Are You Making Any New Year’s Resolutions?

Posted on January 1, 2022January 1, 2022 by Chris

I am ending this year with some fun. I do not make resolutions because I prefer to follow what God tells me, rather than the things I think I should be doing. I find things I decide to do are frequently are changed by God.

However, I know many people who do make resolutions, so I researched how often resolutions are successful.

After 1 week – 75% are keeping their resolutions.
After 2 weeks – 71%
After 1 months – 64%
After 6 months – 46%
After 1 year – 6%

While I was browsing websites to see how other countries celebrate the New Year, I found an excellent article titled The Jewish Way to Make a New Year’s Resolution at myjewishlearning.com.

Below is an excerpt from the article:

Ancient Jewish wisdom offers some sage advice for helping us attain our goals. A Jewish life, anchored in the rhythms of the year, can help us set benchmarks and assess our progress. While the Gregorian calendar marks only one new year’s, the Jewish calendar marks four such occasions. The flow of the year is literally built on the tides of renewal.

Here is what our tradition says about the four new years:

The four new years are: On the first of Nisan, the new year for the kings and for the festivals; On the first of Elul, the new year for the tithing of animals; Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon say, on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei, the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years and for the Jubilee years and for the planting and for the vegetables. On the first of Shevat, the new year for the trees according to the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof.

Have a blessed New Year or Years as the case may be.

It’s Time to Celebrate

Posted on December 25, 2021December 25, 2021 by Chris

Wishing everyone has a happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Chris

Another Step in the Writing Process

Posted on December 18, 2021December 18, 2021 by Chris

An update on my writing.

After a month of NaNoWriMo, I’m back to work on Jesus Gets Hand-Me-Downs, the story of the shepherd children bringing the Christ Child gifts.

Last Saturday, I had the wonderful opportunity to take pictures at the dress rehearsal of a children’s Christmas Program to use as the working cover for the first book of the Jesus Gets Hand-Me-Downs series.

If I had written this two days ago, I would have told you about the fun of working on this book for children and the sequel to Shattered Trust, my second in the series, at the same time.

But that changed yesterday. I had lunch with a dear writing friend. Over lunch, we thought up and developed the storyline and several fun details to include in the third book about Logan Taul and Margaret Martin. so, I’m now working on a set of children’s books (Jesus Gets Hand-Me-Downs), the sequel to Shattered Trust with a working title of Healing Shards, and the sequel to Healing Shards.

I really need to find something to do in my spare time (she said sarcastically).

I wish this was one of the pictures I took Saturday, but I do not have all permissions necessary to publish the pictures of the children. I hope to publish the temporary cover of the children’s books on the third Friday in January.

Checking off the boxes … or Not.

Posted on December 11, 2021December 11, 2021 by Chris

One Saturday evening, while in Israel, our group was invited to attend the last meal of Shabbat at the home of a friend named Jeremy. He is an orthodox Jew who teaches the Torah.

We walked to his home in the Old City of Jerusalem. The entrance is in what looks like a wall on a street too small for a car. There are walls with doors on both sides.

I didn’t take my camera because orthodox Jews believe no work can be done on the Sabbath. Also, the Jewish individual cannot ask someone else to work. Taking a picture is considered work. So is turning on or off any switches is considered work.

With all of us in the small apartment, it was getting too warm.

Jeremy started talking about the new air conditioner he installed and how he put the switch close to where one of our leaders, Marty, was standing. It took a little time, but Marty finally figured out Jeremy wanted the air conditioner turned on. Since Marty was not an orthodox Jew and was not specifically asked, he turned it on.

Throughout the excellent meal, Jeremy taught us about the various meanings of different actions.

At the end of the meal, sweet herbs were passed around. Shabbat, a special time with God was coming to an end. The spices were to help us deal with the grief of ending our time with only God and going back to our duties in this world.

That day, and many days since, I think about how easy it can be to be busy, rushing through my time of worship and prayer. I can then check off the box marked prayer and worship to go on to all the other things on my To-Do list.

There is nothing as sweet and wonderful as my time with God. And I am sad when that To-Do list pulls me away.

Since I couldn’t take pictures that night, I later purchased this bag of sweet herbs. There is no specific list of herbs used to ward off the sadness of leaving time with God. Lavender is one ingredient included in most mixes. I keep this small bag of herbs on my desk to remind me to slow down and focus on my prayer and worship time.

Menorah or Hanukkiah

Posted on December 4, 2021December 4, 2021 by Chris

Since we are in the time of the celebration of Hanukkah (ˈhä-nə-kə) (also spelled Chanukah or Hanukah), I think it is fun to look at a distinction between a menorah used in the temple and a menorah used during Hanukkah. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days starting on 25 Kislev on the Jewish calendar. This year that translates to November 28 – December 6.

The Menorah (mə-ˈnȯr-ə) was created under the leadership of Moses according to instructions in Exodus 25:31-40. It was carried as part of the furniture in the Tabernacle as the Hebrews wandered in the desert for 40 years. It was placed in the Temple when it was built by Solomon. It has been rebuilt by the Temple Institute which is creating the furniture to be placed in the Temple when it is rebuilt.

Please note the seven lamps. I cannot find confirmation for this, but I believe the seven lamps remind us of the days when God created the world and then rested.

When walking in the Old City of Jerusalem it is an awesome sight. You can get an idea of the size by looking at the people nearby in the picture. My response when I saw it was “Wow!

Hanukkah is the celebration of the time the Maccabees, led by Judah Maccabee and his four brothers, took back the temple from the Greeks/Syrians. The temple was cleansed. A consecrated oil was used in the menorah, but the Maccabees could only find enough consecrated oil to light the menorah for one day. A miracle occurred because the one-day worth of oil lasted for eight days during which more oil could be consecrated.

Hanukkah is the one Jewish festival not in the Bible because the events occurred during the time between the Old and New Testaments.

The Hanukkiah (hanukki-ah) is a modern term for the variation of menorah. It holds eight candles plus a helper candle which lights the rest. The eight candles represent the eight days the oil lasted until new oil could be consecrated. On the first day of Hanukkah, the helper candle is used to light just one candle. An additional candle is lit each night.