Psalm 34 ~ Taste and see that YHVH is good!

"Oh taste and see that YHVH/the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Oh fear the LORD, you his holy ones, For there is no lack with those who fear him." vs. 8-9

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But YHVH/the LORD delivers him out of them all." vs. 19

I was up early this morning because after He spoke this Psalm to me, I couldn't remain in bed until I had read it and meditated on it. My husband asked me what it meant to me, and I said, "YHVH is good. We need to look for YHVH's provision, even if it's not what we expect to see."  

The scriptures don't tell us that living for Him will be easy, but they do tell us that He is good. He doesn't say we won't face adversity, but that He is good, and He will provide for us. I want to look for His provisions knowing that He will provide, and that it might not (probably won't!) be in the manner I expect. So why expect a certain outcome? If we believe that YHVH/God is Sovereign Supreme, why not let Him provide in the manner that He sees fit?

Shalom, shalom.

Week 2 ~ Day 2 - Growing Through Prayer

Growing Through Prayer (A 'Loving God Greatly' Bible Study)

January 19, 2016

Week 2 ~ Day 2

Read: Mark 1:35 & Mathew 14:23

SOAP: Mark 1:35

January 19, 2016

Week 2 ~ Day 2

Read: Mark 1:35 & Mathew 14:23

SOAP: Mark 1:35

S:   

“Early in the night, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.” HNV

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshua got up, left, went away to a lonely spot and stayed there praying.” CJB

O&A:

This has always been a struggle for me, rising early.  I’ve been a night owl for as long as I can ever remember.  My husband gave me some excellent advice – instead of doing what I usually do late at night (read, surf FB or the internet, fold laundry or other quiet household tasks, etc.), get alone with the Father and pray.  Let it be my 3^rd or 4^th watch offering (depending on time, because I’m not up as late as 3AM! Lol)

Image comes from www.TorahCalendar.com

Night: sometimes translated asmorning because of the time: 4th watch of the night, approximately3AM-6AM

Deserted place: solitary, uninhabited place

Hours

Through Yeshua's example, my husband sets a great example to me in this aspect.  When Abba wakes him up in the night, he leaves our room, gets alone, and gives our Father His offering.  In the meantime, I’ve often just gotten into bed, laid my hand on him, and have just prayed over him and our boys before falling asleep.  Sometimes I wonder if that could be Father’s way of keeping us praying during the watch hours.  Only He can answer that. 

In Proverbs 31, it always stands out to me that “She rises also while it is yet night, Gives food to her household, And portions for her servant girls.”  While it is yet night, meaning while it’s still dark, and also translated as “protective shadow”.  But she doesn’t just rise while it’s dark, she is productive in her time! She gives food to her household, and a portion for her girls, those are her maid servants or female attendants.  (Sidenote here – the word for that is na’arah, and is also my crockpot’s name.  My appliances are my help maidens, and all have their own names.)  The (appointed) portions she gives her maid servants are their tasks for the day.  Her day begins early.  Mine, because it ends late, doesn’t begin as early as just before dawn.  I am asking the Father to work on me in this area, because I have struggled with this for YEARS. 

I would love to follow the example that Messiah Yeshua set for us, in rising early, to get alone with the Father and pray to him.  To receive Abba’s instructions for the day!  I get it!  I finally get it!!! If it wasn’t too hard for Yeshua, in fact it was GOOD for him to do so, then why am I so stuck in my own ways to be in Yah’s ways???  Why must I kick against the pricks when He has told me to do this?!?  He has even given me a schedule, yet I falter.  The example of Yeshua getting alone with the Father… in the night/early morning wasn’t just to be there because He couldn’t sleep – it was to hear from the Father, and to submit to Him.  Just as the Proverbs 31 woman rose early to feed her household and to give tasks to her ladies, so does YHVH want to feed us (in His Word) and give us our instructions.

P:

Abba, You are so awesome!  We sometimes say You are Yah-some!  Father, forgive me my reluctance and my insubordination.  I desire to follow after the instructions You’ve given me, and yet almost every night I fail.  Oh Abba, let tonight begin the observance of  the schedule You’ve given me, so that I will follow after the pattern of the beloved Mashiach, the Messiah, Yeshua, when He left where He was, got alone, and attended to You.  Thank You, Abba, for helping me to finally see it!  HalleluYah!!!  In Your Son Yeshua’s name, Amein.

#‎LoveGodGreatly‬

Daybook November 9 & 10, 2015

For Today... 

The Bible says in Matthew 6:34 "Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Each day's own evil is sufficient."  So today I will focus on today, and the issues thereof.

Outside my window...

It is looking like winter is steadily approaching.  The trees are not yet bare, and many still hold their leaves, but the sky is overcast in a winter-y type of way, and the temperature is chilly!  I have all of the windows open.  I love this season.

I am thinking... 

How much I love my mom.  My dad passed away 2 years ago, on November 1, and we were estranged for about 15 years prior to his passing.  We actually found out by happenstance almost 2 weeks after his death.  No one had even tried to get in touch to notify us of his death, or even his illness.  In retrospect, I'm thankful for his family that was there with him at the end.  Although I was shocked by the news, and saddened, because I had always hoped for a reunion and this meant that there would be no earthly reunion, I began to think about how much my mom has been there for my sister and me.  Without going into too much detail. I was a pretty rotten apple in my teen-aged and younger adulthood years, and my mom never gave up on me, even if she felt like it.

So, thanks Ma.
I love-it you. <3

I am thankful...

