| | Now time to delve into some "meaty" issues that I was to tired to begin last night. While I was sick I missed the opportunity to blog about a time we have entered into called Teshuva which began on the first day of Elul(August 25th). Teshuva is a Hebrew word that means "returning" and is closely associated with the English word "repentance". The Hebrew root of teshuva literally means "to turn" and it implies turning toward something and away from something else. This time period,Teshuva, is 40 day period which culminates with the ten High Holy Days beginning on Rosh Hoshana and ending with Yom Kippor(Day of Atonement). As we enter into these 40 days it is a time for introspection,seeking the sin in our lives, repenting of it to both G*d and those whom we have offended, and returning to Him and His will in our lives. I am currently working through a four week study on Teshuva and watching Perry Stone's Manna Feast. You can watch Manna Feast online at http://www.voiceofevangelism.org/video.cfm. Perry Stone is a traveling COG pastor based in Cleveland,TN and he is joined on the show by Bill Cloud,a Messianic pastor, also based out of Cleveland. Bill Cloud is hosting a Hebrew Roots conference during Hanukkah that I am really looking forward to attending!! See http://www.billcloud.org/Restore.htm for details on the conference. Jessie I'd love for you to attend one evening with us. Anyways before I chase this rabbit trail any further let me steer myself back on course.The kids and I have been reading Psalm 27 together everyday and we are working on memorizing both that and the thirteen attributes listed in Exodus 34:6-7. Tonight I have been working through the first weeks devotion,though I am a week behind due to this illness, and it instructs me to reflect on the sin in my life. Here are several areas I need to work on:
- I need to approach Torah with others in love. My mother,bless her heart,will debate with me to no end on the validity of Torah and I am constantly being drawn into long discussions which end in accusing each other of being wrong. She is set in her ways and trying to "shake the foundation" of what she was raised to believe by quoting Scripture is not going to work. My best approach is to live this life obedient to God's will and let her see the changes in me. In doing so I pray she will want to research what brought these changes over me. The second person I need to model this life of obedience rather than criticism is with my DH. This area is much harder for me as he agrees that the Torah is still valid today but drags his feet in implementing it into his life. I must realize I cannot force him into anything but rather be a model for him and pray fervently that he returns wholeheartedly to his Faith. The third area is not a person but a group that I have shunned in my zeal for Torah life. I was quick to leave the church behind in search of a Messianic Congregation. We have had no luck finding one and I truly do miss fellowship with believers. We may not agree on everything but at one time I had those blinders on myself. Perhaps G*d can use me to show others that His will and commands are eternal but once again I must remember to do so in love.
- The second area I need to work on is submission to my DH. I really struggle in this area and am praying that G*d gives me a gentle and submissive spirit towards him. I need to let him be the head of this family as G*d has intended. I am still reluctant to relinquish spiritual headship to him at this time. I am working on this but I am not comfortable with him leading this family spiritually. He was not raised in a religious home and does not study to improve this situation so I have a really hard time letting him make decisions in this area. I truly believe there are times that G*d can use the woman to lead her family, and that it is her duty,when her husband is not doing so himself. What are ya'lls thoughts on this?
- A third area I need to work on is ridding myself of idols. Now mind you I am not worshipping a statue as if it is G*d but I have a few things in my life that take time away from Him and that is essentially what a idol is. This computer is a huge idol for me. I've been tempted many times to just turn off the internet and rid myself of the temptation but I need to find a "happy medium". I use this computer to access Hebrew Roots/Messianic message boards and groups and that is the only fellowship I have with like-minded believers at this time. I also use it for teaching my DC both educationally and spiritually. However, there are many useless things I do online and to many hours wasted that could be better spent in Bible study,prayer,and with my family. The TV can also become a idol for me and I find myself often watching shows that I barely have a interest in. I need to turn it off a lot more and not be distracted by the background noise.
- A fourth area also deals with television and movies as well. Over the course of the last year I have purged myself of books that weren't christian in nature,other than a few political books,I have narrowed my library down to Christian/Messianic fiction and non-fiction. Oh, and my homeschooling books as well. Although I have taken some steps in the area of television and movie entertainment I have not come nearly far enough. My mom has been calling me on this lately with a few things that I have been watching with the kids. Her big gripe was wrestling. I justified this by I watched it when I was growing up and it only has a few bad things in it. Well earlier this week I was "put in my place" so to speak by the following article:
BROWNIES WITH A DIFFERENCE
( by Stanten Sikes )
Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some
music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for
them to bring into the home or to listen to or see. One parent came up
with an original idea that is hard to refute.
The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for
wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors.
Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It
was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex -- they never
really showed it. The language was pretty good -- the Lord's name was
only used in vain three times in the whole movie. The teens did admit
there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up,
but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And,
even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were
fabulous and the plot was action packed.
However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the
'13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his
children satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they
would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the
family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children
asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he had added dog
poop!! However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All
the other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care
to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He
was sure the brownies would be superb.
Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost
perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted
surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them
to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still
the teens held firm and would not try the brownies.
The father told his children how the movie they wanted to see was
just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by
deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't
matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop makes the
difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally
unacceptable.
The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry
would have us believe that most of today's movie are acceptable fare
for adults and youth, they are not. Now, when this father's children
want to see something that is of questionable material, the father
merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop
brownies. That closes the subject.
Put the movie you want to see to the test. Would you be comfortable taking Christ with you?
It really makes you think doesn't it? Especially asking yourself if you would take Jesus with you to watch this movie or television program. I'll be the first to admit there is A LOT that I watch that I would never think of taking Him to see!!! This is going to be very hard for me ,though I know it shouldn't be, as what little I have changed so far has taken awhile and a lot of effort. I know that with the L*rds help I can and will make this changes no matter how much the selfish part of me wants to say,"its just a little bit of bad stuff". I guess I will close on this topic for the night but I will be sharing my thoughts and musings on the second weeks devotion tomorrow.
Jason goes back to work tomorrow,a day earlier than he thought, he called in to talk to someone this evening and he said he'd see him tomorrow. This schedule is so messed up even my DH can't keep up with it...LOL. He was also told they are going to begin cutting back hours until after Christmas. While I love having my DH home more with only one income this slow season hurts. He was talking about picking up a part-time job if it got to bad but I really don't want it to come to this. I love him for even considering this,rather than having me go back to work, but I believe G*d will bring us through this slow season. I suppose that is a area I should have touched on above we both need to learn to be better stewards of our money. Even if they cut his hours back to the 40 hours they were talking about this is still more than we were making when we were both working in Georgia. I suppose we have both become accustomed to the higher income and will have to make some cut backs if it does indeed get very slow. On another note Jason did finish the chicken coop today and our new bantams,Abraham and Sarah,are happily residing in their new home tonight. We did underestimate the amount of chicken wire we needed to make the run so they are confined to the chicken house until Jason gets another day off. I believe that the next day will be Monday or perhaps I can get out there and finish it up for him while he is at work. At least I won't have to be roused out of sleep at the crack of dawn anymore . I am not a morning person and that was getting rather old...LOL.
Well I am going to sign off for the night. I have to get Jason's uniforms laid out and read through this week's Torah portion. Take care ya'll.....
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| | Posted 9/7/2006 1:27 AM - 309 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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