Torahmobile

We celebrated 333,333 miles on our car today.  We bought our little green car (Saturn SL) about 15 1/2 years ago.  We bought it while we were still in college in Madison Wisconsin.  It only had 40 miles on it and it had a wonderful new car smell.  When we bought it, the car dealership took a picture of us, a picture we've carried around with us for a long time.

Fast forward to today, and our car is still driving along.  A lot of changes have happened since we first bought the car.  Chad and I both graduated college, we moved to many different states, had successful careers, had two wonderful dogs (George and Katie) that have already gone on to the Messiah's Kingdom and are waiting for us, gained a little weight, have gotten gray and white hairs, and overall, have had many growing experiences.  Our car doesn't have the new car smell anymore and when you're sitting inside, you'll hear a lot of road noise.  Over the years, we've eaten a lot of food in our car and have dropped stuff down into the corners of the seat, many of which are still there today because we were not able to reach that far down to remove it- most of it is petrified or on its way to getting there.  Because we had dogs who loved to go riding, there's lots of dog hair that just refuses to budge.  That's okay though, they bring back good memories of George and Katie.

Today, we reached the 333,333 mile mark thanks to the Messiah.  We went for a little drive in the country, and had a couple of burgers and a iced fruit drink as we waited for the mileage to turn over.  We wanted to stop and get a picture when we hit the 333,333 mark.  It was a perfect place that we stopped at- a little country road without a lot of traffic.  It was as if the Messiah picked the perfect spot for us to take our picture.

We call our car our little Torah-mobile - that's because we spent many hours driving around with George and Katie, listening to teachings about the Torah.  We like to think, that the Messiah smiled down on us while we did.  Thank you Messiah, for keeping our car running, despite some recent repairs we had to do on it, and for all the good memories we had and will continue to have in it for as long as You want to keep it running.

Madison Wisconsin, December 1997

Springfield Missouri, May 2013

A little country road

Herb Walk

Hello everyone!  Chad and I took an herb walk today.  I needed to find some herbs for my class so Chad and I went to the Springfield Botanical Center to look for them.  We walk this trail alot- in fact on Tuesday, we walked 10 miles on this trail.  It took us 2 hrs and 50 minutes!  I was tired.

 Here are some pictures of our herb walk today.  The weather was really nice and we had fun looking.  I'm not sure if I identified all the herbs right but I think the idea was just to get out and have the opportunity to look for herbs. I'm just so amazed with how creative the Messiah is.  There are so many varieties of plant life out there! 

Looking for a member of the Pine Family

I think this is clover which is part of the Pea Family

I'm so excited- I found a sample from the Grass Family!

Lovely roses

This reminds me of a dandelion 

 

How did that flower get out of the box?

Peonies smell so good and they are so pretty!

Matthew 6: 28-29 (NASB)

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Shavuot

Today is Shavuot! Thank you Yeshua for this wonderful day.  This was the day that Yeshua gave the Torah from Mt. Sinai many thousands of years ago and the day the Holy Spirit came in power to the followers of Yeshua.  It is also the day of Proclamation.  Have you proclaimed YHVH as the Elohim of Israel?  Have you proclaimed that Yeshua is the Messiah?  Think about making this proclamation on this day in particular- proclaim to someone or even just to YHVH that He is Elohim and that you follow His Son, Yeshua!  Happy Shavuot!

Psalm 150: 1-6 (KJV)

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

The 49th Day of the Omer

Today is the 49th day of the Omer.  Chad and I took a short walk today and then picked up a few snacks for this weekend.  This weekend is different in that we will have two Shabbats instead of one.  We wanted to have all our shopping done because we won't be able to go to the store until Shavuot is over.

Can you believe we are only one day away until Shavuot?  For those who have followed this blog to count the omer, thank you so much for taking this little journey with me and Chad.  I wanted to do something this year to help us count the omer without forgetting some days here and there, which usually ends up happening every year.  Not this year though!  Drawing a picture and posting on the blog really helped us to be mindful and I'm so grateful that you joined in with us.  I'll see you here tomorrow night, the beginning of Shavuot!

