Reflecting on 2013 and Growth in God - Somewhere in the Process

This is the last day of 2013. I think this year will not be remembered by me very much. It seems that not much has happened in my life. The Lord is always at work, even when we don't feel like he is. This is one of those seasons for me. I just feel kind of numb.

Distance separates me from many of my loved ones. Family lives far away and it is really hard to maintain closeness. How are we supposed to help each other with all of the distance? One son is going through a divorce. If only we were there to help? Grandchildren growing up not even knowing us. There are phones, but no one seems to use them to keep in touch. We just use them to play games.

My mother is elderly and suffers from Parkinson's disease. The best I can do is to call her everyday to let her know that she is thought of and loved. I am very thankful that my sister takes care of her, but miss them very much.

There is even distance with loved ones who live close. The society we live in is very much disconnected. People live very busy lives.

God sows his seed in our lives. It lays under the soil for a season while it is watered and receives sunshine. Then when the circumstances are just right, the seed sprouts. Still a balance of sunshine and water is needed to maintain growth. I have no clue where I am in the process. Most of the time I feel like I am in the soil receiving sunshine and moisture, but have not yet sprouted.

Anyway 2013 came and went, and I think I am happy to see it go. I pray that the Lord will give me direction and revelation in 2014 and that he will give it to you also. Without him in my life, I don't know where I would be.

Clean Clothes, Fresh Air, Sunshine, and Memories

This week my dryer stopped heating the clothes. This could cause a little bit of a setback for most of us. We all have grown accustomed to the conveniences of modern day appliances. A couple of years ago I asked my husband to put up a clothesline in the back yard. I bought the clothespins, but the clothesline never happened. I'm sure he thought we didn't need it, as we had a perfectly good working dryer. Well this week, it was a different story.

With Christmas in just a couple of days, fixing the dryer had to be put on hold. So, I took the opportunity to ask again about the clothesline. We have a dog kennel in the backyard that hasn't been used to cage dogs in a few years. That seemed to be the perfect place to put up a clothesline. So we went to Lowe's and bought the line.

Today I washed three loads. It was an absolutely gorgeous day in Southern California (mid 70's) and warm and sunny. We are extremely blessed to live in a place where winters are warm. They can get very cold also as we live in the desert. But today was warm and sunny.

Memories of former days of hanging clothes were brought to mind as I hung the clothes. My grandmom and my mom would hang clothes when I was a child. The fresh scent of sheets that had been hung outside was so nice. And hanging the clothes is a little bit of physical activity also.

It also brought back memories of when my own children were small. At one time, we lived in a two bedroom apartment (and there were seven of us). We didn't have much money and sometimes could not even afford to go to the laundrymat. So I would wash clothes by hand in my bathtub and hang them outside (between two buildings) to dry. Life was really hard back them, but the Lord brought us through.

So with that being said, I am very thankful. I'm sure we will get the dryer fixed, but today was full of sunshine, fresh air, clean clothes, and memories.

His Gift

With all of the people in this world
Why is there loneliness?
Just have to find purpose
in the small things that I do.

People will let you down
   but Yahuwah never will
Trust in Him alone and
    get out of the slump.

Holiday times are hard for many -
money is short and debt is plenty.
Why can't we focus on what
    is important?
Society tells us that gifts
    are the answer.

Gifts that we purchase
Will not bring the happiness
    that we are looking for.
Only Yahuwah can give
    what we need.
It can't be found in this earthly realm.

Look for happiness and shalom only in Him!

Pizzelle Making with My Daughter

Last night, my daughter and I made pizzelles (Italian waffle cookies). My grandparents were Italian and while I was growing up, they made pizzelles on a regular basis. My grandfather, Peter Melchiorre was an Italian immigrant. My grandmom, Rose, was born in the US. I have very fond memories of both of them.

I loved spending time at their home in the country in Malvern, PA. They lived just down the road from Valley Forge. I especially loved to eat the things that they cooked. Everything was homemade including spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, and apple pies (from the trees in their yard). I remember watching them make pizzelles with a long handled iron over the gas stove.

