Preparing our Hearts

Today is the day I prepare for Shabbat [the Sabbath]. My anticipation arises with each passing moment because I can hardly wait to spend a whole day focusing on Yahweh.

But sometimes in my preoccupation with the external, I forget to focus on the internal. What I mean by this is that I need to be able to balance the two. A heart so focused on "self" cannot please our Heavenly Father.

This coming Shabbat, I'm going to be working on preparing my heart to meet Yahweh. I have many faults, believe me, I do. And though I'd like to say I'm living my life in a way that is pleasing to Yah, there's still much work left. I can be very prideful and selfish. Yes, Yahweh has helped me deal with those issue a lot these past few months of spiritual growth, but that doesn't meant I don't struggle. Every day is a battle. The flesh is weak, but the Spirit is strong.

So as we bake our challah, vaccuum our house, and change the sheets, let us not forget to clean our hearts and minds as well.

Abba-Father,

I come before you this morning with a heart seeking to do your will.

Please forgive me for my prideful attitude and for my selfish ways.

Keep me focused on You, Yahweh.

I praise You for the mercy and grace you extend to those who love you.

Thank you for your Word which is truth and thank you for the privelage of being able to observe your Shabbat.

Mold me and use me in whatever way you see fit so that I may be an example and a light to those living in darkness.

Amein

Home Educating With Confidence: A Review

I finally finished reading Rick and Marilyn Boyer's excellent book entitled, Home Educating With Confidence. I don't know why it took me such a long time to finish when the book was so good.

Despite being written in the 90's, HEWC is a true gem. It's actually one of the first books I ever picked up on the subject of homeschooling. At the beginning of my walk with Yahveh [God], I became fully convinced that educating my own (future) children at home would be the only option. Hence why I am taking the time to read and explore the many teaching options and methods out there.

In their book, the Boyers take the time to address nearly every issue having to do with home educating. There's a chapter for help with getting started, another for dealing with discipline, and even several dedicated to dispelling the stubborn myth regarding socializing.

Oftentimes, the Boyers compared and contrasted the modern school system with the homeschooling one, sharing from their own personal experience. Having been educated in government schools myself, I can attest to what they said as being true. The negative aspects of peer-oriented social development are a sad result of having attended both a private and public school throughout my years. By placing children in age segregated groups, you create a society that only knows how to relate to those in their same age group. What few people realize is how limited those kids are in choosing their companions.

Proverbs 13:20 says, "...a companion of fools will suffer harm."

I could expand more on the benefits of family-oriented socialization versus peer-oriented, but for the sake of time and space, I'll stop. The reason I feel so passionately about this is because I see the results and consequences produced by over dependence on peers rather than family. In my family, this has resulted in each person having their own seperate life. Satan loves breaking up families, and I believe one of the ways he does this is through the schooling system that has become the norm these days, even among believers.

I really appreciate the emphasis on family unity expressed by the authors throughout their book. Home educating can only be successful when the husband and wife are on the same page. Both need to have a vision for expanding Yahveh's kingdom through the raising up of spiritually minded individuals with a love for learning.

And as I like to tell my parents, anyone can homeschool their children. All it takes is determination and Godly wisdom. In my case, all it took for this conviction to form was the belief that Yahveh equipped the parents to educate their child. No outside source is needed. Afer all, why would you want your child to be educated by an unbeliever with unScriptural philosophies? Why would you want your child surrounded by peer pressure and unnecessary competition? It just didn't make sense to me!

Using excuses for your child such as, "He needs to get a taste of the real world," or "He needs to stop depending on us [the parents] so much" simply does not cut it.

I mean, whose standard are you living by? Whose philosophy are you adhering to? There's a reason why Yahveh created the family. It is through this God-ordained establishment that all our needs can be met. Satan knows this and that is why he is out to destroy the family through lies that seek to ruin their unity and thus rid them of any positive influence they can have on our God-less society.

I realize I am getting a bit passionate here, but I get really frustrated when people just don't get it. Why I say "people," I really mean believers. Very few families homeschool nowadays, and the ones who do seem to believe it is necessary to involve their child in every social activity possible. It's like we as a culture have this twisted view of proper socialization. Then we wonder why seemingly good "church kids" get involved in drugs and pre-marital sex.

But to get back to my book review, I'd like to mention that the Boyers did not write their entire book on socialization ;) In fact, most of its subject matter deals with ways in which they educated their own children. Topics such as spiritual training and curriculum are thoroughly discussed. Then to finish it up, the Boyers touch a bit on the subject of college. I was pleasantly surprised to read that their thoughts were quite similar to mine. They reject the notion that college is a necessary element for a proper education, but they don't completely reject it as an option.

