Random Thought

I am reading this weeks Gospel  portion, Mark 13-14 and had a random thought. I hear from a few people in the "Church" (as in not messianic part of the body of Messiah) that the Holy Spirit didn't exist before Yeshua sent Him. Although there are plenty of reasons why that is obviously a little off, here is one for today.

"And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."

Mark 13:11

He mentions the Holy Spirit with no explanation. And, then, His disciples do not ask for clarification. I don't know if you have noticed, but these guys like to ask questions. In fact, that is what this whole section started as, a question. 

So my conclusion is this, they didn't ask for understanding of the Holy Spirit because they already knew the Holy Spirit and His work. The Holy Spirit is not an aspect of God newly revealed in the Newer Testament. First Older Testament mentioning? Psalm 51:11.

Her Resume

I read this comment on principleddiscovery.com by JavaBean just last night:

Parents also say to me, “Oh I admire you doing that [homeschool]. I could never teach my own child! It would drive me crazy.” Who taught her to walk? Who taught her to talk? Who taught her to tie her shoes and catch a ball? Parents begin teaching their child at birth, why hand them over for someone else to teach just because they are 5?

That coupled with my recent post on my goals for Teeny Tiny's future made me start thinking of all the things she has learned already. If only we continued to learn that quickly!

1st week:

• How to breath air
• How to filter light, cold, and noise
• How to cry (and cry and cry)
• How to eat
• What it means to be hungry (okay, she still doesn't totally understand this concept, but it started here)
• How to find mama
• How to track
• How to fill a diaper
  

Since then, how to:

• Sleep (it took forever but she's pretty good now)
• Grab things
• Roll over
• Laugh
• Smile
• Get attention
• Get fed
• Sit up
• Stand up
• Walk
• Fall
• Enjoy animals (next is learning that you can't lay on all animals)
• Eat solids
• Chew
• Survive teething
• Point
• High Five
• A bit of sign language
• Call Mama's name/make her run with joy
• Basic language skills
• "boo"
• "Ow"
• "Ma" = more
• "Koo Koo" = sound a train makes
• "Kay koo" = thank you
• "Book" or "A Books"
  
• "Hi"
• "Bye Bye" (to be said when hanging up the phone, leaving a room, leaving one spot on the floor for another, leaving the presence of a stranger who just walked by...)
• Many animal sounds: "meow" "baa" "moo" "neigh" "arf, arf" "ee, ee" "buck, buck"
  
• "Ts that?" = what is that?!
• "buka" = broken
• "Ni night"
• "Enty" = Empty
• Family names
• "Poopy poopy poopy!"
• "mamadada" our favorite name
  
• Scribble
• Drool
• Sing...or something like it
  
• Run
• Run into things
• Climb
• Find something to help her climb
• Kiss
• Hug
  
• Cuddle
• Get anyone to read books to her for hours
  
• Get grandparents to do anything she wants
• Use a spoon (work in progress)
• Use a fork
• Play by herself
• Not play by herself
• Ask to go to bed
• Get up by saying up, get down by saying up
• Get any adult to follow her, "Hand?"
• Brush teeth/suck toothpaste off toothbrush
• Be absolutely the most beautiful, funny, curious daughter we've ever had

And that is just what I remember.

For Their Future

Recently, a family member asked me what my plans (or maybe it was hopes) were for Teeny Tiny when she graduated. Seeing as how she is not quite 1 1/2, my main point was that I do not have many set goals or even hopes because as of yet she did not even have a grasp on English. I'm just now seeing her personality more and more. So after graduation? Well, actually I do have some ideas...hey, I am a mom after all.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Deuteronomy 6:4-7

To Serve Him
I want Teeny Tiny, #2 and any other children Ha Shem has planned (yikes) to know what it is to serve Him. I want to give them every opportunity possible to know Him. I say it that way because I am acutely aware that I cannot make them know Him. Ultimately, their salvation is between Him and them. But His word makes it very obvious that I have a huge, huge, huge role in this.