My Aunt Rita gave me the recipe from pizzelles. Last night as my 16 year old daughter and I were making them, it brought back so many memories. Hopefully for many years to come my family will continue the tradition of pizzelle making.

Remember that life is about making memories for your family, so that when you are gone, they will smile when they think of you as I smile when I think of my grandparents.

Fitting in With the Culture

The Culture
We hear so much about people trying to fit in
Why do they feel that they have to
Everyone is unique
Given personality traits and abilities

Children being molded to fit in with the culture
Not given the truth from the Good Book
Not given the opportunity to know Christ
Just being told to fit in to the culture

Sitting in classrooms on medication
because they have issues and need to adjust
Adjust to what? - I say
The messed up culture.

Melaleuca

Tonight we signed up with a company that sells health and wellness products. Who doesn't want to be healthy and well? The products are eco-friendly - no bleach and no harsh chemicals. They are so friendly that they do not need to be in childproof containers. There is no selling involved in this business and that is real good. All you do is buy your products from the company at discounted prices and tell your friends. So far the only product that I have tried is a minty antibacterial handsoap. This is an absolutely wonderful soap. Your skin feels great and the scent reminds me of a spa experience.

The products replace many products you would buy at Walmart etc. Soaps, laundry soap, vitamins, shampoo etc. You are already buying the products somewhere. They are delivered right to your door. And within the first 6 months, you receive $100 worth of free product. Wow! Who doesn't want that?

If you would like more info, just let me know.  We can learn together as I am new, but I will be happy to help!

A Mother's Heart

Frustration is sometimes so real.
You try to help, but they can't see
that you also feel.
Children get older but seem to not learn,
As a parent, was I too lenient or firm?

I'm not sure which is worse these days
The distance between us
or the part that it plays.
To know that, as a mom, I have done all that I could
To help you stay grounded
and yet you misunderstood.

You thought I was trying to control
your whole life.
"I'm an adult" you would say
and yet sometimes full of strife.
I honestly tried to give it my very best shot
and someday you'll realize when your
head is not quite so hot.

The love of a mother is there before you are born
It carries you through even when your life
 is broken and torn.
No matter where you go, my prayers are with you
and the love that I have will always be true.

Opportunity Knocks

Every day there are new opportunities
New doors to walk through
New faces to smile at
New places to go
New people to meet
and someone to bless.

Make the most of each day
Look for opportunities
Keep your eyes open
Do you see someone in need?
Perhaps with no coat
or no food?
You are the answer

God has given you his heart
His Spirit lives inside of you
Trust him today
to show you His Way

My Thanksgiving Day 2013

Did anyone else go to the stores last night? I tried it, but walked away feeling sad. I went to Target to purchase a tv (already knowing that if we hadn't stood in line for a long time, we wouldn't get one). 50" LED tv for $225 - Wow such a deal!

After having dinner at home, we finished at about 4:00 p.m. Thanksgivings are just not the same when you don't have family around. Our family is scattered across the US, so the only way we get to spend a holiday with family is to pay alot of money for airfare. We live in California. My sons, Tim and Chris, and their families live in Georgia. My son, Andy, and his family live in Colorado. My mom and sister live in Ohio. My dad lives in Las Vegas, NV. I have a daughter, Jenny, who lives in our city, but her man decided they would go to Las Vegas to eat dinner with a friend. So it was my husband (Pat), daughter (Bekah),  son (Steve), and myself. I had invited my father, but he did not choose to come. I did speak with all of those who are not local on the phone. Thank you Lord for phones. I even received a call from my cousin Eric in Pennsylvania.

It was overall a good day. The dinner was delicious and I really enjoyed cooking with Pat. We watched Nemo and Bill Cosby was on the Comedy Network. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Laughter is very good for the soul. It is something that we should do more often.

After we ate, everyone went their separate ways. Bekah upstairs to her computer. Steve left. Pat had to go to sleep as he had to be to work at midnight. I watched some tv and played mahjong on my computer.

