Walk With Him Wednesday

A week ago I was sitting in my living room on our recently acquired free sofa..I was feeling so peaceful with all my children gathered around me crocheting. I was amazed as I watched them create and design. Amazed at how quickly they learned how to do crochet.
I put in S.M. Davis's What To Expect From a Twelve Year Old. We all listened as he talked of what the world expected of 12 year olds and teenagers around this age. What a contrast it was to what the Father expects! And as my 13 yr. old and 12 year old listened I could see the look of disagreement on their handsome faces. And then they gave voice to them..
'Mama, we're not like that! That's not true! That's not us!"
No, indeed it's not! And thank you Father! Thank you that through my sweet children I see You moving and working through me! I see that as we teach our children your Word and to obey your commands the fruit of that comes shining through!

Last night I lay in my bed tired from a long day not wanting to move..My pillow was on the couch as my pregnant body finds itself there many days. But I could not find the strength to pick myself up to go down the stairs to retrieve it. My bed was so cozy and restful..
My manly man got himself up and out of bed and went down and got my pillow for me..he settled everything down for the night and got back into bed. For many minutes I lay there and thought of the small kindness my dh had just shown me! How it meant so much! Though little it even today stays with me..
I see the Father's love through actions such as what my man did!

Our faith isn't always shown in doing BIG things for G-d. Alot of times it's just the simple everyday things where we see His love and see how He is working in and through us!
Through our children, our loves, our neighbors, friends, families and even strangers.

Let's be sure to look for those daily opportunities to see Father and how He is working.

Phil 2:13 ....for God is the one working among you both the willing and the working for what pleases him

Multitude Mondays; Gratitude

51. my wonderful spirit filled dh

52. envelopes

53. adventure in odyssey stories

54. saving grace

55. shampoo

56. wise teaching

57. library books

58. good mail days

59. fresh snow and its sparkles

60. my mild 9 year old Quentin. he is such a sweet boy!

Torahbytes...

Be-Shallah
For the week of January 30, 2010 / 15 Shevat 5770
Torah: Shemot / Exodus 13:17 - 17:16
Haftarah: Shoftim / Judges 4:4 - 5:31

Troubles
And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness (Shemot / Exodus 16:2; ESV)

When we think of the exodus, I wonder if we think of it more as a fairy tale than the historical event it really was - as if after living under oppressive bondage for hundreds of years, God delivered the people of Israel, and then they lived happily ever after. I can think of at least one Hollywood rendition of the exodus story that gives this impression. Once the people got to the other side of the Red Sea, they were trouble free as they headed off to the Promised Land to enjoy their new life.

But that is not what really happened. Even though they truly were a free people, no longer under the bond of slavery, they had a whole new set of challenges to face. In fact between the Red Sea and their arrival at Mt. Sinai alone, they faced dehydration twice, starvation once, and war once. Far from being trouble free, the people went from one set of troubles to another. The difference was that previously they had been facing troubles as slaves to the Egyptians, and now they were facing troubles as servants of God.

Servants of God face ongoing trouble. The source of trouble can be quite varied. Sometimes troubles are of our own making, sometimes they come from the hand of others. At times we find ourselves in hostile natural environments, such as epidemics and disasters. The troubles we face can be of various degrees, from simple dilemmas to nuisances to life-threatening situations.

The trouble faced by the people of Israel during their time in the wilderness had a clear intended purpose. Later in the Torah we read these words:

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Devarim / Deuteronomy 8:2,3; ESV)

The troubles encountered by Israel in the wilderness were designed to train them to rely on God in everything. While troubles can come from many sources and for many reasons, in the case of Israel at this time, the challenges they faced were clearly intended by God. I don't know if we can say that is how it works for every instance of trouble we face. But certainly every instance of trouble is an opportunity for us to learn to rely on God rather than upon ourselves.

I don't know about you, but I find myself offended by trouble. I really don't like it. I want my days to go smoothly, I want to get along with everyone, and I want to be successful in everything I do upon my first attempt at doing it. The problem is life is not like that. And at least for now, God doesn't seem to be interested in making it any other way. Far from it! He wants us to learn to face our troubles in him. That means trusting him to make things right in his time in his own way and, for the time being, living life according to his directives no matter what.

Comments

You can comment on this week's message online by going to the TorahBlog version.

Catching Up!!

Today is usually when I post Walk With Him Wednesday but instead I want to catch everyone up on things going on in our home.

This past Saturday we picked up a sofa set at a home in RV City which was given free on freecycle. It's used but in good condition and plenty nice enough for me! I LOVE freecycle. We have been blessed to get some wonderful things from there!




I believe I mentioned in another post that I wanted to learn to crochet? Well, yesterday a friend of mine and her 3 children came over. Her oldest dd sat down and taught me how to crochet.. My children were all very interested and crowded around looking at what we were doing. After we visited a bit and my dear friend had left my children got the yarn out and begin to crochet! None of them had picked up a crochet hook in their lives but they took off with it like they had been doing it for years!! My 7, 12, 13, 11, 9 & 18 year old are doing so great! I sat down with them and we crocheted for two hours.. My little ones played at our feet and I put on S.M. Davis's What To Expect From a Twelve Year Old. We listened and crocheted! It was great!!

















