Week 2, Day 2 - Gevurah of Gevurah - What, More about Discipline?

I will definitely make this post short and well probably not too sweet, ha!  I am very tired and it is getting late.  Not only that, but my husband had a death in his family today, so we will be involved in family events for the next couple of days also.  Please keep us in your prayers as it was an unexpected death.

Gevurah of Gevurah (discipline of discipline), hmmm?  How does one define that concept?  Well, how do you define your discipline?  Don't think about it in the way you discipline others, but in the way you discipline yourself.  Think about how you use your time, money, resources, etc.  Are you wasteful or perhaps you are stingy?  You see, discipline is a good thing, but you can have too little discipline or too much discipline.  Have you heard of those people who refused to use electricity to save money and then froze to death after which you found out they were millionaires?

Let each of these sink in........I will have to do the same.......believe me this one is a difficult one for me as I am on one end of the spectrum and my husband on the other!  Until tomorrow, Shalom!

A New Week in the Counting and a New Concept!

I have said this so many times in my posts, but it seems that God brings the situation into my life I am writing about and this past week was no different.  In fact, this post is no different.  This post is extremely difficult for me, because the situation is very close and personal.  In fact, if this were pen and paper instead of a computer screen there would probably be tear stains on the words.  It is so personal I can not share the situation, but believe me it has everything to do with today's counting concept.

Over the past week we have talked about the different aspects of love, but now we will talk about the different aspects of discipline or boundaries.  Our first day of this week's counting of the Omer is Chesed of Gevurah or Love in Discipline.  (We could also call it Love in Boundaries as well.)  We have talked about unconditional love and how that kind of love does not mean love without boundaries.  Unconditional love means I will always love you, period.  You can not earn it or do anything to lose it, but because I love you there must be boundaries for your best interest (and since we are human, mine as well).  Let me give you a really good example:  have you ever picked up a baby or small child that you just adored and hugged them so tight you squeezed and squeezed and thought you could just squeeze them tighter, but you knew you couldn't or it could cause injury or death?  That is unconditional love with boundaries - for the baby's best interest (and yours since you probably don't want to spend the rest of your life in prison).  You have to put boundaries on your love or you will cause harm to that child.  To just say I love you unconditionally without setting boundaries may give the other person license.....do you understand?

Now back to today's counting.  Chesed of Gevurah is the opposite.  Do we set boundaries without love in the mix?  Do we discipline without enough love involved?  Love should always be the motivating factor in our discipline or the setting of boundaries.  If we are helping someone else to see their "faults", are we using love or just judgment?

Let me give you this quote as a guideline.  Although it isn't from the Bible or a Jewish publication I think it is a great guideline to use in this area.  It was given to me by one of the most precious people in my life.
             "If its very painful for you to criticize your friends, you're safe in doing it.  But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue."  Alice Duer Miller

Until tomorrow, Shalom, my friends.

Malchut of Chesed - Mature Love

It is the end of week one of the counting of the Omer and I it seems as though every aspect of love has been challenged in my life this past week.  This one, is especially difficult for me since I seem to be in the throws of a mid-life crisis.  I did not choose a career path when I was young, but chose to become a wife and mother instead.  That choice has left me at a crossroads now that the nest is empty.  I am finding myself looking for my place of belonging.  "But you are a wife and mother!", you say.  Yes, I am, but my husband is content to come home from work and either watch television or work in the yard.  My oldest son lives four hours away and I see him only a couple of times a year.  My youngest is still in college and who knows where he will end up after graduation.  His goal is to become a high school band director, so he will have little time to spend with extended family.  I am just not one to sit in a chair and watch television for hours (can't stand to watch it for an hour!).  I have to feel as though I am doing something that makes a difference in my world and I feel very unfulfilled at the moment.  Can you see where I am coming from?

A Malchut of Chesed is the kind of love where you can with peace look at your love and know that you are making a difference with the love you are showing.  You do not have to be elderly or even mid-life.  You can be 20 and know this feeling.  It is a regal kind of love.

This love is also one where you build up others or where you are built up by others.  If someone you love, and who says they love you, is always breaking your spirit this is not love.

