Tsunami of Life

Yesterday morning, having spent the night at a friend's house, I had the "opportunity" to watch TV. (I haven't had TV in my home for a couple years now.) She switched on the TV and tuned in to the weather channel, saying, "I like to get the forecast first thing in the morning so I know what to wear."

Sipping coffee, all this horrible news of the massive earthquake in Japan shocked my groggy mind into alertness.

photo taken from police helicopter

The earthquake is bad enough, but add to it the tsunami and you have an immeasurable  disaster.  And, I got to thinking that's what life is like.  A person might do something - an act good or evil - and everything around him reacts.  Should that action be momentous enough, major shifts occur, resulting in changes that can never be erased or forgotten.


If you are "of a certain age", you remember exactly where you were when you got the news that JFK had been assassinated.  Ditto the horrific Twin Towers incident.  And so on, and so on, and so on.  Yesterday was one of those dates to many, many people.

Unkind words spoken - or kind ones left unsaid.  Betrayal of trust.  Selfish acts and attitudes. Life's little tremors, which- left unchecked- become quakes, then tsunamis.

1 Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me;  when I call, answer me quickly.
 3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.
5 In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like a desert owl,  like an owl among the ruins.


7 I lie awake; I have become  like a bird alone on a roof.
8 All day long my enemies taunt me;  those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears
10 because of your great wrath,  for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;  I wither away like grass.



 12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.
13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her;  the appointed time has come.
14 For her stones are dear to your servants;  her very dust moves them to pity.
15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.
17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute;  he will not despise their plea.
Psalm 102:1-17 NIV
Shalom  Y'all-
     Twyla

Tears on My Pillow

Life is fragile and so am I.  Friday God sent us Chestnut, the brand new baby goat.  I briefly posted about him that evening, showing pictures of Moshe holding him, Moxie bathing him, etc.  But, by 5 AM Saturday morning, little Chessie had "gone to goat heaven".  I got up with him several times during the night, concerned because he wasn't interested in drinking the goats milk Moshe brought from the farm. Finally, at 3 AM I got up and took him into the office to better inspect him, see what I could do for him.  It was pretty clear at that point that Chessie wasn't going to make it.  I fixed a pallet of quilts and pillows on the office floor.  Moxie and Casper immediately joined me in my vigil on the floor, with little Chestnut curled up in my right arm, the other animals nuzzling him. Moxie whined softly;  she - like me - is constantly wanting to mother whatever creature enters her life... I prayed one of those selfish prayers, "Lord, please let this little baby goat live. Please don't make me have to tell Moshe that his sweet little baby goat has died."  I immediately recognized the presumptuousness  of such a prayer, and contritely added, "Nevertheless Thy will be done... I know that You know better than I do."

Moxie greeting Chestnut

So, I cried when little Chessie died.  And I cried when, indeed, I had to tell Moshe of our loss.  And I cried again when Moshe carried that precious little body, wrapped in a white towel, and took Chessie outside to be buried.  We had a quiet day.  My Mom called in the afternoon, having read Moshe's addendum to his blog in which he tersely wrote that Chestnut had not lived through the night.   Mom and I agreed that there was most likely something physically wrong with Chestnut to start with... and, that's why his mother abandoned him.  Nature seems cruel, but, somehow animals have more sense than we people do.

Last night I awakened around midnight, thought of our precious little Chessie, and cried for all the mothers and fathers out there who have lost an infant child..  I can not begin to fathom the pain one must feel, having anticipated the birth of a baby all those months only to lose him in infancy.  Much as we hurt when we lose a pet, it is not even noteworthy in comparison.  I do think, though, that losing animals prepares us for the loss of friends and family... a  "trial run" of grief.

This morning I washed all the towels that had been Chestnuts' bedding in the basket that served as his bed.  When I carried the basket to set it by the back door, Moxie got excited.  She stood up,  pranced like she does  when she's happy, and wagged her tail crazily.  I realized that she must have thought Chestnut was "back", and I had to show her that the basket was empty.  Very empty.

I have no doubt that my little family and I will have other babies to nurse throughout the years. It's just a matter of Gods' timing.  It may be tomorrow; it may be sometime far away. This experience with Chestnut taught me several things, the first one being that I need to have pet/animal supplies on hand... preemie diapers, syringes  and/or doll bottles for feeding, a spare heating pad or two...soft white towels or small blankets.  Next time I will be better prepared. Although I realize that preparedness would not have helped Chessie,  I will nevertheless be more prepared.  Next time.
SHALOM  Y'all - Twyla

Comin' In From the Cold

       Yesterday was a cold, windy day.  The day before was colder but less windy.  Yes, it is cold, and we need to know how to deal with the chill in the air.  But, we also have spiritual winters... when spiritual winter arrives it comes in the form of dark and dreary days.  The trials of a spiritual winter are difficult and many.  We need to know how to winterize our lives.  Otherwise spiritual winter can leave us lonely and discouraged.
     One of the things that can make our winter colder is the bitter air of the world.  When we are going through a spiritual winter, we tend to let down our guard... worldly influences creep in... they seep through the cracks of our lives, around the doors to our hearts.  The cold air of influence may come from worldly friends, from the media, or from within - wrong thinking.  We have to get out the caulk and seal up those holes and cracks. The best way to do this is God's Word. Read it. Memorize it. Apply it to our lives.
     The icicles of a cold heart are a problem in the winter, too.  It's easy to develop a coldness of attitude during our winters.  Talking with The Almighty in earnest prayer can melt even the coldest of hearts.
  