Crocheting is a addicting. I am sure somewhere out there is a rehab just for crochet addicts! :)

On my To Do List for today...

Chiro at 3pm
Depot for cheap yarn and fabric..
Dollar Store for mugs for the homeschool craft day which is tomorrow...
Starbucks for a latte!! YUM!!!:)

I will leave you with pics of my sweet baby boy! He makes my heart smile!

JaidenNoah Eoin..




Blessings to you all!!

Living with Hirschsprung's Disease

My dd ZaraLayna was born with a rare disease called Hirschsprung's Disease. Although she has had two surgeries when she was 3 & 4 months old Hirschsprung's is a lifelong disease that causes struggles for the child.

Hirschsprung's disease occurs when nerve cells that are normally present in the wall of the intestine do not form properly during fetal development. During digestion, intestinal muscles move food forward in a movement called peristalsis, requiring special nerve cells called ganglion cells. Because these nerve cells are missing in children with Hirschsprung's disease, normal peristaltic movement cannot occur. Consequently, stool backs up, causing either partial or complete bowel obstruction.

Eventually, a bacterial infection can develop in the digestive tract, causing more serious problems. Severe worsening of the obstruction can lead to a hole in the bowel (perforation) and severe infection. All children with Hirschsprung's disease require surgical treatment.

In children with Hirschsprung's Disease they either struggle with constipation or loose bm's..constant diarrhea making potty training a trial.
My dd ZaraLayna has diarrhea like stools and potty training is a trial for mama and for ZaraLayna. She doesn't realize she is pottying and has accidents quite frequently. Also passing gas always causes an accident.. It's something that has become an issue for her even at 4 and she struggles with it.. :(

Children with a non-dilated colon are considered hypermotile. Rather than constipation, they have a tendency toward diarrhea.

Children may have problems sensing the need to have a bowel movement. Since the urge to have a bowel movement is greater after eating, setting aside 10 minutes after meals to spend on the toilet may help.

She has to learn how to control her bowel movements which is hard.. I know it will take time but it hurts my mama heart watching her struggle with this...

Also any infection in her stomach or intestines could be very serious for her and even things such as stomach bugs end up lasting longer with her than the other children. She also suffers with tummy aches often and bad gas and digestion problems..

Another mama with a child with HD gave me some tips we are going to begin trying to see if we can help her stool to firm up and perhaps help her to learn voluntary bowel control. Perhaps these ideas will help with her digestion, tummy aches and pain also..

1. We're going to be cutting out all dairy from her diet.

2. Start giving her fiber to help firm up her stools..

3. Continue to help her with potty training and feeling and controlling her bowel movements.

My mama heart hurts for her and her having to struggle with this but there was a time when she was in such serious condition that her surgeon didn't know if she would or could make it through her first surgery but thank Elohim she did and went through another surgery after that. She is here and growing and otherwise healthy! We thank You Elohim for that.. !!

Multitude Mondays; Gratitude

41. choices

42. laughter

43. Elohim's Spirit living within me

44. great movies

45. Torah

46. TUMS

47. chocolate

48. our differences

49. being able to tell it like it is

50. the month of Feb.!

TorahBytes...

Bo For the week of January 23, 2010 / 8 Shevat 5770 Torah: Shemot / Exodus 10:1 - 13:16 Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28 Disaster Relief Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?" (Shemot / Exodus 10:7; ESV) The world has yet again experienced a great disaster - this time it is the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As it turns out, one of our adult daughters is actually there, and last we heard, she is fine. She is working with a small private school on a Youth with a Mission (YWAM) base in the city of St. Marc. The latest reports from the base director say that it looks as if they were able to open that city's port, and it may become an essential life line to the country. About 75 years ago, British writer and philosopher G.K. Chesterton wrote, "It isn't that they can't see the solution. It's that they can't see the problem." Chesterton's quote is crucially important for effective disaster relief. In order to help people in need, we must first understand what their needs really are. Otherwise we will find ourselves spending immeasurable time, energy, and money for nothing. Good intentions will accomplish nothing, if they are not based on an accurate assessment of the actual situation. This week's Torah portion includes the story of another horrible disaster: the ten plagues of Egypt. Due to Pharaoh's obstinacy, his country experienced devastating judgment from the hand of God. Pharaoh's servants understood Chesterton's word centuries before he ever lived. They knew why their country was suffering and they urged Pharaoh to take action accordingly. But it would take two more plagues, including the deaths of the firstborn sons, before Pharaoh would accept the problem for what it was and take appropriate action. Please note that I am not drawing a parallel between the ten plagues and Haiti, except to say that in order for Haiti to emerge well from this disaster, its leaders and people need to look at their problems with open eyes and honest hearts. That's in addition to the wisdom needed in providing effective and immediate disaster relief. The need to first discern the problem in order to provide the correct solution is a lesson for us all. I have been struck lately how the Scriptures dedicate far more space dealing with the problem of our alienation from God than it does on God's solution for that problem. It seems that we don't easily accept our need for God. We don't easily understand the depths of human depravity and don't readily accept responsibility for our wrongs. And so the Bible addresses this problem over and over again in so many ways. Once we accept our problem for what it is, then we are in a place to discover the solution. Once we accept that like Pharaoh we are under God's displeasure due to our wickedness, then we are in a place where we can receive God's disaster relief: the forgiveness for our sins through the sacrificial death of the Messiah. The human problem is not just a state of mind. Thinking better about ourselves will not automatically cause us to attain a greater standard of existence and behavior. The human problem is our alienation from God due to our rebellion against him. This is our disaster for which repentance and faith in Yeshua is the only relief. If you wish to know more on how to receive God's solution for your life, please contact me at comments@torahbytes.org. For regular updates about the relief work through the YWAM mission base in St Marc, Haiti, click here.

