25th of Elul! on the first day of Creation!

This day, making round challah (above), when the doorbell rang and a `sukkah` package arrived from Abram the tent maker

Today is the 25th of Elul, in Jewish history this day marks the first day of creation

Just as I was starting to make a round challah to practice for Rosh Hashanah, I remembered that Elul 25th is said to be the first day God created the world, and I thought, oh, I better check what day today is, and I looked, and I saw on the Hebrew calendar...!! It is Elul 25th.  

On Friday sundown it will be Rosh Hashanah--called Yom Teruah or Day of Trumpets in the Biblical Feasts, and known as the New Year on the Jewish calendar.  We celebrate the anniversary of when God created the world, by honoring Him, the creator and King! It is also the day of the coronation of the King and of course will be the Coronation of the King and Messiah upon His return.  Every year there is this Coronation celebration honoring the King of Glory, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

 I hadn`t realized though until this year, that this anniversary of  creation, is actually day 6, when God created mankind! 

Of course we, mankind, were banished the next day from the Garden, but if not for that, we wouldn`t have this amazing time of Return!  All a part of God`s great plan of redemption.

I`m starting a little early on the Rosh Hashanah round Challah!!!   We make a round challah at this time of year shaped like a crown.  The round shape also could be said to represent the cycle of time.  Our  Eternal Creator is without beginning and without end! 

As I was starting the challah---and yes, a new challah-cast--- the doorbell rang!! A delivery of the building materials for the succah!! Sent from Abram!! Abram, the tent maker.  Yes, this is all true!! 

Praise God!! The Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Master of all things!!

Stay tuned for more on the round challah (challot!!) for Rosh Hashanah!! Back to the making, and hopefully there will be a challah-cast to follow as well!!!

Many blessings to you on this day

Love and Blessings,

Shayndel/Joanne

 PS officially my first post (in progress) on the `new blogger`!!!  Thank you friends for the encouragements in your postings!! xoxo

Elul story by the sea

 

Blowing the shofar at Elul is like the little shofar before the BIG Shofar Blast that we are approaching at the Feast of Trumpets.  Lining up our little selves with our BIG and great LORD and King!   I love taking my little shofar and blowing it each day of this month of Elul  in "preparation" .  As you may have noticed from the number of Elul posts!!  

How do we  prepare for the Day of the Big Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah, Rosh Hashanah)  and the Big Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ?  One daily way is, Repentance in the small things (big things too of course, but hoping that some of the big ones have been clear and of course Salvation is the only way to do that!)!   Seeking God for where we need to clear out those parts of us that still need to be gotten right  -- the bitterness in our hearts, unforgiveness, what else? --- ask Him to show us---there are always those places---!!

When we seek Him with a desire to see His face and to  draw closer to Him, He answers!  Sometimes it is through the Holy Spirit showing us a cloud that takes the shape of the shofar and gets longer and wider!! Sometimes it is with a blue sky that appears on a super cloudy day. ...  you had brought a raincoat with you on your ride, as it was getting grayer and grayer and then as you meditate on His greatness,  the next time you look up what do you know,  the sky has cleared and is all blue.  Can we "blow away" the clouds ?? No, we cannot do anything in and of ourselves.  Can we ask Him to show us where we need to grow and stretch and enlarge our tents?  Yes, we can seek His face and we can take a step each day to draw closer in wanting to know His heart.   The story of Elul, from Shayndel's reflections today,  is to step out in action and take the small steps to seek Him.  As we read each day of this month in  Psalm 27, Your Face Lord I seek!  

In Your behalf my heart says:

"Seek My face!"

O Lord, I seek Your face.

Psalm 27:8b

(JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh )

Blessings and a happy Elul day to you!!

 

Love,

♡

Shayndel

Enlarge the place of your tent, 

stretch out your tabernacle curtains.

Do not hold back--

lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.

Isaiah 54:2  

(from this week's Haftarah reading)

A shofar "centerpiece"on the Shabbat table during the month of Elul

S H A B B A T      S H A L O M !!!

Shabbat Shalom!

 

Related post on this blog, with a little more explanation about Elul, HERE
＊
For a Torah Teaching on repentance in the month of Elul, Teshuvah (Repentance) and this week's  Parsha Ki Tetze , HERE .  This teaching and inspiration is on a weekly podcast by Jewish pop singer and Torah Teacher Ari Goldwag  

The Moving of the Plum Tree on the New Year for Trees day

Let us go out early to the vineyards,
---let us see if the vine has budded,
if their blossoms have opened,

from Song of Songs 7:13

When I went down to see if the ume (plum) tree had blossomed, there was a construction sign in front of the first blossom.

  I found that the tree was being moved! With the earth beneath it too.

Imagine What a Tu B' Shevat surprise!

Right before my eyes!

The gardeners re-assured me that it was ok.  They were doing something that would be good for the tree.

I have learned to trust the gardeners, as I have mentioned before I do  believe  the gardeners around the castle are working for the King!

So let us enjoy this holiday, plant a tree, and sing!

I will post some views of the  Tu B'Shevat Challot in the next post!

This year the Plum tree where I saw the first blossom, 
is under construction.
Yes, it was a surprise to me too!

Seeing the sweet little blossom with the yellow and black construction sign,
just in the season of the New Year for Trees!

And yet the gardeners re-assured me that she is ok!

They are doing some work in the garden to make improvements,
and as it is in the garden of the Castle I trust that the King has it under control.

No matter what is happening on the ground, her blossoms reach up to the sky and open towards heaven!

          To be continued.....

♡

Weeks!!

 From wherever you live,
bring two loaves of bread as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord.

---Leviticus 23:17

Happy Shavuot!
Did you know the name of this holiday, or Feast Day on the Kingdom Calendar, means `Weeks` in Hebrew.  Weeks!

We counted seven weeks from the second day of Passover to arrive at Shavuot.

Seven Shabbatot!

We did the math a few posts down!

It feels like on Shavuot time turns upside down and inside out as the King and Creator of this whole great and wonderful Creation comes so close to us.  After we counted up in anticipation to meet Him on His appointed day, He comes `down` to meet us just as He promised, and to let us know something very wonderful.  That we do `count`.  i.e., we count.   We count on Him.  We count to Him.  He created each of us, me and you and she and he and all of us, He created us all perfectly and wonderfully made（＊）.  He takes delight in knowing us, and all of Creation seems to be alive in a new way as He walks among us!!!

From wherever you live, bring two loaves

A day in His Courts is like a thousand elsewhere!!

Chag Sameach!
Happy Shavuot!!

 ＊

I praise You,

for I am awesomely, wonderfully made!

Wonderful are Your works--

  and my soul knows that very well.   

---Psalm 139:14

At the Well

When everything is quiet and still,
I listen for the sound of Yeshua`s voice.
At the well I think of Jacob`s Well and
the Samaritan woman who Yeshua asks for water.

I just heard on this last Shabbat that during the days of counting the omer, 
the King is in the fields.

I imagine Him here, making His rounds,
stopping by this well.

Will He be well-pleased with me today?
May He find the ones who are astray!

PS Exactly while writing this a man came by,
a fisherman!
Good catch  :)
Shalom!

Bless you and have a nice day!

♡

Shayndel

At the well I think of Jacob`s Well and
the Samaritan woman who Yeshua asks for water.

I pray and imagine what would it be like if Yeshua came up to me right now!

Drawing at (from!) the well

Good catch!