The Beauty of Booth Living

“You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:42-43

The children of Israel dwelling in booths reminds me that all of our lives here are but a temporary thing.

Lord, please help us not grow too attached to our surroundings on our journey home to You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Temporary Tents

Tents make it easier
to pick up and move on

and booths reveal the beauty
of our story songs

about a Deliverer
Who came and ransomed us

so we can travel home together -
His name is Jesus.

Do you ever feel as though your life here is but a temporary thing?

Whoever Touches

“And whoever touches anything made unclean . . .shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat the holy offerings unless he washes his body with water.” Leviticus 22:4,6

This section of Leviticus, concerned with what the priest touched, has me considering what I allow to touch me.

Lord Jesus, please help me make the right decisions on what I allow to touch my eyes, ears, mind and heart. Please purify and cleanse me today. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Sensitive

Sensitive to the touch
it doesn’t take much
to affect and bruise us
making dark spots, thus
we reach for Jesus.

Inside Israel – More Thanksgiving

Hello everyone! I’ve missed you while away from posting for a few days. J of Jerusalem is my guest here today as she describes how Thanksgiving went for her there, inside Israel. Enjoy! And I’ll be back to regularly posting again tomorrow!

27. Nov.2010

Thankful greetings from Jerusalem!

I thought that you might enjoy some ‘observations’ mixed in with a bit of an update (as I have been SO encouraged and humbled by the amount of prayer and love poured forth on our behalf!).

My husband came home for a ‘vacation’ on Thursday (what a wonderful Thanksgiving gift!) and is to go back to the rehabilitation hospital tomorrow, Sunday.

We have a wonderful service here, free of charge- it is considered a work of mercy; there are ambulance services to transport people in wheel chairs or on stretchers or life support. That way, those who would be confined to home or institution can be transported to family events as well as doctor’s appointments etc. We were quite impressed as ‘our ambulance’ drove up to the hospital to take us home and to transport another lady, well over 90, to hospital for dialysis treatment. We had a fiasco getting my husband’s wheelchair down 3 steps and up 3 others leading into our apartment, but he was finally home and welcomed by our dog and cats and bird and neighbors. Then we got to settle in to the reality of the many obstacles posed by our apartment that we don’t have to face at the hospital.

Since we planned a Thanksgiving meal with our full family for Friday (Thursday being a work day) I had much work to do. For the past several years there has been a large immigration (aliyah) from North America, and so Israeli butchers have become ‘Thanksgiving sophisticated’ (or at least they THINK they have!).

I haven’t been to the shuk for a month, but made a quick ‘run’ on Wed. morning and there, by a meat ‘stand’ was a turkey! Now, mind you, this bore NO resemblance to the first turkey that I purchased some 16 years ago (to the protest of the benevolent butcher who assured me that not only would it NEVER fit into my stove, but no one on earth could eat that much meat!). That first turkey was…well…feathered after a fashion. To be more accurate, PARTIALLY feathered. It was also flat. Well…they probably didn’t have a box that it would fit into so they had SMASHED it into the box. And the skin was pretty ripped up…patchy might describe it. I recall looking at it sadly and asking The Lord to cause it to be pleasing and tasty, ANYWAY. I’m sure He did. Well…this was NOT the experience this year. Oh no! Every butcher stand had a turkey displayed, but this one caught my eye; he had a raw turkey sitting out on a fancy platter perched on a stool. This man had done some homework and had an imagination to boot. Realizing that Thanksgiving was a real ‘holiday’, he thought to ‘dress the turkey up’. So what could be more festive then to drape it with cousbara (cilantro) sprays, some chili peppers, and pour hummus beans (garbanzo beans) all over it? A LOVELY middle eastern display. Wish I’d had a camera J. I also found that when I ordered a ‘whole turkey’, the butcher immediately began speaking to me in rehearsed English; ‘Ah! You wish a THANKSGIVING! So…when IS Thanksgiving this year?’ He asked smiling. ‘Friday’ I said, hedging the question a bit.

