Five Minute Friday:: HERO

I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday.  The rules:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

The word today is hero. GO.
Hero.  Sandwich?  Yeah, okay.  Let me start again.  I'm having trouble not writing about children again.  Who is the hero?  The hero is the one who stands up for what's right, in the end.  The hero is the one who knows that it's not okay to let someone get in trouble for something they didn't do.  I don't even like what's coming out of me, do you have the days?  I'm not certain five minutes will be enough for me to be coherent about my thoughts.  Heros are so many different things.

My heros.  My heros are those who follow their dreams and succeed.  I suppose my heros are those who have failed and keep trying.  Here I go, again, illustrating my point.  I didn't like my thoughts, and so I kept going.

I admire those women who have a vision and don't stop until they get there.  I admire men, too, but I connect especially with a woman who can give her persona to her family, and still manage to follow her dreams.  She keeps at it until she arrives.  I want to be a hero, too.  I want to follow in the footsteps of the heros ahead of me.

and STOP.

Thanks for dropping by!  Check out my thoughts on this week's Torah Portion.

Shabbat Thought:: Parasha Terumah

Each week in the Synagogue, a different portion of scripture is studied.  The Torah (Old Testament) is broken into portions which are read over the course of a year.  At the end of the year, it starts over again so the Bible is read annually. 

<sup>Parasha Terumah Exodus 25:1 - 27:19

8</sup> And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. ⁹ Exactly as I show you — the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings — so shall you make it.

I can't help but think about my Rueben when I skim through this passage. It's very detailed and certain.  "Exactly as I show you, so shall you make it."  Rueben likes directions.  He started to read when he was two. The first words were on and off.  These words were power...literally.  On the lights went.  Off they went.  He quickly moved to start and stop on the food processor.  Language gave Rueben direction and explanation of how the world works.  Before becoming the parent of a child that thinks as such, I skimmed through this type of Scripture.  But now, I read these portions of scripture a little differently than I would for myself.

"They shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high."  

When I've read this before, I'd think, "okay, God is giving directions.  Cool."  But now, as I read this, I imagine my Rueben as the foreman.  "Okay people, let's gather our materials.  We need enough acacia wood for this ark! I've got the measurements right here!  Orders of the Lord!"  Just as I noted in the previous parashas (here and here), God notices our needs, and He cares about us.  He could have said, "Make an ark."  I wonder what would have happened then.  Would there have been Israelites immobilized by fear?  "Um.  I'm not going to even start because I don't want to mess this thing up.  It's GOD after all!  If I do it wrong, I'm going to be incinerated."  Instead, God has the presence of mind to give His people directions.  

Sometimes I've thought that the Torah has too many rules.  But when I really think about it, I'm really thankful that God cared enough to give direction and rules to a people who were ready to return to Egypt for the garlic and onions.  God's rules give us discipline and direction.  For the month of January, I've been teaching myself about discipline.  A little bit of focused work in the right direction goes a long way.  This applies to music, cleaning, exercise, writing, and so many other things.  I told myself that if I take at least 5 minutes a day in 5 different areas, I'd see improvement.  Fifteen minutes in each area seemed too much, but I can do 5.  Guess what?  It's working.  My music is improving.  I'm getting stronger with my 20 second plank.  My journal is half-full!  I'm not perfect, but I have a really good track record for January.  I'm excited about progress, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Shabbat Thought: Parasha Mispatim

Each week in the Synagogue, a different portion of scripture is studied.  The Torah (Old Testament) is broken into portions which are read over the course of a year.  At the end of the year, it starts over again so the Bible is read annually.

This week, Parasha Mishpatim, is from Exodus 21:1.-24:18 (my italics):  

²⁰ I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have made ready. ²¹ Pay heed to him and obey him. Do not defy him, for he will not pardon your offenses, since My Name is in him; ²² but if you obey him and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
²³ When My angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I annihilate them, ²⁴ you shall not bow down to their gods in worship or follow their practices, but shall tear them down and smash their pillars to bits. ²⁵ You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will remove sickness from your midst. ²⁶ No woman in your land shall miscarry or be barren. I will let you enjoy the full count of your days.