I am to teach His word diligently. When I sit in my house, which I take to mean in every thought, action, job, chore, reaction and action of everyday life. When I walk by the way, which I take to mean who I am at home is who I am to be outside these doors, so above description applies here too. When I lie down and when I arise. Yeah, that would be emphasizing the "you need to live my word every second of every breathing moment." Whew.

That is where I am thankful that much of His word is about forgiveness and grace. Meaning by my children having me as a teacher of His word, they will most likely have many opportunities to work on accepting apologies, and hopefully will offer grace and forgiveness :0)

Here is a snippet from an article by Tim Hegg that I really appreciated:

"I would much rather have my son spend his life in the service of HaShem at the corner gas station and be greeted by the Almighty with “well done, good and faithful servant” than to have him making a six-figure salary and end life wondering if he really did anything that could be characterized as having eternal value."
From Why Homeschool?*

To Serve Others (and themselves)
Yeah, I said others and themselves. I'll get to explaining it in a second.

Part of teaching HaShem's word to them will obviously work on teaching them to serve others. Whether it be the widows, orphans, strangers, neighbors or enemies He brings in our life, His word addresses all the others we could ever think of and then some. Of course, a lot of this is fuzzy to me now that I am attempting to balance all the duties of wife and mother, (others? I can't even keep the kitchen clean!) but I am confident that He will help me work it out.

By "themselves" I am thinking of more practical, everyday skills. I do not know how to sew, or keep organized, and can barely cook (My Favorite is very patient with me. He, on the other hand, is a very good cook). Whether I only have girls, or HaShem graces us with a boy (please at least one?), I think everyone needs to know how to clean up after themselves, manage time, keep organized, manage His money, boil water, follow a recipe, scrub a toilet, do laundry, work in the dirt, and change a diaper.

If they are girls, I believe many of these to be the exact job skills they will desperately need as wife and, hopefully, mother. I could have used a bit more confidence and comfort in many of these areas. If there are some boys, yeah, same thing. Whether a son marries or not, he needs clean clothes and a debt free life. And if he does marry, his wife might need some assistance from time to time (not like me of course :0) and I would like to do my best to make that possible for him to do. Without being able to try the "I did it wrong so now she won't ask me to do it ever again" tactic. I appreciate that of my Favorite, a huge thank you going out to his mom.

Knowledge of all the other stuff
The math, reading, science, history, swimming, flying and dog training is all on my to do list as well. But without the above categories, none of this will mean anything.

So there you have it. In short form, for me, I hope to raise servants of HaShem who can help their neighbor, husband, wife and kids with the so-called-drudgery of life (scooping poop without too much gagging) and the miracle of His ways. All without having to add on their fingers. Shouldn't be too hard...ha!

*Arrgh! Blogger is putting their address at the begining of all my links and it won't go away. So you can't go to them from my page. So here is the real address, sorry for its length, just copy and paste I guess: www.torahresource.com/EnglishArticles/Why%20Homeschool.pdf

Festival Notes: Purim Activities, Crafts, Books

Here is what I started months ago. The links may or may not work. I still haven't figured out how to get blogger links to work in my posts. Enjoy!:

It is a tradition to make food packages for at least 2 people on this day.

I found some books recommended on one page, and our library has them! I don't know if they are good or not, so this is not a recommendation. Always read things yourself before reading them to your kids!
Esther's Story, Diane Wolkstein and Juan Winjngaard (the library has it in audio form too!)
Purim Play, Roni Schotter, Marylin Hafner
Cakes & Miracles: A Purim Tale, Barbara Diamond Goldin
Festival of Esther: The Story of Purim, Maida Silverman
Make noise, make merry: The story and meaning of purim, Miriam Chaikin (90 pgs, for older kids)
The mystery bear: A Purim Story, Leone Adelson
On Purim, Cathy Goldberg Fishman


Queen Esther saves her people / Rita Golden Gelman
Queen Esther the morning star : the story of Purim / Mordicai Gerstein.




