HaMakom

The word "HaMakom" is Hebrew for "The Place".  That may sound like a pretty ordinary word until you see how it is used. Following the death of a loved one it is Jewish custom to say this blessing of comfort to those who are left behind, "May God console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem (Ha'makom yenahem etkhem betokh she'ar avelei Tziyonvi'Yerushalayim)." The word  HaMakom, means, the (ha), and  place (makom). God himself is at times called "HaMakom", it is one of His names.  May you be comforted by the one who is the place where your loved one has gone. Sounds like the New Testament where Paul said that when we die our spirit returns to God who made it.  HaMakom (the place) The place is God Himself.  We are here In a journey to return to "the Place",  return to the one who made us. Some of us spend our entire life trying to run away from home. Running away from God, running away from the one who made us.  No place will feel like "home " until you return to the one who made you.  HaMakom :)

An Offering of You

Reading about the sacrifices brought to the Temple.  In the book Torah Studies Rabbi Schneerson, talks about the sentence "if any man brings an offering of you..." He says it Seems to have a misplaced word, however this is never the case in the scripture! When a word seems misplaced or out of the ordinary it is there for a purpose, placed there in that way by G-d. Man himself is the sanctuary of G-d, man himself is the sacrifice offered to G-d. First the sacrifice itself was an animal, "from the cattle, the herd and the flock". This represents the animal nature, human nature, the flesh. We are to bring an offering to be consumed or to be licked up by the flames of the purifying holiness of a righteous G-d. The sacrifice to be offered was first inspected to make sure that it was without blemish. When we bring ourself before the LORD as a sacrifice to "draw near" to Him, we must use self examination. Offering ourself "spiritually" is one thing but to offer up the animal side of our selves is another. This is how we sanctify our earthly nature. When we offer our flesh to the service of the LORD there is a transcendence of the heavenly to the earthly. When we bring our earthly "animal body" or "old man" into subjection with G-d's will and service then the "kavod" glory of G-d can be revealed in the world. How do we see the glory of G-d? We have seen it "in the face of Jesus Christ". In other words when we submit our body, to the will of G-d we enable the will of G-d to be revealed in the earth. This is how the world will see Jesus. His glory must transcend the spiritual or heavenly to the earthly or flesh and blood realm. We are not walking in the unity of the Spirit if our "body of flesh" is not put under the feet of Jesus. The world, our family, our husband, our children, our friends, our enemies will not see Jesus or the love of G-d if they do not see the "kavod" glory of Jesus in our human faces. If your soul is saved and your spirit is born again they will not see it unless your earthly frame shines with a radiance of an "animal sacrifice" (allowing our human nature) to be
  consumed in the fire of G-d's Holiness

Hey!

This is so cool.  The Hebrew language!  The little letter hey (ה) is a quiet letter but packs quite a punch.  In ancient Hebrew the letter hey was a little man with his hands outstretched (upwards).  The hey makes the sound of "h" in English. The sound of breath.  The Jewish sages say that by the single letter "hey" the world was created.  "By the Word of God the heavens were made, and by the breath (by the hey) of his mouth all their hosts." (Ps. 33:6) The letter by itself means "behold".  When placed in front of a word it stands for the word "the" like saying HaEretz (the land), HaShem (The Name) etc.  it literally means "behold, look, behold, take notice, pay attention".  Now the part I think is cool!  The word for trouble is Tzoros in Hebrew.  It is also connected to the word Tzur which means rock, hence I think this is where the phrase "between a rock and a hard place" comes from.  The word tzoros literally means a narrow, confined restricted place.  Being "hard pressed" by an enemy or by circumstances.  Now the word for light, brilliance, something shining bright, the glistening of olive oil is tzohor.these two words come from the same root, and in Hebrew that is significant.  By adding the little letter "hey" to the word for trouble you get enlightenment, you get shining bright like the glistening of olive oil.  The lesson I see in this is that in the midst of troubles, in a narrow, constricted, restricted place, between a rock and a hard place.  Where you are "hard pressed" for answers or a solution if you add the little hey and like the little hey approach God with outstretched arms, and "behold, look, pay attention" to Him, He will bring enlightenment and shine bright like glistening olive oil and come to you in the midst of your situation.

