Shofar Shaped cloud!!

Sing joyously to God, our strength; 
raise a shout for the God of Jacob.

Take up the song,

sound the timbrel, the melodious lyre and harp.

Blow the shofar on the new moon,  on the full moon for our feast day.
For it is a law for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob;

Psalm 81: 1~5

Elul 9, 5780. I didn`t do a challah-cast this week, but just did a short upload on the spot at the end of the Shabbat today. When I went out by the river to (practice!) sound the shofar, God revealed a shofar-shaped cloud in the sky and it even was curved around the moon! It felt like a reply to the challah and shaping in the letters of His word, as well as a response to meeting Him with the shofar  in this month of Elul... this time it was His glorious reply...

 Blessings and Love,

♡

Shayndel

Elul Challah-cast!! Letters to the Beloved!!

I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine.

Ani leDodi VeDodi Li.

Song of Songs 6:3

The Shabbat Table is set with the Hebrew words and letters that spell `Ani Le Dodi Ve Dodi Li`!!! 
The whole verse formed from 12 strands

Can you see  the Letters that spell `Elul` ? And that they are taken from the letters in the first letter in each of the four words of the verse (picture at very top is the verse, picture directly above is `Elul`.)

As I was videoing the Challah-cast, the plan emerged!  To write all the words of the verse Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li... in challah!!! And of course to sprinkle in a little `drash`, talk about this month of `teshuvah` --return-- with some insights and challah tips, sharing an Elul communion, and reading the psalm 27 with you...

אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי

 Hope you enjoy the Challah -cast, and have a blessed week.

Blessings to all!  Shabbat Shalom, as already we are coming up to a new Shabbat. 

Love, Shayndel

(doing Challah-casts as `Joanne`!)♡

G’mar Chatima Tovah!
May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for good year!

Happy Elul!

Happy is the people who know the TERUAH (Joyful shout of the Shofar )  Psalm 89:16

Tonight begins the first day of the month of Elul!!

Elul is the month of preparation before the High Holy Days, it is a month of `Teshuvah`, of return, and of drawing nearer to the Beloved Yeshua!! The shofar is sounded daily as a call to repentance and return, a wake up call ! and a preparation of our hearts to clean out those places that are holding us back from nearness to God.  I love listening to the shofar, as well as I hope to get better at sounding my little shofar during these next 30 days!!

Today is the first day of Elul, first evening actually.  This month it is said that the King himself is in the fields, so may we look  to meet Him as we are and to ask Him to show us those places that we need to work on in this month of teshuvah.   Oh, and remember, the name Elul is said to be an an acronym made of the first letters of the Hebrew verse in Song of Songs, 6:3, I am my beloveds and He is mine, Ani le Dodi ve Dodi li.  I also love the tradition of reading Psalm 27 daily in this month.  As we are just in the first day, I  wanted to mention these observances if anyone might be moved to enter into this preparation month for the Fall Feasts. So many now in the Body of Messiah are realizing that they are for all God`s people which is so exciting to see, as shofars are being blown in Malaysia and Australia and Singapore and Japan! and all around the globe to call for nations to return to Him and as well of course calling out to Him to hear our voice united as one!!!

Listening to the sound of shofar everyday is a beautiful part of this month.  If you are moved to find some shofar sounding videos (there are many!) and listen each day,  let your soul hear the sound that is said to be a call to return,  representing the voice of God and remniscient of the  shofar sound at Mt. Sinai as well as the sound of the great shofar blast that will usher in the return of Messiah and the gathering of peoples of every tribe and nation to Him . 

Blessed Elul to all! 

Love, 
Shayndel


 

2 New Challah-casts from readings in the book of Deuteronomy

He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord!                 Deuteronomy 8:3

In this challah-cast for Parsha Ekev (below),  I  got excited to look into the scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3 as it is a kind of theme scripture for the challah-casts, which are about bread (challah) and the word of God.
I `wrote` two Hebrew words in Challah!! You will soon see the words they are, and hope you might enjoy the discoveries in these two challah-casts !!





The upload below is a kind of `prelude` to the Ekev upload, but either can stand on its own as well!!!  In it you will see how to make a four-strand Challah.   I relate that to the readings in our parsha and the single utterance to `Remember` and `Guard` the Shabbat, and seeing that in relation to the words `Shamor` and `Zachor`.  We are in a beautiful relationship with our Maker who `keeps` us and asks us to `keep` or `Guard` those things that are precious to Him!! Praise the LORD!!

 Be blessed!! and again, thank you for reading watching or just being along on the journey together!!!

