity has all but ignored the Tanak in worship/study, but still claims to follow Scriptures. It’s sad that so many people are missing out on His blessings because of this. I am constantly reminded that we too must be like the Bereans. Always checking things against Scripture, always searching for the truth, never relying on our feelings and always praying for guidence and understanding.
We certainly can’t have part of the Word to “spread the gospel” and leave out the parts that make us feel uncomforable or require us to give something up. We read the words of Shaul to “die to self daily”, what could this mean if if doesn’t mean giving up the desires of the flesh, world. It is a hard road to follow YHVH, but He does help us and it is so enjoyable. It is not impossible. I have found in my personal walk that the hard parts were me having to give something up or feel uncomforable. I no longer feel uncomforable and can’t praise Yah enough for the work He has done in my life and the life of my family.
Today the hard part of my walk is sharing my joy. Not that I don’t want to, but that others don’t want to hear it. So in the mean time I will bask in His love and bathe in His word. I don’t want to ever lose my desire for more of YHVH. I’ve been there before, it was a lonely path.
January 24, 2010 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
Our days have been so busy as of late. Our blessings have abounded in countless ways. Our heavenly Father has been so kind and patient with us. Today we give our special thanks to YHVH for the past nine years with Elijah. He has been such a joy to our lives and a tremdous help to all.
We are having a bit of snow today and it is so beautiful out. Our afternoon plans are for a game of bowling. Hopefully the roads will get plowed soon so we can have easier travels. Now for lunch and fun.
December 23, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
In the past 8 days we have had a good bit of snow. We may be in store for more as well. It has been really cold and today comparitively warm (33F). We have done little school because playing in the snow is more fun and because, sometimes you just need to slow down a bit.
Our Hanukkah celebration was nice as well. We had a lovely family join us one night for lots of good food. It is always nice to read stories of YHWH’s provisions for His people, we just don’t always look for it in today’s world. He daily provides our food, shelter, jobs, good health and so forth, but we never notice these things. In our current western mindset we think we are priviledged to these gifts and only notice them when they are gone. I must try to look for the small things. That often reminds me of the prophet Elijah when he was waiting for YHWH to talk to him. It wasn’t in the storm, but came quietly on the wind. Elijah covered his head and face, it sure was a powerful whisper that came in something calm, not a blast of fire.
Each day also brings new words to our Super Sweet’s vocabulary. And like all the other children we don’t correct many of his words. In time he will outgrow the wrong way and we will long for the baby talk again. I still remember when Bean said “yes” for the first time instead of “nes”. She was 3 and Super Sweet was in the plastic box at the hospital. (Plastice box is what most like to call the incubator. That makes me think of baby chicks.) So, I will continue to encourage “Gilly up Mom” and “Pick e up” in lue of “get up Mom” and “pick me up” among others.
Now it’s back to school and time to do some prep work for supper. Shabbat needs to hurry up, I am ready for a relaxing day and my Creator always gives me a great day of rest and time with Him. Lisa at www.followingtheancientspaths.com has a neat little post on keeping Shabbat, along with other neat posts. I do enjoy her site and friendship very much.
December 5, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
It seems like such a long time since I posted on here. We have grown so much in the past few months that I feel like a different person from just a year ago when we made our official break from the “church”. I know it is all a part of the plan our heavenly Father has for us and I am glad that He has chosen to reveal more of Himself to me.
We are nearing to Hanukkah and the children can’t wait to light the menorrah. The story of the Maccabees is a lovely story of faith and endurance in hard times. Something we must try to follow in our hard times. Since we have decided to follow the Biblical festivals and try to keep Torah we have been shunned. Family and friends alike have stopped talking to us and cast us off as heretics. I still wonder what makes people so passionate about excluding YHWH in their worship of Him.
I know that the advisary is behind this, that our Father has given him permission to trick many, has caused a spirit of delusion to fall upon many and it saddens me. We have met with much hostility just from keeping the feasts and Shabbat, all without pushing it on others. When people ask we tell them what we are doing, but we don’t go around “preaching” to others that they too must follow. Yes, I do believe that the Scriptures tell us we must obey the Torah, but I also know that we are forgiven in the Messiah for all of our sins. Free from the curse of the Torah in order to be free to keep it.
