Fans show Praise Report!Beloved Fans!

Can you see the word `Beloved` written on this fan? A highlight of the show!

Visitor in Pink! The color of AHAVA=Love

Another highlight, The words, `Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li` written on the wall with the Hebrew letters cut out from Origami paper

Thank you for your encouragement for the fans exhibit! It went well, already almost 2 weeks ago and I just am catching up to post, Some Highlights included this fan pair (yes, like fan fare), I was so excited how this mother and son entered in and made their fans.

Because of the regulations and concerns in the pandemic we made everything user friendly and `individually created sets` for making your own fan, with each set containing a blank side to draw on, a patterned side  prepared in advance that you can choose, and four colors, as well as a sheet of stickers and ribbon if you would like for decorationg!!

Everything is `take home` so that there was no need to worry about many people handling the materials.    It could have been daunting and discouraging from having it, but I am glad we did it!! There were many precious moments.






Back to the beloved...
This mother and son worked on their fans, each with their set of colors and created a beautiful fan.  When I asked if they would like to add a word, anything that comes to their heart to put on the fan, the mother said she wanted to use the word Beloved!!! She had just learned this word from looking through the exhibit and seeing the word on the fan in the show and the theme scripture which I explained to her, I am the Beloved`s and the Beloved is mine.

They didn`t have this word in their vocabulary until this day!!

Praise God!!

Truly the words we use, the words we say, the words we write on our fans and express even here on our blogs, have significance.  I was joyous and my heart lept for joy when she chose that word to express and then doubly when I saw her son also chose this word Beloved!!!

This was the second annual Elul `Shalom fans` Exhibit!! You may recall the first annual from my post here! It seems like yesterday when we had the first one year ago!! HERE*

Other highlights:  writing the Psalm 27 on the Palm trees was much fun as well as at the end of the day having an Elul communion in fellowship.

You can see photos of Israel interspersed between the fans.!!! I wanted to also share about my trip to Israel last May and include an Israel awareness theme to the exhibit as well, as a celebration of Elul!!!  As you know it is my prayer for the Japanese people to know their Messiah and Saviour Yeshua, and to share His love with them and introduce Him to them through His word and His love.  I am so excited for when the Knowledge of the LORD fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.    The island nations wait for His Torah!!

...the way it works is, you choose your pattern for the back, and draw on the front with the 4 colors you select!! Then option to decorate with stickers or a ribbon!! The mother and son both chose to write the word `Beloved` on their fan.  I believe they experienced God`s love in the fans making workshop today.  Thank you Yeshua. 

Psalm trees!! For the celebration of the month of Elul, we wrote the words of the Psalms 27 on the Palm Trees in the exhibion space!! This one in Hebrew, in progress!! two photos down a friend completed the words in English on another Psalm tree!!!

Today!! This day!!

Photo of me in Jerusalem, at the Western Wall, 2019, holding a Shalom fan

a visitor to our exhibition with the Smile fan she made!!

Fellowship is wonderful! Helping to set up!

A photo of an olive tree that I took in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Part of the exhibit of Photos from my Israel trip that were displayed with the fans

Nice choice of ribbon!!

You know this, is the Eastern Gate where Messiah Yeshua is said to return. 

He is with us! He is with you!

The day this time was a little scaled down due to the circumstances, but the Glory of God was there and we could feel His LOVE maybe even more so as His presence filled the day.



♡

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

Elul Postcards!

I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy,

singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.

Psalm 27:6b

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Psalm 27:1a 

H A P P Y     E L U L  !

♡

Shalom Jerusalem Fans

Shalom Fan, City of David, Jerusalem
"Seek Shalom and Pursue it", from Psalm 34

Fans in progress!

The East Gate, taken from the Garden of Gethsemane.  This is the Gate where Messiah Yeshua will return through

This fan drawing is supposed to be the East Gate, with a heart opening

Beautiful view of Jerusalem, with the East Gate, taken from the Mt. of Olives.   

Lift up your heads, O gates,
and lift them up, you everlasting doors:
that the King of glory may come in.
"Who is this King of glory?"
ADONAI-Tzva'ot!!--He is the King of glory!
Selah 
Psalm 24:10 

The Whole World is full of His Glory!!

God knows our hearts.  He had me keep aside about 50 "Shalom Fans" out of the 500 (1st Edition!) that I gave out last summer,  to bring to Israel this past spring.  I was thankful to be able to share them on the tour and in Israel.  Thankful to the God of Israel, who put them in my heart and in my hand. He so knew my heart to bring them along and  wave them over His Land!!!

This summer came and I went ahead and had another edition (2nd Edition!)  of 500 "Shalom Fans"  printed.  Its good to have Shalom fans to hand out in summer in Japan.

Before the summer finishes, I am making these fans of various designs,  to show in a little one day exhibit and workshop at a nearby community center.  It will be a workshop where people can make their own "Shalom fans", combining drawing and origami paper. 