Psalm 148: 1-14 (KJV)

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.

The 48th Day of the Omer

Today is the 48th day of the Omer.  I'm still dealing with a stuffy nose, head, and dry throat.  At least my throat's not sore, which usually happens when I get a cold.  I'm going to spend the day just getting ready for the Shabbat and the High Shabbat that follows (Shavuot).  Stay warm and safe as you count the omer today!

Psalm 139: 1-18 (KJV)

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

The 47th Day of the Omer

Today is the 47th day of the Omer.  I have a sore throat, cough, and some slight congestion.  I don't think this is a cold though, but instead, something called a healing crisis.  A healing crisis happens when your body is getting healthy through exercise, diet, etc.  All the toxins are then released so that your body can get rid of them and you begin to feel sick.  I do hope this crisis does not last long.  I want to be out walking again!

The Messiah kept me from getting into a bad accident today.   I went to the store early this morning and as I drove back, a bus stopped ahead of me and I had to slam on my brakes - but my brakes did not work.  I continued to slide and almost hit the bus.  Praise the Messiah, I came very close to hitting it but didn't touch it!  Chad and I had the car taken into the mechanic who replaced all our brakes two weeks ago and they said there was a clamp near the brake line that had come loose.  They said this was a very rare occurrence, something they had only seen once before twelve years ago.  This brake failure could have resulted in a very bad situation, but Yeshua protected me and kept me perfectly safe in His arms.  Thank you Yeshua!

Even though I'm coughing, congested, and blowing my nose, I will continue to count the omer!  It's only days away to Shavuot!

Psalm 130: 1-8 (KJV)

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

The 46th Day of the Omer

Today is the 46th day of the Omer.  Chad and I decided to take a break from walking today to give our legs some time to recover.  I don't know if my body was just in shock, but I could not fall asleep until about 5a.m. this morning and then I woke up at 7a.m.  I think my body was confused and didn't know what to do after such a long walk.

We're planning on walking again tomorrow, probably only for a mile or two or maybe four!  We'll see how we feel then.

Are you getting excited?  It's almost Shavuot.  Aren't you glad you've been keeping up with counting the omer?  I know I am.

Psalm 128: 1-6 (KJV)

 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

The 45th Day of the Omer

Today is the 45th day of the Omer.  Chad and I did something today that we are both proud of.  We talked 13.2 miles.  Half a marathon is 13.1 miles, so that means we walked a tiny bit more than a half marathon.  Can you believe it?  I nearly can't.  We actually intended to try this tomorrow morning, but I wanted to get this over with so we started today, at 12:10 p.m.  We walked until 3:50 p.m.  That's a lot of walking.  For the most part, it wasn't bad until the last two miles, which were very hot because the trail took us away from the trees, which provided the shade for most of the walk.  The temperature was warm- sunny in the mid 70's.  Even though we both felt completely exhausted afterwards, we were both pretty happy that we did this.  To celebrate, we each got an espresso ice-cream and a cheeseburger.  Not the most healthiest meal, especially after such a long walk but we really wanted to reward ourselves.  We are grateful that the Messiah kept us safe on the walk, no injuries or accidents, and most of all, no passing out, which is what I wanted to several times today.  Even though we are exhausted, we will still count the omer.  Only five more days to go!

Psalm 112: 1-10 (KJV)

Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

The 44th day of the Omer

Today is the 44th day of the Omer.  Chad and I went for a seven mile walk today.  It was sunny, but a little breezy, which kept us warm and cool at the same time.  After, I went to the store to buy some sunblock, a small backpack, and some white t-shirts for Chad.  He's been wearing his light gray ones, but they are really starting to wear out.  The white ones I got him were on sale so I bought enough to last him if I don't get to the laundry for a few days.

