Shabbat Flowers ~ and an Elul Story

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
    He browses among the lilies. 

Song of Songs 6:3

Chodesh Tov!

Blessings in the new month of Elul! （though already as I am posting this we are already well into the month and almost the full moon!!)  

The sixth month on the Hebrew calendar is a time of repentance and return to God, a time of preparation to meet our Messiah and crown Him as King, in anticipation of the Fall Feasts of Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur,  culminating with tabernacling with Him,  as One with each other at the Feast of Sukkot! 

Also in this month it is said to be a time of drawing near to the beloved and a time when `the King is in the Fields`.  The verse above from Song of Songs is also associated with Elul. *

* The 4 letters from the first letter of each word of the  verse,  spell out the word ELUL in the Hebrew! 

 I find that in this month the LORD speaks to me in intimate ways and even shows how He is hearing my heart and bringing things to pass in a way that is very .... Elul!

That`s the only way I can describe it! So let me give it a go with the Elul Story about the Shabbat Flowers!

Since I returned to celebrating the Shabbat, here in Japan, I always love to buy flowers on Friday afternoons to welcome the Shabbat. The joy of walking home with flowers through the city is a great delight.  I experience it as a wonderful time,  bathed in His love, like a child excited to give flowers to her Daddy or a wife to her husband on their special day.  Yeshua says keep My commandments, abide in My love, and make my joy complete!

So on with the story, 

When I  buy flowers on Friday afternoons,  I also try to  picture how it must be in Israel, the women scurrying to do their shopping and greeting one another with their bouquets on their way to their homes for Shabbat.  This picture of the city filled with joy for Shabbat and for honoring the beloved Yeshua, the LORD of Shabbat, bubbles up in my heart with joy!!   I have longed for my city that we would honor God`s Shabbat and the women would be out on the streets like that on Friday afternoon, doing their shopping to make a special meal for the family, and in the flower shop greeting each other with, Shabbat Shalom! In Japanese,

 シャバット・シャローム！

I have been going to the same flower shop that is close to where I live, and have developed a friendly relationship with them.  Over the years have shared a little about Shabbat with he staff since they always see me on Friday,  a few have asked about that!

Recently God has opened a door and answered a prayer to share about Shabbat in the local church.  They are a small congregation who loves Israel and has become interested in returning to do the things of God and connecting to our Jewish root in the faith, as `one new man` in Messiah.

We had our first Shabbat last month, and already the second one this past Shabbat which was also the beginning of the month of Elul.

This church is right down the street from the flower shop where I buy flowers, so I was excited both times to order a `delivery` of Shabbat flowers to the church to have for our Shabbat to honor the LORD  and make a beautiful table for our celebration.

The first time when I placed the order I asked if they could write `Shabbat Shalom` in Japanese on the card. And they did.

Then when I came again the next time I once again asked if they could write the same message.

When I came into the flower shop later that afternoon, I saw the arrangement was in the glass case, and the words `Shabbat Shalom` on the message card filled my heart with joy!!

It was like a first `drop` from Heaven of the glimmer of the vision of the Shabbat being honored in Japan! ( I shared a little about this vision of Shabbat in Japan in an early post HERE).   And more than that, it is the LORD of Shabbat, Yeshua,  being honored in Japan when we observe Shabbat we say clearly that we are giving honor and praise and glory to the God of the Bible, the God of Creation, the God of Israel who invites us all to be a part of His glorious Kingdom through Messiah Yeshua!!

Glory to His Name!!  Oh LORD how we pray for all the nations to know you, the Holy One, and the Maker of Heaven and Earth, Saviour of all the world..., maybe it will be one Shabbat bouquet at a time!!

Hence I call it an Elul story, as it takes place in this month of repentance and return! A month when `the King is in the fields` and where we seek the face of the beloved from the `fields` where we are and may He meet us here!

With love to all and to all be God`s Love!!❤️

Love, Shayndel

He has brought me to the banquet house
    and his banner over me is love.

