I come dwelling in sukkot...

 So for whatever reason I always miss doing my holiday spiel on Sukkot! I guess because it is always such a busy holiday :)

This year was the first in many years we have actually been able to start sukkah construction the day after Yom Kippur! And if that wasn't good enough we had our frame still standing from last year...although that didn't keep us from being creative this year and adding a few modifications. It all started with using greenhouse poly instead of tarps on the walls and ended with framing in doors on either end of the sukkah (hey yo! My idea!! mmhmm) :) It never ceases to surprise how one can hang on to any remnant of perfectionism whilst using *free* materials......but on the bright side, there is never a question as to which is the crown side of the lumber :P.

No matter how elaborate the sukkah though, it still pails in comparison to the shelter and comfort of a house, which reminded me of the passage in Philippians 2 where, speaking of our Saviour, it says:

" He made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." -Philippians 2: 7,8

HaShem came and dwelt with us in the wilderness, covering us with his clouds of glory, He humbled himself to abide in an earthly sukkah(temporary dwelling) all for the sake of His people which he loves (John 3:16)...it's mind bending, it is incomprehensible, it's amazing and it always will be.

There is so much more packed into the feast but time does not allow me to dive into it so with that quick thought I will say Chag Sukkot sameach!
See you round the sukkah.

From Me To You

I stayed up rather late last night writing the previous blog post...finally I was like "I need to go to bed!" crawled in under my cozy blankets...but I couldn't sleep...G-d had other plans...a rhyming novel apparently ;)

From Me To You

© K.Taylor Written December 21, 2012

I looked for Christ in Christmas

I looked in the stockings stuffed to the brim

I dug to the bottom but I didn't see him

I looked on the tree so shiny and bright

but got distracted by the cookies and twinkly lights

Then I looked for him in the presents a bit

but saw only the cards labelled "From ol Saint Nick"

I looked for Christ in Christmas

but didn't have much luck this year

then came Easter, surely I could find him here!

I looked in the Easter aisle here than there

lots of chocolate, but I didn't see Jesus anywhere!

I went to church had a stale square wafer,

two teaspoons of juice in a tiny cup made of paper

but I can count to 3 and things just didn't add up

Finally I looked in the bible,

that's where we should've start,

and as I dug deeper

 it cut straight to the heart

I learnt Shabbat is a sign

of seasons and cycles of time

 All through G-d's word there's this recurring theme

G-d has something call "moedim"!

For pete's sake why didn't I know!?

HaShem appointed His times long ago!

We begin with Pesach

celebrating G-d's great redemption

Our chains were broken and we were set free 

from Egypt's bitter bitter slavery

We eat matzah for seven whole days

cause chametz represents arrogancy

and there's just no room for that

 in what Yeshua did for me 

Shavuot we stood under a cloud

heard the words spoken clear and loud

and three times we repeated our vows

Yeshua is the bridegroom! 

Yes yes I see it all now!

Rosh Hashanah the trumpet will sound

and you better be ready

it just might be Him who's comin to town

Ten more days to get things straight

then it's time to pass through the judgement gate

We know we have sinned 

we know we have done wrong

so we fast on This Day all the day long

"We have erred and have caused a great breach

because your commandments we didn't keep"

The righteous he covers they'll never be lost

the wicked however are strained out like dross

Then out comes the lumber for a seven day feast!

We live in a sukkah...some might call it the least

but it's not about what we make with our hands 

it's about the provision G-d gave us in the desert sands

The cloud and the fire that guided our way

The Rock that followed

giving us water each day

The tag on the end is the last of the assembly 

"Shemini Atzeret" which represents eternity

Oh how awesome the Olam Haba shall be!

When the Mashiach shall forever dwell with me

No it doesn't stop there!

Chanukkah we commemorate His strength and might

remembering the Maccabees and their holy fight

and rededicate ourselves to Him when the menorah we light

as we kindle a new flame each consecutive night

And lets not forget Purim!

The spiel, the mask and disguise

all to remember how G-d used Hadassah

through ways that seemed quite normal or hidden

to save us from those who from the world wished us ridden

She became Queen Esther

but you see she had a hidden identity

which brought us salvation in our time of great need

proving that even when we don't see

HaShem is always here for you and me

Yes where ever I opened and looked 

It wasn't hard to find Mashiach at work

Christmas and Easter on the other hand?

