Keeping Kosher

I will be the first to tell you that to eat Biblically clean you DO NOT have to buy everything kosher. In fact if you know what you're looking for, and you do most of your cooking from scratch you can completely avoid hechshers {the symbols on food that tell you if they are kosher or not}.

But in light of our almost dinner fiasco tonight, we have decided to go kosher. Now of course anything that we know to be clean we will still purchase, like cheese, but we will be making sure that the bulk of our products are hechshered.

So here's what happened. My husband purchased a bottle of sweet and sour sauce that he wanted me to use for dinner. Nothing wrong with that. Well I ended up reading the label, because we have a youngin' with allergies, and guess what I saw? CARMINE. Now if you don't know what carmine is let me just tell you that a it's unclean, and b it's gross. Carmine is a red food coloring that comes from the Cochineal bug, which is a cactus parasite.. Blech! 

Being that so many food additives are derived from rather unsavory sources, and we can't keep up with them all, we've decided to trust those whose job it is to make sure that unclean things do not get into our food. This also means I'll have to start digging into which hechshers are actually good. Because I know some rabbis believe that things that are derived from an unclean source are so far removed from the original source that they can be considered clean. We do not agree with that, nor do most Orthodox Jews, so those are the type of hechshers we will be sticking with. One hechsher that everyone is very familiar with it the OU symbol from the Orthodox Union. That's the most common one, but as I study things out I will share the other ones that I find to be valid. 

In the mean time while you're trying to figure things out READ READ READ those labels! Even if you don't keep kosher do you really want to eat a bug, just to make your food red? 

This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten. -Leviticus 11:46-47

Do and Be

I find myself often thinking of the things I'd like to do and be. I'd like to volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center. Because my life story isn't much different than theirs. Only, I went from a sinner dead in my sins, to a sinner saved by grace. I can tell them of the pit that Yeshua lifted me from and the love He has for them.

 I'd like to write a book. I could fill volumes on my life, and the pains I've seen. Or I could write about all the things that I sought to mask my inner hurts. Until finally finding the Redeemer of my Soul.

I'd love to be a doula. Because every miracle starts with birth. To be able to hold a mother's hand as she prepares to take part in the only way Elohim created for more Adams and Eves to enter the world. It's like a little piece of heaven on earth.

 But when I get lost in my dreams of doing and being I have to remind myself that I am doing and being exactly what Elohim has called me to. That outside of this role I'm in rebellion to my Creator. He has blessed me with a husband and children, and if He has blessed you also then this is where your miracle starts.

 So mother, be and do motherhood. It's not the end of your story but the beginning. With the birth of your first child your life is forever changed and the doing and being will not stop. It may look different than in your dreams. But that's because it's better than anything you could of ever imagined. The days are hard, and the nights are long. But when your children rise up and call you blessed, you'll be glad that you invested the time to do and be a mother.


 

Giants in The Faith

We all have them. People we absolutely look up to as the ideal Titus 2 or Proverbs 31 woman. But it's all to easy to get a little distracted by their "greatness".

I was reflecting on this while I was washing dishes the other night. I started thinking about this lady who I think is just so amazingly awesome. I was reflecting on how well her children have turned out and just the blessings that have been heaped upon her family. Which led to me kind of beating myself up a little. But then a thought came to me. A thought that was clearly from Abba because I was well down the road to self pity! 

What exactly has she done? In her younger years while she was still in the stage that I am in she just did what YHVH called her to do. She loved her husband and her children. She did the same things every day and put in the work to train up her children in the way they should go. 

We all have probably been guilty of putting people on a much higher pedestal than they deserve. I'm pretty sure if you asked any one who you look up to about what it is that makes them who they are, they would glorify the Creator. They would tell you how He carried them through when they thought they would just pass out from the weight of life. 

You may look at their husbands and say oh my he's such a great leader, or look at that ministry. But what you don't realize is the time that she spent on her knees to pull that off. No married man can have a successful ministry without the support of his wife. 