In the age that we live in, I guess that you have to plan activities (like board games) or interactions will be very limited and shallow. Oh, and I failed to mention that the two kids that ate here (one 35 and one almost 16), did not offer much help. Families are not the same as when I was growing up. Maybe I am just not a good parent or something. Next year will be different. Possibly need to spend more time on a game plan, or just go out to eat somewhere else, or maybe invite some friends

So instead of just sitting around, Bekah and I went to Target (like I said earlier). Her boyfriend met her there. So there I was all alone doing something that I hate to do - shopping. I never saw them again in the store. All of the tv's were in someone else's cart. As I walked around the store watching all of the greedy people hoarding their great deals, it made my stomach hurt. There was a deal on pillows ($3.00 each). I put four of them into my cart. After looking around at all of the congestion in the store, my mind was changed about my purchase. A young couple was walking (with no cart) and had two pillows they were carrying. Heading back to the pillow area (to put my pillows back), I offered them my cart. They took the cart and two pillows I had left in it, and I was headed out of the store.

I saved more money than anyone in the store because I spent nothing! And for that I am truly thankful!

With a Thankful Heart

Sometimes I wonder, "Am I truly thankful?" When I was growing up, my Dad drilled it into my head that we need to be thankful. He grew up during the Great Depression, so I'm sure that his depth of thankfulness was greater than mine will ever be. He would tell us when we ate our dinner that we had to eat it all. During his youth I'm sure there were days they went without food, so he didn't want to see us waste a drop of it. He was always using the phrase "waste not want not." This would really get under my skin. But, in retrospect, his perception of daily food was totally different than mine was.

As an adult, I went through a time in my life where (with five children) food seemed scarce. If it wasn't for people helping my family to survive the day, we probably wouldn't have. God sends people to help you sometimes. My family made it through many hard times by the grace of God. My experience is not the same as my father's, but the Lord has taught me to be grateful and thankful for all that he has provided.

Most of all I am thankful to be part of God's family. He is my motivation! He helps me through every circumstance that I come across on my journey. He has blessed me with a loving husband, Pat, who I wouldn't know what to do without. He has blessed me with my six beautiful children, and 13 grandchildren. God's grace is sufficient for me, and I will live for Him.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Where is Your Focus?

Just pondering tonight how people's perspectives affect their beliefs. There are those who see everything as good and there are those who can find bad in almost everything. We are told in the Bible to think on the good things. Oh, we know there is evil all around us. It is all in what we choose to magnify. On the surface you may see a drop of water, but with a microscope you see a whole little world within the drop of water. It is teeming with life.

Over the last couple of years, I have allowed myself to be influenced by so many who only see the "bad" in things. Holidays that we celebrate have been dismantled in the name of "being right with our Creator." They go back to the pagan ways of every one of them. But yet, we are not celebrating the holidays like those they speak of  are we? Absolutely not. I do believe in balance in this life. After all, Jesus said we are in the world not of the world. If we find out that the things we are celebrating have their roots in pagan traditions, surely we should not engage in such things. But may we celebrate the birth of our Savior? Of course we can and we should.

God sent his son into this world to save us sinners, and for that we should be eternally grateful. So this year, whether you celebrate or not, keep your focus on the fact that without the birth of Jesus, there would be nothing for us to celebrate. It is not about Santa Claus, Christmas trees, etc. It is about God sending his son to earth as a baby, allowing him to walk among us, and carry our sins to a wooden cross, because he loves us so much.

We must choose not to magnify all that is bad, but all that is very good. Blessings friends.

My Tribute to Pastor Chuck Smith

Today one of my favorite pastor/teachers went home to be with the Lord. Pastor Chuck Smith left us so much on this earth. He was a constant in the body of Christ. His teaching of the Word of God was what drew so many to Jesus (Yeshua). His calm, gentle spirit brought peace to all who heard him.

In my younger days, when I had two babies (and was totally exhausted), I would tune in every day at 10:30 to listen to "The Word For Today." It was the most relaxing time of the day for me and on many occasions, the peace of the Lord would surround me. Also, when I had a hard time sleeping due to illness, just listening to Pastor Chuck brought a calm so I could sleep.

I will always be grateful for the ministry of Pastor Chuck. The Holy Spirit used Chuck to start one of the greatest works in the body of Messiah that I believe we have ever seen. His systematic teaching of the Word of God provided a firm foundation for those who were new to their faith. He will be greatly missed by so many. I pray that his family will be comforted through this very difficult time.

