Ministry Focused...

Well, this week I have been working to become more organized and focused on the ministry that YHVH has given me. I've written the first draft to an article that I'll be publishing either later this week or early next as well as worked on finishing up everything I can on the legal paperwork. That will hopefully soon be done. Now, to finish up the PowerPoints to go with the presentations I have so far, wrap up the planning for the women's retreat, write my winter newsletter, get better at having a Facebook presence, fund-raise, and begin recording for my upcoming internet shows! That wore me out writing that; however, I know this is what YHVH has given me to do. Not that I don't want to get married someday soon, but I know that as a single woman I need to be making the most of my time...and then even when I marry, I can still have a ministry...just may have to be structured differently. But I'm trusting YHVH and His timing! I'll keep focused on Him and serving Him until that time. :)

Monday, Gaga had his annual check up with his neurologist to check on his Alzeihmer's. They do 2 mental capacity tests. One remained the same, the other fell 64% which was not good. We've noticed that he's getting frustrated more...and has some days that are more clear...and others not so good. He has done well through the loss of Nana...but we know that could not have been easy on him. We got Taco Bell and took that in to the nursing home to eat. Yesterday, we were able to get his lift chair repaired. The remote had gone out on it, so that was an easy fix! Then yesterday and today, Momma and I have gotten a lot done around the house and began preparing for our Shabbat gathering of which I cannot wait. :)

Black Friday Shopping

While my family does not celebrate Christmas due to it's pagan origins and instead follow what Scripture commands (celebrate the 7 Biblical Feast Days), Black Friday is a good day to pick up some deals on items that you need. Walmart had what I was in need of - a nice camcorder for my ministry to be able to record videos for YouTube. It was normally $160, yet it was on sale for $99. It went on sale at midnight on Thursday, so we headed for Walmart late in the evening and got there at 15 till 12. It was CROWDED!!!! However, after asking a few people for help, I found the display for the camcorders I wanted. They only had twelve. All of the displays were still wrapped in plastic and would be ripped open at midnight. I asked the gentleman standing there watching over the display if he could turn one around in order for me to read the specs on the back and make sure this was the one I wanted. He not only did that, but he took it out and allowed me to easily read it before putting it back. When they started ripping open the displays, he ripped that one open and handed me the first one as we had been there politely talking with him while waiting. I was then looking for some memory cards. I asked people had they seen them, and they kindly directed me to them. It was interesting to me to see how pushy and shovey people were towards other yet they treated me with respect. Why? My mom and I were the only ones wearing skirts and headcoverings. That was very interesting to me. And I had a successful shopping trip - got the camcorder, the memory cards, and the board game I was after!

We got home around 1am and went to bed! The next day, Daddy went and got a few things he wanted from Dick's...while Momma and I stayed home and got ready for Shabbat. We then listened to Mike Clayton and Monte Judah. Shabbat morning, we listened to Eddie Chumney while I ran his PalTalk room. Then that night, Momma and Daddy ran their paper route while I talked with my "lil' sister" Laura which is our Saturday night tradition! Today has been a good day getting a lot done - fixing a skirt, cutting out a jumper, answering e-mails, meal planning for Shabbat, preparing herb orders, etc. Now it's time for supper!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow! My mom knows how to cook a feast! We had turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, apple banana salad, and pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream. Everything was from scratch and as fresh as possible. The pumpkin pie was from fresh pumpkins...and the sweet potato casserole was from fresh sweet potatoes. I enjoyed eating some of everything and yet did my best to not overeat. We are enjoying some good family time - eating, checking out the "Black Friday" sale ads, and now playing games. So a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to you! And did you realize that the first American Thanksgiving was really a Sukkot celebration???

Davidic Dance!

Shabbat was so relaxing. We listened to Eddie in the morning, then we enjoyed hearing Mike Clayton in the afternoon. It is so good to have him back after his "shabbatical" where he took a year off. If you have not had a chance to hear him teach, please check out his ministry - Joined to HaShem Ministries. I've had the opportunity to meet and work with him in person as well as work with him and his delightful wife, Kathy...and their youngest son, Daniel. Their entire family has such a love for serving YHVH!

Then on Sunday afternoon, I went to a Davidic Dance Camp taught by Ralph and Mindy Seta. Mindy does most of the teaching and was a very good teacher. She has a bit different style than I'm used to since all the dancing I've learned has been from Camp Yeshua/Ann Judah. I like the Camp Yeshua style more-so as 1. I'm used to it and 2. It is more general footwork versus working in more clogging/tap dance type steps. But it was great to learn a new version as well. And Mindy has such a heart for worship.

Yesterday was my every other week house cleaning job, so it was good to be up moving and work out my soreness from dancing! Then I got a lot done yesterday afternoon. Now today, Momma and I made a batch of cookies for Thanksgiving as well as worked on a few things around the house and sold a few items we had listed on Craigslist. We're off to see my Gaga now...so talk with you again soon as my goal is to get back to blogging twice a week now! :)

Family First...

Sorry for not being as faithful at blogging these past couple of weeks. I've been focusing again on balance of computer time and family time...and of course family comes first. :)

The week before last, my parents and I got to go up to Holmes County for Thursday and Friday. We had to go up and get chicken feed, but we decided to take some family time. We were able to get a hotel room using our points from our credit card rewards...then we packed our meals...so we ended up with no cost except for our gas which we were going to spend anyway to get the feed. We got to check out Lehman's, the thrift store (where I found a skirt for $2, a beautiful tea cup and saucer set with roses on it for 50 cents, and a book by Larry Burkett my favorite financial author for 10 cents!), the antique mall, and so much more! We figured out that we had not been off as a family and stayed overnight in at least 2 years! We really needed this special family time after all the changes that our family has been through this late Summer/Fall.

This past week was a normal week at home for our family busy getting a lot done. Now, we are enjoying a nice relaxing Shabbat as a family...

Holding Pattern

This was my daily encouragement from E-mail Ministry, and it was really encouraging...so I wanted to share it!

Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in

our life to "swallow us up." This season in our spiritual growth is a

holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do is

sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have our

undivided attention and speak to us. God put Jonah in a holding pattern

because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no

friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat,

no interference, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit, think,

meditate, and pray.

When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to

us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about

ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.

A Few of God's Holding Patterns:

1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed but God has

not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern

2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put them on

the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a holding

pattern.

3. When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and they have

not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.

4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to God,

but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.

5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a

holding pattern.

When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no

interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit, think,

meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no Mountains

that are high enough, valleys low enough, rooms that are dark enough, or

places that are hidden enough from Him. We must remember to praise Him while

we're waiting and remember three things:

1. The pattern has a purpose.

2. The pattern has a plan.

3. The pattern has a process.

So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep you

right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love you."

Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know You Love me and will turn

anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but victories

and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path. Amen

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance

between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand

up to anything.

-- Author Unknown

Good Week...

This past week was a good week. I had a couple of days where I struggled emotionally, but YHVH reminded me that He was there, it was really about walking by faith even when it doesn't all make sense, and that my Momma and Daddy love me! :)

Yesterday afternoon, we needed to run some errands, so we all went as a family. It was the most fun I've had since Sukkot, and the best family time we've had in a long time. We went and looked at bikes, got groceries, went shoe shopping, and ate supper out! It was such a nice time. I even finished tying my last tzitzit order to be done after Sukkot as I had come back to quite the pile of orders to do! :)

Today, we got the house cleaned before noon, the paper route done, and everything ready for our Shabbat Gathering tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.