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. -Proverbs 31:23

You may look at her children and say oh my they are so obedient and respectful. But what you didn't see is the HOURS AND HOURS of training that had to take place. Or the moments where that very same woman was about to break down because she thought she couldn't take it another day. Until the Almighty stepped in and gave her strength. 

That same woman that you look at and think I can NEVER be that, did exactly what she was called to do.

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things... -Titus 2:3

She did what YHVH told us would lead to these blessings. I say none of this to take away from these women. Because we NEED them. YHVH tells us that we need the older women to teach the younger. 

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. -Titus 2:4-5

I say this to encourage you (and me) that it's hard now, and we may feel like we're not accomplishing anything. But if we keep at it then we will see the fruits of our labors. So hang in there and be encouraged, because the best is yet to come. :o)

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. -Glatians 6:9

The Unborn Baby and The Biblical Feasts

Someone posted a video (see below) on facebook about how human gestation correlates to the Biblical feasts. This wasn't a new idea to me as I have read about it in the book, Everything Old is New Again, by Renee Stein.

But no matter how many times I hear about this, I'm still amazed. It is just the most maginificant thing to me. So I thought I would share it with you. This first video is the one I saw on fb. I don't know who the creators of the video are, and I have no affiliation with them. (just for the record)

This next video is the full Zola Levitt message. He goes further into detail about each feast and it's correlation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. -Psalm 13:14

A few updates!

image via google

There were a couple of projects that I mentioned before I disappeared on ya'll, and I just wanted to give some updates.

First is the Bible in 90 days challenge. It went well and the ladies that joined in the facebook group were awesome. I did not finish the plan, as my life kind of got derailed :o) but I did finish the Tanak (Old Testament) so that was pretty exciting. I have now actually read the entire Bible (I have read the NT previously). Not that I plan to stop reading but I think it is an accomplishment to have read the whole Bible. Too many people that profess some type of faith, have not read their whole Bible.

The other thing is my plan to do Trim Healthy Mama. Well obviously since I'm pregnant (YAY!!!) I'm not aiming to loose weight. But I do plan to still implement some of the principles from the book to not gain too much weight. Obviously there won't be any weight loss pictures, but I may give you a few belly shots :o)

Since we're on the topic of pregnancy I might as well share a bit of our plans with you. I am 13 weeks along and this time around we're hoping for a home birth. I'm still in the process of trying to find a midwife, but I have spoken to a few who I think would be good. I'm also planning to approach this pregnancy as natural as possible. In the past when I suffered from hypermesis gravidarum {aka extreme "morning" sickness}, I've taken prescription medication. But this time I have been treating it as naturally as possible. The only unnatural thing I've taken in Benadryl. But even that was limited.

I've been drinking red raspberry leaf tea, using peppermint essential oil, and some homeopathic medications to deal with the nausea and vomiting. Some days have been worse than others but thankfully I should be getting better soon, if my previous pregnancies are any indicator.

I also plan to use herbs to get my iron up. I tend to be anemic in my pregnancies (probably when not pregnant too) so I plan to use the herb Yellow Dock to get in my iron. I'm still trying to figure out all the herbs I want to use for my prenatal tincture, so when I figure that out I will share it. 

Since being nauseous I've had an aversion to reading paper books. I think it's the concentration or something, I don't know. But I LOVE books and reading! So that's been rough. I have a few books I'm planning to read this pregnancy once I can. They are:

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth {re-reading}
The Mother of All Pregnancy Books
The Birth Partner {plan to read with my hubby}
The Nursing Mother's Companion

wish list:
Spiritual Midwifery
Naturally Healthy Pregnancy
Husband-Coached Childbirth

So now you're all caught up :o) I'm really excited about this season of life, and I'm looking forward to sharing about it with you all! 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven... Ecclesiastes 3:1

Big Changes {Part 2}

If you haven't read part 1 go check that out and then com back to this one :o) 


We started attending our new fellowship full time in February. But then we had to stop because of the car situation. Thankfully though we were still able to listen in and keep up with the studies. It felt like forever that we were with out a car. But really it was like a month and half. 