G-d never said "use it to worship Me"

Nope! Open the book, go look and see!

I also learned the things that HaShem had to say

about people who changed His feasts and His ways.

Combining holy with polluted things

Then calling it "kosher" 

forgetting the curses the mix brings

That's when it hit me and I couldn't ignore it

He has an order and I've gotta stop messing it up

after all it's the least I can do - after He drank my cup

poured out His blood and saved me from sin's power too

So now I am wondering..what about you?

Maybe it's time for you to search too?

Cause it hardly seems right 

these things that we do,

when we let the light of His Torah shine through

No I am not condemning

Heck! I was there too!

But G-d kept me up late last night

to write this little note entitled "From Me To You"

 and I'm just wondering what you'll do

cause this time G-d's having the party

....and He's invited YOU!

My family has been on the awesome journey of Torah for over ten years now. Sometimes it's hard to express it all to people...especially at this time of year. Please feel free to share with your friends! This was HaShem's doing so if it can be of use in sharing why you do what you do....DO IT! Then let me know how it went!!! :o) Shabbat blessings to all!

Chag Sameach!

Wow it's hard to believe that the holidays are almost behind us! What a awesome(literally!) time though.


While helping my dad build our sukkah this year I was thinking about the whole "temporary dwelling" thing, and how where we are now is also just a temporary dwelling, that one day we will go to be with the King when He reigns from Yerushalayim! Can you just imagine the rejoicing then? Sukkot with the King!?


Reading Ecclesiastes this year was also a good reminder of how temporal and meaningless all our accomplishments "under the sun" are if we do not keep G-d at the centre of our lives, and the flip side for those who do; abiding in His shadow, His protection, and shield.

 The sukkah is our effort, it's flimsy, not impervious to rain or wind (or snow).  All these things remind us that we must rely on the only One who can truly provide protection and shelter. The One who covered us by a cloud by day and fire by night in the wilderness. The One who, in His mercy, chose to place His tent among us. HaShem, the King himself!
 
I hope this Sukkot was filled with joy. And I pray for shalom for those I know who have experienced loss during the feast, may you find shelter and comfort in His Shadow.

As we all say farewell to the sukkah may it's meaning and message continue to speak to us throughout the year.

Pomegranate Garland

I meant to have this post done before Rosh Hashanah but it got pretty busy but anyway here it is now, hopefully in enough time for Sukkot!

I always like to think of things I can make that are going to last from year to year and is less holiday specific.You can put these up for Rosh Hashanah and leave them up through Sukkot. Or even use them as Sukkah decorations.

They are not expensive to make they just require a little time and patience.

 What you will need

Paint brush

Package of small Styrofoam balls

thick thread or clear fishing line

glitter

a couple of pins and a sewing needle

white glue or Mod Podge*

thin paper such as tissue paper or crepe paper
beads of your choice

I wanted to be able to hang these in our sukkah later so I used Outdoor Mod Podge. It is much thicker than white glue and creates a nice finished seal. You should be able to find it at any craft store, I got mine at Michael's

Spear one of the balls with a pin and brush it all over with your glue mixture. Tear a small square of your paper, big enough to completely cover the ball but small enough you don't have a ton left over, and wrap it around the ball and smooth it down. Coat it again with the glue, holding the excess paper at the top with your pin. After doing the bottom spear your second pin into the opposite end of the pomegranate and carefully remove the first pin you inserted. You should have a little tuft of paper at the top that you haven't covered in glue yet. so glob on some glue and form it into a little bump on the top to make the stem. It helps to dip your fingers in a little water and smooth everything out.

Sprinkle with a little fine glitter and allow to dry on a plastic bag. You will probably want to rotate them once the top has dried. 

After they are completely dried you can start threading them into a garland. If you make a pile of them you can thread them on one after another. However after the finicky-ness I decided to thread fine beads on in between each one.

I would highly recommend using fishing line instead of thread though, just because it is going to be far more durable, especially if you plan to put it in your sukkah where it could get rained on.

Chag Sameach!
May it be His will that next year we will celebrate in Yerushalayim!