We have so enjoyed our time with YHWH. He has met our needs spiritually far more then we expected. Trying to obey Him has lead to a far sweeter fellowship, more peaceful and more beautiful. Why don’t others want that same joy? All I can do is pray that they too will have their eyes opened to see and their ears opened to hear. What a great day that will be!
October 7, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
The past few weeks have been very busy and yet joyful for our family. We started off the month of Tishri with the Feast of Trumpets, then moved on to Yom Kippur and are now in the middle of Sukkot. The shofar has blasted many times in our little village, we joyfully fasted, and are now sleeping in our tents (inside of course). Wow! How great Adonai is to give us these wonderful feasts that all point to the Messiah.
Yes, Messiah has been here once, but these feasts also point to His return. There are many out there that view these feasts, along with the others, as unnessasary. If they were not meant to be followed for all times then HaShem would not have given them and told us to keep the feasts for all generations. We really do miss out on Adonai and His joy when we ignore Him.
Once we let go of our man made traditions and step out in true faith then we are able learn who HaShem truly is through the Bible. We will yearn with an overwhelming desire to learn more and more and we will be appalled at how we have disobeyed Him. The truth lies between Genesis 1 and Revelations 22, all we have to do is seek it. Throwing away our preconceived notions, praying earnestly for understanding and being open to hearing Him is the beginning to casting off the old man; dying to self and living to Messiah.
“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be eaten by the sword”; for the mouth of Adonai has spoken. Is. 1:19-20
September 8, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
We are getting ready to celebrate our first Rosh HaShanah in a couple of weeks. I am very excited and nervous at the same time. Derek has been practicing with the shofar and I am very impressed. I think the biggest problem I have is what to cook. I want to make something extra special and fun. My husband has a request though so I will probably go with that. I finally have been able to make the challah the right way but will take my first go at make it into a circle. That will be fun too.
Adonai has been so gracious to us as of late and it seems we can’t get Him off our minds. He keeps “cropping up” with all these thoughts and ideas and revelations. It is so exciting!!! I just feel happier even when things seem to be going all wrong. I also feel more shame and regret as I ponder all the ways He’s been so good to me and loved me unconditionally. Why was I chosen? Why I am blessed enough to be receiving His truth? These kinds of questions always bring me back to His words, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” There’s no way around that but it makes me sad for those who refuse to “die to self”. I know where they are, I’ve been there.
In light of this new found knowledge I have, I have been changing not only my dress, behavior, thinking, but also my words are chosen with more care (most of the time). I am still struggling, but now I know my end goal. Now I want to obey all of Torah, all the time. For the first time, I have true joy in worship and a real excitement as Shabbat gets closer. What will come next I don’t know, but I am excited for it and even welcome it. Shalom!
September 6, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
I have noticed so much more lately, how much the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) has been teaching my family. It has been amazing and wonderful. I find myself wanting more and more and yet, the other day I had to stop. I asked my husband to let us have a break because I had taken in a lot and needed some tiem to digest it all. The break made Shabbat yesterday so much more sweeter. We actually had to tell the children that we were taking a break to rest our minds and eat some lunch. That was at 130, we eat lunch way before that. It was so nice.
I have also realized in myself that I feel naked without my tichel (head covering) on. It is really neat how much I have begun to look upon this simple piece of cloth as part of my daily wardrobe. It not only covers my hair to show my submission to my husband (he never once asked me to wear one, it was my idea) and Adonai, but also protects from those with shifty eyes. I have recently learned just how erotic men see long hair on women, I had no idea. Another way our heavenly Father has set out to protect us. After more study in the old Testament I learned how even the fallen angels (sons of God) came to the “daughters of men” once they perceived the beauty of the women. Must keep my head covered all the more now that I know that.
Today we went to the store, as a family, and a man at the check out made a comment to us. (With my four children always dressed appropriately people don’t easily forget seeing us). Well, the man looked at my husband and said that something was missing. Thinking he was talking about children Derek said the girls were over there. The man responded with, “No. On their heads. The boys had something on their heads last time.” We had gone to the gym this morning and Derek and the boys left their kippahs at home. They won’t be doing that again. Derek said he felt so convicted after that. It just goes to prove that you never know who is watching you. We make many more impressions with our actions than with our words.
Praise be our Saviour for revealing these “little” things to us and encouraging us to keep on the path that leads to Him. Obedience to His Torah (law) is a big deal and my head covering is a part of the Torah. We must always remember that He is paying attention and small things matter so much to Adonai.
Shalom friends.
