Friday, March 31, 2017

Sabbath Music - Surely Goodness & Mercy


Greetings, Sweet Gail-Friends!

Isn't this sign perfect for the Sabbath?  It brings to mind one of my favorite Bible verses:

"He leads me beside the still waters, and restores my soul."
(Psalm 23:2-3)

I memorized the 23rd Psalm as a nine-year-old girl, and it stuck.  I remember learning it, and thinking, "None of this makes sense to me."  But, how I praise G-d and thank Him for the Sunday School teacher who led us to do this.  The Psalm has comforted me many times, especially as I've walked through dark valleys.  In those times I cling to the Good Shepherd's hand . . . and He has made every verse of this psalm vividly come to life.  

My dear Gail-Friends, if you're going through trouble, read this Psalm out loud, and think of Him there beside you.  

Even if life is trouble free right now, meditate on this Psalm, especially this verse:

"You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows.  
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of Adonai forever."
(v 5 - 6) 

This song is an adaptation of Psalm 23, and I hope it will be a blessing for your Sabbath:  Psalm 23 - Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy

This is a perfect psalm for the Sabbath.  I pray you will rest in those green pastures, and sit beside those still waters, and receive the rest your Good Shepherd desires to give you. 

Shabbat Shalom.

I've written on this Psalm before, and you might enjoy reading those posts HERE

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I sometimes share my posts with these friends:


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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Thankful Thursday - The Joys of Boys






 Greetings Gail-Friends:

Before I talk about the joys of boys, here are a few of my abundant blessings this week:

That's our Zoe-Girl in the photo above.  I'm thankful for her because she's a faithful friend, protects us, and loves to lick my feet.  I get a nightly pedicure thanks to her!

She loves to ride in the basket of our new three-wheel bike, and that's another blessing.  I prayed for a new bike, and the L-rd answered that prayer.  I love this new one because it has a big basket for our Zoe-Girl, a big, comfy seat, a rear-view mirror, and a flag.  Hubby and I take turns riding it.  We have other bikes, but this basket fits the puppy perfectly.  We have her harness attached to the basket so that she can't jump out.


This sign made me smile when I stopped by the river to meditate this week.  I'm thankful for whoever put it there.  Don't you know they are good people, and kindred spirits? If you're ever in Oak Hill, Florida, head east for a beautiful, leisurely ride along the river, and enjoy a nearby water-front restaurant called Goodrich's.

I made a trip to Jacksonville for some fun time with a few of my old girlfriends.  We ate out, did some thrift shopping, and enjoyed lots of talking about our younger days.  We even stayed up late -- 10:00 pm!  We laughed about that, remembering the days when we could stay up all night.  One of my friends was in my first-grade class in elementary school.  How many of you have a friend you've been close with for sixty years?  I'm thankful for her, and other friends I've had for fifty plus years.  We've all stayed friends because we've valued our friendship and kept in touch.

In my friend's kitchen, I saw this frying pan, which I painted for her about thirty years ago.


It brought back memories of when I used to do art shows.  I sold items like this along with canvas paintings to keep my girls in a private Christian school.  I switched to watercolor painting a few years ago, and only do it for my own pleasure now.



I'm always so thankful for precious time with loved ones, especially our grandson. Our pond is currently full of polliwogs, so he and PawPaw caught some.  They put them in this fish tank, and are doing a science experiment to see how they turn into frogs.

One of my friends gifted him with a big tub of Legos, and we spent a whole day playing with them.  I'd never played Legos before . . .  and, ah, the joys of boys!  Since I had two daughters, I've been very thankful to experience how much fun boys are.  It's a whole new world for sure.



And when his daddy came to pick him up, he joined in because he loves Legos, too!



Speaking of boys, my sweet husband made blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage for supper tonight.  Just one more thing to be thankful for this week.

I'm a blessed woman.  Yes, I have problems like everybody else in this world, but I make a choice daily, to focus on my blessings.