Trials Put Into Perspective

Yesterday, my family attended a church that is located near our home. It is a Foursquare Church as is the church that we are part of in San Bernardino. I so love these two churches. We usually drive approximately 70 miles round trip every Sunday to  attend services where we are part of our church's worship team and family. My husband and I love to worship and be in the presence of our king. The reason that we needed to attend service elsewhere this week is because our vehicles are having problems. One is in the shop for repair, a second one is old and has some battery issues. That leaves one running car with three drivers right now. So we attended church near home.

When we attended service, it was a given that we would worship our King no matter the circumstance. He is so worthy. While we were worshiping, a family came in and sat in front of us. This was a young family who had a beautiful baby boy. He was obviously handicapped (Down's Syndrome). This family worshiped the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with all of their hearts. The Daddy was holding the baby while he was worshiping. Somehow our little car problems were not so bad. It touched my heart to see them worship God together.

I though about the challenges that this family must face each day. The child was made by the hand of God, no matter what. At one point, the Daddy and Mom set him down on the seat, so that we were behind him with is parent standing in front of him. We all were raising our hands and singing to the Lord. The baby just kept looking up at me and I couldn't help but feel a connection in the Spirit. A couple of times, he raised his little hands to the Lord (as he was watching all of us do). I don't know what might have been going on in his mind, but I believe he was touched by the Spirit of the Living God.

Each of us has challenges in life. If we will put them in proper perspective, we know that they are all very temporary. Life is short Friends. What is important is that we live for God, follow Him, and love with the love of Yeshua (Jesus).

Posts in Passing

I have seen some of the blogs that people write, and I wonder. They seem so deep. Do people really like to read them? I try to keep mine super short just because people live such busy lives. Rushing here and there, eating fast food, no time to even digest what they are eating. We live in such a rushed society, so I guess I am trying to cater to those who live those kinds of lives. It is not necessarily good, but even so, I hope my posts serve as a reminder that the Creator of the universe is always there. Please give me some feedback if you like my posts.

Sukkot Concert

I had a wonderful night tonight with two beautiful women, Arlene and Gina, and one beautiful girl, Alona. Since I was not able to go camping for Sukkot, at least we were able to drive up the mountain to camp and see a concert tonight. Lev Shelo was at the camp where Shiloh Messianic congregation was camping. I even ran into my friends, Scott and Adri and their family up there.

Sukkot is the "Feast of Tabernacles." It is all about Yah sending his son Yeshua to tabernacle with us on this earth and to be our salvation. We are truly a blessed people. Sukkot is an eight day feast where the children of Israel dwelt in booths. It is believed by some that this was actually the time of Yeshua's birth. Nowadays, people camp in either tents or rv's, but it is a time of celebration and spending time getting to know your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

One thing comes to mind here - Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. There we were (all from different backgrounds) praising the Lord on the mountaintop. It doesn't get any better than that friends. This is a time to practice getting into his presence as that is what we will be doing for eternity!

Hobbies

I went to Hobby Lobby with my daughter this evening. Thumbs up to any store that is not afraid to play Christian music. I found it very refreshing to just browse through the posters and listen. After a very long day at work, it was just what the doctor ordered. We bought some yarn for one of the projects I am working on right now. Crocheting is one of my hobbies, until I get burnt out on it or my hands hurt too bad. I also make soap and soy candles. Everyone should have a hobby. That's what my dad used to tell me. When you get old, you will have something to do. I have seen what happens to some who get up there in years and have nothing that they enjoy doing. Oh, they watch tv, but that seems so very boring. So much better to find something that you are passionate about while you are younger and have it to fall back on later (when you are bored to death). Enough on my soapbox tonight. Have a blessed evening!

A Peek Into My Work Day as a School Secretary

Some days are just so complicated and difficult. Working in the front office of a public school these days can be very challenging. They actually expect you to get a great deal of work accomplished in a day. How I ask? At any given moment in the work day, there are multiple interruptions. You have the parents walking up to the counter with questions, questions, questions. And I am supposed to have the answers. LOL. Then there are the students with boo boos. It starts as soon as they get to school in the morning. They need bandaids or ice packs. Hurts that happen at home all of a sudden become important when they get to school. In they march to get just a little bit of attention. Maybe that's it. The parents are too busy or exhausted to give them just a little bit of tender loving care, so they come to the school office to get it.