For this family that I am blessed with.  For the Father and my Messiah, whom I am learning to better serve.  I'm thankful for my sister Carrie, and my sister Shan Shan.  I hope that a reconciliation can be made with Monica.  I don't know about my step-sisters from my step-mom, or even my half-brother.  I'm thankful for them, and hopeful that they are happy in their lives, and I pray that all of my siblings are following the plan that Yah has for their lives.

I am wearing...

Exercise capris, undershirt, and a big shirt over it... New day, new 'fit.  Dark purple jogging pants, light purple T-shirt. 

I am creating...

We will be making some lamp shades for the boys to put at their beds.  We will be following this video by CatCraft.cc  We watched many others, but this one was simply genius in the method.  We are using IKEA lights, these ceiling hooks, and two different yarns.  The Little has chosen this yarn in sea foam, and The Big has chosen this yarn in wine.  (Big shout-out to their Grandma, my momma, for making all of this happen by purchasing these items.  She loves to encourage our creativity, as she is a very creative lady, indeed. <3 )

I am going...

Uhhh.. on a walk in a little bit..?  To the mailbox. 

I am wondering...

Why I must be so hard-headed sometimes.  And then I wonder why my sons display stubborn-ness.  I don't mean the kind you might think I'm referencing - I'm talking about when YHVH instructs, or gives a specific thing to do, and we don't do it.  Maybe it's out of fear of change.  Maybe fear of submission?  But in other areas, we are completely obedient.  Honor, observe, keep Shabbat? Check.  Observe the feast days of YHVH?  Check.  Wake up early because He said to? Oh.  Order my day in the way He prescribed?  Double-Oh.

I am reading...

The Bible.  I have some books I should crack open, but lately my focus is not in them.

I am hoping...

Truth be told, up until last week, I had been placing my hope somewhere that it didn't belong.  I fell this past May in a hole at our apartment complex, and have earned around $17,000 in medical bills because of it.  I had been thinking that we would see our needs provided for in this area, and was sorely disappointed when it didn't come through.  After recognizing what Yah was speaking to me about *why* it didn't come through, I praised Him!  He told me that we had been hoping on this, and instead we need to hope on and in Him.  For everything.  For all things.
Baruch HaShem YHVH!
(Bless the name of YHVH)
I'm also hoping in Yah for healing of degenerative disc disease, degenerative facet disease, spondylosis, etc., in my back.  This was all found after the fall that I mentioned.  Even if it was present prior to the accident, it wasn't causing me problems, and now I suffer from pain from it every day.  Every day I am blessed by the hope of the new body I will receive in Yah's kingdom, and every day I wait for being back to no pain while I remain in this physical body.

I am learning...

Obedience to Yah, above all else, above all others.
I'm also learning through my neighbor how to be a better neighbor!
So thankful for you, Mary!

In my garden...

I don't have a garden, per se...

In my kitchen...

I need to put a chicken on to cook.  I like to make several meals out of one fryer chicken - I can usually get at least 4 meals for our family of 4.  With the broth from boiling the chicken, I make a soup, and then I pick pieces off of the chicken for the other meals.  This has been a blessing for us, as we have been having a LOT of meals from the basic staples of beans and rice.  We own a lawn care company, and as I mentioned above, the winter season is approaching, so we have to be much more economical about how and where we spend our income.  

Beans can be made in so many different ways, and we have black beans and pinto beans on hand.  (I feel like we're kind of becoming like the Bubba (from Forrest Gump) of beans.)  We also have (all organic) white rice, brown rice, wild rice, and some ramen noodles (not Top Ramen - these are made from brown rice, I think), so we have many ways we can mix the dishes up!  Last night, I made some of the ramen noodles, and did a tamari sauce with green beans and chunks of chicken.. a HUGE hit with my fellas!

In the homeschool room...

We have begun keeping a journal about what we are learning.  I feel like at the end of the year, when we look back through the journals, it will be neat to see how we've grown, and how we understood what we were learning.  Plus, it's a stress-free journal - there's no wrong way to do it!  The Big's homeschool chemistry curriculum arrived today, and after reading all of the warnings, we were all like, "Okay, we're a bit scared, but as long as we follow the directions, we can do this."
This is the chemistry curriculum.  Our usual curriculum is Homeschooling Torah, if you were wondering. :)

A favorite quote for today...

Matthew 6:33

"But seek first God's kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well."

Do you wonder what "all these things" that will be given to you are?  Just above this verse, it is stated that we worry about what we will wear/clothe ourselves with, what we will eat drink, but as children of YHVH/God, we must know that He knows we need these things, and we must trust that He will provide.

A peek into one of my days...

I am awaiting the call from my friend who is *literally* due any day now!  I don't know which day it will be, and am thankful for all that Yah has done in this family.  It took great faith to get them to this point, which is coming to fruition!  Every time the phone rings, we're like, "Is it the call?!?"  :)

One of my favorite things...
This ALWAYS cheers me up.  :)  Totally love The Sound of Music.

From the board room...

Gosh.  I guess the board room could be our business..?  I am working on invoices, and putting in payments; moving the schedule to fit our clients' winter needs, and hoping to take on more work in this cold season.

Post Script

A favorite thing that I do is an online Bible study (we discuss it on Facebook).  The ladies in there are so encouraging to me!  I have been studying with them for over a year, and although I am by far not the most diligent poster, I read the posts, and am always touched at the insight, compassion, and openness I see there, and I am always so blessed by these ladies!