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

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

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I sometimes share my posts with these friends:


Spiritual Sundays     Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life     GRAND Social       The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up   


Friday, March 24, 2017

Sabbath Music - It Is Well With My Soul


Greetings Gail-Friends, and Shabbat Shalom.

I ran across these quotes this week:


To rest is an act of faith.  
It means we honestly believe
 that our existence is not dependent on our effort

and

 A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content. 

For me a well spent and perfect Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday night.  We will be gathered together with mishpocha (family in Yeshua) at our synagogue in worship, priase, dance, prayer, study of His Torah, with food and fellowship afterward.

After a night of restful sleep (I always sleep better on the Sabbath for some reason), Saturday is most always spent on my porch overlooking Golden Pond.  I listen to music, read His Word, reflect, meditate, write, and draw or paint.  Most of all, I rest from my housework and from anything else that causes stress.


Sometimes, hubby and I take walks or rides to relax.  There's nothing like nature to revive one's spirit.  Something as simple as a flower can bring overflowing JOY!


Or a bird...always a bird ! ! !


Thinking about all the overflowing blessings in our lives, and being thankful for them is refreshing.  We talk about that together on our walks and rides.  We always reflect on the blessing of His bringing us together (almost eleven years ago).


This is a beautiful selection of piano music for your Sabbath rest.  The video accompanying the music reflects His glory.  If you can't be outside, maybe this will suffice to rest your spirit and body.

 Piano/Orchestra hymns (Over 1 hour long) by Greg Howlett

The first song on Greg's video is It Is Well With My Soul.  This link has the words to the song, and I can testify that it is always true after my Sabbath rest.

I pray you have a good Shabbos, Gail-Friends.  I'd love to know what your  well spent Sabbath is like.

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I sometimes share my posts with these friends:


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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Purim Party & Cookie Baking Day


As promised, today I'm sharing photos from our Purim celebration.  Sherry, one of our talented young women did the planning and decorating for the party.  She, along with LaVonne, Jennifer, Amy, and Brenda did it ALL!  Rabbi Jem and I just showed up. Then when it was over, we were told to go home while they cleaned up!  What a blessing, and so much JOY!

Here are a few photos of the beautiful room:




Rabbi loved that scepter, as you can see below:


He had a great time horsing around with it all evening.

We had a full house for the fabulous meal.  We had hot dogs (Rabbi's favorite) with all the fixings, fresh fruits and vegies, hamentaschen and other goodies:



The play about the whole magillah (the story of Esther) was fabulously funny.  We never rehearse because that makes it more fun to wing it! (We use printed scripts.)  Part of the play is singing parts of the story to the tune of  tv shows and old songs.  We sang "The Purim Bunch" to the tune of the "Brady Bunch" and "Hang Down Your Head Old Haman" to the tune of "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley". 


We wear costumes or funny hats.  It's always more fun when people dress up.  Here's Deborah's Queen Esther costume.


Hats off to LaVonne and these wonderful costumes she made:





Rabbi always wears this get-up!  He tells everybody he's the oldest rabbi in Israel.



You can click on this LINK to see more about our Purim celebration.  Scroll down and you'll see a video of our Purim Parade.

Every Purim, my grandson and I make hamentaschen.  Here are a few pics from our cookie-making day.




We made apple and blueberry ones this year.  They turned out so good.


Purim is a time to be silly and have fun, and celebrate G-d's great goodness and provision for His people.  Each year, we're reminded that we, like Esther, were born for such a time as this.  Rabbi Jem encouraged us to be brave and to stand up against antisemitism.  That evil spirit is active in the world today, as we are hearing more stories of attacks against synagogues and Hebrew schools.  Please join us in praying against that spirit, and in standing with the Jews and Israel.

I hope your Purim celebration was as wonderful, and I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
 **********


I sometimes share my posts with these friends:


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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

Friday, March 17, 2017

Sabbath Music - Lecha Dodi (Come, My Beloved)


Greetings and Shabbat Shalom, Gail-Friends. 