Do you use your place in this world to build up or tear down?
Are you allowing someone to tear you down?

Tomorrow evening begins week 2 of the Counting of the Omer.  Are you ready to move on?  Until then, Shalom!

Yesod of Chesed - The Foundation of Love: a cross and a resurrection!

It is day 6 of the first week of the counting of the Omer and also the Easter celebration is coming to an end.  I hope you have enjoyed the celebration of the resurrection of Yeshua with your family!  I want to use this post to give you some great insights from the Word about the crucifixion and resurrection that you possibly have never heard before.  I believe these insights will strengthen your faith and give you more cause to delve into the Word of HASHEM with greater depth.

The first thing I want to show you is something Yeshua said while hanging on the cross.  I need you to understand something here.  When the Gospel writers were penning their words, there was no such thing as chapter and verse separation markings in the Torah, Prophets or Writings; therefore whenever they needed to mention a section of scripture they simply mentioned the first few words or lines of that particular section.  I will give you an example from our times.  We do the same in a way when we refer to "The Lord's Prayer" or "In a moment in the twinkling of an eye".  This is what is taking place in many, many portions of scripture in the New Testament.  It is especially true in the Gospels.

I want to take you to Matthew 27:46.  I, along with you most likely, have been taught all my life that Yeshua felt abandoned by His Father when the sky darkened and all the sins of the world were laid on Him.  I guess that is possible, but when Yeshua quotes "Eli, eli, lama sabacthani", He is saying  more than just that phrase.  Matthew is only giving us the reference line to the scripture Yeshua quotes in its' entirety.  The scripture is actually Psalms 22.  I am going to print the chapter entirely here and I want you to read EVERY word of it.  Never skip over a single word in scripture, for every word has a purpose!  If you keep reading my blog you will come to understand the importance of that statement.  So, here is that scripture and pay attention to what Yeshua was actually saying while hanging on that cross!  It gets interesting!!!!

