We took a trip to Nicaragua last weekend to renew our visas in Costa Rica, and the bus rides are terrible. I was nausea the entire time and had a pounding headache for three days and still when we got back home. The Littles’ stomachs do not agree with traveling either, which is not a pretty sight. I completely agree with Jane Austen on this one “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” After 0 hours of sleep, nearly having a heart-attack because I forgot Dad and Eric’s passports in the scanner, 8 bus changes, 10hours on a bus, 3 Littles puking and another close one, 3 days of turkey sandwiches (no kitchen at the hotel), and a sigh of relief as we opened the front gate…. I never want to do that again.

My days seem to be busier than ever before, but the endeavours I am working on are going to be of good use to others and our family and the Kingdom. Trying to keep everything in moderation and captivity of the goal of which I aim, and not to get caught up in my own thing though. I hope to be showing you all what I’ve been working on soon. You can see some of my projects at the APH Boutique. The Father is blessing my business there!

Oh don’t forget the Jane Austen Tour 2010 at Feelin’ Feminine!

Pura vida!

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39

NOTHING.

“Yah’s arm is not too short to save, nor is his ear too dull to hear. Rather, it is your own crimes that separate you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he doesn’t hear.”
Isaiah 59:1-2

We separate ourselves when we go our own path and do not follow his instructions.

“Yah is far from the wicked, but he listens to the prayer of the righteous.”
Proverbs 15:29

“If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.”
Proverbs 28:9

Rachel, dahling, you got the idear!

Ok, back to ‘normal’ quick!

*smiles*

(sleep and I have a hate-love relationship…. I hate going to sleep and I hate waking up)

Ahem.

Anyway, later when I was serving lunch Luli (3) starting laughing and remarked how hilarious it was that I had went to bed with my shoes on.

Oy vey!

Shabbat Shalom – hope your shabbat has been as lively as mine. Now, I wonder if I could get Eric to get me a coconut out of the tree?

I found this song while listening to some other favourites… the words in the video are in French, the lyrics I believe are all in English, but maybe some Hebrew too. Beautiful words of King David.

Shabbat Shalom to you today.

“So let there not be among you a man, woman, family or tribe whose heart turns away today from YHVH our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Let there not be among you a root bearing such bitter poison and wormwood. If there is such a person, when he hears the words of this curse, he will bless himself secretly, saying to himself, ‘I will be all right, even though I will stubbornly keep doing whatever I feel like doing; so that I, although “dry,” [sinful,] will be added to the “watered” [righteous].’ (Deuteronomy 29:18-19)

I beseech you to heed the WORD of YHVH, the Mighty One. You are being deceived and you are in opposition to YHVH.

“For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of YHVH, he too has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:23)

YHVH will allow you to go as far as you need to stoop before he brings you home on your knees, just like the prodigal son, and what a blessing it is for you that your Father will never turn you away once you have returned…. repentant.

There are six things YHVH hates, seven which he detests:

a haughty look,

a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that plots wicked schemes,

feet swift in running to do evil,

a false witness who lies with every breath,

and him who sows strife among brothers.

My son, obey your father’s command, and don’t abandon your mother’s teaching. (Proverbs 6:17-18)

If you are a young person and you are being encouraged in any way to rebel against Yah and his authority in your life, please CONSIDER the Scriptures. Don’t just talk about Truth, FIND Truth. Surround yourself by people who will tell you the Truth and who seek Truth themselves.

Better open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend are received as well-meant, but an enemy’s kisses are insincere. (Proverbs 27: 5-6)

humbly yours.

For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad. [Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]
- Ecclesiastes 12:14

- YHVH provided a house for us to rent with plenty of room and a ministry-center attached for a low expense. We are moving this week! I will be happy to have our own space again. HalleluYah! Two families living together is only for a season.

- I designed over $200 worth of graphics and in a timely manner. I was quite proud of myself, and blessed to be able to give to the families at Gleaning The Harvest.

- I set up the home page for Dixon Family Ministries.

- I created this awesome template: The Wiz Kid. I didn’t do it intentionally but it kinda goes along with this awesome template: Summer Dreams.

- I drew a logo-sketch for a new venture my family is going into to have all the funds we need to survive here.

- Our new friend, Kerlyn, has taught us some Espanol and likes to accompany us to translate with the locals. She’s really sweet.