Lecha Dodi (Hebrew for Come, My Beloved) is a song we sing every Friday night in our synagogue.  I pray you will listen to it and read the words.  Lecha Dodi is also part of our liturgy each week.  This version is by the Maccabeats and we love it at Ma'gen Da'vid.  Enjoy!

Elohim, your bridegroom, comes to meet with you, His bride, on Shabbat.  Arise and shine - your beloved is coming!  Greet Him with JOY!  Rejoice in Him, as He rejoices over you.


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I sometimes share my posts with these friends:



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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Thankful Thursday - Purim, Pigs and President Trump



Today's the day to send a postcard to encourage and support President Trump.  Send your cards to:

President Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC.  20500

I'm thankful we have a man in office who is taking action to turn our country around.  He's worked round the clock since taking office, all the while being ridiculed and accused of all manner of evil.

I hope you will join me in encouraging him with a postcard this week.  Let him know you're praying for him, too.

Here are a few of the things I'm thankful for this week:

Time with my grandson, making hamentaschen for Purim

fun time with him at the library

A girl's day out with two of my long-time friends Rita and Linda.  We've been friends for fifty years!!!!


A wonderful Purim party
Look who's marching in the Purim parade.
We had so much fun.  I'll be posting more about the party next week.  This week has been so busy. We've had our grandson with us, and I'd forgotten how much time children consume.  I'm not complaining, Gail-Friends, believe me.  Having him with us is pure JOY!

Week before last, we went to Barberville.  There was a farmers swap:

we saw chickens, goats

ducks

baby ducks (so cute!)
turkeys, sheep
 
Hubby fell in love with this little girl and wanted to adopt her:


 Can you imagine a rabbi with a pot-bellied pig?

The farmers swap included a flea market, and I told hubby, "They have everything but the kitchen sink."  We turned the corner, and . . . TA-DAH!


I went to a dulcimer lesson in the old school house.  It had the old timey school desks, and this nostalgic item:

Aren't we glad that some old timey ways have stayed in the past?

I saw this little wooden bird, and took a photo because I'd like hubby to make some for our garden.





We went to lunch at a waterfront restaurant nearby, and I saw this painting.  Isn't it just the happiest thing?



That afternoon, we attended a jam session in the old school house.  It was interesting to see the different types of stringed instruments being played.


In the hallway of the old school house, I spied this home-made bass fiddle.  Just the week before, I'd been telling my grandson about how to make one. Another TA-DAH!!


 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.

 **********

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:


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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 



Friday, March 10, 2017

Sabbath Music - Maccabeats Purim Song





While writing this post (on Thursday), I'm making hamentaschen for our Purim celebration. My grandson and I have the tradition of cookie making for this holiday and for Hanukkah.  I love doing this with him twice a year.  He loves to cook so I bought an apron for him that says, "HAPPY COOKER".

Oh Shabbat, we'll be singing Purim songs and thinking about the story of Esther.  On Saturday evening after our Havdallah service, we'll have a big party, including a play that tells the whole magillah in a hilariously funny way.  You can see posts about previous celebrations at this LINK.  That link will also take you to my recipe for easy peasy hamentaschen.

my daughter (aka Esther) at one of our Purim parties
One of the young women in our synagogue is organizing the party this year, and she is super talented in cooking and decorating.  I can't wait to see what she's planned.  It's going to be amazing, I'm sure.  I'll be posting photos next week, so check back for all the fun.

This song by the Maccabeats is one we enjoy every year.  It's called Purim Song, but is a take off on the song.  This video includes dancing, which I love.  Be sure to watch till the end because there's a little surprise.

I love Purim, and I love Shabbat, so having them together this year makes for a double blessing.  If you're celebrating Purim, I'd love to hear about your celebration.

This LINK will take you to some of my posts about our Purim celebrations in years past. 

Shabbat shalom and Chag Purim, Gail-Friends!



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I sometimes share my posts with these friends:

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
Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things