     Frost:  If we are going through trials, depression can easily nip at our toes like frost.  Left unchecked, the frost begins to affect more and more of our lives, becoming unbearable.  Inertia sets in.  And, inertia is deadly. Left  unmoved, frost can become frostbite, and frostbite can result in death.  It is, of course, better to prevent the frost from overtaking us, because once it enters us, it is difficult to relieve. Time spent with God every day will keep us warm, warding off the frost of depression and discouragement.
     And, then there are the blizzards of circumstance.  Blizzards can be devastating; the circumstances of our lives can be overwhelming... illness, financial burdens, relationship difficulties. In the times of blizzard, we must remember that God is in control.  Even in the worst of circumstances, He is right there, ready to guide us to a warmer state of mind.
  

 Before winter enters our lives - or even after - we need to pack Emergency Kits for ourselves and our families:
#1: Extra blankets:  Blanketing ourselves with the fellowship of others creates and maintains warmth in
our  lives. We need love and prayers from others to keep the edge off the winter chill.
#2: Non-perishable food:  Scripture is the perfect food;  the Bible offers milk, meat, or manna - depending on  our needs.  Memorized scripture can help us even in the most desperate of winter storms.
#3:Water - Christ is The Living Water.  Drink of His love and strength.  Relying on Christ will keep us  from a  cold, dry, and  bitter existence.  .
#4: Emergency Light source:  God is our light.  His guidance in our daily lives is essential.  In the cold of
      winter we need His light even more.

     We all have spiritual winters in our lives.  But preparing for them can help prevent them from
becoming disastrous.  So, today, take the time to make sure you are prepared for winter.


       SHALOM   Y'ALL  -  TWYLA

Modeh Ani

          According to the sages, when we wake up each morning, God restores our soul within us so that we can live another day. Just as God revives us from sleep each morning, so will He revive us from death to the presence of His eternal light.
          The Modei Ani is one of the first prayers a Jewish child learns. ( A little boy would say "mo-deh", and a little girl would say "mo-dah".) This prayer is a prayer of thanks to God for providing another day.
        

  The transliteration (how to pronounce the words) of the Hebrew is:
                 

My watercolor/calligraphy of the Modei Ani

  Mo-deh  'a-ni   le-fa-ney-kha  me-lekh 
  chai  ve-qai-yam   
  'e-mu-na-te-kha  rab-bah  be-chem-lah
   nish-ma- ti  bi  she-he-che-zar-ta.

           
  And, the English translation is:

 I thank you, living and eternal King,
 for returning my soul within me in compassion,     great is Your  faithfulness.

Shalom Y'all - Twyla

Rosh Hashanah - Happy New Year!

      This morning, along with our eggs and  toast, I fixed a plate of apple wedges and a bowl of honey for dipping;  these are the traditional food for Rosh Hashana - one tastes the sweetness and ask G-d to bring that sweetness into the next year. Rosh Hashana is the REAL new year's day,  Per the LORD's calendar, the Hebrew calendar, this is the first day of a new year.  Like most things  today, the worldly idea of New Year's day is rowdy music, lots of alcohol, frantic dancing, etc. - We live in what I call "opposite world". Almost everything has gotten warped and twisted, so that what people consider "normal" is, in fact, anti-G-d. Things are the opposite of what they were created to be...
     Rosh Hashana is a high Holy day.  An "extra Sabbath" this week. A day to thank Abba Father for  His many blessings, and, to ask  His blessing on the new year to come.  Last night we lit the Sabbath candles, and "took communion" - Kiddush - to host in the new year.  We prayed together and separately that the LORD will protect us this year and make us a blessing to others.
     Above is another of my paintings. A Torah scroll, opened to the ten commandments.  I painstakingly copied the commandments letter-by-letter, in Hebrew, just as the anciect scribes were required to do with the entire Torah.  Rosh Hashana is the day of Teshuva - repentance and the turning back to Torah... Not quite the same as the revelry of "opposite world".
     We are going to the beach today.  We're taking a picnic lunch and lots of food for the fish and ducks.
And our devotions books  (communing with each other and God on a beach all to ourselves is awesome!)
When we come home this afternoon we will watch a movie and graze on various snacks in the fridge and cupboards.  Relaxation. Meditation. Adoration.
     Shanah Tovah!  (Happy New Year!)
                                                                                           Shalom y'all,     Twyla

Friday - The Eve of Shabbat

as paraphrased from the Website, OU.org


          Friday is Yom HaShishi - The Sixth "Day"   Saturday is Shabbat, or Sabbath.  Human beings need a transition  between holy and worldly. When one speaks of the Holy Shabbat, that transition is provided by Erev Shabbat, Shabbat  Eve. What occurred on the first Erev Shabbat? Let us look at the Bible, where that event is described.
     "…And Hashem said, 'Let us make Man in our image and in our form, and let them rule over the fish in the sea, and the birds in the sky, and over the cattle and over all creatures that are above the earth, and over all things that creep upon the earth.' And the L-rd created Man in His image; He created him in the image of G-d; male and female did He create them…"
     "…And G-d saw all that He had done, and behold it was very good; and it was evening and it was morning; the Sixth "Day."
     Paraphrasing Rabbi Kaplan : "…Shabbat must also be a do-it-yourself project. In order to really feel the Sabbath, you cannot wait for it to come to you. You must get into it. Every person must make his own Shabbat. You must prepare yourself and get into the mood. Only then will you be able to feel its true significance. True understanding only comes from doing and feeling. In a way, Shabbat is like (being in) love. You can talk about love for the rest of your life, but if you have never experienced it, you will never understand it. Once you have been in love though, no further discussion is necessary."
     Sabbath is a bond of love between people and Adonai.
    And so I am setting up the Shabbat table, and looking forward to  lighting the candles, reading scriptures, saying blessings, partaking of the grape juice and the challah bread - all in preparation for tomorrow - the Sabbath, a day of rest and pleasure.

                                                    My watercolor, " Aaronic Blessing"

                                                      Shabbat Shalom!          Twyla