Friday, September 30, 2016

Sabbath Music - Jerusalem of Gold


My thoughts are on Israel and Jerusalem as I've learned about the death of former Prime Minister Shimon Perez this week.  He was a great leader and he loved his country.  He longed for peace and pursued it.

As I prepare for sundown and Shabbat, I'm thinking of Jerusalem, the golden city.  I remember the first time I heard this expression.  A friend had recently visited there and described how golden the setting sun had colored the beautiful city on the hill.  I was blessed to see that sight on my two visits to Israel.  You can read about my visit HERE.

Enjoy this beautiful song as you enjoy Hashem's beautiful Sabbath. . . and pray for the peace of Yerushalyim. 

Jerusalem of Gold (ירושלים של זהב, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav) - Ofra Haza - with English translation

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Friday, September 23, 2016

Sabbath Music - Yeshua



"Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you."  
(James 4:8)

Isn't that the wonder-FULL promise?  Think of it, He is just waiting on our call to Him, or just a thought of Him, and He is right there. . .listening to us. . .ready to comfort and guide.  

Maybe you don't know Him like that.  Maybe you've never really known Him at all.  Even, if that's true, do it any way.  Draw near to Him and ask Him to help you know Him.  He will hear that prayer.  

I've grown in my knowledge of Him ever since childhood, and it's been an adventure-filled journey my whole life.  As I've reached out to Him, He has revealed more and more. . .and even more.  I'm not finished yet, because I know there is so much more to be revealed.  

Zemer Levav's music has been in my head lately.  Her beauty-FULL music and lyrics always lead me to worship, meditate on His love, and to ponder.  This song,  Yeshua by Zemer Levav, is perfect for the Sabbath, and  I love the harp in this piece, especially.  It is so peace-FULL and soothing.

Draw near to Him and have a blessed Shabbat.

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Friday, September 16, 2016

Sabbath Music - Mayim Chaim (Living Water)


Being in nature and seeing the beauty of Abba's creation is a wonderful way to refresh, renew and revive on the Sabbath.  Now that it's beginning to be a bit cooler here in Central Florida, I'm looking forward to walks, especially near the water.

If you have a way to listen to music while walking, here's a good song for worshiping as you walk.  This song is great when walking by the water because it is about Mayim Chaim (Living Water) and it's by Zemer Levav.  I love her music.

Meditate on this during your Shabbat this week.  If your soul is thirsty, only Mayim Chaim will satisfy your thirst.  Drink deep, Gail-Friends, and have a wonder-FULL Sabbath. 


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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Wisdom Wednesdays - Psalm 90 Pondering



During my quiet time this week, I was meditating on Psalm 90 and these verses caused me to ponder:
"The span of our life is seventy years,
or if we are strong, eighty;" 

I pondered:  My mother was a strong woman, and lived to be almost eighty-five. Jem is seventy, I am almost sixty-six. I'm so grateful to have become old because it is such a beautiful gift to be alive :)
 
Then I pondered this verse:

 "So teach us to count our days,
so that we will become wise."

I've sought HIS wisdom diligently for the past twenty years and, oh, the blessings and treasures I've found by following His Word and His Ways. 
Then I pondered on this verse:

"Fill us at daybreak with your love, 
so that we can sing for joy as long as we live.
 Let our joy last as long as the time you made us suffer,
 for as many years as we experienced trouble."

This is where I have my quiet time in the morning

I pondered:  My quiet time with my Good Shepherd in the morning sets my day up for JOY. I treasure that time with him and linger long as I fellowship with My Beloved.  I come away refreshed and filled with His JOY.  When I miss it, my joy is not so much.

Then, I pondered on the second part of that verse:  I suffered for a large part of my life...so do you think He'll give me thirty more years? If so, I'd live to be ninety-six...maybe even 100. I'd like that because I love life.  As I thought of this, I also pondered on this passage from Psalm 92: (verses 13-16)

"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar in the L’vanon.  
Planted in the house of Adonai,
they will flourish in the courtyards of our G-d.
Even in old age they will be vigorous,
still full of sap, still bearing fruit, 
 proclaiming that Adonai is upright,
my Rock, in whom there is no wrong."