Here are some crafts for Purim use:
Kids Craft Weekly - princess
Milk Carton Grogger - Use a 1/2 pint or pint paper carton from milk or orange juice. Rinse inside and out and let dry. Fill with small beans enough to make some noise. Tape shut. Decorate the outside with construction paper, tissue paper, foam art sheets what ever. Popular designs are of course: Kings with cotton ball beards and Queens with Foil paper crowns. But you can even make a man with Triangle Black Hat for the bag guy. (We don't want to say his name!)
Plastic cup grogger: Grogger can be made from any container filled with unpopped popcorn or beans. Two plastic cups, face to face, filled with corn or beans, and taped together, works well.
Shrinky Dink art (you can buy it, or I've heard you can use #6 plastic), jewlery, kings, queens
Origami Haman's Hat

Festival Notes 6: Purim

This last year was the first time I had even heard of Purim. I don't think I even really got it until I was there. It is a lighthearted festival really, but it is a serious story. Other then the local gathering to read Esther and dressing up, I am unsure of how to make this a part of our life. Here comes some research!

Purim

• Translation: "lots," for Haman's superstitious casting of lots to pick the right day to destroy God's people
  
• Biblical name: same, Purim
  
• Reference: Esther 9:17
  
• Jewish Date: 14 Adar (12th month, this is a leap month, so when that occurs, Purim is celebrated during the 2nd month of Adar, a month before Passover)
  
• Gregorian Date (2008): March 21 (sunset 20th to sunset 21st) [from floridajewish.com]
• Sabbath? No, but tradition goes that in honor of the celebration, it shouldn't be an ordinary day
  
• Festival Traditions:
• Be joyful
• No mourning or fasting (except the day before, to commemorate Esther's 3 day fast)
  
• Read entire book of Esther as a congregation
• Wear costumes
• Games and prizes (this might just be at our congregation :0)
• Ashkinazic Jewish traditional food: hamentaschen, little 3 cornered p0cket pastries depicting Haman's hat
  

I think this is a pretty straight forward festival. All you have to do is read the book of Esther to know what it is about. But I like that the Jewish people make a point to celebrate the times God has delivered them. They even have a day that they remember The Holocost. Actually, I read at Judaism.com that it is a tradition to have a Purim Katan, or little purim, on any day where a community was saved from "a catastrophe, destruction, evil or oppression." To remember the triumphs of God, and to remember that it is He, not we, that overcomes this world, that is something to hold onto.

A while ago in an adult sunday school class, we were discussing how to prepare kids for the evil they could experience should we come under severe persecution (the class was on Islam and their "love" for the Jewish people and the followers of HaShem). While there is no way to really prepare, especially when we have never been through anything remotely like persecution, I think each parent can make sure that stories of God's triumph and protection of His people, such as Esther, are stories their kids know. And know well. Even if we perish, we know He will redeem His people from the hand of the enemy. He has done it over and over, and made sure it was recorded. Hey, remember, He already won The Battle! In Yeshua, our soul finds rest. The rest will perish someday anyway.

I think it would be fun to create costumes each year (if not new ones, additions to the old), make the little pastries, and make the story come alive for kids. It could even be a good time to go through the history of the persecution of the Jews, biblical and afterwards. Maybe reading through the story in the week before would be good, as hearing it all in one day is a bit overwhelming for adults, let alone kids. That way when it came time to the community reading, they can anticipate the booing and cheering, and maybe reflect on the meaning of the story. God preserves His people, whether we can see Him in action or not.

Festival Notes 5: Hanukkah traditions

So, with Teeny Tiny being a bit over 1 year old and just finding out Baby #2 is on his or her way, I am feeling frustrated with myself. Yet another holiday is halfway over, and I have done very little.

My Favorite and I sat down a few days before Hanukkah started and discussed what we could do. It was a conversation filled with my tears over the emotions I have with letting go of Santa and Christmas trees. The bottom line for me, I know what they stand for and I desire to honor HaShem more then my memories. But my memories are so strong! And they are attached to my family, who completely don't understand any of this. Nor will they unless Ha Shem grants them sight. Please Father!

