Nothing like a nice walk in a grassy field under a cloudless blue sky to clear the mind!

Life can get so complicated, so crowded. It's easy to lose sight of what is important. Standing outside, getting myself back into the context of God's creation, among other amazing things He designed, I remember it. My main purpose, what He put me here on earth to do.

Love.

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.."

And, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

All the rest is commentary.

Sukkot is the Feast of the Lord which is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). According to Leviticus 23:33-43, it is to be a week long celebration of God's provision and a remembrance of how He brought us out of Egypt, and came down to "tabernacle" among us.

When Jesus was born during this Feast, He fulfilled it. Remember He is the Word made flesh, who came down and "dwelt" among us? That word "dwelt" means He pitched His tent among us! HalleluYah!

But that is not all that this Feast rehearses. By keeping it, we not only look back to when He descended on Mt. Sinai to give us His Word, and when He descended and took on a fleshly "tent" to show us how to obey His Word, but we are looking FORWARD to when He will come down to earth again to tabernacle with us, establishing His Kingdom on earth!

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

If you would like to learn more about the Feast of Tabernacles, check out the following links:

Short Introductory Video

Feast of Tabernacles/Booths

This is a short video showing how we know when Jesus was born:

The Birth of Messiah

Isn't this beautiful?

I was so privileged and blessed to be invited to be a part of it. This is my new friend, Iris, who gave birth to her firstborn child, eight pounds of BOY. The proud papa was there, supporting his wife through her labour and delivery.

I love it!

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD." ~ There have always been blessings for those who walk in obedience to His law, and curses for those who do not.

The tactic of the enemy is to cast doubt upon the Word of YHVH. "Yea, hath God said?" Did He really mean THAT? Surely it doesn't apply to YOU.

In the Garden of Eden, they blew it. In the Millennium, what is the first thing God will do? "He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2)

Time is short. It's time to come into obedience to the covenant we entered into with God, sealed by the blood of His Son Yeshua/Jesus.

I can love the person who is difficult to love. How can I do that? Because love doesn't depend on how I feel. Love is a decision I make, to prefer another above myself, to be like my Father Who defines love.

If I do not love when someone is rude, or critical, or churlish, then my love is conditional, and is not like His. True love shines brightest when it is hardest to love.

Love bears and forebears. Love forgives. Love breaks down the barriers that pride builds. Love changes things, changes people.

I can love others who are difficult to love because... HE loves me.

Stopping in to update! My foot's been in a cast for about three months now. We will be going in to have it removed this week or next, then will begin rehabilitation.

It's been difficult for this mom of eight, hobbling about on crutches or in a wheelchair, but God has been so good. My family has blessed me, especially my older girls, pitching in and doing the things Mom could no longer do. But I am certainly ready to be able to walk again.

My Beloved is home. After seven long weeks in Texas, he is back with us in Guatemala! I had just put the children to bed last night when he came, so of course they jumped up to go hug their Dad. He lay on one of the beds, and they crawled all over him. It's so wonderful to have him home again. :)

This is the longest I've ever been separated from my husband. I am so thankful for God's help and special protection during our time of separation, but I hope we never have to do this again.

Hats off to you single parents and spouses of military personnel! I don't know how you do it for months on end.

Among the many treasures my hunny brought home to us, one of them was a camera for me. I am so excited to finally be able to post pictures on my blog again! Here are some photos of the Eagle's Nest, where we stayed last night and are playing today.

Our sweet little Jayne Moriah was born Wednesday, November 23, at 12:58 a.m. She weighed about nine pounds and measured 20.5 inches long.


Her birth story is pretty brief. I had stayed home with five of our children who had gotten ill after our week of VBS (coughs, some with fever). I had experienced a few good, low contractions during the day, but at around 9 p.m. they seemed to suddenly get serious. I hurried the children to bed so I could labor quietly.

Hubby got home late, around 10 p.m., and found me relaxing in the tub. He started getting things ready while I got out and got ready for bed. I didn't know how long I had before she would be born, so I thought I might try to get some sleep. We both went to bed and slept from 11 to 12 a.m. I was only half-waking when the contractions came. Midnight was when I could not lie there anymore.


I paced a little, breathed through some contractions as I leaned against the wall, against the bed, on the bed on all fours, once propped up on pillows (hated that - it hurt my back), then went to the bathroom. While sitting on the toilet, my water broke (glorious moment!) and we knew her descent would be fast from that point.

I felt for her head, all wrinkled up. I stood up, and she crowned within a minute or two. Hubby knelt, ready to catch her. I supported her head with my hand, felt the incredible, involuntary urge to push, but tried to hold back just a little so I could ease her out. Just two pushes and her head was born. Another good push for the shoulder, and her body slid out into her daddy's hands!

HalleluYah!


She let out a cry just as she was born. The cord was rather short, so Daniel helped keep her close to my body while I sat down again and got a little situated to hold her. He put a towel over her, and we checked her over, suctioned a little mucus from her mouth and nose. The umbilical cord was pulsing beautifully, so we left it alone to do its job. She was looking around, blinking in the light, and soon started breathing on her own. I put her to breast - not interested yet.

We cleaned her up a bit, and Daniel got her clothes laid out while we waited for the cord to stop pulsing. Pretty soon I felt the placenta coming, so I stood again and he held a bowl under me to catch the placenta. By then, of course, the cord was not needed, so he clamped it about two inches from the baby and cut it with sterilized scissors we had ready.

I held her while he checked the placenta, which was whole and looked good. He also took note of my blood loss. Then he took her to clean her up and dress her, while I cleaned up in the birth pool. (I didn't labor in it much this time, but it still came in handy! No hot water in our upstairs bathroom.) It felt good to settle into bed to nurse our new little one, who was more than happy to latch on this time.

We are so excited and blessed that the Lord allowed us another healthy home birth and has given us this beautiful gift of a healthy baby! Thank You, Abba!

{Psalm 67}
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song.
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

(Emphasis mine in verse 2.)

So where is Jesus' name in this psalm? Look at verse two. The words "saving health" in the Hebrew is one word, yeshua, which is the name of Jesus in Hebrew. So the verse literally says, "That thy way may be known upon earth, thy Yeshua (Jesus) among all nations"! Isn't that beautiful?

Now read the whole psalm with Yeshua/Jesus there. It means so much more! HE shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations. ALL the ends of the earth shall fear Him. The day is coming! Let us make Him known among the nations. Time is short!

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. {Matthew 7:13-14}

A little pearl just jumped out at me from these words of Jesus. There is the Gate, and there is the Way, which lead unto Life. Many, many people respond to God's call and enter in at the Gate (the Door, the Messiah), but many of those forget about the Way. The word way means "a road; by implication, a progress; journey". Isn't that interesting?

Jesus is not only the Door. He is also the Journey beyond! We are to walk the Way, the Road, the Journey, that He instructed us to walk. If you have entered in at the straight Gate, don't just stand there. Walk! :)