1. For the conductor, on the ayeleth hashachar, a song of David.		א. לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד:
2. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [You are] far from my salvation [and] from the words of my moaning.		ב. אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי רָחוֹק מִישׁוּעָתִי דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי:
3. My God, I call out by day and You do not reply, and at night I do not keep silent.		ג. אֱלֹהַי אֶקְרָא יוֹמָם וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה וְלַיְלָה וְלֹא דוּמִיָּה לִי:
4. But You are holy; You await the praises of Israel.		ד. וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
5. Our ancestors trusted in You; they trusted and You rescued them.		ה. בְּךָ בָּטְחוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ בָּטְחוּ וַתְּפַלְּטֵמוֹ:
6. They cried out to You and they escaped; they trusted in You and they were not shamed.		ו. אֵלֶיךָ זָעֲקוּ וְנִמְלָטוּ בְּךָ בָטְחוּ וְלֹא בוֹשׁוּ:
7. But I am a worm and not a man; a reproach of man, despised by peoples.		ז. וְאָנֹכִי תוֹלַעַת וְלֹא אִישׁ חֶרְפַּת אָדָם וּבְזוּי עָם:
8. All who see me will mock me; they will open their lips, they will shake their head.		ח. כָּל רֹאַי יַלְעִגוּ לִי יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה יָנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ:
9. One should cast his trust upon the Lord, and He will rescue him; He will save him because He delights in him.		ט. גֹּל אֶל יְהֹוָה יְפַלְּטֵהוּ יַצִּילֵהוּ כִּי חָפֵץ בּוֹ:
10. For You drew me from the womb; You made me secure on my mother's breasts.		י. כִּי אַתָּה גֹחִי מִבָּטֶן מַבְטִיחִי עַל שְׁדֵי אִמִּי:
11. Upon You, I was cast from birth; from my mother's womb You are my God.		יא. עָלֶיךָ הָשְׁלַכְתִּי מֵרָחֶם מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי אֵלִי אָתָּה:
12. Do not distance Yourself from me, for distress is near; for there is none to help.		יב. אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי כִּי צָרָה קְרוֹבָה כִּי אֵין עוֹזֵר:
13. Great bulls have surrounded me; the mighty ones of Bashan encompassed me.		יג. סְבָבוּנִי פָּרִים רַבִּים אַבִּירֵי בָשָׁן כִּתְּרוּנִי:
14. They opened their mouth against me [like] a tearing, roaring lion.		יד. פָּצוּ עָלַי פִּיהֶם אַרְיֵה טֹרֵף וְשֹׁאֵג:
15. I was spilled like water, and all my bones were separated; my heart was like wax, melting within my innards.		טו. כַּמַּיִם נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי וְהִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל עַצְמוֹתָי הָיָה לִבִּי כַּדּוֹנָג נָמֵס בְּתוֹךְ מֵעָי:
16. My strength became dried out like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; and You set me down in the dust of death.		טז. יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׂ | כֹּחִי וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק מַלְקוֹחָי וְלַעֲפַר מָוֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵנִי:
17. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me, like a lion, my hands and feet.		יז. כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים עֲדַת מְרֵעִים הִקִּיפוּנִי כָּאֲרִי יָדַי וְרַגְלָי:
18. I tell about all my bones. They look and gloat over me.		יח. אֲסַפֵּר כָּל עַצְמוֹתָי הֵמָּה יַבִּיטוּ יִרְאוּ בִי:
19. They share my garments among themselves and cast lots for my raiment.		יט. יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי לָהֶם וְעַל לְבוּשִׁי יַפִּילוּ גוֹרָל:
20. But You, O Lord, do not distance Yourself; my strength, hasten to my assistance.		כ. וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה אַל תִּרְחָק אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה:
21. Save my soul from the sword, my only one from the grip of the dog.		כא. הַצִּילָה מֵחֶרֶב נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד כֶּלֶב יְחִידָתִי:
22. Save me from the lion's mouth, as from the horns of the wild oxen You answered me.		כב. הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּי אַרְיֵה וּמִקַּרְנֵי רֵמִים עֲנִיתָנִי:
23. I will tell Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You.		כג. אֲסַפְּרָה שִׁמְךָ לְאֶחָי בְּתוֹךְ קָהָל אֲהַלְלֶךָּ:
24. You who fear the Lord, praise Him; all the seed of Jacob, honor Him, and fear Him, all the seed of Israel.		כד. יִרְאֵי יְהֹוָה | הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל זֶרַע יַעֲקֹב כַּבְּדוּהוּ וְגוּרוּ מִמֶּנוּ כָּל זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל:
25. For He has neither despised nor abhorred the cry of the poor, neither has He hidden His countenance from him; and when he cried out to Him, He hearkened.		כה. כִּי לֹא בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ עֱנוּת עָנִי וְלֹא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ וּבְשַׁוְּעוֹ אֵלָיו שָׁמֵעַ:
26. Because of You is my praise in the great congregation; I pay my vows in the presence of those who fear Him.		כו. מֵאִתְּךָ תְהִלָּתִי בְּקָהָל רָב נְדָרַי אֲשַׁלֵּם נֶגֶד יְרֵאָיו:
27. The humble shall eat and be sated; they shall praise the Lord, those who seek him; your hearts shall live forever.		כז. יֹאכְלוּ עֲנָוִים | וְיִשְׂבָּעוּ יְהַלְלוּ יְהֹוָה דֹּרְשָׁיו יְחִי לְבַבְכֶם לָעַד:
28. All the ends of the earth shall remember and return to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall prostrate themselves before You.		כח. יִזְכְּרוּ | וְיָשֻׁבוּ אֶל יְהֹוָה כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ כָּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת גּוֹיִם:
29. For the kingship is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations.		כט. כִּי לַיהֹוָה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמוֹשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם:
30. They shall eat all the best of the earth and prostrate themselves; before Him shall all those who descend to the dust kneel, and He will not quicken his soul.		ל. אָכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ | כָּל דִּשְׁנֵי אֶרֶץ לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ כָּל יוֹרְדֵי עָפָר וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא חִיָּה:
31. The seed that worships Him; it shall be told to the generation concerning the Lord.		לא. זֶרַע יַעַבְדֶנּוּ יְסֻפַּר לַאדֹנָי לַדּוֹר:
32. They shall come and tell His righteousness to the newborn people, that which He has done. Did you see anything that made you go, AHA!  Okay, now for the next thing.  There are three times a day a faithful Jew will pray.  Morning prayers are said at daylight or just before daylight.  Evening prayers are said just after sunset.  Then there is a time of day when a prayer known as Minchah prayers are said.  This prayer is one associated with a daily offering which is also called the Minchah offering.  This offering and prayer is done daily at ............the 9th hour.  It is offered (offering) for a life lived totally given over to HASHEM. I think I'll let those two things settle in for now and get a couple more for you in the next couple of days.  Now onto our current Omer.  The Yesod of Chesed or The Foundation of Love.  What kind of love is an eternal love?   Where do you start and what ingredients are necessary for your love to be a bonding love that endures the elements of time?  Do you know that kind of love?  Do you have that kind of love?  Do you exhibit and share that kind of love? Until tomorrow, Shalom!		לב. יָבֹאוּ וְיַגִּידוּ צִדְקָתוֹ לְעַם נוֹלָד כִּי עָשָׂה:

Hod of Chesed - Majestic Love

It is Saturday evening and tomorrow is Easter.  I had hoped to have some great insights posted today for you about Yeshua's death and resurrection, but you will have to wait now until tomorrow!  I have spent the day cleaning out closets and the attic in  preparation for a yard sale. (I can feel a blog coming out of that experience!)  I have just about gone past my limit, physically today, so all I can do is the counting of the Omer for today.

Hod of Chesed is about Majestic Love.  What is that exactly?  The best way I can describe the meaning is to describe the opposite: selfish love.  A majestic love is one in which you will seek to make amends without holding a grudge or holding onto past hurts.  Majestic love realizes that true love is something given only by HASHEM and we can only love others because He has given us the ability.

Now I ask you, do you enter into relationships asking what you can get from them or what you can give?  Do you look at all your relationships as a gift from HASHEM?  Do you also ask HASHEM to love others through you?  When you love others or when others love you, does it humble you to realize how much HASHEM loves you?

Do not forget to praise HASHEM for the gift of Yeshua tomorrow.  Praise His wonderful name!  Worship the Lord God, Adonai!  May His Name be praised forever and ever!  Until tomorrow, Shalom!

Netzach of Chesed - Enduring Love

I am ready to give Praise to HASHEM for His provision, grace and mercy!  The two little boys that I reported last night who were lost, were found safe and sound this morning walking along a road.  HASHEM is soooo good!!!!  They got lost in the woods and covered themselves in leaves to keep warm.  They didn't even need medical attention.

Now onto our current Omer!  Victorious Enduring Love!  This shall be the shortest post yet!  How willing are you to stand for the one's you love?  Are you in it for the long haul or do you bolt and run at the first wave?  What about the God you love?  Is your love for Him enduring as well?

Until tomorrow, Shalom!

Day Three of the Counting - Tiferet of Chesed

It has been a long day and it is now a very late night.  I will make this post a short one since I have to work tomorrow and my heart is also extremely heavy at this moment.  I attended a college function to watch my son perform for with his fraternity in a step show production and returned home to the news that two little boys, ages 7 and 5 were missing just a few miles from my house.  The boys were playing in their grandmothers yard after school in a rural area and disappeared.  My heart is so heavy and I am praying for their safe return.  Please, please pray for these little boys.

Today's counting is that of Tiferet of Chesed, beautiful love.  The beauty of love is empathy or compassion.  The one thing I am going to ask and leave with you is this:  do you have compassion for all humans regardless of their ability to repay your kindness?  Do you also have compassion for creatures as well?  HASHEM cares about His creatures too, read Leviticus.  Think about these things.   Compassion and empathy are traits that let you see past the outward appearance right to the heart.  (Think of Yeshua with the Samaritan woman at the well).

Until tomorrow,  Shalom!