First Plum Blossom and Tu B`Shevat

 

Come, my beloved ...Let us go early to the vineyards; Let us see if the vine has flowered, If its blossoms have opened, If the pomegranates are in bloom.   There I will give my love to you.        Song of Songs 7:12~13

 

The first plum blossom opened in the park next to where we live.  I am amazed how in Japan the plum trees correspond to Tu B Shevat, and then the Cherry Blossoms open at or just around Nisan 1 !  It has been my recent discoveries in Japan over the past few years how the seasons here with the blossoms so truly reflect the Glory of HaShem!!

This year I didn`t know...well, wait, that is not so...

I knew that despite the `lockdown` even on trees, that I would be able to see the first blossom of the plum tree.

I knew because God is faithful and He knows my heart.

Every year since I found out about the holiday of Tu B`Shevat, the New Year for Trees in Israel, God has been encouraging me to delve into His word about fruit and fruitfulness, and He has been sending forth the fruits from Israel, as I have often talked about on this blog !!

He also has showed me how the first blossoming of the Plum tree in Japan comes about just the time of Tu B`Shevat, which is the 15th day of the month of Shevat on His biblical calendar.  Why Biblical calendar? It is the calendar that He established with the Children of Israel when He set them free from the bondage of Pharoah and gave them the first month of Nisan.

Something else we can see about Tu B`Shevat, since it is the 10th month, is that we can begin to `prepare` for the Springtime and the spring Feasts of the LORD.  As the sap is beginning to come up into the trees that have been seemingly `dead` in the cold winter, we too begin to come into new excitement for the promised spring and the hope in the new season that we too will have a time of `resurrection` as the winter gives way to a new blossoming in us as well.    The springtime speaks of resurrection.  And so perfectly did God plan the death and resurrection of Messiah to be fulfilled in this very season of spring.  We can see it manifest in the creation magnificently when the fruit trees blossom , and then bear fruit!!

So back to my plum tree and the lockdown!!

Its a sweet story because this plum tree that I have been watching in this time of year is now in `shutdown`! Really, even the trees! We can`t access the park because it is closed off as they have a temporary location there now for testing, so there is a gate and its guarded.  But I have been asking the guard when I pass by, can I go in to see if the plum tree has blossomed?  And he started to get to know me, and usually he says no.  Then the other day he seemed to understand me and my heart to see the tree,   and just said `its too early, its not blossomed yet`.  Then yesterday, I passed by and he asked me, `do you want to see the tree? Ok, go ahead!`, (all in Japanese of course!) and he let me in!

And look (photo at top!)!! The first blossom!  I tell you, I got on my knees and cried.  And I made a blessing on the fruit tree (even though its before Nisan, it was just a prayer of thanks from my heart).

May it be a fruitful season for you and for us all and our families!

 

Much love,

 ♡

Shayndel 

Happy Purim!! My Purim card to you (a little topsy turvy at that!)

 My Purim Card to you,

From Shushan, Japan, to Kalamazoo 

Choose to rejoice in all you do!!

Times may be tough and the going is rough,

but we know that we're here in this beautiful life

that was given to us as a marvelous gift 

from our Heavenly Father who loves us like you  wouldn't believe (but do...believe!), 

He loves us so much He gave us His one and only son to die for us.

Let us enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with Praise!!

Acknowledge Him for all our days!!

He is our Deliverer and He could Deliver us tomorrow, but somehow there must still be more He wants us to learn .  I just learned that Hamantashen are called Haman's ears because ---- because of him and his evil plot, the Jewish people came together and  "inclined their ear" to God and took action. 

What is it we are supposed to be hearing in our times now??? 

Here are some Hamantashen, to enjoy while you ponder that question!  Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Hamantashen!! (I learned that tonite too!!))

cheery blossoms hamantashen (cherry blossoms!)

Blessings and Blossoms and Love!

May the fear of the LORD spread!

Even in dire situations, the Jewish rabbis say that we MUST rejoice and be joyous on Purim!! That the world will try as hard as it may to take that joy away 

 but they say we are not to give in to it.  Not on Purim!! and not ever!