Praise Him!! Thanks Activation!!

Praise Activation!  Starting with THANKS!

(note* post edited!!!)

This is the day the LORD has made, 
may we rejoice and be glad in Him,  
and may we be praising Him when He comes!!!

God bless you, and let us usher in the LORD into our lives as the darknesss and sickness flees!!!

Halleluyah!!

Much love!!♡

Shayndel!!

Making Fans, Blessings Fans, Yeshua Fans!

message on a summer fan:  He is with us! He is with you!!

You can read it as a double entendre, or a double blessing!
Blessings Fans, fans of blessings, Shalom fans, fans of Shalom.
Yeshua fans, fans of Yeshua.

The Shabbat table becomes my `studio table` during the week, as I am preparing for a small exhibit of fans, the second annual!! It seems like yesterday when I did the fans workshop last year for Elul and to share the shalom fans and workshop!!(related post HERE)

This year it will be somewhat scaled down, actually I am not really even inviting or announcing for this event except here and there and thankful to  a few `in person` fellows who will be there to help !!   The community center is open for events, but to respect the mood overall and as we are not to gather with too many people, so we will not promote the event actively.   We are having it and hoping and praying that some passersby will come in and enjoy the exhibit and that God will send just the right people, adults and children who might like to take part in the workshop, and those who would be blessed by the event.

I think in these times we have a special chance and open door to share about the Beloved Yeshua and welcome others to be His fans!  I am a fan of Yeshua!! I know it is  a `follower` or `disciple` but well,  sometimes we can engage with the Holy Spirit and have a little fun with Him with a childlike heart by saying `I am a fan of Yeshua`!!  Especially in this month of Elul when the King is in the Fields and He meets us as we are, no pretenses!! (how it should be always, but it isn`t always, so let the pretences fall away in this season of repentance and Teshuvah!!).  Oh King and LORD Yeshua, please do meet us this week and `in the fields` as we display our hearts of love for you in all the ways that each one does so as to bring glory to You!! Help us to peel away the pretenses so that we are pure in heart for you.  In this season of repentance and Teshuvah, return, may new `Yeshua fans` lift up a banner, a flag, or a cry and give our selves to YOU!!!

I am my beloved`s and He is mine.

Song of Songs 6:3

 אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי

origami paper for the back of the fan!! I love combining the different patterns, this year I will prepare the `backs` and streamline the materials for the workshop , making a `set` for each participant.

The Shabbat table becomes a studio table during the week!! And as you can see the Kiddush cup and the shofar made their way into the fans!!! Lift up the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the LORD!

I will take up the cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the LORD!  Psalm 116:13

כּוֹס-יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא;    וּבְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֶקְרָא

Try it at home too if you are moved to make a fan!! The basic materials can be found in the 100 yen shop (like the dollar shop!) here in Japan, or use what you have available or at the shop you are able to get to, and let me know how they come out !!!  Even if you don`t make it, share your message that would go on the fan ! xoxo Blessings and Shalom!!♡

Love, Shayndel

Simcha Tribune!

שִׂמְחָה =Simcha = Joy    

Rejoice in the Lord always--again I will say, rejoice! 

Philippians 4:4

Welcome to the first issue of the Simcha Tribune! (the July issue, but posting a little late, in August!!)   Simcha means `Joy` in Hebrew.   I was inspired by the above scripture, and a conversation in a fellowship recently,  to put together a paper that publishes simple articles about the simple joys we can experience each day in our lives. 

LORD, help  us focus on the things that are lovely and true and move forward in joy and may we bring more joy into the world!!

This first issue includes two short stories from my days!! en-joy!

1.  The first sound of summer

I have lived in Japan many years and have gotten to know the sound of cicadas is a sign of the arrival of summer!  There is a time in summer where we notice the sound of cicadas is all around us.  And yet, I don`t usually notice the very first one, but this summer was different!  I heard the first cicada! 
Read on!

This year it has been a particularly rainy rainy season.  There were devastating rains in our areas, with rivers overflowing.  It was supposed to rain much heavier but that day it was very calm and stopped.  I was feeling thanks and joy in the LORD for His protection and keeping us safe, and for answering prayer as only He can stop the storm.*

I was sitting with my husband at the park where we were having coffee that calm morning.  I heard a sound coming out of the quiet--it was the song of a cicada.  It was unusual as it was still the rainy season.  It was almost as if it came out of my heart, but it was from outside.  As if it came out of a deep silence from the calm morning after the stormy rains.  My husband hadn`t heard the sound yet and I mentioned it and then he heard it too.  We were both experiencing this very first sound of summer together! It was very special and it almost felt like it was God`s reassurance, in the middle of this time of unease and storms.  As we listened to that one cicada singing some distance from us, before we knew it the sound of cicadas came closer and started to surround us! And around us and around us.  Before we knew it we were surrounded by the sound of the cicadas!! It was the first time in all the years in Japan that I ever heard the very first sound of the cicada with my husband, or with anyone! That brought me much joy.  