Once we got a new car, my hubby got a new job, and things started getting back to normal. Then all of a sudden we were presented with an opportunity to move! We had been praying for a long time about moving. We needed more space and our neighborhood was terrible. So when we saw that we could we were so excited. But it had to happen quickly. Which is not always an easy thing, especially when you're pregnant!

SURPRISE! That's change number 3. We're expecting! So not only did we need more space for our family of 4, now we really needed more space since we're adding a fifth member to our family. Isn't it just so amazing how YHVH always answers at the exact right time. 

We are loving our new place. But I'm still not done getting everything set up, as I've been really sick. I'm one of the lucky few who get Hypermesis Gravidarum (aka extreme morning sickness). So I've been kind of out of commission. Which is also part of why I haven't been blogging. But thankfully I am starting to feel better. 

This year has been so full of changes and growth. We've had some set backs, some times of utter confusion, we've lost friends, and we've gained friends. But all in all we have seen YHVH's hand and we have been so blessed! 

I'm looking forward to having people over and being able to open up our home to others. Maybe even host a dinner for one of the feasts! We'll have to see what YHVH allows, but I'm praying that our home will be a blessing to others as well as to us. 

Now you're all caught up on what has been going on and I'm more convinced than ever that when we decide to follow after YHVH and seek His will in our lives, that He will direct our paths! 

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of Elohim, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

Matthew 6:33

Big Changes {part 1}

Wow, I've been guilty of disappearing for awhile, but this time around was a little excessive! Sorry ya'll! We've had SO much going on that blogging just took a back seat.

This year has been full of ups, downs, twists and turns! Which shouldn't be a shocker since my family and I started the year with this declaration. I mean when you say that you're going to follow YHVH blindly and just go where He leads, you might as well expect some changes.

I've blogged about a bunch of the things that have gone on this year, but there are three big things I haven't shared yet.

The first is that we left our church. This one was HARD. But we sat in service, after service, and listened to our pastor preach on Truth or Tradition. Over, and over, he asked will we stand for God's truth or for our own traditions... Talk about conviction. Now he wasn't talking about Hebrew Roots, but none the less Abba used that to work in our hearts. It was amazing. This same topic was preached on for what felt like forever, and at pretty much every service! I think I felt the itch before my hubby but I just kept quiet and prayed. When I finally asked my hubby if he was making the same connections as I was he said he was. But just wasn't sure what to do. So again I was just quiet and in prayer.

Then one night I was chatting with a dear friend, and telling her how I was feeling. I told her about the messages, how there was no where for us to go, and how lonely I felt. She encouraged me to just wait and pray so I did. Only I didn't have to wait that long. The next day someone sent me a facebook friend request. But I didn't know them. Turns out  she was another believer that was local to me! But she didn't know that because my location isn't on FB. We started chatting about fellowship and when I told her that we didn't go anywhere for our Shabbat fellowship, she invited us to join her family!

My husband is usually VERY hesitant about going to new places, and especially in this situation of going to someone's house, that we had never met. So when I mentioned it to him I was figuring he'd say no. Well surprise, surprise! He said yes! That next Shabbat we head over to meet with her family, and really enjoyed the teaching and fellowship. We then went to church as normal on Sunday. But Sunday night, after the evening service, my hubby was washing dishes and I was sitting in the living room with the girls. All of a sudden he came into the living room and said "we're not going back to the church." I said "ok, like on Wednesday we're not going back?" "No, we're not going back ever."

That was it, no explanation. I didn't know what to think or say. So I didn't say anything. When we discussed it later that evening he told me that he felt YHVH was telling him not to go back. He said he stood there questioning it for a second, and then was just like if this is what I believe YHVH is telling me why am I fighting it. So I said ok, and we agreed to just continue going to our new found Shabbat fellowship.

I don't want to make this post too long, so stay tuned for part 2 :o)