An Arrow in Your Hand

One Father's Day a few years back I was asked to share. This is a little note I read to my Dad:

Dad you'll never know how you guided me as a child. For as a little girl I saw you pray. I saw you kneel beside your bed and not just once or in a time of special need or trial but every night before closing your eyes. You probably didn't know I saw you there.

You demonstrated what true love was as I saw you love my Mother. You did not show a lot of outward affection as we see so much of today, but you showed true love when you treated her with honor and respect. I never heard you fight or felt discord in our house and you never embarrassed her or spoke disrespectfully to her. I just want you to know I noticed.

I saw the passion you felt when you talked about God and you made me hunger and thirst for righteousness too. You showed me that there was always more of God for me and sometimes it required sacrifice and decisions that others might not understand. Did you know that is what you were teaching me?

I saw you battle a disease that you could not overcome, until you were so week you could not get out of bed, yet, I never heard you complain. And in the end I felt the presence of God fill the room you were in, Jesus was there... God had come for a man who had lived his life as an example not only for his children and grandchildren but for all who knew him and set a mark for them to follow. Thank you for the life you lived, the example you left, and the mark that you set before me. You pointed me in the way that I should go.

From an Arrow you once held in your hand. I miss you Dad.

I pray that you consider the arrow that you hold in your hand. Are you leaving an example that will help them hit the mark and follow the path that God has planned for them?

The Temple in the Times of Christ

I have been rereading a book I have had for years and I am dumbfounded, that's right dumbfounded, amazed, staggered, and stunned by the shear measurements of the temple of Solomon! The book is called THE TEMPLE, it's MINISTRY and SERVICES as they were at the time of CHRIST by Alfred Edersheim. It is an amazing book about the Temple in the Times of Christ.

Did you know:

• The Temple was so large it could hold 210,000 worshipers at one time.
• It was as large as two, that's right two, colosseums like the one in Rome.
• It had immense foundation stones of solid blocks of white marble covered with gold!
• Those foundation stones were 67.6 x 9 feet according to Josephus' record! And archeology!
• The altar for burnt offerings (the one with the horns at the corners) was 15' high!
• They have found stones in the bridges that led to the Temple that were 20-40 feet in length and weigh up to 100 tons!!! Single stones!

How unbelievable it must have seemed to the disciples when Jesus, speaking of the temple, forewarned: "there shall not be one stone left upon another that shall not be thrown down".

I'll try to give you some more unbelievable facts as I read. Amazing isn't it!

Hello Again!

If anyone has read this blog they know I am not an everyday blog kind of person! sorry :) It has been two years now since we returned from Ethiopia with Jericho! He is doing great. He is in pre-school for 3 year olds and loves it. Gunner will be turning 7 this month and growing up faster than I want him too.

They finally caught up with Osama Bin Laden last week. My reaction was less than enthusiastic (to my suprise I might add). Chuck says it's because I have an international view now? since going to Ethiopia my world has changed. I am experiencing a renewing of an old desire to be a "missionary" and a cooling of my patriotic fervor I once held dear.

Now, Chuck and I are mission directors at our church and God seems to be stirring us up! I use to be so patriotic and I couldn't imagine loving my country more than I did. But, I am finding that the phrase "this world is not my home" is becoming more and more a reality. I belong to the Kingdom of God and my allegiance is truly shifting to the heavenly kingdom. I thought I already felt that way but it is different this time.

I love a phrase that the Moravians quoined "For Christ and His Kingdom, that he might receive the just reward of His suffering". The Moravians had an ongoing prayer meeting that lasted 100 years and 60 % of their congregation became missionaries, John Wesley thought he was saved until he met with Moravian missionaries on his way to the colonies.

Christ did not die for me to enjoy the abundance of Capitalism, but for me to know Him and share in His suffering that he might inherit the nations. Now what that truly means I am still learning. There is a burning within me to not be satisfied with the American dream but to be like the rich young ruler who sold everything and followed the Jewish Rabbi. For now I pray: keep my heart burning until your desire is completely formed in me to both will and do your good pleasure.