Daily, I thank G-d that I can see, hear, walk, talk, think, and that I have strength. I pray for Rabbi Jem and I to have good health.  I also pray to live a righteous life, because that will cause us to flourish.  I want to be like Moshe, who was vigorous, full of sap, and still bearing fruit until his death.  I live to proclaim the praises of ADONAI and to do the work of His Kingdom.  

We have lots of palm trees here in Florida, and we have six in our yard.  I've decided to let them be reminders of how we will flourish as we stay in the courtyards of our G-d and live a righteous life.  
one of our flourishing palm trees, bearing much fruit

Then I pondered on this verse:

 "Show your deeds to your servants and your glory to their children. 
May the favor of Adonai our G-d be on us, 
prosper for us all the work that we do 
— yes, prosper the work that we do."
(Psalm 90: 16-17)
I pondered how that verse so completely expresses the desire of my heart.

photo source unknown

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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Make It Monday - Trim Healthy Mama Key Lime Pie


Our lime tree has flourished lately.  We had about a dozen over the last couple of weeks, with more coming on.  Rabbi Jem wanted a Key Lime pie, so I made one this week.Our limes aren't Key limes, but they are very tasty.  The recipe called for lime juice in the filling as well as the topping, so it was nicely tart...just the way Jem likes it.

The recipe I used is from this website:  Mrs. Criddles Kitchen .  She has lots of other wonderful recipes for the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating. Be sure to stop by to see all of her resources. 

We took the pie to a party, and everybody raved about it.  I let them know that there was no sugar and no gluten. I used Trim Healthy Mama Gentle Sweet for the filling and topping, and the crust was made with Trim Healthy Mama Baking Blend.  No one complained.  It was wonderful to have an on-plan dessert, and I had no desire to eat the sugary cake that was also on the menu.

I promise not to bore you with talking about my health, but I hope this will help someone. I find out recently that I have an under activc thyroid, and I attribute that to my struggles with weight loss lately.  Now that I'm on the medicine, I expect to continue to lose.

I've been on the meds for about three weeks, and over the weekend, I began to feel like Wonder Woman.  I've had so much energy, and am working from morning to night without being tired.  I'd felt bone tired for a long time, but I just figured I was getting old.   My other symptoms, in addition to struggling to lose weight,  were being cold all the time, and thinning of the outside of my eyebrows.

But, back to Trim Healthy Mama...I highly recommend the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating, not just for weight loss, but also for health.  The plan uses whole foods, and is sugar free.  There are also many recipes that are gluten-free.  Eliminating the sugar and gluten has been very helpful for me.  It eliminates cravings, brain fog, and being congested in the morning.  Check out their Facebook groups, Pinterest boards, and You Tube videos.  You will find a wealth of helps for eating healthy.  I love Trim Healthy Mama!


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I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at:  

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Friday, September 9, 2016

Sabbath Music - We Delight


Ahhh...Shabbat is almost here.  What a blessing G-d has given us.  Do you delight in His Shabbat?  Do you look forward to it?  I do.

This is a song we often sing at our synagogue on Erev Shabbat:  We Delight by Barry and Batya Segal.  I hope you enjoy it, and if you don't know the delights of Shabbat, I pray you will learn them.

"Be still...and know that I am G-d," is what He says to us.  Turn off your phone, turn on some music, read His Word, worship, talk to Him and listen to His voice.  You will find delights in abundance.

Shabbat Shalom and Blessings to you, Gail-Friends.


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 I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at: 
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Thursday, September 8, 2016

Thankful Thursday - My Blessings of Late

Don't you love this ?

I snapped this pic at our local City Hall.  I think it's a great thing to honor the heroes.  My husband fits several of those categories.  He's my hero in so many ways.

Our doxie had to wear a collar for a week because of an eye infection.  She's fine now, and I'm so thankful that it was healed so we could take it off.  She's happy, too, because she can roll around on the floor.  Because she's blind, she had a very hard time navigating with that thing on her head. 

She's a trooper




Recently, I had a visit from my dear, sweet friend, Brenda.  We've been friends for almost thirty years.  Even though we don't see each other often, we can pick up where we left off and chat for hours.  We enjoyed the day, having lunch and window shopping in the historic area of Cocoa Village.  If you ever visit the Space Coast, you must stop by because it's just lovely.  Lots of restaurants and stores ladies love.