Throughout the work day, people come and go. All of them have needs and we try to help them. Students with discipline problems are sent regularly to the office because they are unable to function in the classroom and need to be isolated. Parent volunteers sign in/out in the front office. When they come in, you don't want to appear rude, so you make sure to greet them. All the while, the work on your desk is not getting completed. And then there are the phone calls. On the average, the phone probably rings at least every 4-5 minutes. And each phone call lasts about 2 minutes. We are not only secretaries and attendance verifiers, but on more than one occasion during the work day, we become counselors. Phone calls come in and someone needs help on the other end of the phone with a situation involving their child. Sometimes we can give them insight regarding their situation and actually help and sometimes they just need someone to listen. At any rate, we are there for them. At times we are "friends of the friendless." For goodness sake, there are only so many hours a day to get my work completed. The day is getting away from me already.

Now on to my pile of work - there are supplies to order, purchase requisitions to create, payroll to report, suspensions, expulsions, discipline referrals, enrolling students, requesting student records, creating facilities requests, ordering catering for meetings, student attendance, writing tardy slips for tardy students, calling classrooms to give messages to children regarding how they are to go home after school or to let them know that their parent brought their homework, glasses, or musical instrument; creating notifications for air conditioners that are broken, numerous work orders throughout the day. At any rate, this list goes on and on. But how do we get the job done? By the grace of God. He is the source of our strength each and every minute of the day. Even on the hard days, he is there to help us make it through. And because we like each other. In my office, I have the privilege of working with some wonderful friends. I am ever so grateful for them. Thanks Lisa, Fontaine, and Marchetta. We are a great team! Wouldn't know what to do without you all!

Body of Messiah Must Function as One Body

So while I was on Facebook yesterday, there was one person who was questioning her friends regarding a pastor's ministry. This pastor is from the Hebraic Roots background and according to her she was questioning whether he was possible turning to Christian Roots. In other words, she felt that his message was too Christian. So, I posted that some of us who are Christian are happy that we are able to learn from this pastor. He has helped us so much to understand the Hebrew roots of Christianity. If you learn some of this, it puts Christianity into a whole different light.

Then the comments and attacks started by those who don't like the pastor. Even attacking me for the positive comments that I made. I just hid the comment where he told me, "Stephanie, pull your head out of your...." How rude. So today, as I was in a quiet time, I realized that we are all part of the body of Messiah. Sometimes in the human body, there are things that get out of whack. The Lord brought it to my attention that when the white and red blood cells are out of kilter, certain kinds of cancers grow. In the same way, the body of Messiah should not be so out of balance as to hurt other individuals who are part also. My ministry may not be your ministry, but we should at least build up and not tear down.

I pray that the body of Messiah will wake up and see the harm that is caused by this kind of hatred. I am almost positive that the persons who stir up this kind of strife must have been hurt in a church or congregation or by leadership. As it is said "hurting people hurt people." The person who posted the original post at least had enough wisdom to remove the whole post. I don't think she intended for it to go the way that it did. She is actually friends with the pastor she was referring to.

God's Feasts -- Should We Celebrate Them?

It is the end of another long week. It is also the Sabbath and a special one at that. This evening at sundown was the start of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). If you look at the Bible with clarity, the feasts that we now call the Jewish Feasts were originally God's Feasts. The only reason that they are called the Jewish Feasts is because the Jewish people have been the only ones to keep them. I am reading a book on my nook from Barnes and Noble called "Feasts of Faith - Finding Jesus in the Jewish Feasts." I am really looking forward to reading all about them. Over the past couple of years, it has been revealed to me by God's Spirit that these feasts are for us to celebrate also.

