Real life shabbat: If You Want to do it the Easy Way

I wrote this in around 2006 when I had a 2-year old and a newborn. Have you ever seen The Fresh Beat Band? My kids loved watching this show. To solve a problem, Twist would always concoct some crazy scheme to make things happen, often involving something flying or rolling. Then, one of the other kids would state the obvious solution, and Twist says, "If you want to do it the easy way!" 

That's how I feel about Erev Shabbat dinner. All too often, we concoct solutions to make things perfect, but it detracts from what is important. Look for the obvious, simplified solutions..."If you want to do it the easy way!"

I have to say that I totally understand the trials of getting  Shabbat on the table on a consistant basis. For my family, Shabbat started happening consistantly after Daniel was born. But I don't think it was so much of having a child, but rather where I was in my walk.

There are a couple of important things that I started to remember that helped me start begin consistant with Erev Shabbat. Think: Baby Steps!

1. It does not have to be perfect. The point of an Erev Shabbat dinner is to remember and observe, not to be perfect. Our children will remember the candles and the family...what they're eating won't matter so much.

2. Plan, plan, plan. Throw something simple into the crock-pot for dinner. Make a meal on Thursday night to reheat. Cut up all of the veggies on Wednesday or Thursday. Buy your challah...or better yet, just get rolls.

When I first was determined to celebrate Erev Shabbat consistantly, I gave myself allowances: I didn't have to have chicken soup, homemade challah, and a 3 course meal. I just had to have dinner, bread, grape juice, and candles. I'm sure there was at least one week that I've made boxed maccaroni and cheese (yeah...nutrition's 
worst nightmare) with rolls from the bakery at the grocery store and frozen veggies. But we had a Shabbat dinner, and I know that the purpose was met.

Now, 2-1/2 years later, there are still days that the dinner is unplanned, but I find it easier to get to making the homemade challah in the bread machine...even on those challenging days. Daniel knows what time it is when I get the candle sticks out. In fact, I can't get them out too far in advance, or he'll sit in his chair at the table waiting for Shabbat to start. Maybe in a few months, he'll want to help me make the challah. I don't know. But I know that I'm building memories for my children. We're also setting the stage for moments our children can learn about Torah, HaShem, and Y'shua. If they are comfortable talking to us at the age of 2, and things are consistent, they will know that we're here when they are saying the blessings for us as they approach their Bar Mitzvah.

The first step to being consistant in celebrating Erev Shabbat is your desire to do so. The next step is to strip things to the bare bones. We have little ones...do what you can do. Keep it simple: candles, grape juice (ok, or wine), Challah, and Dinner. The rest will come.

Let me challenge you to start thinking about Shabbat today. When you do your shopping, plan a simple and quick meal,(who wouldn't like burgers on the grill?) and pick up a challah and rolls. Set the table, and light the candles. I've taken to putting out a tablecloth. The first night I did that, my husband had taken off his shoes before dinner, came in, and went to put his shoes back on. The extra minute I took to put the cloth on the table set the tone for a special evening.

Shabbat Shalom, Friends!

Real Life Shabbat

Many years ago, when my oldest was two and I had a newborn, I attempted to create a network of Messianic Mothers. I put it on Yahoo groups, and garnered a small -tiny- following. I called it, "Messi-Moms". I wanted so badly to have a fellowship of other young, Messianic Jewish women. My Messianic Synagogue is small - less that 100 people on any given Shabbat. Only a few of the them were mothers. I was starving for others walking a similar walk of faith in a similar life stage. With a newborn and a 2-year old with medical needs, I quickly lost track of my writing, and let the Yahoo group dwindle.

I still wish to connect with other Messianic Jewish women. It can be hard, and somewhat isolating, to live a Messianic Jewish life. Those who understand Jewish practice generally don't understand faith in Yeshua. Those who understand our faith in Yeshua don't generally understand Jewish practice. I understand a need to have a broad friendship base, but it is really comforting to fellowship with others when you share common struggles.

Having said all this, I'm starting a series called Real Life Shabbat. I suspect we all have ideals on what our Shabbats should look like. I know I do. Then, when we examine reality we wonder why it doesn't quite look like our ideals.

So as we enter into Shabbat this evening, embrace the real life that is and turn your hearts to God.

Shabbat Shalom!

Footsteps leading to other projects...

The sun is warm and shiny more than not these days. If it's not, it's raining. Pollen levels are high, and it is a busy season at my house! Between the pull to be outside, family special events and the desire to sew up a storm, I find it hard to get to the computer. I'm still here.

I want to share an incredible discovery I made this week. My Daniel has a feeding tube, and in some searches I found this website, Feeding Tube Awareness. I'm sorry I didn't find it earlier!

Five Minute Friday:: Friends

I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday.  Her 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 friend. GO.

I watched a gaggle of third grade girls yesterday on a field trip to the aquarium yesterday. Their friendships are still built on simple things, like pouring over a book, or watching the world fly past on the bus ride. But yet, I can see how their friendships have evolved since pre=k. Their friendships are now based on more than just running around the playground. I see that they have built alliances based on trust and common interests. I see girls with fat books in their hands for the long bus ride clamor to ride next to each other. I see girls braiding hair with each other. It begins. Finding someone to share your passions and not get made fun of. Being yourself without letting tears betray how sensitive you are. Exploring the world and doing so with someone next to you that's safe to be yourself with.

I don't think that ever stops, does it? The way we feel in third grade about friends? I still want to make those friends. Perhaps the desperate need for it is less because I've gone through those challenges and learning experiences. Family surrounds me, by choice, and I choose to lean there, alongside my friends that support me like family.

And STOP.

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate you reading, and I appreciate loving comments.

Five Minute Friday :: glue

I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday.  Her 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 glue. GO.

What's that saying about mean words? They bounce off of me and stick to you like glue? I can't remember the saying, but it's the first thing that comes to mind as I see the word glue. It's amazing the things that stick with us forever. I mean, mommies kisses will stay. The usher from church when you are a baby still giving out candy stays. Little things stay, too. The things I remember from childhood can be incredible random. I'll have occasion to ask my mom about something, and she won't remember, because it was something that impressed me, not her.

I wonder what my children will remember. They're getting to the age I remember as a child. Fifth grade. I remember that year. Third grade, I remember it, but not quite as much. Kindergarten, I have vague impressionistic pictures of in my brain. And they're part of me, stuck like glue. What will my fifth-grader, third-grader and kindergartner remember from childhood? I hope they'll remember the kite-flying and museum-going we've done. I hope they remember that we adapt as we need to. I hope they remember to stick to each other like glue. Yeah. That.

And STOP.

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate you reading, and I appreciate loving comments. Have a Happy Passover and Happy Resurrection celebration (aka Easter)!

The Perfect (for us) Passover Seder

It seems to me that there is never a perfect Passover, no matter how hard you try. I wonder if God does that on purpose, then we can look for His grace. With my husband being out of town, we decided to have our Seder on Wednesday instead of a first night Seder on Monday. Well, my new curve-ball this week was my dear tired husband came down with a fever on the day we were doing our Seder.

We kept things super small. Looking at the Seder plate, I figured it looked an awful lot like a snacky dinner (crackers, cheese, fruit and veggies!), so that's what we did. We reclined in our recliners and sofa, and had a perfect for us Seder. This ended up being quite a lovely Seder!

How do you keep going despite the curve-balls thrown you? Happy Passover!

Path to Passover:: Passover!!!

Dear ones, sometimes life throws you curve balls. This Passover season I have a couple. And despite my good intentions, I'm not perfectly ready for Passover...and we're a couple of days in! But it is Passover, and Matzah is king! Have a great holiday!