²⁷ I will send forth My terror before you, and I will throw into panic all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn tail before you. ²⁸ I will send a plague ahead of you, and it shall drive out before you the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites. ²⁹ I will not drive them out before you in a single year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply to your hurt. ³⁰ I will drive them out before you little by little, until you have increased and possess the land. ³¹ I will set your borders from the Sea of Reeds to the Sea of Philistia, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hands, and you will drive them out before you. ³² You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. ³³ They shall not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me; for you will serve their gods — and it will prove a snare to you.

As the Israelites enter the promised land, God makes it clear that they don't have to worry.  Just as He led them with pillars of cloud and fire, he promised to go ahead of them with His angels and His terror, and they will be taken care of.  God makes a point of encouraging the people that He will be with them.  They're not working in their own power.

God even thought ahead enough not to drive out the other people all at once so that the land would become wilderness.  He cared enough for His people that He drove out the inhabitants of the land little by little, so they could take over the farming.

Are you working in your own power?  Or can you be certain that God has sent His angels or His terror before you?  

Messiah Yeshua also addresses our worry.  He says (Matthew 6:31-33):

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

What are you worried about today?  God can handle it.  Actually, readjust your thinking for a moment.    If God set His angel and His terror before the Israelites as they entered Caanan, and if Messiah Yeshua tells us not to worry, then I need to trust that He will blaze the trail in the direction He is leading me.  

Do you know your direction?  The nation of Israel had a clear direction: travel from Egypt to the promised land.  That direction seems clear.  But now, in 2014, how can I say what your direction needs to be?  Seek God's kingdom, and God will give you direction and comfort.

It gives me great peace to know God blazes the path for me!  

Five Minute Friday:: Visit

I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday.  The rules:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

The word today is Visit. GO.

When Daniel was born, he spent 5 weeks in NBSCU (Newborn Special Care Unit).  He'd had surgery the day he was born, and needed to stay until it was safe for him to come home.  That wasn't the birth plan I wrote for my first child.  It was different.

I visited my first child in the hospital for 5 weeks.  It was an odd time.  I had a baby come out of me.  I stayed in the hospital after a c-section for the right number of days.  Then, I went home.  But he didn't.  When I was home without him, I looked at the nursery, and the bassinet ready for him.  At home, it was as if I were still pregnant, but yet, the baby wasn't with me.  I spent as much time as I could at the hospital.  I told myself that he lived at the hospital.  But how else is a mama to wrap her brain around the fact she can't bring home her baby?

Ten years ago I visited my first child in the hospital every day in December.  Except the one day it snowed a good bit and we couldn't get out of the house.

and STOP.

What I love about free writing and word prompts is that you don't know what's going to come out when you start with a word.  I didn't expect to write about Daniel.  I've never written about him before - it's always been to close, too hard.  Today, it just came out.

On a different note, I'm very excited this week that I've had an article published in the Messianic Times!

Thanks for dropping by!

Refining my description

I just spend a while writing the description for this blog for the search engines.  I had a blurb that was short, but clearly not short enough.  I had to get my thoughts down to 150 characters, including spaces.  Fine.  I've had training.

The courses I took in college were heavy on writing, which is good, because I love to write.  In my first Honor College writing course, the assignment was to write a ten sentence summary after each class.  At first we thought it was a pointless exercise.  The professors tore our writing apart, criticizing our grammar and sentence construction.  By mid-semester, however, we were able to write concise 10-sentence class summaries.  I felt these skills take over as I tried to cram my thoughts into 150 characters or less.

I started with: 

fingerprintsinthedust.blogspot.com, looking for the little ways God touches our lives.  Sometimes it's just by being a mom, wife, or a musician.  The right recipe or craft just might show the fingerprints of God.  Other times a piece of liturgy may ring true as the footprints in the sand.  Can you find them?  The miracles are with us in the evening, the morning, and in the afternoon, you just have to pay attention.

Not bad, in my opinion.  But.  Not short enough.  After a great deal of fuss, I ended up with:

paying attention to the fingerprints and footprints of God, the miracles that are with us in the evening, the morning, and in the afternoon

I love it!  What do you think?