Then there was the young secretary whom I work with. I told her that my husband would come home for Thanksgiving and she asked me what ‘Thanksgiving’ was. It didn’t occur to me that she had never so much as heard of the holiday, and I was blessed by the challenge to describe it to her in Hebrew. When I was finished, she surprised me by asking ‘Where is it in the Tenach?’ (Bible), because religious Jews ONLY celebrate prescribed holidays. When I told her that it ISN’T prescribed in the Tenach, she got tears in her eyes and said; oh…so it isn’t a Jewish holiday. The Book of Psalms came to mind…FULL of commandment to Thank, Worship and Praise Him. I don’t know if she was fully convinced, but I will believe I will be able to pursue it; the understanding that all creation is called to thank and praise Him Who is the One True God, and the fact that there are two countries that do this nationally (aside from here) is a blessing and brings Him glory.

One final thing along these lines; Having been raised with the American holiday of Thanksgiving, I am always interested in the comments that I receive from the many friends that I have from other nations. This one thrilled me and I thought that there might be others who would be encouraged to embrace what this family has done. This is sent by a dear South American sister:

“Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. Of course, there is no such thing here. However, our daughter Carolyn and her husband David, set a day aside to celebrate their own thanksgiving, and I think that is so wonderful. They say they are so blessed with their children (all believers) around them. Their eldest, Denise, is now married, to a man whose Christianity goes back to the Huguenot times!! They escaped from France, and yet each generation has kept the faith.”

I know that I had more observations to share, but it is time to make lunch for my husband. I have been negligent to share the ifi notes and hope that some of you do go to their website and keep up that way. For those of you who find web pages a challenge (I’m one of those!), here are this weeks.

Oops…update first. Some have asked – thank you SO much for your prayers! No, our older daughter and family have STILL not found a place to live. They looked at 2 two bedroom places yesterday…but with 3 children (the third due early Feb) and husband needing a studio (he is an artist) I am praying that they can afford a larger place. My husband is healing slowly, but he IS healing and we need patience and a tender, thankful heart. Our younger daughter is enjoying her work in a plant nursery and sales and her eye (which will have the stitches taken out in April) is still doing well. I am SOO thankful!

I owe SOOO many letters and emails…and I DO apologize. If you only knew how much I write in my head…

May He be glorified in our lives…may we look up and worship Him ALL along the path! Lovingly, your sis

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem: Email – Happy Thanksgiving from the ICEJ

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am sharing a little something that I received in the hopes that it will bless you. In case I don’t get back for a few days to post, may God bless you as you gather with friends and family in thanks to Him!

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem: Email – Happy Thanksgiving from the ICEJ.

Defective

“No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy;
only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect. . .” Leviticus 21:21-23

No one wants defective goods . . .except God.

Thank You Jesus, for being without defect for us, able to draw near and tear the veil, to be our sacrifice on the altar and our Most Holy daily bread. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Holy Recall

Full of defects
from head to heart to toe
often passed over
and rightly so
until that day
I knelt before His throne
and heard, “Redeemed”
“Beloved . . .My very own.”

God sees you today and loves you truly!

Be Mine

“And you shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” Leviticus 20:26

God had no intention of sharing the children of Israel – or us – with other gods.

Thank You, Lord, for teaching us to share many things – money, homes, possessions – but that our worship belongs to You alone. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Divine Love

Called out
separated
set apart
by the Divine
all because
of a Love
that says to us
“be Mine.”

The Art of Gleaning

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:9-10

I don’t have fields or vineyards. Just a simple little blog.

Thank You Lord for the endless field of Your Word that You allow us to glean from. May I leave ample amounts of Your grace and love in the corners of these posts and among the rows of these words for others to come and find. And here’s a simple poem . . .

At The Edge

Standing always a little outside
the many fields of life
watching the labor, the love
the gathering in . . .
do they know what I glean
from the edges,
how much good they leave behind
for me?

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who allows me to glean from their blogs and lives!

Inside Israel – With Thanksgiving

Hi all! So glad you have stopped by to read today’s Inside Israel. J of Jerusalem shares some things that she is thankful for and one of them is YOU! I’m with her in that! And here’s J . . .

