A Day in the Life: Chaco Feet

Well, this shows you just how hot it is at Qumran by the Dead Sea in May.  It also gives some perspective to Yeshua washing the disciples feet!  I imagine their feet smelled worse than Chaco feet!  It's amazing that our Messiah would place Himself in that servant's role!  I love the zeal of Peter when he realizes the significance of Yeshua washing his feet.  He says, "not only my feet, but my hands and head too!" (John 13)  

Cave 11
(look for the warrior face and nose above my hat)

Season of Redemption

Two years ago, five days before Wyatt rode off with Yeshua, Tom gave a phenomenal teaching on the importance of Shavuot for every follower of Yeshua. At the time we believed this was the L-rd releasing him to teach more, but then Wyatt left and we remained in a season of resting in the L-rd and trusting His timing.

The L-rd re-opened that door of teaching for Tom in the last 8 months, in a bigger way than we could have imagined. We don't have the original teaching he gave in May of 2010, but here is a brief version of the importance of Shavuot, in relation to this season of redemption. May it bless your spirit as we approach the day of Shavuot, beginning Saturday night.

Hope

What are our thoughts on a day like today, the second anniversary of our oldest son going to be with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?

The grief is deep, and painful, and the beautiful memories are mingled with the longing for his smile. So we hold Cassidy a little tighter today, play a little more, give her gifts, in order to remember that she is still here, and He is still good. And He is.

We received a priceless gift last night at King of Kings during worship. As we worshipped the L-rd for His goodness and power the band began to play "How Great Thou Art". We sang this song to Wyatt before bed ever since he was an infant. I suppose in the beginning of motherhood I resorted to something familiar and beautiful, something I used to sing with my own father and mother in church. And then when Wyatt was old enough he would request it. The verses themselves are filled with powerful imagery that speaks to both me and Tom, but it's really the chorus that has taken root deep within:

And so, as we stood there, weeping for the son that is gone, we heard the L-rd speaking to us, individually. Ultimately He said the same thing: "Though I am the Almighty, and I gave everything for the redemption of mankind, I care. I care about you." Thinking of His blood poured out for us is humbling and awe-inspiring. Knowing He cares about the details of our lives -- our pain, our joy, our needs and our hopes -- revives our hearts and and renews our strength.

I will always point to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 as a cornerstone to my journey. "Now, brothers, we want you to know the truth about those who have died; otherwise, you might become sad the way other people do who have nothing to hope for. For since we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we also believe that in the same way G-d, through Yeshua, will take with him those who have died."

Do you have Hope?

A Day in the Life

Leah spotted a lizard in our house today.  We decided I would scare the lizard toward Leah and she would direct it to go outside.  As you can see, that didn't work out! Come to find out, lizards don't run well on our tile floor!  It was hilarious to watch him run/slip on the floor and I was eventually able to catch him and put him outside.    

Touched the fringe of His outer garment

Last week's Gospel portion included the story of the woman who had a hemorrhage for 12 years. There are many things that can be said about this text (being unclean, power going out of Yeshua, having faith!) and feel free to share your thoughts, but this post is simple. In Tom's studies he came upon an interesting image from the 3rd-4th century found in the catacombs in Rome. It is a depiction of the woman touching the "hem of His garment" or however your translation reads.

The Complete Jewish Bible tells the story this way:
As he went, with the crowds on every side virtually choking him, a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him and touched the tzitzit on his robe; instantly her hemorrhaging stopped. Yeshua asked, "Who touched me?" When they all denied doing it, Kefa said, "Rabbi! The crowds are hemming you in and jostling you!" But Yeshua said, "Someone did touch me, because I felt power go out of me." Seeing she could not escape notice, the woman, quaking with fear, threw herself down before him and confessed in front of everyone why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.   He said to her, "My daughter, your trust has saved you; go in peace."   (Luke 8:42-48)

What are tzitzit, or tzitziyot as they're sometimes called? They are the tassles or fringes worn on special garments, in accordance with Numbers 15:37-41:

ADONAI said to Moshe, "Speak to the people of Isra'el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of ADONAI's mitzvot and obey them, so that you won't go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; but it will help you remember and obey all my mitzvot and be holy for your G-d. I am ADONAI your G-d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your G-d. I am ADONAI your G-d."    

Even today, all over Jerusalem and Israel, Jewish men wear tzitziyot -- like this guy waiting for the train. It's a physical reminder to "be holy for your G-d", for the wearer and those around him. It definitely makes the wearer set apart, as G-d has called us to be, according to His Word.