- Samuel is pulling himself up and moving around a lot more. He is also reaching out and doing a hand-motion of “come here”.

- I remembered I had more clothes in a packing tub and was excited to have three skirts to wear now!

- I-Spy books are wonderful for practicing words and definitions of a new language… now only if we had some in Espanol.

- I am continually astonished at people’s selfishness. Selfishness is often the root of most problems and I believe it ties directly in with rebellion which is what causes one to be in opposition of YHVH, thus loving one another as ourselves.

- We still need a new camera (NO PHOTOS for almost TWO MONTHS!). Anyone have any suggestions on a nice one that isn’t too costly for a family of 11?

-  Cociné pollo y pasta de salsa de zapallo…. This was so yummy. I shall have to write out a recipe sometime and post it. The Littles who hate zapallo loved it!

- Rachel and I stayed up until 4am baking cookies and bread and then went and sold them at 9am the ‘next’ day. Oh yeah, that was fun, especially the ‘Rudolph” nose I had afterward. :-/

- Every night you can hear a whistling sound far off and I have no idea what it is! It drives me nuts!

- Within the passed week I probably walked ten miles, and yes, I have lost weight.

- I will be publishing the July Issue of Challenging Femininity in a few days!

- We couldn’t bring any of our furniture with us and are unable to purchase any at present, so my bed is made up of 9-packing tubs with three blankets on top.

- Zucchini bread isn’t common in Costa Rica and trying to sell it is interesting…. some Ticos don’t even want to try it, but those who did, of course, loved it. Hey, if some said ‘pea-bread’ I’d give them a weird look too, although I highly doubt pea-bread would be that gross.

- I’ve been waiting for our printer to arrived to print out some Scripture and we cannot find the USB cord to hook it up to the computer. Oh brother!

- I am having my novel editing and perhaps finally having it published, and yes that is all the information you will be getting at this time. *winks*

- There is a sliding-glass door in the back of the house that several children have run into, and Rachel tried to put food into the crock-pot with the glass lid still on…. hmmm.

- We watched the Blind Side film finally. I enjoyed it. Very well-done.

- The New Moon is supposed to be here in the next two-weeks. I am hoping you can see more of the moon at the new house. It often hides here.

- I found Miss Marple episodes on youtube!

- You cannot use Netflix unless you live in the US! #epicfail!

- I really do miss my sister, Amanda… If you see her, please let her know. I can’t find her. I see photos of someone who looks like her, but its not her. “…the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak.”

- Trying to let my anger go in certain situations, and trust in the Father. I know YHVH will discipline those who come against our family unit and seek to destroy it. Woe to them to invoke rebellion – for it is as the sin of sorcery.

- Sometimes a person needs to be let go in order for YHVH to bring them where he wants them – just like the Israelites in the desert who had to keep going around that mountain until they were ready to be in subjection to the will of the Mighty One.

- Thankful for the friendship of certain people and for the help they offer!

- I haven’t had a Dr. Pepper since we got here – you can only find it in little cans (maybe)! *huffs* “Say it is not so!” “Woe is us, tis true!”

- I hate living in the city. I feel like Heidi, “Where are the mountains? Where are the mountains?” Although, we can see the mountains.

- I can say now words in Espanol and some greetings in Espanol and Francais…. Hasta luego!

No comment.

Noach, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard.

He drank so much of the wine that he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.

Ham, the father of Kena’an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers.

Shem and Yefet took a cloak, put it over both their shoulders, and, walking backward, went in and covered their naked father. Their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father lying there shamefully exposed.

When Noach awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.

- Genesis 9:20-24

This situation between Noach and his sons came to my mind a few weeks ago as I watched a daughter reveal the shame of her mother in a evil and twisted way to many, both on and offline. I was utterly dumbfounded by the lack of love and self-control and selflessness. I don’t remember what part of the situation brought the story of Noach and Ham to my mind, but I found myself pondering what happen to Ham after he shamed his father.

The Scriptures tell us that Noach was a righteous man in the eyes of God, and as such God spared him from the utter destruction the flood would cause. However, all men have fallen short of the esteem of the Father (Romans 3:23), and all make mistakes. Noach was no exception. It is not uncommon, especially today, for children to think their parents are wrong and to find fault with them. Even parents who do their best in living a set-apart life have weaknesses of the flesh that they battle with and sometimes lose. For some sons and daughters it is hard to respect their parents in the appropriate manner because their parents don’t always walk the talk. I will admit at times it is hard to hold my tongue and be respectful in my own family. Stepping back and looking at the bigger picture here we can see in the Scriptures what kind of person doesn’t hold their tongue and lack good sense (ie: is a fool).