August 21, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
After a couple of weeks of warm sunshine we have a cold wet day today. I hear tell it will be warmer next week and that’ll be nice. I don’t mind the rain and cold, I just think that it’s funny that after it being 95F at my house (that doesn’t happen often), then today it may be about 65F. Just goes to show that we aren’t in control and we never know what our Father has in store for us.
We are now at the start of the month of Elul and are very excited. This is our first time celebrating the Fall Feasts so we are a bit nervous. But Adonai is gracious and He understands that that we are still learning, always learning. Last night Derek was able to blow the shofar (ram’s horn) for the first time, with Adonai’s helps. It was loud and it was great! The children laughed and begged for more. According to tradition he is supposed to blow it everyday leading up to Rosh Hashanah so they will get their fill over the next 40 days. I need to get a picture of him blowing it.
With all that said we have a very neglected house (spent most of the week outside in the dirt, I was actually reading) so we must clean for Shabbat. How sweet that day of rest is. Our Father in all His wisdom knew how much we would need it and I am so thankful for it. Shalom!
August 18, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
It’s a been a long time since I blogged. Being without internet for 4 months, vacation for a month, catching up on life & so forth has really had me behind here. I am still learning how to be a submissive child of Adonai & He has been showing so much to me that I am excited each day.
Our school days have been slow & short, but steady. Our summer arrived a bit late this year, but we are so thankful for it. Elijah lost another tooth & Hannah will have one less when bed time comes tonight. If she doesn’t get it out her Daddy will. Speaking of our hero. He got rid of a mouse carcuss for us yesterday. We don’t know if it was one or two, but the cat could have taken it all in the grass, not our front walk. Yuck!
Bean is reading really well & I am so proud of her. Never had a 4 year old read before so it’s exciting. I guess with her being smart & then hearing the others it just sped her up. I wonder what Super Sweet will be like when he starts book learning.
I don’t know when the German children go back to school, but I hope we have a few nice days once they do so we can go to the pool without them. The last time we went Hannah got slammed into the slide wall because of their impatience. It wouldn’t hurt them to wait a few seconds for a smaller child, but many don’t care about others.
We went apple picking this morning & that was fun. Will have to go back in a few weeks for more goodies. Now I have to put some of these up & turn others into apple sauce. So much fun. The homemade laundry soap works real well, except for grass stains. Don’t worry though, it was Hannah’s bloomers, not Elijah’s shorts. Girls. What can you do with them? That’s right. Love them & lead them to the Adonai, along with their brothers.
April 7, 2009 - Posted by April - 0 Comments
The weather is warming, the trees and bushes are in bloom, the children are running wild and I am still without internet. I want it but am not breaking my neck to get it reinstalled. Yes, some things would be easier with it at home, but I have been working on some projects that need my attention and the computer isn’t stopping me. We finished school yesterday and the children are very happy about that. We have the Passover feast tomorrow followed by the Feast of Unlevened Bread. We as modern believers miss the fact that Adonai told us to celebrate these festivals forever and miss so we miss out on the blessings and fun. With this busy week coming up I glad we don’t have school to worry with as well. Derek decided on a two week break from school, which means only doing 15mins a day and that will be good for all of us. Next week I’ll start going through clothes for our month long trip. Boy, will that be an adventure.
While the big ones were out playing yesterday I put Super Sweet out with them. He was on his truck until Peanut moved him to the walker. A bit later Big E told me that Super Sweet was wet. Odd I thought to myself, he’s in the walker, how would Elijah know that. Well, I went down and sure enough the boy was wet, with mud. They had him sitting on the cold wet dirt. Don’t worry, he was as happy as pie. His hands were brown, his fingernails black and so forth. When he bored of them he crawled into the house and put on a hat, until he saw me eating something. After a bee line to me he slipped on the rug while trying to stand. His sweet little nose hit the leg of the chair. A bloody nose was the result, but was cured with a bath. The bath is his second favorite place to be. The most exciting thing to happen lately was that this past Friday Super Sweet took two steps to me. Saturday he took some more, in groups of 4 and 5. I am the only one he’ll walk to that’s ok too. He is “talking” up a storm and not afraid to point at what he wants. My little Super Sweet is growing as fast as the others and I think it’s the dad’s fault. At least he doesn’t have to leave my room yet. After sharing a room with him for this long I don’t know what I’d do when he moves to another room. Happy Passover! Shalom!