Loving Like Father...

As we have been doing Torah Studies with our children we are beginning to see the LOVE of Father...

Let me share it with you here:

Genesis (its Hebrew name is Bereisheet meaning “in the beginning”) is the book dealing
with beginnings and how YHVH in his divine power chose certain people to accomplish his
purposes on earth.

Exodus (Hebrew name: Shemot meaning “names”) is the book whose main theme is redemption
or salvation. In this case, it is about Israel’s deliverance or salvation from Egypt (Hebrew:
Mitzraim), which we shall see later is a spiritual picture of this evil world. In Exodus we learn just how YHVH saves his people out of the world (or spiritual Egypt) and we are shown that his people are redeemed in order to worship him. The steps of YHVH’s plan of redemption are laid out in Exodus 6:6–8.

Leviticus (Hebrew: Vayikra meaning “he [YHVH] called”) gives instructions on HOW to worship YHVH. YHVH didn’t just tell his people to leave Egypt and to go into the wilderness to worship him. He gave them specific instruction on how to do this in Leviticus. This book is like an instruction book or “how to” manual on worshiping YHVH.

Numbers (Hebrew: B’midbar meaning “in the wilderness”) gives instructions pertaining to our spiritual walk and warfare in the “wilderness” of life. Upon leaving Egypt, not only does Israel learn to worship YHVH, but life in the wilderness begins. The wilderness is a picture of our physical lives on this earth as we are headed for the spiritual Promised Land of YHVH’s eternal or forever spiritual kingdom. We must learn to overcome sin and temptations.
We must learn to fight the devil and those who follow him who will attack us. We become victorious overcomers by faith in YHVH (and in his Word—the Torah and Yeshua) who will provide for all of our needs and help us to fight our battles

Deuteronomy (Hebrew: D’varim meaning “words”) gives instructions
to the younger generation preparing them to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy reviews the truths of the Torah, and adds some new Torah-laws, as well. In this book, we learn what our hearts should be like when obeying YHVH’s Torah (his instructions in righteousness). In it, YHVH predicts or prophesies
what will happen to Israel in the future IF they either obey or disobey his Torah-instructions.


WOW!! Did you know that the Torah had such promises that teach us of the LOVE of our ELohim and His son Yeshua the Messiah??

Will we be one of the chosen ones who bring forth the purposes He wants to accomplish on the earth as those in Genesis and love like Father?

Are we redeemed from spiritual Egypt? Have we given our lives and hearts to Yeshua in belief and then chosen to walk out that faith by following His commands?
When we do this we are redeemed and He has set us apart to worship Him; giving freely His love to others..!

Father loves us and didn't leave us hanging without instructions on how to worship Him. In Leviticus we find instructions on just what YHVH expects.

Then Father gives us instructions on how to live our lives here on earth.. We come to Yeshua in belief and faith and then we ask, "What do you want of me Elohim?" Where do I go from here?" "How can I make what I believe, my faith active and living?" We are pointed to Yeshua and his words, "If you love me, you will obey my commands." We can find those commands as YHVH gave them to us in Numbers. Did you know that Yeshua kept the Torah perfectly? Did you know He kept all the Biblical Feasts? Yeshua set an example for us...the LOVE of Father through His son! Can we show the LOVE of Father by obeying Him??

In Deuteronomy we find more instructions but also WONDERFUL promises given to us His people who because of our belief in Yeshua have also become Abraham's seed! If you haven't read the promises given to us I challenge you to go and read the promises YHVH gave if we will but follow Him and His ways; not our own..

Father loves us and through His word we see an amazing plan begin to unfold...

Let us LOVE as Father does! Let us seek His truths through His word! I pray that YHVH's love for YOU will be clearly shown as you seek Him in His whole Word...

What glorious love we have been given! Too amazing to comprehend! And with it a chance to LOVE like Father does!

Are you up for the challenge??