Passover is Coming!

Have I ever mentioned that Passover is definitely up at the top of my favorite Jewish Holiday list? The whole turing your life upside-down for God for a week helps make my faith tangible.

Here are a few posts about Passover from last year. I hope you enjoy them! As I reread some of my work, I see that I repeat myself. I think I really mean these things that I say!

Path to Passover Series:
Not Perfect: In which I first outline my Passover ideas

Passover Pantry Challenge: Last year's pantry challenge to myself.

Last year I was honored to put together a couple of lovely interviews with women within the Messianic Jewish world. Read these lovely interviews and learn how different people observe Passover. Interview with Miri, and Interview with Michelle Schiffman.

When I say you Passover doesn't have to be perfect, here is the perfect example! Also could be titled, "What to do when sickness hits your house in Passover." The Perfect for us Passover Seder.

Shabbat Shalom dear ones!

Musing about this Blog

As I think about writing in this space, I constantly wonder what my focus should be. There are so many things that interest me, so many things I could write about. It has just about always been a challenge for me to choose between things that I love doing and that I am good at doing. In this space, I am now declaring it a place where I do not have to choose.

I may write about my family, my music, my faith, the medical challenges I have encountered. All of these things are part of me. In all of these things, I can find miracles - large and small.

I am reminded of my first 31 day writing challenge. I wrote 31 Days of Being Me. I rambled about this and that - the things that happened in my life. I will probably continue with that train of thought, perhaps with less rambling.

So don't be surprised to see posts about all sorts of different things. Life as a mom of a child with a g-tube, perhaps. Or, From Behind the Piano. Or How to get ready for Passover. Maybe even [insert number] Reasons I love Dr. Who.

Thanks for coming around. And Yay for warm-er weather!!!

It's been a while

It has been quite a while since I have posted. I fell apart during the October 2014 30 days challenge. I thought I had a system all together, a whole month planned out for the challenge, but somehow I fizzled out.

Since then, I have pretty much ignored this blog, finding other things to do with myself. I sewed up a storm during December.

I have been writing monthly at the Messianic Times. There is an archive of my work on the right sidebar. You can scroll down to find my name. The other project taking some time is my work with Achot, the UMJC Sisterhood. I have been editing the newsletter for quite some time now, and since January I have been working on updating the Achot website.

Working on the website, thinking about an editorial calendar, planning out pages, made me think of this, my little home base. So here I am writing again.

Hi :)

Getting Ready for Writing

It seems to me that whenever I start a project, family matters overcome them. I have a hard time finishing through my writing when I'm continuously with my family. We were in Vermont last week, and I was so consumed with doing activities with everyone that my 31 day writing challenge got away from me.

I suspect I need to create quick rituals for getting ready to write. For instance, right now, I'm taking the cue of my children having TV time to tell me to get my fingers moving across the keyboard. I set a timer, and go.

I guess my question to myself is, "What do I need to get ready to write?" And, "How can I make it fit in to days when the kids are home from school?" Because right now, most of my writing happens when I'm alone.

Getting Ready for a Day Trip

Today, the children and I are exploring while Daddy is at his conference in the hotel. I look out the hotel room window, and we can see Lake Champlaign. We can see the Echo Aquarium we're going to from our window as well!

Now that we're here, if I packed well, I should be able to reasonably easily get us ready for our day. I think the only thing I forgot was plastic spoons for the instant oatmeal. Oh well. I hope we can grab some at the front desk.

I packed small bags for each kid to carry. We have lots of snacks, water bottles, homework and rain coats. And purell. I got them each a surprise bottle of purell to carry.

So we're off to explore!

Getting Ready for Vacation

Vacations, no matter how small, require some getting ready. Today has been my day of getting ready for our three day mini-vacation. The kids and I are joining my husband on his business trip to Vermont (in peak color season, no less!). Pool, activities, we can't wait.

But vacations need preparations. If we want to swim, we need swim things. Clothes, sleepwear, medications, all need to be organized! I can only imagine if I weren't organized, it wouldn't be a very fun vacation.

What is on your list to get ready today?

Getting ready to meet God

Yom Kippur is probably not the most "fun" Jewish holiday out there. Its certainly the Holiest of days. Its certainly somber and hard. No, its not fun.

Taking a day to fast, to avoid eating and drinking, brings people to an extremely vulnerable place. In this vulnerable place, the place where we realize our human dependence on food and drink, we become grouchy and irritable. How can I be expected to meet God in this condition?

Maybe that's the point. We come through the caffine headaches and slight dehydration, low-blood sugar moods and dry throats, and even in that condition, God loves me and wants to meet with me.

So may we be inscribed in the book of life for a good year. I'm thankful for the grace of God through Yeshua our Messiah that I'm not dependent on my own goodness. Even on the holiest of days, I can't get away from myself. Only through Him can we draw near to God,