Miracles

Have you ever felt completely and utterly empty? That is how I felt the day that I sat in the doctor's office and was told that I would never be able to have children. My body would regect them and I wouldn't be able to carry any child past the first trimester.

I was 15.

Ever since I can remember all I've truly wanted to be was a Mom. A Mom like my dear Mother who gave up literally everything, putting herself last, to raise my siblings and I.

On career days in elementry school I would tell them I wanted to be a Mom, only to be shot down by the teachers.

I can remember walking home that afternoon, skipping the rest of the days classes, in complete dispare. I had always thought that God's plan for me included a bunch of kids. I'd always dreamed of having 4 little olive plants (as discribed in Psalms) a boy, 2 years latter a girl, a break and then another boy and girl. Now I felt lost, trapped, not knowing what was in store for my life.

Fast forward 3 1/2 years. God had brought a wonderful man into my life. He was kind, knowlegdeable about the Bible, gentle yet strong in character, from a great family, and even though he was a bit older he treated me with respect and I never felt younger around him (though we often got comments). He was a true gentleman, Christ like. Before the relationships I had were well, disrespectful.

We had been in a serious relationship for nine months and I knew that this was the man that was the answer to my ernest prayers. I had found the man that God had choosen for my husband.

He wanted children. He loved children. I had to tell him that according to the doctors I could never give him a family of his own. Never bear his children.

Instead of turning from me, he stayed by my side, believing that with God all things are indeed possible.

We did not have an easy relationship, even my Mom was against it at the beginning. We would do the daily readings over the phone and chat, seeing each other only at Ecclesial functions when 'dating' was out. On July 17th he asked me to marry him. We spent so many evenings at Second Cup I do believe that we kept them in buisness over the following 7 months! Now that we were engaged the presure on the relationship from the outside stopped and we blissfully prepared for our life together in the LORD.

We had been married for a year and a half when I went for a checkup, this time to a doctor in the States as that was where we were now living. My mouth dropped to the flour when she informed me that my previous diagnosis was wrong.

We had the same chances of having children as anyone else.

Now I have 2 little olive plants running circles around me daily. A boy, and then 2 years latter a girl.

Miracles do happen to those who love the LORD.

Going up north! Yippee a week of relaxing and playing in the water and dirt with the Goons

Red Currant & Lemon Cake

3 C Fresh red currants

Zest of 2 lemons

4T Butter

1CSugar

1/4 Olive Oil

2 Lrg Eggs

1T Baking Powder

3C Flour

1C Milk

1) Butter the sides and bottom of a 10 in pan, preheat the oven to 350.
2) Using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until fluffy (10 min.) Mix in the oil and both eggs until smooth.
3) On low speed add the baking powder and 1C of the flour.
4) Alternate adding the rest of the flour with the milk until smooth.
5) GENTLY fold in the zest and currants.
6) Cook for 50-60 min until golden on top.
7) Serve plain or with a drop of whipping cream.

Oh bother, the pics are in the wrong order, oh well you get the idea! I made this this afternoon with the 2 lil helpers and it was easy and so blissfully delicious!!!

Hope that you enjoy!

The 2 Goons and I took Jolene to the airport yesterday, and met Tamar! They are now in Jerusalem for 3 weeks, G-d willing they'll have an awesome trip!

Wow, what I wouldn't do to go with them!

Just got back from Shippensburg, PA. 1 week spent around God's word, and meeting other women striving to be a compainion and help meet for their husbands and wonderful Mummys.

I feel wonderfully spiritually refreshed.....now to the laundry!

I'll be posting on the classes on the giving of the tithe under the law. Great stuff!

After the laundry though.....

Have you ever noticed that when things are going great, something always ends up happening! a bit of a tough time right now. I need to remember that God is my rock and my strong tower. I need not fear. He is in control. It isn't just time that will heal all things, it is God that will heal all things.

"Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul." Psalm 69:1

What a wonderful morning! We had our last Study class on the book of Ruth. Now I'm going to use my evenings marking in my notes. What a wonderful story of the true Godly love of service of Ruth to Naomi.

I might post some of the notes, we shall see.

Today I have the priveldge to watch a little girl Magoo's age, so I'm having a taste of what having 3 olive plants around my table would be like. It is going very well, in fact they are all taking a nap as I type.