He who belittles another lacks good sense, whereas a person of discernment stays silent. A gossip goes around revealing secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

- Proverbs 11: 12-13

When we see our parents make these mistakes or behave badly, how are we as their children to respond? The Father commands us as children to simply honor our father and mother. That is all. We don’t get to respect them based on their behavour. We don’t get to obey them based on if we agree with them {see the Honour Dynamics}. All the Scriptures tell a child to do is honour, and most of the time this can be accomplished by simply keeping your opinions and thoughts to yourself and doing what your parents ask of you without showing contempt for them or their decisions.

How can we honor our parents when they behave dishonorably?

In the Torah, we find two ways to handle a situation with Noach and Ham. We have option number one with Ham leaving his father’s shame exposed and then going to tell the world (literally at this point), and then we have option number two with Shem and Yefet overlooking and covering their father’s shame. There are consequences for ignoring the commands to honour your parents, which we know is the opposite of the blessing which is that you will have a long life on the earth.

Ham’s decision to expose his father’s shame brought shame upon his own house in the lowest form: becoming a slave to others. Had he known was what to happened, would he have acted in the same manner? Does it matter? No. There are all kinds of repercussions to exposing the shame of your parents to others, even in the forms of prayer requests (the best way to deceive yourself) and for getting sympathy in a world of those who hardheartedly disagree with a Scriptural-worldview.

People do and say foolish things all the time, and as children we see firsthand just how sinful our parents can be. The natural human inclination is to expose their folly by pointing it out to others, but as we know that is not the Scriptural thing to do. The greatest we can do for anyone, especially our family, is to take their place, to cover their sins, to love them more than we love ourselves…. remember even our righteousness to the Father is like filthy rags and the Messiah covered our sins, so much dirtier!

Because I’ve chosen not to expose my family’s problems online, in public or private places, many have the assumption that we have no problems at all. Is this deceitful? I have not chosen to conceal the fact that we have problems, just the all the details that like to tickle peoples ears because that, as a daughter and a believer, is what I am called do to. Love covers a multitude of sins and as we follow in the example of the Messiah I hope as sons and daughters we can continue to extend this the most to the people who love and care for us the most.

More than anything, keep loving each other actively; because love covers many sins.

-1 Peter 4:8

It is important for the unity of the family to not encourage children to rebel against their parents. There is absolutely no Scripture to back up such actions. YHVH has created that unit and it is for no man (or woman) to separate, and when you do so you are working against the Father and his plan for their lives. Encourage daughters and sons in the Scriptures. Encourage them to go their parents in a humble and honouring manner. Do not tear down the Father’s purpose for them with divisive words, but build up that family unit with words that are in agreement with the Father’s plan for family, no matter personal opinions of the situation.

Two of the cutest ninos I know! I love the twinkle in her eyes and the rosey cheeks!! I think that is Cab’s ‘cool’ look. lol He’s almost smiling.

• Baking soda
• Hangers
• Muffin Tins (metal, non teflon or aluminum)
• Baking items (bowls, utensils, pans, etc)
• Sea salt
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Powdered Sugar
• Skirts (for any of the ladies)
• Button up, short sleeve shirts (for Rachel and I)
• Tshirts (small in adult and 10-12)
• Bobby-pins
• Ovaltine
• Colouring books, crayons, markers, printer paper
• sketch pads and drawing pencils
• Card games
• Rechargeable batteries
• Small hair clips (brown or black)
• Paper Towels
• 5 live, egg-laying chickens
• 2 milking goats
• 15 passenger van
• Handwritten letters
• Organic dish soap and laundry detergent
• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Dried cranberries or prunes
• Dark chocolate!!
• Plastic straws
• Crocs (uh, we never actually by THE Crocs, just the cheap ones! lol)

Thank you to those who have already sent packages – you know who you are. You made me smile!

If you want our mailing address, email or leave a comment. :)

Question: What is a bus ride like?