You Must Come as a Little Child

Amidst the nonstop talking from the two chatterboxes in the back

seat

Gunner began his sentence:

"I really, really, really, really, really, really,

(about that time I said,"What, just say it!")

really, love Jesus."

Lord forgive me, I interrupted sweet praise that was meant for you :)

The Great Pumpkin Patch

We went to the Pumpkin Patch in Arthur, IL a couple of weeks ago.

Great weather, great time, great day!

Above is Noah's Ark with a host of pumpkins from around the world!

The sunflowers outside of the corn maze.

Ma and Pa Pumpkin

I didn't know his ears were so big when I married him!

Can you spot the real little leguminous plants?

Great Memories!

Challenged

Attended Samaritan's Purse conference/World Medical Missions at the Billy Graham Center in N.C. I felt surrounded by people of a different caliber of faith moving them to action! So many people with unimaginable needs to meet and us with so little to give. All any of us have are five small loaves and two fishes. And we are challenged to find out How BIG our GOD is? Thank you John Bechtel, we have a lot to process.

First Fruits of the Day

I have been doing something our pastor has asked us to do everyday. First-fruits, the first minute of every hour of the day. Just 24 little minutes given wholly to prayer and scripture reading. Doesn't sound like much does it. But, it is just enough time to make you hunger and thirst for more!

I began by reading Nehemiah. Great book for me to start with. During the rebuilding of the wall Ezra led the reading of the word which had been forgotten. As they gathered to hear the reading of the law they began to repent and restore not only the walls of Jerusalem but themselves before God. As they heard the words of the law they did them! Imagine that! They not only repaired the breaches in the walls of Jerusalem but they repaired the breaches in their own lives. They laid the beams, set up the doors, the locks and the bars! They removed the Tobias' and Sandballet's that had moved into their lives and truly obeyed the Word of the Lord!

Hear is a list of what Nehemiah and those who returned to Jerusalem did:

• Rebuilt the wall
• Set up the gates
• Set the Levites in their offices'
• Read the Word to Jerusalem (cleansing of the Water by the Word)
• Set Jerusalem in order
• Cleansed themselves of the heathen's influence
• Cleansed the offices of the Priests and High Priest
• Restored the Keeping of the Sabbath
• Restored the Tithe
• Restored Thanksgiving and Praise
• Brought back people to Jerusalem to live (1 of 10 to dwell in Jerusalem from the countryside)
• Renewed and ratified their Covenant with their God!
• Celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles

It is time for those of us who are going to return, to return. To live as though we have but a few small hours. We must Redeem the time... Eph. 5:16. Lay aside the weight, and the sin that so easily besets us... Hebrews 12:1 awake out of sleep... We must know the time that it is high time to rise from the dead Rom 13:11

As they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles they remembered that this life we live is but a vapor, a temporary home. Christ tabernacled with us. He did not come to dwell permanently with us. He did not come to build an earthly kingdom. But he came that we might have a everlasting abode with him.

May we get our minds and hearts off of this world's substance and onto The Work that needs to be done, our heavenly home, and soon coming saviour.

This World is NOT My Home

I'm Just A Passing Through.

Another Chance To Do What?

I just finished watching a tv program in which a man (Prophet) gave some encouraging words about America. In a nut shell, things will look bad for the next months but God is working in America to give us another opportunity. This is not too hard for me to believe. Even though I have not felt encouraged about our country for a long time. I believe if we are to receive another chance it will not be for our own profit. It will be for the profit of others. If we are to receive another chance it will be the opportunity to give it all! We are like the rich young man who came to Jesus and proclaimed that he had done all to keep the commandments since he was a child. Jesus told him "Well done". The Bible says that Jesus Loved him. The young ruler was invited to come and be the Savior's disciple. Jesus said, you lack one thing, go and sell all that you have and come and follow me.

I believe that this is the word for this generation of Americans.

This is it.

This is the time.

This is the call.

Give it all!