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus (Meshiach Yeshua) concerning you.”
1 Thes 5:18

How blessed are my friends in America and Canada to have days set apart for public and private Thanksgiving to God! Perhaps each country has a holiday of this sort? I don’t know. But we know that we each KNOW that this IS God’s will for us: to give thanks!

American Thanksgiving is one holiday that I do miss. I remember my first public thanksgiving service in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calif, back in the 70s, when all of the fellowships came together in with a public meeting full of testimony and thanksgiving, praise and worship. I thought I would bust open with thankfulness.

I am thankful for each of you. You are His body, His temple, and you glorify Him and I am encouraged by you so very often. It is His gift to me, and I am thankful.

I have not been able to write for the past month as the country goes through turmoil…seemingly never ending. This past Thurs the rabbis called a day of fasting, prayer and repentance for rain as we are entering the 8th year of severe drought. In 10 days there will be another day set aside for this. Our country is being tempted (bribed? will we be bought??) by the US administration to institute another 90 day construction freeze in Judea and Samaria which is threatening to rip the country to pieces emotionally and politically. I read yesterday in Isa 30 AND 31 “Woe to those who go down to Egypt…” for strength, weapons, help against the enemy…instead of consulting GOD our shield! And I tremble, for that is what we are being tempted to do…and what almost half the country wants…to trust in the waning strength of America instead of the Eternal Strength of God. Our lack of rain speaks volumes to us…are we listening?

My husband and I just finished reading Voice of Hope by George Otis, written in the early 80s about the work that was done in N. Israel and S. Lebanon in the mid 70s to early 80s. It was very sobering to recall the historical events of the time (if not edifying to have a time to read of His work with my husband!!). The book records accurately the atrocities of the PLO and their roots and history…It was good to remember what was done and where they came from…the history, when all around us the incitement and delegitimization of Israel is taking place at a shocking rate in the media and world governments and agencies. Blatant lies are reported so often, repeated over and over as if they were fact, that I become confused…”is this TRUE?” Lying is a very effective tool. Keep repeating a lie over and over, convincingly and you are able to turn Truth upside down. It can happen in the body as well. Yes, we MUST know Him and His Word so well, that we can’t be fooled by lies or errors. And our FAITH and meekness must be so real and grounded in Him that when we are foolishly deceived, He is able to turn us in His mercy.

For those of you who do keep up with the news here and pray for Israel, THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR HOLDING US BEFORE HIS THRONE FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISES!

For those of you who hold our family up in prayer, THANK YOU! Our family continues to be tossed and turned, with particular prayer needed right now for our older daughter and their family…and our 7 year old Grandson. I take courage in the exhortation in Isa “Worship Him in the midst of the fires”. My husband is still in the rehabilitation hospital. Tomorrow is a month since his accident. I am weary, but take with joy the exhortation that I began with: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus (Meshiach Yeshua) concerning you.”

May HE be glorified at each of your Thanksgiving celebrations. And to my many friends in other countries that don’t celebrate Thanksgiving this week, may your heart also be blessed in giving of Thanks to Him Who alone is worthy.

ani b’derek

Walk This Way

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your God.’
‘According to the doings of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do, nor shall you walk in their ordinances.’” Leviticus 18:2-3

The children of Israel were in a uniquely different place. Unable to do what they once did, nor able to do what others were currently doing meant they would most surely need the Lord their God.

Jesus, may the difference You make in my life reflect my dependence on You today. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Where He’s Bringing Me

Leaving the past behind
and walking on ahead

not doing what others do
but leaning on You instead

keeps me from falling back into
the mire You pulled me from

and requires a mega dose of
Your Holy Spirit’s power and love.

Atonement

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11

This chapter in Leviticus is dedicated to the sanctity of the blood. The letting of blood was to be taken seriously and always brought before God.

Thank You, Jesus, for our atoned lives are made possible by Your blood. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Life In The Blood

Would I obtain a means
and keep it all to myself
not offering it to You, Lord
or anyone else,
when my life is so tied to
the blood that You spilled
on the altar of Your cross
my sin’s atonement, fulfilled.

(Really, the scripture for this one was so meaningful that I think it could’ve / should’ve stood on its own! Has a verse or portion of scripture held a strong specific meaning for you lately?)