Overall, I enjoyed reading through the authors' thoughts and experiences. Being the parents of 12 blessings, I think it is safe to assume they know what they're talking about. Just the other day, I checked out their website and found out that most of their kids are already married and have children of their own.

I look forward to reading more of the Boyers' books, having benefitted so much from this one.

Recent Ponderings I've Had

I've been thinking a bit about future hubby. I mean, are all my expectations for him realistic, or even fair? I've always had it in my head that the guy Yahveh chooses for me will come from a family with the same beliefs I have. But isn't that what we all want? Won't he have this same expectation as well? If he does, then that sort of complicates things.

Why do I say this? Only because the rest of my family does not have the same beliefs and convictions I have.

My dad likes to say that when you marry someone, you marry their family as well. I think that's very true. If I am to marry a Torah-observant believer with conservative beliefs, it's only natural that I'd want his family to share the same beliefs. But here's where I started to think. My parents do not understand my beliefs regarding many biblical subjects, therefore we are divided on most everything. So is it right for me to want to marry into a Torah-observant family when my own family does not fall into the same category?

Ultimately, what really matters is the husband's beliefs, but wouldn't it be so much easier to have the full support of his like-minded family?

I know Yahveh has the pen of my love story and it is up to Him to decide. Only He can fully answer my questions and worries. Until that time comes, I'll continue to rely on Him for my peace and joy.

But so many times, I find myself crying out to Yah, begging Him to send me my husband soon because I can't do this all on my own. It's hard enough being the only family you know striving for the narrow path. Now imagine being the only person in your family with different beliefs! I don't want to throw myself a pity party, but it can get lonely and frustrating at times. That's why I'm often accused of "obsessing over my future husband when I'm still way too young" (these are my father's words by the way). I mean, you can't really blame me! Standing alone is not easy, and it's only natural that I'd long for a like-minded companion. It's so easy to get discouraged, but I will not let myself go back. Once your eyes are open to the truth, returning to a state of ignorance is unthinkable. Yahveh has blessed me tremendously, and for that, I am forever grateful.

So, there you have it dear readers, I've let you glimse into my heart's ponderings. What do you think?

Shabbat is Almost Here!

"If you hold back your foot on Shabbat

from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;

if you call Shabbat a delight,

YHVH's holy day, worth honoring;

then honor it by not doing your usual things

or pursuing your interests or speaking about them.

If you do, you will find delight in YHVH-

I will make you ride on the heights of the land

and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov,

for the mouth of YHVH has spoken"

~Isaiah 58:13-14

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Boy, do I love YHVH's Sabbath!

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The morning before Shabbat is usually the busiest for me and occasionally, I don't finish everything before sunset. However, as each Sabbath came and went, I realized I needed to develop a better system. So nowadays, I begin to prepare as early as Wednesday. That way, I'm not a racing against the sun.

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Because neither of my parents are Torah-observant, it can get a bit complicated, especially on Friday evening. Traditionally, Shabbat begins with a big feast on the evening of. This involves the whole family coming together to say a special blessing. It's a beautiful event and one that I look forward to establishing within my own (future) family someday.

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Saturday, which is the 7th day Sabbath YHVH ordained since the beginning of time, is a day set-apart for the purpose of rest and holy convocation. As of now, I have yet to find a like-minded believer with which to fellowship in person. But I do praise Yah for the wonderful online fellowship I am able to enjoy.

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Apart from fellowship, I use the Sabbath as a time for reading the Scriptures and listening to audio teachings. That's not to say I don't do this throughout the week because I do, just not so in depth.

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As I continue to read and learn, I discover more ways to honor the Sabbath. Right now I'm at the beginning stages of this wonderful new walk with Yah. While it is true that truth divides, as has been the case with my own family, I am not without joy and peace. Yah has graciously looked after my every need and never once has left me alone.

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Well, it's nearly 3 PM and I still have a few more things to do before YHVH's day, so I'll leave off right here.

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Shabbat Shalom!

Woman of Valor

As I was browsing through a social networking site I'm a member of, I found this beautiful picture depicting the virtuous woman found in Proverbs 31. Right when I saw it, I knew I just had to share it with my readers. It would be lovely to have it framed and put up somewhere in my room.

If you click on the picture to make it larger, you'll see that each little image shows the woman doing everything described in this particular Scripture passage.

Isn't that beautiful?

May we all strive to be like the Proverbs 31 woman!

Loveliness is deceptive And prettiness is vain, A woman who fear YHVH is to be praised.

~Proverbs 31:30

A Tag

Thank you so much sweet Shani for tagging me! I love tags and had actually been hoping someone would tag me soon ;>)

Here's my chance to share a bit more about me with my readers...