Song of Songs 2:4 

pS i just found the post where I first had the prayer/vision about Shabbat in Japan, amazingly it was 6 years ago!! Thank you LORD for hearing my prayer and bringing such encouragement in this Elul!! I pray for multiplication and seeing it come about more and more by the power of Your Ruach Ha Chodesh, even to be a revival of the Shabbat Shalom ・Teshuvah kind!!

Quoting from the post, this line below: 

I am so excited for when the people of Japan will know ADONAI and will celebrate the Shabbat, and on Friday afternoons people will greet each other in the town with シャバット・シャローム ,
 Shabbat Shalom! As they scurry to buy food and flowers and prepare for Shabbat!

 

シャバット・シャロム！`Remember` and `Keep` ---Shabbat Shalom!

Challah and `Ajisai` (Hydrangea)

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

---Exodus 20:8

Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it.

---Deuteronomy 5:12

Shabbat Shalom!

♡
 

安息日をおぼえて、これを聖なる日とせよ。

ー出エジプト２０；８ 

安息日を守って、これを聖なる日とせよ。

ー申命記５：１２ 


シャバット・シャロム！ 

手ぬぐいと「詩篇１」！

For English please scroll down just below!!
Thank you for visiting! Blessings and Shalom!



手ぬぐいと「詩篇１」！

日本の手ぬぐいが大好きです。

時々手ぬぐいを置いている店に行って見ます。
秋にはもみじの模様をみつけたり、桜の季節には、もちろんさくら柄！
初春になって、またあたらしい手ぬぐいを探しに行った時、びっくりしました。
藤とアジサイといろいろな黄緑の模様の中に、一枚の印象的な手ぬぐいを見つけました！

手ぬぐいのデザインは一本の木があって、清流の中に黄緑の紅葉の木が描かれているのです。「詩篇１」の言葉とぴったりで、思わずこの手ぬぐいを手にとりました。

詩篇１、１〜３：

1  幸いなことよ。
悪者のはかりごとに歩まず、
罪人の道に立たず、
あざける者の座に着かなかった、その人。
2  まことに、その人は主のおしえを喜びとし、
昼も夜もそのおしえを口ずさむ。
3  その人は、
水路のそばに植わった木のようだ。
時がくると実がなり、その葉は枯れない。
その人は、なにをしても栄える。

確かに、あの絵にある木とこの3行目は完璧なイラストレーションではないか！

アドナイ（ヘブライ語で主）のトーラ（ヘブライ語で主の教え）を喜ぶと、私達も、あの水路のそばに植わった木のようです！


この手ぬぐいがあると、なんか、日本の心に主の教えが近づいて来るかなと、思っています。おかげで、とても素敵なテーブルア レンジメントが出来ました。手ぬぐいの黄緑の柄が外の雰囲気とハーモニーしているんです！！

みんなさん、シャバット・シャロム！

＊もっと「シャバット」の記事を読みたかったら、このポストをク リックをして読んで下さい！また日本語でブログの記事を書くのを頑張りたいと思 います。コメント待ってます！是非、お話しましょう！

link:  Hanamoyo Tenugui Website
link:  Hanamoyo Blog post featuring Challah and Cherry Blossoms postcards

Shabbat Story・シャバットの話

シャバットの話　　A bi-lingual post! English just below

私は今、Ａさんという一人の主婦に英会話を教えています。 

金曜日のレッスンの後、そのAさんが、「今から何か予定がありますか？」と聞かれたので、
「今日は金曜日だから、これから『シャバット』の準備をします。」と答えました。 

「シャバッット？って何ですか？」とＡさんが聞きました。 

私は「それは、土曜日。くわしく言うと
毎週金曜日の夕方から土曜日の夕方までの安息日のことです。
神様は、六日間で世界を創造し、七日目に休まれました。
その七日目を他の日とは違う、特別な聖なるの日として定めたのです。」と、Ａさんに言いました。 