In the first century the early Christians sold all that they owned and had all things in common. This sounds so strange to us today in a nation where we are so independent and self reliant. But, the reality was that in just a few short years they were going to loose all that they had. In 70 A.D. Jerusalem was sacked and the Jews and the Christians were dispersed into other nations. They became missionaries wether they wanted to or not. We live with such a high standard of living in this country. even those of us who think we live a very modest to low income life earn the top 1% of the worlds wealth. http://www.globalrichlist.com/

I'm not posting this to proclaim that I have arrived and have succeeded in achieving this call. On the contrary, I am posting this because this is what my husband and I are hearing! We need to get out of debt and be free to go and do what ever he asks us to do. He has never revoked the call to "GO" and it was not only given to those first apostles and Christians. We have ears, let us hear the call also. I am praying "Lord, have mercy on me!

Where Does the Prince of Peace Abide?

I got an afternoon alone today! I don't mean to sound so happy but I really have been needing some time alone with myself and my thoughts. My Mom passed away May 28th. That has been a whole month and I don't feel like I have had the time to really think about her and how much I miss her. Oh, I have all day at home like so many other mom's out there but I haven't had the personal time where I can sit and reflect and I might add cry.

I have had a remarkable Mother and a remarkable relationship with her. As I have mentioned before, I became a widow at the age of 21 with two little boys under 5. My Mom and Dad were a tremendous blessing to me and my kids. We went on vacations together, went to church together, went camping together, told stories, prayed, laughed, took communion together, read our Bibles together. I home schooled the boys and we all had so much fun together. Always together.

I don't ever remember a sharp word, a manipulative action, an "I told you so". I can remember my Mom so many times saying "there are not very many families that could get along good enough to live together like this." She was right. Mom and Dad's farm always felt so peaceful. Other people said it many times when they came by to visit or stopped in on business. We had home Bible studies and prayer meetings and the Lord's presence always was felt. I don't believe that God's Spirit just showed up but I know that He abode there. They gave Him a place to abide. There was no strife, no back biting, no gossip. There were no lies, no anger, no doubting. I never felt the need to bicker or be resentful.

So, now I wonder, does God want to abide in my home? I know that we are the temple of God but when we order our lives according to His will then His peace will be upon our homes as well. And I believe that visitors will feel the presence of God when they step upon the literal ground that belongs to God. My parent's home was a witness of this truth. The Apostle Paul said that when you come into someone's house you are to bring the peace of God with you and if they won't receive it then you are to take it with you when you leave. With so much strife and turmoil in this world and in this country a home with true peace is a rare thing. This is my prayer: Dear Lord, make my life a testimony of your glory and let Your peace abide in my home as it does in my heart. Help me to conduct my household with honor fitting of your name and let the words of my mouth be pleasing to you. Let me be an example to my children like my Mother and Father were to me. Oh, Prince of Peace reign here in my home as you did in theirs.

A MAN OF HONOR, WHO CAN FIND ONE?

If it were not

for my personal experience I would say that the proverbial "honorable man" was extinct. But God, who continually blows my mind, has given to me an honorable man.

Before we got married the Lord impressed upon me that Chuck was my Boaz. I asked the Lord to make my mother and I like Ruth and Naomi. My mother and I have been like two peas in a pod most of my adult life. I became a widow with two small children at the age of 21 and moved in to live with my Mom and Dad. My boys and I stayed! We all got along so well that we were happy to live together for almost 20 years. When my oldest son was killed in a car accident just two weeks after his 16th birthday and my Father died two years later in 1994, my Mom and I became even closer. I had never concerned myself with dating or "seeking" any relationship for myself because I had felt the Lord giving me direction to concentrate on raising my two boys. I am so very thankful for that direction, and cherish the time I had to spend with them. I wouldn't trade it for the world. When my youngest son was grown the Lord miraculously brought Chuck into my life. We began our relationship as friends and it grew into a bond that will last a lifetime.

Now, back to being Boaz. When I think of Boaz I think of a strong, sturdy man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Boaz invokes the ideal of integrity, not only to understand what is right but choosing to do right whether others follow or not. Boaz had moral strength which came by continually choosing to do the honorable thing. All of these things are why Chuck is my Boaz. I have gotten to know him in the past 10 years and have seen him conduct himself honorably just as Boaz did. As I have said before in my blog, my mother is now very sick and becoming weaker everyday from ovarian cancer. We had brought her to our house a year and a half ago after she broke her hip and began chemo treatments. Chuck is a wonderful son-in-law to her. He couldn't be more caring and loving. Last night as we sat and prayed with her I was moved to tears, (again) as I watched him take her hand and hold it in his and look into her eyes. She would have held his hand all night. His spirit is comforting and compassionate. I saw him lift her with his own arms to make her comfortable in her bed when she couldn't move by herself. What a treasure I have been given. Jesus, I just want to thank you for my Boaz.