It reminds me of these two scriptures,

Rejoice in the Lord always--again I will say, rejoice!         Philippians 4:4

   

♡

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.  Romans 8:38~39

Welcome to Shushan ! ?!  photo credit thank you to purim party-er dear miss k  ♡    

Chag Sameach!!
Happy Purim!!   Love,  ♡ Shayndel

First Blossoms, Shabbat of Song, A new Challah-cast, and Happy Tu B'shevat!!

Plum blossoms, and can you see , the "Tu B'shevat" moon?! 

Thou in Thy love hast led the people that Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in Thy strength to Thy holy habitation.        

                                                          Exodus 15:13

This Shabbat is known as the Shabbat of Song.
I love the sound of that, and the readings in the book of Exodus and the book of Judges this week that contain the Song of Miriam and the Song of Deborah.  Joyful and Triumphant songs of Praise and Redemption!!!  Isn't it amazing how Miriam had her timbrels all packed and ready on the Exodus, she was so confident of the Victory that would be seen from the mighty hand of God that she had all her worship instruments ready to take out and break out into leading the women in song and dance!! Praise God!! He is mighty!! The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea!!

In this week's Parsha, Parsha Beshalach we are also introduced to the manna which God sends down to the Children of Israel.  I love this parsha for the song, for the freedom, for the manna!!!

I talk about the manna and God as our provider in this week's Challah-cast.  You can see it  at the end of post or HERE   if you are moved to please do watch and to  let me know any comments!! I am trying to find a good balance between Torah and Challah, and each week's continues to be a learning experience  how to put it together.  You may notice in this one, I mostly talk! I do hope to include more of the challah-making as I go along and can find the good way to set it up!! I did some scenes this time but as I kept talking I was adding more and more flour and I lost my concentration on the challah, so I didn't include those scenes this time!!
Enjoy if you do have a chance to watch.

This Shabbat also comes around the time of the first blossoms of spring!!   The first blossoms we see here in Japan are Plum Blossoms, called UME (pronounced u-may) in Japanese.  I have a special love for these first blossoming trees and how their opening also corresponds to the season in which  the holiday of Tu B'Shevat is celebrated in Israel. 

Tu B'Shevat is the new year for trees!!

The trees start to 'wake up' as the sap and movements that we can't see yet begin to be activated from underground that gives rise to the opening of beautiful flowering blossoms!!  We can also tap into that creative unleashing in ourselves as we ask the LORD to help us to reach our creative potential and use our gifts for His glory.  May we all blossom in our gifts and use them for His glory!!

Blossoms appear in the land.  The time for singing has come.
Song of Songs...

Happy Tu B'Shevat !!!  Take a walk around, admire the blossoms!
Sing a song of Praise to the maker of all Creation, to the Redeemer who set us free so that we can worship Him!!! What a wonderful purpose to have!!!

🎵The LORD is my Strength and my Song! And He has also become my Salvation*!🎶

*my Yeshua!! ♫

 Under the blossoms, so fragrant,  I want to say, Thank you LORD for you are my Strength and my Song.  And you  have become my Salvation!!!  Thank you for saving me!! Creating me!  Setting me free!!  You are my Messiah, My Yeshua, and I love YOU!

Blessings and love!
♡
Shayndel (aka "Joanne" on the Challh-cast!!)

A tambourine  as part of the table setting for the Shabbat of Parsha Beshalach and the Shabbat of Song!! To remember Miriam leading the women with timbrels and the Songs of Praise !!

The very first Plum Blossom this year!!

Matzah and Blossoms, Spring Green and Tambourine, Pesach Sameach

A long title, and a short post to wish you a Pesach Sameach!! As the Blossoms turn to spring green, reflected in a Tambourine!!  Time to change the header to "Matzah and Cherry Blossoms"!!

A song of Praise,
with blessings,
with LOVE !

The singers go before, the musicians last, between maidens beating tambourines.

"Bless God in the congregations--

ADONAI, from the fountain of Israel".   Psalm 68:26~27

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Morning, afternoon, blossoms! Psalms!

Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
bring tribute and enter before Him,
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness.