We've been trying to build up our walking endurance.  I'm surprised how well we are doing.  I don't know if we'll be able to do it, but we are thinking we might keep adding a couple of miles every week, if we are able to.  Walking is such a great exercise and I get to do all the things I love: spend time with Chad talking his ear off, watch the birds, squirrels, ducks, and geese, and lose weight in the process.  Besides, it's free!  As you exercise, remember that you can count the omer while you are working up a sweat!

Psalm 111: 1-10 (KJV)

Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.

 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.

 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

The 43rd Day of the Omer

Today is the 43rd day of the Omer.  I hope you all had a nice and restful Shabbat.  Chad and I did.  We have already had dinner this evening and will spend the rest of the night just hanging out together.  Tomorrow, we plan on going for a seven mile walk.  That means I should get to bed fairly early tonight.  It's hard to go to sleep early though when I have lots of books I'm trying to read.  Besides knitting in the evening, I love to read.  There's a large stack of library books that are sending me a challenging look as if to say, "Read me already!"  We are now in the single digits for counting down the omer.  Keep going, you're almost there!

Psalm 106: 1-5 (KJV)

Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

 Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

The 42nd Day of the Omer

Today is the 42nd day of the Omer.  Chad and I went for a four mile walk today.  Afterwards, we went for some coffee and a little drive out into the country and saw the Amish.  I really enjoy seeing the Amish.  They seem to have such a simple and uncomplicated life.  I know that in reality, they all have issues; they are human aren't they?  It just seems that they have chosen a much simpler, less complicated way of looking at the world and living in it without becoming a part of it.

This simplicity makes me think of the Messiah's Kingdom.  I can't wait till we are with Him forever.  Just think, we will live exactly as He always intended for us to live, and we will get to see Him everyday with our very own eyes.  Everything about His Kingdom will be about Him. All of life will be about Him and everything will point to Him.  Can you think of a more perfect place to be?

 I often daydream about the day when I go to coffee with Him.  I wonder what He would order?  Perhaps a mocha or a latte?  And maybe He will king-size it!  Just think, wouldn't it be wonderful to have written down on your day planner, "Coffee with the Messiah today!!!!!!'  Doesn't that make you want to sing with joy?  With a joyful and anticipating heart, count the omer!

Psalm 105: 1-8 (KJV)

 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

The 41st Day of the Omer

Today is the 41st day of the Omer.  I had a doctor's appointment today and Chad went along with me.  I had to fast so that they could draw my blood.  When I saw the doctor, he gave me good news.  All my blood levels were excellent.  Also, I kept the weight off that I had originally had three months ago.  Chad and I have been following the SCD diet and have increased our exercise.  It looks like it's working for us.   Thank you Yeshua!  I'll continue counting the omer while Chad and I get healthy!

Psalm 103:1-22 (KJV)

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

The 40th Day of the Omer

Today is the 40th day of the Omer.  Chad and I went to a shoe store and bought a pair of tennis shoes.  I bought Saucony and Chad bought Asics.  We're hoping to do a lot more walking during the summer.

 Can you believe that we've made it 40 days in the counting of the omer?  We are getting near to Shavuot!  Don't grow weary- keep counting!

Psalm 100: 1-5 (KJV)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

The 39th Day of the Omer

Today is the 39th day of the Omer.  Chad and I took off for our walk today.  Instead of doing 5 miles, we actually did 8.  The weather was wonderful and it felt so good to walk, we just continued on.  We did pretty good, despite the fact that we didn't take any water with us.  We think that we probably need to get better shoes - tennis shoes instead of hiking shoes.  Probably sometime this week, we need to stop in a get a pair each.  I'm leaning towards Saucony - one of the brands that I had in basic training.  Hey, I just thought of  a neat little phrase, "Keep fit and count the omer!"