LAYING DOWN OUR LIFE

Since my mother has been sick, and with the addition of Jericho to our family, I have found a greater meaning to the phrase crucifying the flesh. Like so many concepts in the scripture there are different ways to understand or live out the meaning. Sin for example is not just don't do this or don't do that but it is also something you neglect to do that you should have done. I am finding that God is teaching me to crucify my flesh in a whole new way. Not in denying it the pleasure of a candy bar (that is not a bad thing to deny it I might add) or spending time in fasting and prayer (two essential spiritual foods) but actually doing for others when I would rather do for myself. Realizing that meeting the needs of others is real servitude in the kingdom of God. It is time as a Christian that I walk the talk when it comes to those in need, especially those of my own household. God forbid that my Christianity be in vain and that I would become an offense to the Gospel. What we need in America is Christians actually following Christ’s example of servant hood and laying down our lives for our brothers.

Change

A friend of mine on facebook posted a comment made by Jentezen Franklin:

A sure sign that God is doing something in your life is that CHANGE is involved! When God calls you to do something, you have to be willing to go someplace new. Responding to God is going to mean CHANGE! -Jentezen Franklin

I believe it! For those of you who may be awaiting a referral for adoption, get ready for things to change! Most often for the better. We have had the pleasure of Having Jericho in our family for a year now and wouldn't change a thing! He is really a sweet boy and on the whole a very good little boy. I am so very thankful for God entrusting us with his life and his upbringing. We pray that we will raise him in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord.

Another change in the last year and a half has been the addition of my mother into our household. She is also a great blessing. She has been very sick. She broke her hip a year ago this past Christmas and at the same time found out that she had Ovarian cancer. She came a long way in 2009. She had chemo treatments then a surgery and now, in 2010, a second time around with chemo. She has decided to forgo the chemo treatments at this time and let the cancer take its course. She is a woman who possesses great strength in quietness. She has never complained or been negative in this long and very hard trial for her. I pray I will gain strength from her and learn to be cheerful and pleasant in the least to the greatest of the trials that I go through. May I learn grace from her example and the integrity to apply it to every situation that I encounter.

Change! I have learned that in whatever state I am in therewith to be content. If we are troubled on every side, we find that we are not distressed; we may be perplexed, but not in despair;

And for my Mom: "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

2 Cor. 4:17-18

It's Been a Year!

It has been a year since we returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to pick up Jericho! Has our life changed? Yes! Has his life changed? Definitely! How awesome is God! How small the world! How much love can you feel for an entire nation! If anyone out there is thinking of adoption, do it! We who cry “Abba Father” should return the grace God has so very freely given to us. Visit the Orphan! Visit the widow! Give to those in need! Let us return to our First Love and do the works that God has prepared for us to do! “In asmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me!” –Jesus of Nazareth, Only Begotten of the Father

The Temptation of Toilet Water

Caught Jericho running down the hall with a handful of cheetos. You could see in his eyes, he was on a mission, the bathroom door was open! I quickly took the cheetos out of his hand and went to close the bathroom door. To my surprise I saw an empty vase on the top of the toilet, with a closer look discovered a bouquet of flowers in the toilet! Oh, the temptation of toilet water!!!

The Dancing Amharic Writing

This is a wall across from our room at the House of Hope in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There was a playground in front of it and beside it were the tubs where the girls did the endless laundry. This was a scripture, I think Matthew 3:23. I can't remember which book of the Bible it was. Don't the Amharic letters look as if they are dancing? The people resemble their language. Every sign I saw looked happy even amidst great poverty. One thing I was greatly aware of was that poverty on the outside cannot be compared to poverty on the inside. The phrase "The richness of their poverty" kept coming to my mind while we were there. There are many "rich" people in the world that live in much greater inner-poverty than those who have no earthly wealth but have treasure in heaven.