Response: Well, it wasn’t too bad, even though I haven’t ever been on a public bus before. When you get on you have to find a seat before the bus takes off or stand up and hold on the poles. There is usually enough people getting on that you have time, sometimes not. Whenever I’ve gotten on there have been plenty of seats to sit in, but it is odd to sit down to someone you don’t know. Obviously everyone can see we are Americans too so lots of people stare. That helps. Hehe A lot of people here walk or take the bus or take a taxi, but there are also plenty of people who drive their own cars. Most of the people on our street have their own cars.

Question: I was wondering what people in the bus thought about your ‘little’ family?

Response: Ha! Well, considering the average family has one or two children! The first time we got on the bus was when all 15 of us went to the mercado, and as we all walked down the bus to the back everyone stared. The people here will get up for the elderly, mothers with small children, and pregnant women too. As we were walking around the mercado someone yelled out “Abraham” to us! That made us laugh! Another lady also asked us if we were Amish…… erm….. Amish? I didn’t know people knew what Amish people were down here?

In your distress, when all these things have come upon you, in the *acharit-hayamim, you will return to YHVH your God and listen to what he says; for YHVH your God is a merciful God. He will not fail you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them. “Indeed, inquire about the past, before you were born: since the day God created human beings on the earth, from one end of heaven to the other, has there ever been anything as wonderful as this? Has anyone heard anything like it?
Deuteronomy 4:30-32

In the *acharit-hayamim the mountain of YHVH’s house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and all the Gentiles will stream there. Many peoples will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of YHVH, to the house of the God of Ya’akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of YHVH from Yerushalayim.
Isaiah 12:2-3

But in the *acharit-hayamim it will come about that the mountain of YHVH’s house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and peoples will stream there. Many Gentiles will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of YHVH, to the house of the God of Ya’akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of YHVH from Yerushalayim.
Micah 4:1-2

*acharit-hayamim = Last Days

It is has been so amazing to see how quickly Yah is waking up his people at this time. Within the past 6months I have had several friends wake up to Yah’s Truth, His Torah and His Son, the Messiah, Yeshua as the path of life, and abandon their pagan ways. I have had many, many more ask about this Narrow Path with some turning to it and others turning away from it.

It has always been that those who follow the only true Master have been hated and persecuted. Cain hated his own brother for doing as Yah required of him. The Messiah said that those who follow after him and in his footsteps, pursuing righteousness, would be hated and persecuted. It was interesting to me to see the comparison Yeshua made between being persecuted and the prophets, particularly “before you in the same way”. If you go back through all of the books of Prophets and consider why the prophets were persecuted…. because the proclaimed a return to Yah’s Torah and his Kingdom, which included the Messiah.

“How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

“How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me!

Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

Matthew 5:10-12

The Messiah warned us that we would be persecuted for proclaiming a return to Yah’s Torah, and I do consider myself blessed to be able to be a part of his chosen ones and to see his prophecies and the prophecies of Torah being fulfilled! The time is short. With Shavu’ot upon us I’m anxiously looking to what YHVH’s Spirit will reveal to us in the coming days. I thank you Yah Day of Rest, for your Torah, for your Son, and for your Appointed Times that we may come to meet with you!

“On the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to YHVH in your feast of Shavu’ot, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work”
Number 28:26

“The festival of Shavu’ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place.”
Acts 2:1

Going to the bus-stop to go downtown

Aww, there he is… big boy. He is sooo adorable.

My ‘twin‘. She’s so fun and so gorgeous. She bakes like a pro too, by the way, especially doughnuts. Maybe we should head something up with that. Haha!

Gazing into the water while taking a rest in the park before heading back home.

So I’m supposed to be posting updates about how things are going here. Hmm Let’s see, we’ve been here two weeks yesterday. Dad asked me today if this was what I expected everything to be like, and while I had pictured some things a little differently, it is pretty much what I expected. The way of life here is no more hard or uncultured than what I was raised in. Yes, it is different from my previous situation, but would be compared to a New-Yorker moving from the city to a small town in Texas and a traffic-jam that consists of three cars behind a tractor. For me it was the opposite since I was coming from the country and am now living in the city.

We’re learning Espanol from a young woman who’s also learning Ingles, but since we’re immersed in the culture and nearly everything is in Espanol there isn’t a lack of learning new words daily. The people here, called Ticos, are friendly, very clean, and won’t come into your house unless explicitly invited. The average family only consists of two children. We told a lady how many children we had and she said a prayer… having eight children here is like having a Duggar family.