Look in the Mirror

I have always been the sort of girl who quickly gets ready to go out. I don't ever remember a time when I lingered in front of the mirror. I use the mirror quickly, do a double check on the vitals and go. Spending time reading or doing something musical seemed more important to me than how I looked. In my mind, people who spent hours in front of the mirror were vain. You don't need to check again to see if your hair and makeup are perfect. I figured there were more important things to do.

My musical path eventually led me to accompanying dance classes. There I was in a room with wall-to-wall mirrors! Dancers don't look in the mirror during class to see how beautiful they are.

I'm writing today at the Messianic Times.  Click here to read the rest of the article!

Shabbat Thought: Parasha Yitro

Each week in the Synagogue, a different portion of scripture is studied.  The Torah (Old Testament) is broken into portions which are read over the course of a year.  At the end of the year, it starts over again so the Bible is read annually.  This week's parsha is from Exodus 18:1-20:23.  The story I'm focusing on today is from verses 13-23.

¹³ Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ But when Moses' father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?" ¹⁵ Moses replied to his father-in-law, "It is because the people come to me to inquire of God.¹⁶ When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one person and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God."

¹⁷ But Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing you are doing is not right; 18 you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19 Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, ²⁰ and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow. 21 You shall also seek out from among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and ²² let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you.²³ If you do this — and God so commands you — you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied."

This story always touches me.  Moses - called by God Himself, the herald of the departure from Egypt - gets discouraged and overwhelmed.  Wait.  I get discouraged and overwhelmed. One of the greatest prophets ever lived has a story that shows he's human!!!

This.  This, I can relate to.

All the people were standing around just watching Moses settle disputes.  Moses was getting worn out.  Jethro, his father-in-law, advised him to delegate the job to worthy people, and share the burden.  Moses listens.  The good advice worked.  Moses was less stressed.

Moses had grown up in Pharaoh's household.  He knew how to be a leader.  The Pharaoh was the center of everything, with the final word on everything.  I think.  It makes sense.  The forty years that Moses was in Egypt probably created habits of leadership that made sense to Moses.  He runs it all and everyone stands around.  Jethro, on the other hand, as a shepherd, was probably part of a more clan-based type of leadership.  The heads of families made small decisions, and there were leaders of a certain number of families, and these leaders reported to the top.  This was how Jethro suggested Moses should run the country.  Moses was not the only one capable of running some things.  He was in charge of the big picture, but not every tiny detail.  

How can we apply this to our lives?  Well.  I'm a mom.  It's my primary job.  As the CEO of my household, I should probably apply this to running the home.  It's perfectly okay for me to delegate some of the chores to my kids.  I shouldn't take care of the daily things they can take care of.  It is important for them to clean up after themselves, hang up their coats, mop up the milk they spill.  If each of my three kids does this, then I have three times less work to do!  

When we trust God, we can trust others.  When we can ease our burdens, our stress levels can go down.  Then, our focus doesn't have to be on the small things, we can have time and energy to focus on the the things Gods wants us to concentrate.

"If you do this — and God so commands you — you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied."

Five Minute Friday:: Encouragement

I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday.  The rules:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

The word today is Encouragement. GO.

Encouragement.  I need it.  I'm really good at it.  I can see when a friend, a child, a family member, needs some.  I have a hard time giving it to myself.  I'm always surprised when some comes my way.  I can be encouraged by small things.  The chance to wear tall boots encourages me.  Why?  I like them.  They make me feel a little trendy and cute.  I feel encouraged that I'm not just a mom wearing mom jeans.  I'm encouraged when someone tells me my story matters.  Or tells me that my musicianship is professional and good.  I suppose I worry too much about what others think.

I'm good at telling my kids when they do a good job.  I mean it when I say it, too.  I want my words to reflect truth.  I want to emphasize the encouraging truth.  It is encouraging when things go the right way.  It is encouraging when hard work pays off, even just a little.  I've been spending at least 5 minutes a day working on guitar.  I started working on "Simple Gifts" reading guitar tab and plucking out the tune.  I was getting discouraged, then the next day, I realized I had it memorized!  Just a little victory, and it encouraged me!

and STOP.

I really roamed in my writing today.  I'm working on getting my thoughts out.  Thanks for stopping by!