Hubby is preparing a class on the Feast of Tabernacles so this week and next are very busy. I have finally learn't to silently take on some of his tasks around the house so that he doesn't need to worry about them. Yesterday I weed-wacked the yard, and extened one of our many flower beds. Tonight I think I'll file for him and then find some good illustrations to go with his powerpoint presentation. Maybe even pick up and dare I say install a clothes line. Now that I've changed my focus from "oh no, he has a class to do, this is going to mean more work for me" to "How can I show him that I support and love him" the time is going MUCH easier!

Now if only I could get ahead on the laundry....

I'm going to try to write more often, but don't know if anyone will ever bother to look....oh well

Currently Reading O Jerusalem by Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre

A must read! I think this is my fourth time reading it, each time I end up staying up into the wee hours of the next day to finish it. It is non-fiction and excellent, at least I think it is.

Yesterday Magoo (our adorable bundle of three year old energy) told me three times "Mommy you phone Air Canada and get us on airplane to Israel" and then at bedtime after prayers he proceeded to tell me all the things that we would need to pack when we go to our "Jerusalem home" when the "Big huge Temple" would be built and that he would help "make the wall Big and huge"

Brought tears to my eyes and lifted my heart.

Well I've decided to start up again on this. I am Buying this book! you can order it on Amazon and read a review on Arutz Sheva (www.israelnn.com)

“Movin’ On Up” By Yocheved Miriam RussoDecember 31st, 2006
As appeared in the Jerusalem Post, Metro Magazine, December 29, 2006
No one makes aliyah without thinking at least once, “I ought to write a book!” Well, Laura Ben-David just did it. Ben-David’s book about her family’s 2002 aliyah experience, “Moving Up: An Aliyah Journal“, came out on December 13th. But during the long months she spent writing and rewriting, her working title was “You Can’t Make this Stuff Up”. “It’s all true,” she says, laughing. “Lots of authors start with a legal disclaimer — ‘this book is fiction, the product of the author’s imagination’. I did exactly the opposite. Every single thing in this book really happened. I couldn’t possibly have made any of it up.”

One month until our plane touches down in Israel. Just writing that brings tears to my eyes! We're still going to keep up with the xanga but I thought I'd throw this on here as well.

Now.....time to start on the Israel To Do List

Just to let you all know that I have moved the blog to http://www.xanga.com/WaysofZion

See you there!

Some exciting news from Israel:

In this Interview on Israel National radio (http://www.israelnationalradio.com/#yishai) amongst all the political stuff, lo and behold, an unlikely witness... Live at the Jerusalem Conference. Day 2 - One Week To National Elections. Part 2It is one week from National Elections. Yishai and Alex review the election landscape, and highlight important issues of the conference. Live interviews include right-wing secular kibbutznik Tzafrir Ronen, Bible Magazine Publisher Paul Billington, ...Listen Now - http://www.israelnationalradio.com/Asx/Yishai-tu-2.asxDownload MP3 - http://msmedia.a7.org:82/arutz7/shows/English-show/Yishai-tu-2.mp3 (first few minutes...sorry about the music intro!)

The comment at the end about the Temple had me in tears! It was very moving, especially since we are studying Ezekiel's Temple in Bible Class.

Proverbs 10:22 "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."

Counting my blessings today:
Being called a child of Yahweh
The example of Christ
The ability to read the Bible without fear
A wonderful Husband who is leading me towards the Kingdom
2 little olive plants around my table
Wonderful sisters who encourage and guide me (physical and spiritual sisters...you know who you are!)
A warm and caring extended family who is always there
The giggles and tickles that fill me day
"One more story please Mommy"
Being reminded of God by mr Magoo
The dirty dishes that show God provides
Making the bed and finding innumerable sippy cups
Seeing mr Magoo play "(B)Ible class" and saying his prayers

I could go on and on!

What do you count as your blessings?

I need to pay attention to these verses!

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Lk 10:38-42

Enough said! Good bye cleaning hello exposition!

Spring Cleaning this week!

Why is it that I always choose the busiest week of the year (thus far) to do our Spring Cleaning. Monday was about 17 degrees, so the children and I spent the afternoon going on a walk and playing outside. The feeling of wet and squishy mud sticking inbetween our fingers and residing under our finger nails is blissful! It never fails to amaze me the amount of weeds that seem to grow up in the midst of the cold winter wind. We managed to fill a quarter of the wheelbarrow! This jump started our spring cleaning and we continued into the house hunting up all the dust that has hid ontop of the doors frames and in the vents.

Weeds, if we don't pull them up when thay are small and insignificant then they take over the garden and strangle the flowers or veggies that you want to grow there. Do I let the weeds in my life take over and fill my garden of life? Yes, I must admit that I frequently let the daily chores and the grind of life to fill my day and push out the blooms of the Word of God in our lives. Diapers, meals, diapers again, dishes, vacuming, bath time, laundry, more diapers, another load of laundry, the list is endless and one could fill every second of every minute of every day all week long with the daily chores of life.