Our muscadine and scuppernong grape vines have been abundantly fruitful this summer.  Here are just a few of the ones we've picked.

We've eaten and given away most of them, but this week , I decided to try making grape jelly.  It is challenging, because you have to mash them, cook them, and then strain out the pulp and seeds.  Out of the batch above, I got one cup of juice. Here's the finished product.  The batch made five jars. 

GiGi's jelly







I'm thankful for all the children we've been having under the tallit on Erev Shabbat.  Some are hidden behind the front row.  I love seeing them and giving them their weekly blessing.


I'm thankful for my new Complete Jewish Bible.  It has a wealth of study helps, maps, and is a goldmine of information.  I've had the original hardback one since the 1990's, and it's falling apart, so I splurged on a leather cover this time.  I highly recommend this to you, Gail-Friends.

I ordered it from messianicjewish.net

What are you thankful for this week, Gail-Friends?

Thankful Thursday is my day to focus on, and be thankful for, all the good things in my life.

 
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 I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at: 
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Friday, September 2, 2016

Sabbath Music - Let the Weight of Your Glory Fall




As the sun sets in the west,
He gives His very best:
a sweet, sweet day of rest.
We are so richly blessed.
 by Gail Golden

I love His Sabbath, don't you?  I really do rest.  Our Sabbath service at the synagogue is on Friday evening, so this leaves the whole day on Saturday for porch sitting and communion with my Good Shepherd.  Sometimes I spend most of the day on the porch. Other times, we take a ride through the wildlife preserve and I take photographs of the beauty I see.  By the end of the day, I'm rested and refreshed.  

Here's a beautiful song for your Sabbath, and I hope it is filled with shalom.
Sit still and listen, and be blessed.

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 I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at: 
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Thursday, September 1, 2016

Thankful Thursday - The Good Shepherd



Painting by Yongsung Kim
If not for the Good Shepherd, I would despair.  Over the last two weeks, I have lost two of my sweet cousins and an aunt. Over the past two months, several friends have died, and we have had several friends and family members receive a terminal diagnosis.

I'm thankful for my Shepherd's tender comfort and care during this dark valley of death.  My quiet times with Him, feeling His presence and hearing His voice have been such a blessing.  The drawing below is a perfect picture of His love and care.  I have it framed, and on a shelf in my living room.  I look at it often, especially at times like these, and remember my Shepherd is carrying me.

source and artist unknown

I often wonder how people can make it without Him.

But, wait...I do remember a time without Him.  I'd gone through a period of my life where none of my prayers were being answered as I expected.  I was up against a wall and I was angry.  Yes, at Him.  I told Him I didn't want to talk to Him any more and I didn't want to read His Word either.

I'll never forget the empty feeling and the darkness in my soul over the next day and night.  I've never felt so alone, so void of comfort.  Not feeling His presence and hearing His voice was more than I could bear.

I begged His forgiveness for turning away from Him.  I accepted His authority in my life even though I didn't understand Him and why He'd allowed such pain by not answering my prayers.


His presence and peace were restored immediately.  My Good Shepherd still loved me. He told me so.  Sweet relief flooded my heart at the sound of His quiet voice.  Oh, the JOY of His love.  I hugged my Bible to my chest like it was a life preserver, because it IS.  The words in that book have carried me through many dark valleys.  His Word is LIFE.

I can't praise Him enough for His love, His presence, and His voice.  These are my treasures, and I am a rich woman.  Filthy rich, Gail-Friends. 

As I look back on that time in my life, I see G-d's wisdom in not answering my prayers.  He had something so much better in mind for me. If He'd answered those prayers the way I wanted, I wouldn't be where I am today.  I wouldn't have found Messianic Judaism and my own personal rabbi (my husband). I've learned to trust His wisdom and His ways.  Today, I can say with my whole, but aching, heart,

"He does all things well"


What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday is my day to focus on and be thankful for all of the good (and not so good) things in my life.


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 I sometimes share my posts  with  friends at: 
Spiritual Sundays      THE SUNDAY COMMUNITY – #GIVE ME GRACE @SEE SPEAK HEAR MAMA Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life     GRAND Social       The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up   


MOTIVATION MONDAYS – @EMBRACINGHISWILL      SHARING HIS BEAUTY – @THEBEAUTYINHISGRIP
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