Show & Tell

Today was Show & Tell day at Kindergarten and today's letter was "J". Gunner wanted to take "J"ericho to school for his show & tell object. He did and Jericho liked the attention. He stood with Gunner for about 1 minute, if for that long, and then took off running out the door and down the hall. Gunner ran after him and that was the end of his show & tell for the letter "J". Grandma came along for the show and one of the little boy observing the sudden crowd in the room exclaimed "what's Gunner's Grandma doing here!" Obviously withholding his permission for her to be in the classroom :) What fun to be in kindergarten! When I picked Gunner up after school one of the kids saw me and went "kaboom!" and blew me up :) How fun.

SNOWDAY!

Today is a SNOWDAY! Got all of our snow regalia on and headed out for some fun. It took us longer to get our coats and pants and mittens and extra socks and scarves and snow pants on than it did to play outside.

A Year Later

Our Christmas Present Last Year

Just remembering the past year and the blessings we have been given. The week before Christmas of 2008 was when we got the referral of Jericho. It had taken so long that I had all but given up on actually coming to the completion of our adoption. I was almost speachless when Toni called with the news! We have been so very blessed, THANK YOU JESUS!

Simegn - She is the Cooker

This is  Simegn also known as "the cooker".  What a devoted woman.  She was always at the House of Hope.  We don't know if she actually lived there or was just always there when we were awake.  She was the first to help us with Jericho.  When Tesfu and the little nanny returned from the American Embassy and handed Jericho over to us we found that he was not terribly enthused about getting to know us.  Simegn was the one who took him in her arms walked across the little court yard to the kitchen, got a piece of bread and handed the bread to me and then handed Jericho to us and said "mama, dada, kiss!"  Believe it or not it helped tremendously.  He did not want us until we had something he wanted... bread!   Simegn seemed to be the center of House of Hope.  She greeted us in the morning with breakfast, at noon for our dinner and in the evening for supper.  She kept us from getting sick by carefully washing our food.  She also made us the customary coffee for dinner.  Wonderful stuff!  After serving us (and who knows how many others at the HOH) she roasted coffee beans on a small open fire and prepared coffee like we had never tasted.  It was delicious!  She sat to the side just like you see her here in this picture and served us coffee in small cups.  She was wonderful and such a witness of the love of Christ.  Serving strangers she would never see again with a smile and such willingness.  Never tiring.  Simegn was not weary in well doing and in due season she shall reap a great reward.  In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.- Jesus

Teshome, God's Gatekeeper

This is Tesfu (on the right) he was our driver in Ethiopia.  Great Guy!  Couldn't say enough about how important he was to us.  The other man is Teshome the gatekeeper at the House of Hope where we stayed.  The children all loved him.  He was much more than a guard or door opener, he was part of Jericho's family at the orphanage.  Jericho LOVED him.  

Teshome would rub the back of Jericho's head and speak very softly to him.  No wonder Jericho loved him.  Very gentle and sweet man.  I am thankful for God's people who give of themselves freely, not for recognition or promotion but for the "Least of These".  God bless Teshome today.

These Turkeys are in Our Back Yard.

They are Absolutely Cracking Up!

Bedtime Stories

I'm writing a story about barfoot-bearnies, wizzetts, and dopple-ding-dangers.  There are also dopple-ding-downers who are related the the ding-dangers but totally opposite.    The barfoot-bearnies live under leaves and roll up in balls when they are scared.  They are very social and would rather share a leaf with a neighbor than live by themselves.  Wizzetts float through the air and are light as a feather and if they are not careful they will be carried about by every strong wind that comes along.  The dopple-ding-dangers are shaped like an inverted bell with a loose head which clangs against their shoulders if they do not prop themselves up with a stiff collar.  The dopple-ding-downers have a body shaped like a pear and if they are not mindful of what they eat they become so bottom heavy that their little legs can barely carry them.

This is Jericho's first Trick or Treat.  He wasn't sure what was going on.  Gunner didn't know the beautiful princess but she was to magnificent for us to pass up.  They had a great time.  It's all about the candy :)