That was a Friday ago. Hanukkah started Tuesday, and the worst flood that has ever hit this area came Monday. Since we evacuated our home near noon Monday and weren't able to get back in until Wednesday, I am trying not to be so hard on myself. I'm sure pregnancy hormones are not helping. Baruch HaShem, our house is fine. A little water under, a little water in the garage, but whole pumpkins still sitting on the porch. Did I mention I'm a little behind this year?!

Here are some ideas we had and/or gathered:

• Creating 8 envelopes with different activities for each night (from kidscraftweekly.com)
• Reading books from the library
• Only eating potato latkes and special donuts during this week
• Making decorations the day before or the first day of hanukkah
• Making menorah cards for our home group (we did this last year and hope to make it a tradition)
• Inviting friends and/or family
• Dreidel:
• I thought it might be fun to earn gelt in the days or weeks leading to Hanukkah by family members noticing the things one another do right/good/well. Not sure how this would work with the idea of not doing things to be seen...but it is a work in progress
• A scripture a day maybe?

We would like to home school our children, so these envelopes could have a scripture reading, a fun book reading, a craft, a good deed, and a food per day. Maybe a game. Some things we do as a family when my Favorite gets home, others to do throughout the day. Does that show how ignorant I am of what is possible or sane to accomplish in one day? :0)

Festival Notes 4: Dreidel, dreidl, draydel...

Or in Hebrew, sivivon, apparently. This is our 2nd Chanukah coming up, and last year we only participated a few nights. That was because it was then that our wonderful home group/Torah Club leader and her husband (now pastor!) surprised us with a hanukia and FFOZ's book about Hanukkah.

Last year, even while at the party where we were given such generous, thoughtful gifts, I was still unsure about Chanukah. This year, well, I need to re-read some of that stuff we read last year :0) There are so many things going on in my head. First of all, I want to honor HaShem with everything. But I grew up with Christmas, have so many wonderful memories, and can't get them connected to pagan traditions in my heart. My head understands, my heart follows, but my emotions pull at me. I can't really explain it. Anyway, I'm shedding my pagan layers of traditions and it is a bit of a grieving process with this holiday for me.

So, what does all of this have to do with the dreidel, you ask? I am sad to be leaving behind my families traditions (thrilled and thankful for an opportunity to honor my Master, however) so I want to be good and sure I'm not adopting new, pagan traditions.

Here is what I have found:

There are many stories of what the significance and origin is of the game. And then multiple variations on those stories. One story is that when the Syrian's were attempting to keep the Jewish people from studying, the Jewish people would instead hide their study material and pull out the dreidel so it looked as if they were just playing a game. (about.com)A variation on that theme is that children would play with the dreidel outside the houses where people were studying. It gave the kids a viable reason to be there in the eyes of any approaching Syrian, and gave the families a chance to be warned so they could hide their studying before being caught. (random site).

I appreciated this quote, from above mentioned random site:

There is a midrashic explanation of the meaning of the dreidel that holds that the four letters on the sides of the dreidel represent the four kingdoms which attempted to destroy Israel in ancient times, but which passed away from history, while Israel is still alive and well. They are, according to the letters on the dreidel: NUN (Nebuchadnezzar/Babylonia); HAY (Haman/Persia); GIMEL (Gog/Greece); SHIN/SIN (Se'ir/identified with Esau and hence with Rome). Although this explanation is midrashic in nature and does not explain the origins of the dreidel, it is an explanation very much in keeping with the history and theme of Chanukah.

But it looks like this is really a gambling game from 16th century England, Ireland or Germany called "totum" or "teetotum". But then, dreidel is a gambling game, so there you go. Hmm, now I just read a tid bit from the History Channel and they say the Jewish people have been playing this game since the time of Antiochus, which was before the Maccabees revolted. As I continue reading, I find this on a few sites. However, so far, no pagan connections. And I have read so many (not necessarily credible) sites that my eyes are blurry.

Now, I hadn't thought about gambling and how that is honoring or not to Ha Shem. That is for another post I guess!