In Japan many people don't know much at all about Israel, and even less about the God of Israel.  In every fan, I pray will be a new encounter with Him and a new curiosity will arise in the hearts of the people in Japan to know Him, and that He will reveal himself in new and beautiful ways and multiply His Shalom over all!!

Lion of Judah in the clouds with origami paper waves background!

Origami paper collage Jerusalem Fan

make the "backgrounds" using different patterns of origami paper

Shalom Tel Aviv!!  !♡

Blessings and Shalom!

Love, ♡
Shayndel

(going forward again as "Shayndel" for now!)

Elul!!

In His Tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy.

I will sing, yes, sing praises to ADONAI.

--Psalm 27:6

 On the Hebrew calendar, it is the month of Elul!
The 6th month and last month of the calendar "year" as next month will be Rosh Hashanah, the head of the year, and the beginning of the Fall Feasts and end of one Torah cycle and beginning of the next!

 It is a Jewish tradition to blow the shofar every day of this month except the last day, in preparation for Rosh Hashanah.  Another tradition is to read Psalm 27 morning and night.  I love both these customs and when I found out about Elul just last year for the first time, I found doing them to be a wonderful way to deepen our experience of this special month.  In the Psalm, there are so many verses that bring us close to the LORD at this time of year and any time of course, but as in it there are references to the trumpet (offering shouts of joy), to the Succa (which comes after Yom Kippur, to dwell in the Succa), and maybe just overwhelmingly the theme of seeking His face, it is a wonderful Psalm to read and prepare for this time of repentance and renewal. 

 It is also said that "The King is in the fields" so this is another special aspect of this month as we can really seek the LORD very close by, as He is said to be in the fields, and there is a sense of His presence being very near.  So enjoy the month and a time to take stock of the past year and to seek Him for where we need to repent and also a time to clear and re-new, from things buried in our hearts, to things we put off, to seeking clarity and vision for the upcoming year, always with  thanks in each day.  And much more, but that is my brief introduction to Elul in this post!! 
 This is a little verse I wrote about Elul, and now that you read these paragraphs above, it might just make a little sense!  Happy Elul!!

Blow the shofar!
It`s Elul!!
This just might be my favorite month,
you know,
It is said, The King is in the Fields!

So sound the trumpet and proclaim His glory
 morning, noon and night
 Prepare our hearts for the Head of the Year

The LORD is our light,

Him shall we fear!

Fear in the sense of revere Him with awe
Read Psalm 27 and confess our sins,
Coming to the end of the scrolls 
prepare to usher a New Year
In!!  As we approach the season of coronation,
and to welcome the Messiah, the eternal King!!

The Beloved is mine and I am His.

Catching up!

Happy Elul!!

For my first  post about Elul please see HERE!! It is a post I wrote last year this time when I first became aware of this month on the Hebrew calendar!!
For a moving picture with sound (video) of me blowing my shofar, you can click HERE!! I still need practice in sounding the shofar, as you will hear!!

One thing have I asked of ADONAI, 

that will I seek:

to dwell in the House of ADONAI

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of ADONAI, 

and to meditate in His Temple.

--Psalm 27: 4

Multiplying fans--first edition

Seek shalom and pursue it.   Psalm 34

The Hebrew letters for `shalom` are the basis of the design on this fan, with Japanese motifs and even `challah` in the letters

 And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.

Philippians 4:7

The sky has been blue and dotted with clouds.  

Its summer and its hot but somehow reassuring to know the seasons are given in their place.  For a cool summer activity I have been giving out shalom fans. 

In summer in Japan fans are given out with all kinds of messages.  Mostly commercial for like cell phone companies and etc, so I had the idea when I see them, that  if people are carrying fans, to make one with a message of Shalom.  

So this year I made my first edition of Shalom fans, 

in collaboration with a graphic artist who formatted my drawing into a design for printing.

Can you see the little challah in the Hebrew letters?! There are loaves and slices! As well as Mt. Fuji in the background on one side, and an elongated hot springs mark on the other, and of course cherry blossoms in the  letters that say `Shalom` !

Its really nice to  hand one to a friend or to a stranger on a hot day.  

Sometimes I tell about it and the meaning and depending on how far I can get in the conversation, but other times I will just hand one to someone and am learning that just that gesture is sometimes more than enough.  I tend to sometimes rely on words, and today when I just gave it to some people who looked hot in the sweltering sun, I realize that Yeshua was teaching me something about Him in that moment.  It was freeing to just to give without a whole explanation. 

I have a lot more to distribute and  pray that He will multiply the knowledge of Him through this summer project and that I too will learn more about  His great shalom!! 

Funny I thought it was for me to `teach` others  with this large package of shalom fans, but now I see that it is I who have a lot learn!!

Shabbat Shalom!

♡

Shayndel