April Showers Bring May Flowers

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!

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.