You can find nearly all foods here, but because of location some food groups are more expensive, like dairy, meat, and nuts. Vegetables and fruits are very inexpensive… you can get bananas for about 7cents a piece and carrots (the size of two potatoes) for a similar price. Except for the cut back on how often or how much meat and dairy we eat it hasn’t been too much in change of diet. We are eating a lot more vegetables, but what is wrong with that? Just need a little ranch. hehe We haven’t had any ‘native’ food yet, but I was told to see about having ‘leche asada’ which means baked-milk. There are some strange fruits here I haven’t seen or heard of before. One was a little round yellow ball that tastes like a wet banana…. not appetizing. There are fruit trees all over, and the children brought some limes home from the park and we made limeade with them.

There is a lot of wildlife here, mainly creepy crawlies… there are tiny little ants that seem to be everywhere and if you don’t put food into a container they will find it and in a very short amount of time. They also have cutter ants, which are huge. I’ll have to get a photo when I can, but these are the type of ants that you will see a big piece of grass walking by itself. Eric found a millipede the other day, found a toad in the backyard, and then we had a gecko crawl into our room from the window (for some reason Ticos don’t use screens at all). There are also june or potato bugs that you will see often.  When we arrived here there was a bird’s nest in the backyard under the awning with three baby birds in it. They flew away a few days ago, but it was fun to see the momma feed them and listen to them chirp. When they got out of the nest one birdie, ’scamper’ as he was dutifully named, fluttered around the backyard for awhile until he flew off too. Behind the house the neighbor owns horses they we can see when he is out walking or riding them.

Costa Rica, which means Rich Coast, is ranked as the greenest country in the world, and its biggest exports are coffee and bananas. It also has beautiful mountains, which we can see on all sides of us. If you look down the street the mountain towers over the city – it would seem. The weather has been nice, except for a few hours during the afternoon where it seems to get really hot. At that point I pray it will rain a little to cool things down.

Like with many situations and seasons, you can prepare all you want but you don’t really know what it’s going to be like until you get there. Thankful for a Father who holds the world in his hands and I am never out of his sight!

Genesis 2:3 – God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.

Exodus 31:13 – “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you will know that I am YHVH, who sets you apart for me.

Hebrew:
לכה דודי
עופרה חזה
מילים: שלמה הלוי
לחן: מרדכי זעירא

לכה דודי
לקראת כלה
לקראת כלה
פני שבת נתקבלה
שבת שלום
שבת שלום

Lechah dodi likrat kallah
pnei Shabbat nekabelah

Bo-i kallah boi kallah
Shib’anah, Shib’anah

Shabbat Shalom, Shabbat Shalom,
Shabbat shalom umevorach.

English:
Come my beloved
towards the bride,
Let us welcome Shabbat.

Come O Bride! Come O Bride!
Seven, Seven (Shabbat, Shabbat)

A Sabbath of peace, a Sabbath of peace,
Blessed Sabbath.

Espanol:
VEN MI AMADO
Ven mi amado a conocer a la novia,
demos la bienvenida al Shabat.
Un Shabat de paz,
un Shabat de paz y bendecido.

I want some of everything… except the bananas. (Hey look at her bag)

So… this is a chicken place (can you tell?). Chicken in Spanish is Pollo. Who knows how to pronounce it?? It’s Poy-jo (they use the j sound instead of the y here). We also saw a McDonald’s around the down town area.

Ohh!! Pretty! There were a ton of different shops for sewing, clothing, home decor, etc.

Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Do Birthdays Have Pagan Origins?

Birthdays are they sanctified or pagan?

Long ago…birthday of their deity

The tradition of celebrating birthdays was done by the ancient Greeks in the temple of Diana in places like Ephesus. Mentions of celebrating birthdays in the Scriptures are done by the pagans (Pharaoh, Herod) or put in a negative light. Celebrations and festivals in themselves are not evil, but we really have to be careful of what we are doing.

We are called to be set-apart from the world (Exodus 19:6). We are called not to partake in the practices of the pagans (Exodus 23:24). We are called to follow in the example of the Messiah (John 13:15, 1 Peter 2:21), and celebrating birthdays (including the Messiah’s) violate those commands. If we truly are a follower of the Most High and are truly ready to take up the execution stake and follow in the footsteps of the Messiah when we find something goes against the Scriptures we must abandon them.

May he find me faithful.