Psalm 29:2, 1 Chronicles 16:29

Glory and majesty are before Him;
strength and splendor are in His temple.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Declare among the nations,
"The LORD is king!"
Psalm 96: 6, 10

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Blossoms and blessings in the light of evening

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings on evenings with His word, opens gates with wisdom, alters time periods with understanding, changes the seasons, and orders the stars in their heavenly constellations as He wills.  He creates day and night, removing light before darkness and darkness before light.  He causes day to pass and brings night, and separates between day and night--ADONAI Tz'vaot, is His Name.  May the living and enduring God continuously reign over us, for all eternity.  Blessed are You, LORD our God, who brings on evenings.

---evening prayer, Maariv, from the Art Scroll Siddur "Blessings of the Shema"

Blessed evening and morning to all, bless the LORD who brings on mornings and evenings with His word.

♡

Blossoms and Birthday in the Spirit!

Yeshua answered, "Amen, amen I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not be surprised that I said to you, "You all must be born from above."  John 3:5~7

Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation.  

The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  

2Corinthians 5:17

This year my "spiritual" birthday came in full blossoms!!
Today is my born-again birthday!!  Five years in Messiah Yeshua!!

Walking out amidst the blossoms that speak of re-birth I looked up to heaven in thanks for the re-birth in my Messiah!!

Breezing past bunches of blossoms seen from the bus, I breathed in the day.

This year my spiritual birthday also came on the day of the spring recital!! I was in a recital of students age 5 to age 75 for the voice training lessons I take!! Three years ago, I started taking voice training because of back problems.  After finding out I would need to strengthen the muscles around the spine to avoid further problems, I started taking voice training!! It became not only a way of healing my back,  it has opened a new door to sing songs of Praise to my maker!! And share and minister His heart to others through the songs!!  As well as get to know and grow with a wonderful teacher, who is also my friend,  and be part of the spring recital and continuing learning...and healing!  Thank you Yeshua!

Blossoms and song, a family atmosphere and listening to others share their gifts  was a beautiful gift to me as well!!  I never imagined I would be singing in front of people, and the thought of being "good" or not didn't even cross my mind.  Its funny as I am not a "singer", but  I know it is a gift from God to do this voice training,  and if He wants us to share something, then its something we will be delighted to share!!

  You must be born again I tell you!!  That is what Yeshua, Jesus, says!

Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven!

The youngest student performer in the recital today was 5 years old!  I think now, that is the same age as my years since being born anew!! We can be 5 again, through being born in the spirit!! We must be born again, says Yeshua!!

And for a gift for you, here is the song I sang---it is a  beautiful song by Misha and Marty Goetz called "The Plans I Have for You",  that they wrote together based on the scripture of Hope that many of you are familiar with from Jeremiah 29:11.

As in Japan a new year starts in April, after the cherry blossoms, it seemed like a fitting song to sing when many of the students would be graduating and going into a new school year.  I translated part of it with the help of my teacher in Japanese, so we added some verses in Japanese so those listening could understand the words!!  It will be a little while still and  a few more years training until I share my singing here!!! Please stay tuned with patience!

Meanwhile,  I will share the anointed singing by Marty and Misha, from Jerusalem!!Its a beautiful song, and a beautiful backdrop, please enjoy it HERE!!

  With a message of hope for all.
 It says

" I know the plans I have for you!  You're always on my mind.  And all the thoughts I think towards you are lovingly designed.  To bring you through and give to you a future and a hope.  They're for your peace they're for your good.... the plans I have for you!"  (from lyrics by Marty Goetz and Misha, based on Jeremiah 29:11 )

❤️

Blossoming prayer for Israel

Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the earth with fruit.

--Isaiah 27:6

Cherry Blossoms at Odawara Castle-- w/matzah

Yes, really !  Cherry Blossoms Balloons, in the street leading to the Castle

matzah and Odawara Castle, Tokyo Japan

I loved seeing that this Castle has triangular shaped windows!! Did you know what these small windows are for in a castle? Something would be pointed out towards the outer area as a defense from the enemy. 

The cherry blossoms at Odawara castle were exquisite.  Below is where the "moat" was at one time.  Most of this castle is re-constructed, but it was a beautiful site to see how it was and the the cherry trees blossoms always a new.

The earth is the Lord`s and all that is in it.

Psalm 24:1

♡