Time to weed! Instead of a perfectly clean house (no I don't have one) let us take a few minutes every day to read a Psalm or listen to a tape while washing dishes and picking up the toys. I've been listening to bro. Roger Lewis' tapes on Samuel the Seer and they were excellent! Highly recommended! Next up: The House of Asaph.

Firstly a personal note:

My son thinks he is Franklin the Turtle! Whenever we tuck him into bed and say prayers we leave him to fall asleep. About an hour later, when we are going to sleep we check on the children and nearly always find him buried under the covers, about half way down his bed curled into a little ball. He looks just like a picture of Franklin sleeping in his shell...

On a more spiritual note, we had an excellent exhortaion on Sunday. Baby Iz feel asleep so I was able to take notes and listen to it in its entirity! Wow! The brother based his talk on Psalm 119 especially the verses on the importance of the daily meditation on the Word of God. Here are some of the points that I found helpful.

Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." The hebrew for entrance is 6608 "opening", if we don't open it, it will not give us light! The Bible will never help us if we leave it on the shelf and collects dust.

Psalm 119:97 "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day" We live in a very busy society and can hardly take the time to get the essentials done on a daily basis. Does this push out the daily meditation on the Word. This verse and many such tell us that it is essenatial to think on these things ALL day long, not just a fly through the daily readings half asleep before bed.

Prov 3:1-5 God's word is to be in our hearts and then He shall direct our paths. We must put our full confidence in Yahweh in everything and in all decisions.

There is a lot more that I could write but this is long enough for now. God Bless!

A couple thoughts on yesterday's readings:

We've been thoroughly enjoying our readings in the Psalms. Last night a couple of verses popped out at me. "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." (119:63) Who are our friends? Who do we spend time with? Is it brothers and sisters that believe in the same God that we do? Who share the same purpose of walking down the straight and narrow path to his Kingdom, striving to manifest Yahweh's character in our lives. Or on the other hand do we spend our time with those who do not believe in God, question His power in the creation, who worship mammon in all its various tempting forms. Of course we can't become friends with those in the ecclesia if we aren't there on a regular basis, and not just Sunday morning either! We need to reach out and make the effort, invite another sister (and her kids) over for a couple hours or have a couple over to do the readings. If perchance there are none your age there, then take the opportunity at every chance to visit another ecclesia with those your age or at your stage in life, there is no excuse! David was able to say that he was a friend of those who fear and love God. We must do the same! We are making the choice to either follow those in Christ towards the Kingdom or down to spiritual Egypt. At the end of the day it is truly a matter of life and death, is it not?

"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word...It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." (119:67, 71) I know that I do not find pleasure in trials. Having said that though, I can think of a certain trial of faith and honestly say that without that I would not have come into the saving name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is helpful and beneficial to our faith to look back over our lives and see our Father's hand at work to bring us unto salvation.

Here is a a small section from Search Me, O God by Gilbert Growcott:

Love - The Incentive To Please God
STICK with it! Whatever it is that you want to do, stick with it! Don't just drift, and flutter, and complain. Disicpline yourself to keep your mind and effort on the job at hand. That's the only way that anything has ever been accomplished. For this, you must have incentive: powerful driving incentive. The slave's incentive is the task master's lash. It keeps him very attentive to what he is doing. Natural incentives range from terror of that which is bad to strong desire for that which is pleasant and desirable. OUR incentive must rise higher than this. Our driving incentive, like a fire in our bones, must be intense love of and zeal for God, developed by long study and meditation upon His glorious Word and works.

I have been enjoying this book as it is made up of small meditations like the above. It is easy to pick up while the children are playing or the rare occasion when they are sleeping, and read one or a couple of the entries.

I find as a mother it is so easy to complain about the amount of work that we have to do for and with our children. A perfect example is that I gave Mr Magoo a cookie sheet of rice to play in with his trucks, he had been wanting to play in the sandbox but it is still frozen, and I felt bad for my little boy. After about a half hour of play you can imagine that some of the rice had found its way onto the kitchen floor. Immediatly the flesh wants to gripe and goon while sweeping it up, but what would that accomplish? An upset child, a bitter mother, burnt dinner?

I'm going to try and complain less about my children and count my blessings that God has seen fit to let me borrow them (for they are truly His children) to bring up in the nuture and admonishion of Him. I'll let you know how it goes!