1.) I've always had a special interest in the Middle Eastern culture, particularly their practice of arranged marriage. In fact, most of the friends I've had over the years have been of that nationality. A Muslim friend I occasionally keep in touch with had her marriage arranged at 17 while she and I were still in highschool together (I still remember when she announced her engagement to me on the bus!). Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to her wedding :(

2.) I have a dad who constantly bugs me about finding fellowship with like-minded believers here where I live. So if you are a Torah observant follower of Yahshua, or even someone with similar views, and you live in central Texas, I would love to meet you!

3.) Whenever I meet an equally quiet person, I'm usually the first to initiate and lead the conversation. It's like I'm finally given the chance to speak! Too many times, extroverts forget they have a living, breathing human being in front of them with thoughts and opinions of their own. Always having to be the listener is not the most fun!

4.) I love waking up early and have recently developed a habit of getting up at around 6:30 AM, even when I don't have to go anywhere that day. My favorite way to spend the early morning is by praying and reading the Word. There's usually no one up at that time, so I can really concentrate on the time I'm spending with Yahweh. Or, on really rare occasions, I might get up early to bake bread or some other yummy treat. It's just a nice habit to have, especially when it comes to married life because you can get lots of things done before your children or husband get up.

5.) I really dislike driving. It scares me so much! I think I wouldn't be so terrified had I not gotten myself into two accidents this past month. If Yahweh ever blesses me with a husband, he'll be the one doing all the driving.

6.) I am a people pleaser by nature. As a result, I find it extremely difficult to say no to anyone. Even if the task they ask me to do sounds unfair or unreasonable, I still agree to do it. I seem to have an intense fear of offending anyone...maybe I'm not the only one?

7.) I rejoice inwardly whenever I spot a woman wearing a long skirt or a headcovering. It's good to know I'm not the only crazy "extremist" out there who dares to go against the accepted norm. It's funny, but usually I spot these women at Wal-Mart.

Okay, so here are the rules if I tag you...

1. Copy the award into a blog post.
   
2. Thank the person who gave you the award.


3. Tell seven things about yourself that your readers don't yet know.


4. Declare seven bloggers as the new recipients.


5. Notify the winners with comments on their blogs.

I'd love to tag:

• Rachel
• Raquel
• Andrea
• Jade
• Katie
• Cora Beth
• Yah Kheena

Yahweh's Health Principles

As my study of Torah continues to grow, I discover many beautiful and profound truths that were previously unknown to me. One of these truths in the Father's wisdom in His instructions on living. Do you realize that every single command has a reason and a purpose that seeks to bring us good?

"How happy are those who observe his instruction, who seek him wholeheartedly!"

~Psalms 119:2

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I'd like to explore the dietary laws in this post and show how science has confirmed our Heavenly Father's wisdom.

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Leviticus 11 is where Yahweh defines what he considers to be food. Anything outside of this is considered inedible. Nowhere in the rest of Scripture do we read about these laws being nullifed. You see, prior to my understanding all this, I believed that when Yahshua or his apostles spoke on the subject of food, particularly meat, they were referring to all meat, even the unclean and abominable. But what I failed to look at was the context. Once I took that into account, my eyes began to open and I realized that Yahshua could not have rebelled against Yahweh's Law because that would have made Him a false Messiah.

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Today, we can use science to further confirm the Scriptures. In "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living" author Rex Russell writes, "God's laws work. The laws of science are consistent with the laws of Scripture. They are irrefutable."

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Of all the animals that Yahweh considered inedible, most are classified as scavengers, that is, animals who feed off of dead and decaying matter. Did you know that shellfish, which the Bible does not consider to be food, "...can be placed in a body of water that is contaminated with cholera bacteria, and...purify the water (Russell, p. 157)?" Imagine ingesting all that toxicity! Would a loving Father not want to protect us from this?

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We all know pork is not considered a clean meat in the Scriptures, so why eat it? Pigs are known to eat anything and everything. There's simply no stopping them. Due to the large amount of food going into their stomach, the passing of parasites and toxins going into their flesh is inevitable. And according to a statistic found in Russell's book, "...three of the six most common foodborne parasitic diseases of humans are associated with pork consumption."

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There is a common misconception surrounding Yahweh's definition of food in the Christian church today. And believing that misconception can cost you your health. True freedom, as many suppose, is not the eating of unclean meat, nor is it the ability to work on the Sabbath. True freedom is the enjoyement of life through adherance to Yahweh's instructions, which seek to protect us from harm.

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I rejoice in the way of your instruction more than in any kind of wealth.

~Psalms 119:14

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May we seek to obey Yahweh with all our hearts, moving forward in the faith.