Yeshua (Jesus) celebrated all of the feasts. If we can learn about the feasts, and then study the life of Yeshua, I believe that we will get a better understanding of the days when he walked on this earth. He perfectly atoned for our sins, believers. And yet on Yom Kippur the sins that so easily beset us are read aloud and repentance should come. Even though we are followers of Yeshua, we still sin. It may seem legalistic or traditional to engage in the feasts, but there seems to be a richness that we just haven't been able to grasp here. I pray that the God who ordained these feasts will teach us more about his character through our observance of them. They are His feasts.

Prayer for a Family

Just thinking about how unfair it seems in this life. Working in a school, you see so many people. There are good people and some very questionable people. But when you see some of the good ones that you meet along the way go through so many trials, it hurts your heart. Today was not a good day for a family in our school community. I received a call from a teacher friend who shared with me that one of the parents of our children at school (the father) was killed in an auto accident this morning while one his way to work. The wife of this daddy is one of the kindest, sweetest people that you could ever meet. They have two young sons. One is four and the other is 7 or 8. This is so sad. I pray that the God of all comfort will be with them through this terrible time.

Automobile Maintenance/Spiritual Discipline

This morning a thought came to me. This thought has come to me before, but I thought it was worth noting. A person's spiritual life can sometimes be compared to how people care for their vehicles. Oh, my car is messy most of the time, but the care I am referring to is about what's under the hood. You are either going to maintain your car on a regular basis, or you will end up paying for repairs because of neglect. Simple enough!

In much the same way, our spiritual lives need to be maintained regularly. If we pay attention to such things as Bible study, prayer, worship, and fellowship, we are spiritually well fed. However, on the other hand, if we do not apply disciplines in the spiritual realm, we may be headed for a break down. I have 175,000 miles on my car which we purchased in 2008. It costs money to do the preventive things to care for it. Regular oil changes, tire rotation, transmission flush, fuel injector cleanings all add up. But without them, we may have already had the expense of purchasing a new engine. So it's kind of like the "pay as your go" plan or else the cost will hit you all at once.

So, I pray that this ministers to you today, and you will heed the voice of the Ruach (Holy Spirit). Pay attention to your spiritual life, my friends. Your faith will grow as you apply the disciplines to your life. The Father is speaking to me even as I am writing this, as I need to do better in these areas also.

My New Blog

I started this new blog because some of my posts on my other blog were more on a personal level. I would like to keep Spiritual Food for Hungry Hearts as my SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) blog. So this one will be for sharing my personal journey and thoughts. I pray that my life will be used to help others here on this earth. Our life experiences make us who we are. Each one of us starts out in life with a blank page. Daily, the Father is writing His Story on the page. Some places we walk through are happy places, some are hard places. The places we walk through, and how we handle the situations we are given, build God's character inside of us.

As believers in Yeshua, we can trust the Father every step of this walk. He will have his way. It is my job to trust him.

Pondering Today's Mother

We really live in a stress-filled society. Life is so very hectic. Running here and there. Working so hard that you can hardly breathe. Somehow I don't think this is the way it was meant to be. Women were really sold a bad bill of goods. Instead of staying home and taking care of our children, someone thought it a better idea to go to work to make more money. This way you can pay someone else to basically raise your children. But Yahweh gave those children to you - not to the caregiver that you pay so well.

Who suffers for this whole turn-around society? We all do. First of all, our children suffer. When I was a child, I was secure knowing that routines were daily. You went to school, then you had a snack when you got home. Homework was next. Practicing the piano for 1/2 hour daily was next on the list. Then there were chores to do. Last of all, there was play. Everyone worked together to keep the household up and running. But there was a Mom there to make sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible. This is not the way in today's world and we wonder why we have so many children who can't focus in school. Dah!

Then the mothers suffer also. They are burning the candle at both ends. We are trying to work a 40 hour week outside the home, and still keep up with chores in the home. Add a commute to the mix of an hour and a half daily. Who cooks dinner? Who makes sure the kids homework is completed?

But I must not dwell on the things that I cannot change.  I must focus on God and the many good things he has given to me. Life is hectic, but I am His child. He gives me rest one day out of seven. He fills my heart with his wonderful love. He has blessed me with an amazing husband and eight beautiful children. He has blessed me with 13 awesome grandchildren. And He gives me strength to make it through the trials of this life. What more could I ask for?