Wordless: G-kids Celebrate the New Year

Blow the Trumpets!!!

Shana tovah! For a sweet new year!

Tonight is the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets and the Biblical new year. It is the fifth of Seven Feasts recorded and defined in the Bible as “The Feasts of the Lord”. Our family is celebrating with extra sweet challah formed in a round loaf and dipping apple slices into honey as our pre-meal fun! I have found that the grandkids love the holidays. They don’t necessarily remember from year to year what it all means, but they definitely remember the food we eat. This morning Ashlyn (7 yrs old) started jumping up and down when I mentioned round challah along with apples and honey. “Oh, I remember! I remember! I LOVE apples and honey!”

We try to make every holiday something that the kids will enjoy and remember. If the kids remember, then it makes it more fun for the parental units as well.  The Feasts of the Lord are meant to be enjoyed, and they are precious family times!

The blowing of the shofar comes from Leviticus 23:24.

“Tell the people of Israel, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar.’”

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My Favorite Time of the Year

Blowing the shofar during Elul in the house of prayer last year.

The fall feasts of the Bible is my favorite season of the year. I especially loved celebrating these feasts in Israel last year. What a privilege! Today is the twentieth day in the Biblical month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish calendar.  Elul will end at sundown on September 8th. The next day (Sept. 9) is Rosh Hashana, the first day of the Jewish new year. Rosh Hashana begins the fall feasts of God.

Every day during this month of Elul the shofar is blown and Psalm 27 is read in minyans and prayer groups.  Elul is a month of preparation for the Days of Awe between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur culminating on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year.  It’s a time of reflection. Elul means “returned with” signifying when the Jewish people returned to Israel after their 70 years in Babylon. Since that time Elul is a month where we “return to HaShem” in repentance.  This is a holy month leading up to the most holy month, Tishri. (Next week I will write about Tishri and Rosh Hashana.)

Repentance.  It is a word that is not too popular in some circles, especially those who think grace is a free ride to live on the edge of holiness thinking that God will excuse their little indulgences in the world.  The Bible doesn’t teach that at all.

“Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.”  (II Cor. 7:1)

“So that you may be blameless and pure children of God without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the sky.”  (Phil 2:15)

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Wordy Wednesday

After today I will call my Wednesday posts “Wordless Wednesday”, but today I’m going to explain it a little.  Destiny said I should call it “Wordy Wednesday” just for today, and I totally agree.  I would hate to mislead anyone. 

I’ve been wanting to do Wordless Wednesdays for a long time but always seem to forget until late on Wednesday Thursday Friday night.  I really love pictures that speak for themselves, so now I will (hopefully) be looking for a photo all week to use.

The whole idea of Wordless Wednesday is not to use words. I totally get that, but I do want to say one more thing that might seem unrelated but really isn’t:  I am so very very grateful that my laptop is back in my hands after being in the repair shop for a week.  I have a Macbook Air (which I LOVE) and the hinge has been gradually breaking over the last several months. Well, my wonderful husband researched it and found out that I’m not the only one with hinge problems on my version of Air.  Therefore, they fixed it better than ever and totally free of charge even though it was past the one-year warranty period!  I LOVE Apple!

Ok…..now for my Wordless Wednesday….

American Fourth of July in Belgium

Real Fathers

On this cold and rainy Father’s Day in Belgium I have been thinking a lot about fathers.  I am reminded that a man isn’t a true father just because he has a child.  True fathers are not very common.  A true father puts his wife and children first in all that they do. He takes the responsibility of training his children very seriously.  He knows that his actions and words today will be reaped for generations to come.  He loves and seeks God with all his heart and wants his children to far exceed him in their love and pursuit.  He lives unselfishly and will be there at the drop of a hat when his children need him.  A true father is a gift from heaven.

I have the privilege of having many true fathers in my life. I’m grateful for my father. He loves Yeshua with all his heart and has taught me the importance of prayer and an inner communion with the ultimate Father. My dad imparted to me a love for Israel and the Jewish people.  He loves the Land almost as much as I do.  (He probably thinks he loves it more, but that’s not possible!)  He is such a hard worker and tirelessly gives of himself for others.  He loves the outdoors and is always ready for adventure. I love you, Dad!

He looks like he knows a secret that he isn't telling.

This is his favorite activity....preaching!

The picture below was taken last summer when they visited Gary, Preston, and I in Israel.  This is Dad, Mom, and Tracey Kingham at the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea in Israel

I have other real fathers in my life as well.  My precious husband is at the top of the list.  His love for his children is something that continually blesses me.  His love for Yeshua inspires me every day of my life.  His love for ME brings security and comfort. Our family is truly blessed and privileged to have him in our lives. I love you, sweetie!

He loves his daughters!

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