「そうですか？いいですね。 私にも、安息日が必要です！」 とＡさんが言いました。 

「神様が人々の為に、シャバットを造りました。十戒の一つです。」と私が言いました。 

Ａさんと別かれる時、私が　「シャバット・シャローム」と言いました。 

彼女は微笑んで、私に「え、意味は？。。。」と聞いてきたので
「『シャローム』とは『平和』という意味で、『シャバット・シャローム』は『安息日の平和』と言う意味です。シャバットの挨拶です。」
と、私は答えました。 

その短い会話で、「シャバット」の意味が通じただろうか。
神様のシャローム　は彼女の心にふれただろうか。

彼女も「シャバット・シャロム」とお辞儀をしてくれました。 

「アドナイ」と言うイスラエルの神様を多くの日本人に知ってもられることを楽しみにしています。
そして、みんながシャバットをお祝いし、金曜日の午後、みんなさんが町中で、「シャバット・シャローム」の挨拶を交わし合う。女性達はお花を買ったり、お買い物をしたり、賑やかな金曜日のシャバットの準備で、安息日がやってくるその場面す！

＊

Friday, 1/27/2017
Remember Yom Shabbat, to keep it holy.    ---Exodus 20:8

A friend, who is also my English student, asked me what I will be doing today after the lesson.

It`s Friday, I said.  I will begin preparing for Shabbat.

Shabbat?  she asked.

Yes, I said, its a special day of rest from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
I told her how to say it in Japanese, 安息日　Ansoku nichi.
And told her a little about how it is the day God rested on the seventh day  after He created everything in six days and set apart the seventh day and made it a holy day and as a day of rest.

Oh! She said.
That sounds good.  I could use a day of rest.

Yes, I said, it is good.  God made Shabbat for people.  It is one of the Commandments given at Mount Sinai, it is the fourth one.   It is part of His design for us to have rest from the week and to start fresh again.  And I told her it is a time to worship and be with God as well as our family.

Just before she and I parted I said `Shabbat Shalom`.
She smiled.  She asked what it means.
I said Sabbath Peace.

Even just from the greeting and the little she know of Shabbat from our conversation, I sensed that God`s Shalom touched something in her heart.

Then she said to me the same words, Shabbat Shalom, and she made a sweet bow as she said it.

We both parted and went on our ways.

I am so excited for when the people of Japan will know ADONAI and will celebrate the Shabbat, and on Friday afternoons people will greet each other in the town with シャバット・シャローム ,
 Shabbat Shalom! As they scurry to buy food and flowers and prepare for Shabbat!

 Shabbat Shalom!!

Love,
Shayndel

「ハッラー」と言うシャバットのパン

安息日を覚えて
これを聖なる日とせよ。
出イジプト記２０：８

シャバット・シャローム 
（安息日おめでとう）!

Blessed is the one

who put his confidence in ADONAI,

who has not turned to the arrogant,

nor to those who fall into falsehood.

Many things You have done,

ADONAI my God

---Your plans for us are wonderful---

there is none to be compared to You!

--Psalm 40:4~6

Winter Mt. Fuji and Challah clouds--Shabbat Shalom!!

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

My Lord, You have been our dwelling 

from generation to generation.

Before the mountains were born,

or You gave birth to the earth and the world,

even from everlasting to everlasting,

You are God!

---Psalm 90: 1 ~ 2

Shabbat Shalom! 

シャバット・シャローム（安息日おめでとう）

A Challah for Abraham

Then ADONAI said to Abram,
"Get going out from your land,
and from your relatives, 
and from your father`s house,
to the land that I will show you.
My heart`s desire is to make you into a great nation, to bless you,
to make your name great so that you may be a blessing.

                                 ---Genesis 12:1 ~2 

So Abram went, Just as ADONAI had spoken to him.   (verse 4).

As I was meditating on this weeks parsha, I wanted to make a challah that somehow would have a connection to Abram.   The idea of a red bean challah came to me, at first  because in Japan people make red bean rice to mark a special day, a celebration, and for congratulations.  And indeed Abram becoming Abraham and walking in faith with ADONAI to carry out this command to go to a new land and make a great nation,  is a blessing to celebrate!!