For those who wished me a ‘happy birthday’ thank you for thinking of me. I am not in the least bit offended! Remembering the day YHVH brought you into the world is a wonderful time to rededicate yourself to him and correct errors of the previous year.

Is it TRUE????

Very good read… Yeshua and the Pharisees: Fantasy vs. Reality

Um…..

We live in a neighborhood in a four bedroom house with tile floors, a nice park down the street, and we have a cool washing machine. Like I said, things are different here, but YHVH is my Father and as a Father he provides for his children.

Not that I am saying this to call attention to any need of mine; since, as far as I am concerned, I have learned to be content regardless of circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in want, and I know what it is to have more than enough – in everything and in every way I have learned the secret of being full and being hungry, of having abundance and being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who gives me power.

Philippians 4: 11-13

The Littles shares my sentiments…. (Rachel is quite suspicious of the whole matter!)

Going down….

Yep, I’ll be just fine….

As my family as searched deeper and deeper in the Scriptures the things the Father has revealed to us through his Spirit has been amazing. It has been awe-some, inspiring, challenging, overwhelming, and at times terrifying, but in all it was most important to keep our eyes and trust in YAH-El. Through his Scriptures the Father has revealed to us that we must forsake our way of life in the States and journey to a foreign land. I’ll post a better explanation later, perhaps. The Father prepared a place for us to go stay for a little while even before we felt him telling us to ‘get up and go’.

After passing through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida we have finally flown over the sea and arrived in Latin America. I was very excited to take this journey and look forward to what we will do and see here. I will and do miss our little homestead back home in the countryside…. and all my goats…. and chickens… and dogs… and big red barn… and sweet farmhouse… and cornfields… and our neighbors. It will be different and strange here to what I know, but it is just another step in drawing closer and closer to the Father and abandoning the ways of the world. In the end that is all that matters, isn’t it?

I will be updating later on, maybe, with photos and different sites we get to see and experience. So far, while things are different, so good. YHVH has blessed us with like-minded believers and we are continually meeting more! If you would like to support our family in this calling overseas I have added a chip-in to my sidebar. Thank you to those who have prayed for us, encouraged us, and loved us during this journey. Shalom be upon you!

After coming back out I got back in the van and waited for the others to finish up. The gas station was busy so there were plenty of people to stare. An elderly lady having her car pumped for her stood there and watched Rachel, Lu, and I. After a few minutes a gentleman in his 50s, I would say, walked up to the driver’s seat (I was in the front passenger’s) and asked if we were missionaries. “I was just curious,” he said upon my reply. I smiled and he went on his way. I turned to Rachel, and said “No, not ‘missionaries’, but do you need the Messiah?”.

As Believers we are automatically called to be missionaries, to anyone surrounding us, and there are many ways the Scriptures call us to minister. The Father has set in place so many different standards for us as his set-apart people that are a witness to others without us having to say a word. Obviously your appearance is a big witness. We are called to make distinctions between gender roles, wear tzitztits on the corners of our garments, dress modestly, cut our hair a certain way, and wear only non-blended fabrics. Head-veils are just another outlet of how we are set-apart in our dress and people notice. Looking like the world (people of the land) doesn’t send any message other than the fact that according to christianity you can believe in the Messiah and still cling to your worldly-ways. That is absolutely unScriptural and those who teach it will be held accountable for “So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

I don’t particularly like calling people on the phone or dealing with them in person. It makes me very uncomfortable. I can do it if I must, but I’d really rather not. Wearing a head-veil out in public where I will get more stares and perhaps questions is a wonderful way for me to further witness and to enable me to put my fears to rest for the sake of the Kingdom. There is always one more step you can go, but you have to be willing?

To Be Continued….

A friend posted this and I am reposting it. Who’s going to keep the message going?

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” Isaiah 49:16

“For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expectancy.” Jeremiah 29:11

To defeat the wiles of satan Yeshua {Jesus} the Messiah quoted the the Torah over and over and over. Every time satan questioned him he came back him with something “sharper than any double-edged sword” and something that “is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living”.

WHY?

The Torah of his God is in his heart; his footsteps do not falter.
Psalms 37:31

What does the new moon mean? We are told in the Scriptures that from the Beginning of Time the Father set the lights in the sky to be navigators. Navigators for what? Time. The Sun determines the days and the Moon the months. The root word for our word ‘month’ actually comes and means ‘moon’, for every new moon begins a new month.

