Unleavened Shopping

No matter where you live shopping during holidays is different from any other time. The items change with the seasons -- more cranberries and pumpkin at Thanksgiving; candy canes and wrapping paper at Christmas; fluffy bunnies and pastel eggs at Easter. During Passover in Israel the shelves also change -- unleavened specialty items pop up and plastic wrap covers all items containing chametz (leaven).  

This is the baking aisle. See what I mean? No flour or baking soda for anyone.

But if you're shopping in Israel, whether it's Passover or just a regular day of the year, then you'll eventually bump into a soldier. And most times they're carrying large backpacks or guns, or both. 

I think Cassidy finds the plastic-covered shelves more surprising than the IDF soldier carrying the M-16. Just one more reason you feel safe in the city -- no one's going to take your kid or your purse when guys like this are strolling through the grocery looking for matzah.

Resurrection and First Fruits

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." -Mark 16:1-7

This morning we awoke early, before the sun was up, and made our way to the Garden Tomb. We joined with hundreds of people singing songs of praise to the Risen One. We hope you take this day to celebrate the power of Yeshua's resurrection, His promise of Life eternal with Him and the love He pours out on us every day. 

But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the Firstfruits of those who have died. For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a Man. For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. But each in his own order: the Messiah is the Firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of His coming; then the culmination, when He hands over the Kingdom to G-d the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. For He has to rule until he puts all His enemies under His feet.  -1 Corinthians 15:20-24

The Israeli Palestinian Conflict: 10 Myths Preventing Peace

Happy Passover!

Purim Parties!

The weekend before Emmylou was born we observed Purim, as described in the book of Esther. Every year the Jewish people celebrate the day when G-d turned into good what the enemy meant for bad. At our Hebrew-speaking kehilah (congregation) everyone dressed up in costume, commemorating how Queen Esther hid her identity from King Ahasuerus. The traditional saying at Jewish festivals is "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat." 

We worshiped with lively music and dancing. It was powerful to sing "Am Yisrael Chai" (The People of Israel Live) with Jewish believers in Israel!

 The kids performed a puppet show/musical and the grown-ups read from the megilah (scroll).

As we walked to service at King of Kings Sunday night we saw these guys dressed up for the holiday. Little did we know the party hadn't even started.

At service the kids performed in front of the whole congregation, singing "I am not forgotten". They sang and did the motions and looked really cute in their costumes. Hearing them sing, "I am not forgotten, G-d knows my name" was a good reminder that even when things are hard He is always near, and never forgets us.

After service we went to dinner with some friends and then headed back toward the train. Outside of a little cafe there were a few people reading the Esther megilat, and leading them was this man, Daniel Boone hat on his head, Hebrew scroll in his hand.

As we approached Zion Square we heard fireworks exploding and loud music blasting. There were people everywhere, many of them in costume. They certainly know how to celebrate their victories!

We feel so blessed to be in Jerusalem to see the people G-d has saved time and time again, regardless of their faithfulness. He is the One that keeps up His end of the bargain, no matter what, and we should all rejoice that He is a covenant-keeping Creator. Let's all celebrate His faithfulness and power, knowing that what the enemy meant for bad, G-d turns into good! Chag Sameach! Joyous Festival!

Emmylou Achinoam

Our second daughter arrived Monday night at 9:05 after a smooth and quick delivery. The grace of G-d was very evident during the whole process -- the baby was never in distress, I was only in labor for three hours and she arrived into my arms healthy, pink and ready for love. We are so thankful for your prayers and care throughout this pregnancy and especially during the labor. Being part of a body so big and loving has made her arrival extremely exciting.

Throughout the last few months we talked through a handful of names we thought appropriate for our daughter. There was never a long list, which made it easy and difficult at the same time. At Yom Kippur we received a prophecy about our baby being a strong warrior and as I prayed about what this meant the L-rd gave me Revelation 9-12. Surely this child will proclaim a powerful message. There are few names for girls that carry the weight of "strong warrior" but when Tom turned to our list of names we gathered while pregnant with Cassidy he found Emmylou. At one point it was our #1 choice for Cassidy, but obviously we ended up not using it. 

Now we can see the leading of the L-rd: Emmylou means famous warrior.

Since I was not 100% in love with the name I asked the L-rd, repeatedly, if Emmylou was supposed to be her name. I heard YES every time. I began to bless her spirit by calling her Emmylou and I started to feel the importance of her name. Now that she is here she is definitely our Emmylou.

The middle name was also a process for us. We did not hesitate with giving her an "American" and somewhat old-timey name, fitting in with our other children, but felt it would be helpful for her to have a more Hebrew/Israeli middle name. Depending on where her Father leads her, she might end up back in Israel and if that is the case we want her to have a name she can use here that will fit more with the culture plus she was born in Jerusalem!

We had several options we considered: Tikvah (Hope), Simcha (Joy), Halleli (Praise). I kept coming back to something completely different -- Achinoam. I first heard this name at our Hebrew congregation and immediately filed it away for later use.

So what does it mean?!

My brother is a delight.

How do you say it?!

Ach- ee-no-ahm. If it's too much to gather phlegm for the Ach, it's ok to say it with a hard 'k' sound. The point is to connect with the eternal perspective that though her brothers are not here they are part of her life and part of her message. 

In the weeks leading up to her birth the L-rd spoke about her middle name. I like the previous names mentioned but none of them resounded in my heart as much as Achinoam (for obvious reasons, right?). Then about a week and a half ago, as I blessed her spirit out of Arthur Burk's book, Blessing Your Spirit With the Blessings of Your Father and the Names of G-d, I felt the stirrings of His timing and His will. The title of the blessing was "Used by G-d to Turn the Enemy's Plans Upside Down" and the scripture was Esther 9:20-22:

Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces 

of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days 

of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month 

when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. 

He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one 

another and gifts to the poor.

We just observed these events in Jerusalem on Sunday and Monday, the holiday called Purim, when young and old alike dress up in costumes, dance in the streets, feast like kings and give gifts of food to each other. It had not occurred to me that my due date was so close to Purim. The two seemed like such separate events. But in that moment of calling Emmylou's spirit to attention and blessing her to recognize that "the death of Jesus on the cross was not the end of something, but rather the beginning" I realized something. I asked Him about her middle name and He told me, no her name is not Hope or Joy or Esther. She is not your Hope, or your Joy. I AM. It is through her that I am giving you more hope and joy, but just like that blessing said, it is about Me. And in that moment I knew Achinoam, my brother is a delight, was the name. It connects her, and all of us, with the eternal perspective that we live this life for His glory, for His Kingdom, and whether we get to delight in our brothers now or when the King returns, it is all a delight because it's from Him.

And now that she is here, in our arms, we are delighting in His ways. Three and a half years after Zeke joined the Heavenly Army we now have another warrior for the Kingdom. And though Achinoam means a singular brother, it represents Zeke and Wyatt and every other loved one that has been called to prepare the way of the L-rd's return. 

A day in her life

Today is Cassidy's 6th birthday! This is just a typical walk to school, speaking Hebrew with Abba while the Orthodox family wonders who we are. In case it doesn't show up (I've been told it's not cooperating) here's a link. She's telling Tom how to ask, "How old is your daughter".

The L-rd Tests the Righteous

Psalm 11:5 - "The L-rd tests the righteous."

A Talmudic saying in response to this Psalm:

Why then should the sufferings be inflicted upon the righteous? The potter does not test the cracked vessel and the Holy One does not test the wicked, but the righteous.