I remembered the scripture that says God surrounds us with songs of deliverance!  Because it was right after the storm and in the period of time with the world being in `shutdown`, having that sound of faithfulness of God's voice was such a joy and I`ll never forget it!

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.   Psalm 32:7

2.  The  Second Story is from the Pool

I love swimming and was very happy the pool was open.  There are certain precautions we have to take.  When swimming of course we don`t wear a mask, but the staff around the pool did have to wear a mask.  Just a side note, you may have noticed where you are too, that because of the situation we are all in together with the shutdowns, people seem a little extra...friendly!  Friendlier than usual!  At the end of my laps, the pool person leaned down and commented something to me about my laps, something the pool staff doesn`t ordinarily do.  I noticed his mask, it had a bold flower pattern on it and I said I like his mask.  He said thank you, and that it was made from his daughter`s yukatta! (note: yukatta is a lightweight  kimono-style robe that is worn in the summer months, often in colorful and fun patterns).  He said she had recently gotten married, and this mask was homemade from one of her yukattas that she used to wear!  I thought that was such a sweet thing.  I said, "Oh, did your wife make it?"  And he said, "no, I made it!"  That gave me joy to see!  A man who was so proudly showing his love for his daughter with this mask!

It makes me think of how human relationships are expressed in these small but joyous ways and we see the good in a situation.

I encourage everyone to pay attention to the moments of joy in our lives, and be blessed!

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy --- thing about such things.   Philippians 4:8

Thank you for choosing Simcha Tribune, an AHAVA publication!

אַהֲבָה AHAVA  = Love

 שִׂמְחָה =Simcha = Joy    

שִׂמְחוּ בַאֲדׂנֵינוּ בְּכָל־עֵת וְעוֹד הַפַּעַם אׂמֵר אֲנִי שְׂמָחוּ*the above scripture from Phil 4*4 in its Hebrew translation!! Can you notice the word for rejoice?  Yes!! It comes from `Simcha`, a word that would have been very familiar to Yeshua`s Hebrew speaking disciples!!  Just adding that from my study,  as I have been looking at the Hebrew New Testament and love finding those connections!! Blessings and Shalom!  Love, Shayndel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

related upload*  Praise After the Storm

Shabbat Shalom--some thoughts on Rosh Chodesh Elul and Parsha Re'eh!

Happy is the people who know the teruah (joyful shout of the shofar)
                                                       Psalm 89:16

       Parsha Re`eh,
       Almost Elul!!!

This week (Friday) we will enter into the new month of Elul, the 6th month of the Hebrew calendar.

As Elul is the preparation month for the Fall Feasts, that means its getting close to the Fall Feasts, which begin with Rosh Hashanah,  in Tishrei, the 7th month and a `New Year`on the Hebrew calendar.

I love the month of Elul itself, and feel like I need to even prepare in these few days before Elul to prepare for Elul!! 

Prepare to prepare ??  What does that mean?  I would say, it means to strip away everything that is not focused on the beloved Yeshua!!  To have the whole month clear for meeting Him in the fields and in every encounter.  So as to precious-ize (not a word maybe?! but just making that word for the situation!!) each moment in anticipation of His return.  As we know the Fall Feasts are a time of celebrating the beginning of Creation, and the blowing of the Shofar to announce the Kingdom come, as well as the leading up to the day of Atonement, a time of individual and corporate repentence and return,  and after that the rejoicing in the Feast of Succot.  

And ultimately tabernacling with the God of Creation, our very beloved Yeshua.  Of couse there will be dancing and a feast of feasts for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  The spring feasts have been fulfilled in the Messiah`s first coming and although we don`t know the day of when He will return, we want to be prepared!!  The time of the Fall Feasts will be the fulfillment of His return and of His Coronation and His dwelling with us!!!   Indeed now is a time of preparation.   Halleluyah!

The word Re`eh, the name of this week`s Parsha, means `See`!!