Psalm 96: 1-13 (KJV)

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

The 38th Day of the Omer

Today is the 38th day of the Omer.  Chad and I walked two miles earlier this afternoon.  Tomorrow morning, we are planning to do a five mile walk.  We did 4.25 miles last week so we think we should be up to the task of going to five.  The weather should be nice for it tomorrow.  As you go about your daily exercise, don't forget to count the 38th day of the Omer!

Psalm 95: 1-7 (KJV)

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice.

The 37th Day of the Omer

Today is the 37th day of the Omer.  I came a long way on knitting my sock.  I had turned the heel and was beginning to work on the gusset when I found out that I was doing the SSK stitch wrong.   I had to froggit- which means in non-knittng terms that I had to rip the whole thing back.  Ouch!  I almost cried.  But that's okay because I am re- doing the sock and I think that this time I was careful about not laddering and overall it looks much better!  I can't wait to show them to you when I'm done.  Of course after my first sock, I still have to knit the second one and when they are both done, I'll post the picture here on the blog.  Do you think I can knit and count the omer at the same time?  Give it a try and see if you can!

Psalm 94: 12-23 (KJV)

 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law;

That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

 For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.

When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

 But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.

The 36th Day of the Omer

Today is the 36th day of the Omer.  I am trying this week to finish up a couple of book reviews for my natural health assignments.  I am taking a natural health program via distance education.  There are three parts to it.  I have already finished the first part. I am now on the second part, which consists of 40 assignments.  Along with some of the assignments, I have to read some books on natural health and submit book reviews.  That's what I plan to be doing this week.  I should be busy!  Even though we all may get busy with life, try to make some time to count the omer!

Psalm 93: 1-5 (KJV)

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

The 35th Day of the Omer

Today is the 35th day of the Omer.  Chad and I had a lovely dinner tonight- zuppa toscana soup (made with potatoes, garlic, onions, kale, turkey bacon and turkey sausage).  We also had some spiced wine and some almond flour banana bread for dessert.  Its been cold and snow/rain has been falling for much of the day.  It's nice being so safe and warm inside, enjoying the Shabbat in my fleece pajama pants and t-shirt.  How wonderful of the Messiah to give us the Shabbat- a day to rest and enjoy Him and others!  I think I'm going to cuddle in bed tonight and spend some time reading.  That's a very restful thing for me to do on Shabbat evening.  As you stay warm and enjoy the Shabbat, you can count the omer and remember the Messiah!

Psalm 90: 12-17 (KJV)

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

 Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

The 34th Day of the Omer

Today is the 34th day of the Omer.  It snowed last night and it was chilly this morning.  Chad and I went for a quick breakfast sandwich together today.  Right now, I am busy trying to get ready for the Shabbat.  I'm running around with lots to do- cooking, baking, and cleaning.  I hope you have a wonderful Shabbat and don't forget to count the omer!

Psalm 78: 56-72 (KJV)

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

The 33rd Day of the Omer

Today is the 33rd day of the Omer.  Chad and I went to Stanton to tour the Meramec Cavern, the largest commercial cave in the state of Missouri.  The drive took about 2.5 hours. The tour was a walking tour and took about 1 hour and 20 minutes.  The tours leave every 30 minutes and we only had to wait 10 minutes before our tour started after we bought our tickets.  The cavern was a huge and the temperature was cool.  Even though it was warm outside, we put on sweaters and wore jeans because the temperature is an even 54 degrees all the time.  The cavern was well lighted and there were handrails along the whole trail.  We were guided by two rangers, one of whom was in training.  The cave formations were incredible - the stalagmites and stalactites along with the natural river that ran through the cave system were really beautiful.  An interesting bit of history - Jessie James and his gang hid out in the cave, and alluded capture because they knew of a secret way out.  Also, Union soldiers used bat guano from the cave to make gunpowder for during the Civil War.  The back section of the cave has bats, but they generally don't come into the area where the tours are taking place.  One thing I thought of today - even if you're in a cave, you can still count the omer!

Psalm 78: 40-55 (KJV)

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.