Then as I was making it, more things started to connect and I realized indeed a Red Bean Challah for Abraham was indeed fitting!  And filling!

This post is in progress so please enjoy some of the challah and see you a little later on this Lech Lecha Shabbat!

 Shabbat Shalom!!

Lech Lecha,  L`chaim!!

シャバット・シャローム 
（安息日おめでとう）

Satsumaimo Challah and Noah

The changing colors of fall!  The excitement of the new Shabbat cycle (see posts below)! 
From the creation, already into the second Shabbat and the reading from Noah.

I had an inspiration this Shabbat to try making a satsumaimo challah! 

Satsumaimo is a kind of potato grown in Japan.   It has a purple skin that is both majestic and rustic.

Can you see how the satusmaimo powder in the dough makes a beautiful purple and a royal color.
It was very thrilling to mix it into the white flour!

Delight in the colors of fall.
Give praise to our Maker!
This weeks Torah study continues in the book of Genesis, the Parsha is "Noah (rest)".  

These are the genealogies of Noah.  Noah was a righteous man.  He was blameless among his generation.  Noah continually walked with God.    ---Genesis 6:9

Noah was the only righteous man who walked on the earth, blameless in the sight of the LORD.  Look what happened to the rest of the people who inhabited the earth, who were not walking with God.  They were wiped out by the flood.  God promised that He will not destroy the world again through a flood, and He put His rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant between Him and the land.

But that doesn't mean we are to strive any less diligently to live a life of righteousness. 

Today too, how much do we even think about "righteousness"? How do we know what it even means?  The voice of righteousness has even been removed from our culture and we see division and people turning to so many things, but how many people in their daily lives today turn to the Torah and "walk continually with God" as in God's eyes Noah did.

To be honest, I confess that until I was brought to Salvation in Yeshua and became a believer just a little over two years ago, I never even considered what it meant to be righteous.   Once I met Him through Yeshua and repented my sins---no one can come to the Father except through the Son,  I saw with open eyes for the first time how He is Holy, He is Righteousness.  

We still struggle with sin even after receiving Yeshua, but as we work out our salvation daily there is a desire to be righteous because He is Righteous.  We desire to be Holy, as He is Holy.

May we live in His Torah! And Delight in the colors and the life and expressions of His creation all around us as we continue reading from the book of Genesis this week!  

Delight in the Shabbat!

This week's Torah Portion:  Noach  Noah(rest)  Genesis 6:9 to 11:32

Haftorah:  Isaiah 54:1-55:5

Brit Chadashah:  Matthew 24:36-46

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.  --Psalm 34:9

Shabbat Shalom!!

シャバット・シャローム 
（安息日おめでとう）

  Leaving off  this post with beautiful purple sapphire and a passage from this weeks Haftarah portion (which contains sapphires!). 

May you be blessed as we remember God's everlasting kindness, and compassion
in the words of ADONAI our Redeemer, from Isaiah 54: 7 to 13, to Jerusalem His beloved, may we receive them as words to all who return to Him, may our children be taught by ADONAI,  and in His great SHALOM!

"For ADONAI has called you back
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of one's youth that is rejected,"
says your God.

For a brief moment I deserted you, 
but I will regather you 
with great compassion.
In a surge of anger
I hid My face from you a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says ADONAI your Redeemer.

"For this is like the waters of Noah to Me:
for as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more cover the earth,
so I have sworn that
I will not be angry with you,
nor will I rebuke you.
Though the mountains depart
and the hills be shaken,
My love will not depart from you,
nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,
says ADONAI who has compassion on you.
Afflicted one, storm-tossed, unconsoled,
behold, I set your stones in antimony,
lay your foundations with sapphires,
make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of crystal,
and all your walls of precious stones.
All your children will be taught by ADONAI.
Your children will have great shalom.

--Isaiah 54:6〜13