It is the root word of Yireh, which may be known to many, as that is the word for ADONAI Yireh, The LORD who Provides, one of the names given to God that we read in the book of Genesis when Abraham saw the ram in the thicket and says `The LORD will Provide`, which also can be translated as `The LORD is Vision`, since it is from the root word See.  He sees the end from the beginning and the beginnning from the end.

I pray a blessed month to all and a month of `Seeing` what it is that God has for us individually and as a body of Messiah.  

Much Love, 
 ♡
Shayndel 

Pure Heart E-Conference!

 Let every thing that has breath praise the LORD.  Halleluyah!                            Psalm 150:6

Dear Friends,

I am happy to share this announcement for the Pure Heart E-Conference from Dancing for Him Ministries!!  

I know you will be blessed by many heart-filled and anointed teachers sharing on topics related to Worship and Movement and Prayer!! I am honored to be a part of it and will be teaching from my new `AHAVA` Prayer and Movement ministry prayer sheets as well as sharing movement to go with the prayers!! 

As it is  an on-line conference, you can watch it from the privacy of your home, and choose the teaching sessions that you want to see,  so its a great chance to get a taste and see what worship arts are about!!  You`d love it! 

As many of you here know me from my Challah-making and Torah sharing, I also have a big part of my testimony that comes from being part of the Dancing for Him family through Dancing for Him Ministries!!  I have a very special place in my heart for Dancing for Him!!!  I have gone through the school and am a certified and licensed Worship Dance Instructor through the ministry!

Please find out more about the Pure Heart E-Conference!! And register for the Free Three Day Event,  here*

PURE HEART E-CONFERENCE

(more details and updates to follow !!!)  

Love, Shayndel  (Joanne!!)

To God who rested from all His works (from the Jewish prayer book and Psalm 92)

To God Who rested from all His works, who on the seventh day ascended and sat upon the throne of His glory.  He vested the day of rest with splendor; He called the Sabbath day a delight.  This is the praise of the seventh day, for on it God rested from all His work.

And the seventh day gives praise, saying : (Ps. 92) "A psalm.  A song for the Sabbath day.  It is good to give thanks to the Lord."  Therefore let all His creations glorify and bless God.  Let them bestow praise, honor and grandeur upon God, the King Who formed everything, and Who in His holiness bestows rest upon His people Israel on the holy Sabbath day.  May Your name, Lord, our God, be sanctified; may Your renown, Our King, be glorified in the heavens above and on the earth below.  May You be blessed, our Savior, for Your praiseworthy handiwork, and for the bright luminaries that You made, which bring glory upon You,
Selah.   

all continue here:

May You be blessed, our Rock, our King, our Redeemer, Creator of holy beings....

(passages from the Blessings of the Shema)

Post returned, though still in progress

Thank you friends, I returned the post below, but temporarily removed the Hebrew postcard, To add an   א   !!!!!

The post, "God is Love, and you are a crown of beauty in His hand, Postcards♡"  is back,  with the scriptures added!!

The Hebrew version of the postcard will return shortly!!

I couldn`t leave the post out of commission for too long, as the word that it contains is from the scriptures and I wanted to have the word posted , even if the postcard will be delayed!!  Reminded that the word of God will remain even after the heavens and earth ( and all the material world things ) pass away!!

Meanwhile, I needed to get a new yellow color pencil, you may not believe it but I used the very last of the color pencil to color the postcards, and to make the correction I needed more yellow to fill the heart around `God is Love` in Hebrew!! That may be more blog- behind-the-scenes that you needed to know, but as you are my loyal and wonderful blog friends who hold me accountable for my actions by your loving and caring comments and sharing, I felt to tell you what was happening on this end, probably things only a fellow blogger could understand (I hope!! Lol!!:)!! And if anyone has no idea what I am talking about, no worries!! Enjoy, have some challah, and thank you for visiting!!!

Meanwhile, 
We at Challah and Cherry Blossoms apologize for any inconvenience with my posting and reposting!! and For your viewing pleasure during this inconvenience,  I invite you to watch my new One-minute  `Trailer`!!! at Joanne`s Challah-Cast Channel.

(note :  its a new Trailer!!!,  the feature has already been released!!!

Enjoy!! Love, Shayndel

God is Love, and you are a crown of beauty in His hand, Postcards♡

♡

God is Love.

1John 4:8


You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of ADONAI,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Isaiah 62:3

(Hebrew version postcard in progress! 
Out getting a new yellow colored pencil!! 

 

note: 1/2/2021 months later and I finally am updating the Hebrew version with the `aleph`, done with Photoshop!!!  )  Here it is:!!!


💛