God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to divide the day from the night; let them be for signs, seasons, days and years; and let them be for lights in the dome of the sky to give light to the earth”; and that is how it was.
{Genesis 1:14-15}

Upon the sighting of the new moon we are told in the Scriptures to rejoice and to come before YHVH (Numbers 10:10) – basically to have a new year’s party at the being of every month. We see King Sha’ul having a big feast and celebration for the new moon when he gets upset that David didn’t show up. All through the Scriptures we see mention over and over again about the new moon. In Psalms David says “crank up the music and par-tay!”

Sing for joy to God our strength! Shout to the God of Ya’akov! Start the music! Beat the drum! Play the sweet lyre and the lute! 3 Sound the shofar at Rosh-Hodesh {New Moon} and at full moon for the pilgrim feast, because this is a law for Isra’el, a ruling of the God of Ya’akov.

Psalms 81:2-4

If you do some research on the new moons in the [coming] prophecies of the Prophets you will find just how important they are to the Father and always will be FOREVER. Over and over again YHVH declares that when he sits on his set-apart mountain, Tziyon, that all there with him will go up and celebrate his Appointed Times (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Sukkot, etc), his new moons, and his 7th Day Sabbath. We are admonished by the apostle Paul to not let anyone pass judgment on us for observing the Father’s feasts and new moons. I can only imagine what kind of criticism those new believers Paul was addressing were getting from others for following “Jewish” feasts. However, the Messiah stripped “the rulers and authorities of their power, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by means of the stake” and in him I am free to follow in his footsteps and in obedience of the Father’s instruction. If someone wants to accuse me of following a certain religion or of being a heretic for celebrating the Creator’s Appointed Times then I can only point them towards the Father. I am not going to let anyone deny me the pearl of which I have been given through the Messiah.

So don’t let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a festival or Rosh-Hodesh or Shabbat. 17 These are a shadow of things that are coming, but the body is of the Messiah. 18 Don’t let anyone deny you the prize by insisting that you engage in self-mortification or angel-worship. Such people are always going on about some vision they have had, and they vainly puff themselves up by their worldly outlook. 19 They fail to hold to the Head, from whom the whole Body, receiving supply and being held together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God makes it grow. 20 If, along with the Messiah, you died to the elemental spirits of the world, then why, as if you still belonged to the world, are you letting yourselves be bothered by its rules? 21 “Don’t touch this!” “Don’t eat that!” “Don’t handle the other!” 22 Such prohibitions are concerned with things meant to perish by being used [not by being avoided!], and they are based on man-made rules and teachings. 23 They do indeed have the outward appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed religious observances, false humility and asceticism; but they have no value at all in restraining people from indulging their old nature.

Colossians 2:16-23

The study I’ve been doing on the Father’s Appointed Times has really been a good time of reflection for me. Today believers hardly ever just wait for the Father’s Appointed times in our lives, whether it’s feasts or a question we want answered or a decision we want made. We want answers now, we want to know what’s going on, we want to be in control. Sometimes we want something so bad that, truly, in our hearts we think it is time and claim it is from the Father. We have to be on the Father’s time and living according to his Scriptures because “There can be a way which seems right to a person, but at its end are the ways of death.” {Proverbs 16:25} It’s time to stop being in control. It’s time to surrender everything to him and let him to have full control.

I hope tonight, wherever you are, that you will take a moment to peek outside and observe the moon. HalleluYah (Praise Yah) for his time and recommit to him the direction of your time. I will post an update on this post when *I* see the new moon!

Related [off-site] Links:
The Gentiles’ Walk is to Make the Jews Jealous
Feasts of Trumpets and New Moon
Study on Feasts, Sabbath, Sacrifices, Time, and Diet
Does Colossians 2:16 mean that the Sabbath doesn’t have to be …
The True Sabbath Day

BUT

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If you make marriage an idol and a god you make yourself miserable. Idols are worthless and come to nothing. You will be reaching for something that will either never come or be the wrong thing or the wrong time. The Father will bless us and give us what we need according to where we are. If you aren’t ready spiritually or emotionally for a union so precious as marriage YHVH may withhold. The Father hates idols and will break them down, even marriage, until you make HIM your God, no matter how many circles you have to go in.

Marriage is of God and was designed by him for man and woman. Marriage is something to prepare for. Marriage is something to be joyful about. Marriage is not something to be obsessed over. There is more I could say on the matter, but that about sums it up.