The ‘Festival of Lights’ (aka:
Chanukah/Hanukkah) is patently a religious holiday celebrating the victory of
the 8-day Maccabean uprising that trounced the Syrian & Greek invaders,
more than 2,000 years ago. The Jews regained their country and their holy city,
Jerusalem. To celebrate the victory, they rededicated the Temple & found
enough pure Temple Oil to light the Temple Lamp (Menorah) for 1 day. The miracle
of the victory was that the small amount of oil lasted for 8 full days – the exact
amount of time it took to purify more Temple Oil for the Lamp.
Today, there is no Jewish Temple
in Jerusalem; and no Temple Lamp burning day and night. But someday, there will
be, again :-D
Until then, the Festival of
Lights is a message of light; Chanukah is about shining our candle of hope
openly – placing the flame of the menorah in the window for all to see (Matthew
5:14-16). As Believers of Mashiach Yeshua (Messiah Yeshua/Savior Jesus),
we example what Yeshua taught when He walked this Earth in the flesh as a man (Matthew
1:18 thru 2:23; Luke 2;1-20; & John 1:4). The light in our window
is a public statement of what we, as believer’s, believe in; of what Yeshua
IS (John 8:12). Yeshua, Himself, celebrated this holiday (John
10:22-30). Today – in our lifetime, the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is
all that remains of the Jewish Temple the Maccabees rededicated with that 1
vial of miracle oil.
The small Menorah in my window,
with dancing flames, is a statement that I want to preserve my values in a
world where values have fallen by the wayside – and the tiny flickers of flame
boldly herald my belief: not that others have to adopt my belief … but that
my belief is accepted.
The blessing of the dancing flames
in my window comes from willingly asserting my faith publicly; not with a raging
fire, but with single, quiet flames.
Chanukah, has been celebrated in
our home every December since 1989; when Bob & I began worshipping with our
Messianic brethren. In the beginning, we were gifted a simple little
handcrafted wooden menorah from a local couple, and I used hefty birthday
candles – but as time moved forward, and we spent every Shabbat in Portland
where our fellowships were (1 morning & 1 evening), we browsed shops
in between gatherings. One December afternoon, we were walking the Lloyd Center
Mall, and we found a candle Shoppe: I came home with a pretty brass Menorah & a
box of real Chanukah Candles :-D I also came home with a bi-color Mogen David Sphere
candle.
Mogen David Sphere Candle: 28-year-old candle. I like candles … but my lungs do not, so I burn my candles very frugally; mostly, they just get looked at ;-)
I didn’t celebrate Chanukah last
year because I was sitting death-watch with my husband at OHSU – and burning candles
are not allowed in the hospital. If Bob & I had known 6 months in advance
that he would be dying in December, I would have hunted down an electric
Menorah for his hospital window sill … but, we didn’t have a heads-up; so.
This year, determined to pull a shred
of normalcy back into my life, I have decided to light the candles this
December, this year, for a new life Chanukah – a rededication, if you will, of
my solo lobo life’s direction in bending anew to the Will of Elohei &
giving the flame of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh full rein; and set our Menorah on the
livingroom window sill, in our home (technically my home, now; but always
will be our home):
Chanukah 2019. Chanukah candles are the only candles that get burned steadily on our home: they are safe because the wax burns pure and is practically odorless. My lungs don’t hurt when they are burning down.
Second night Chanukah 2019: 28-year-old Menorah. The candles I lit the first 2 days of Chanukah this year, are the last of the pretty purple & gold candles we bought together in 2017.
More of my life with Bob disappearing - this bit is literally going up in flames.
It feels good to be back in the
swing of things, even if in a limping mode.
Earlier today, I was in the
kitchen, and the Senior Centers Calendars caught my eye – so I glanced at them
while pouring a cup of coffee, and noticed that there are 2-weeks-worth of “CLOSED”
notification stamped across the lower halves and into the turn of the New Year:
Even Bars are open during the Holiday Season! According to these calendar notations, the clubs are basically useless during the Holiday Season :-(
That won’t do!
I am aware that there are people
out there, my age, that do have families they want to spend time with; who like
to have them around. BUT … there are also people like me: and
Denise, and Diana, and David, and Teresa, and Karen … AND MORE; who don’t
have families to spend time with. They became part of the Senior Center TO
have someone to spend time with.
While these thoughts were
running through my mind, I happened to look out the window and saw the gray
clouds opening up while I was setting my coffee mug on the windowsill next to
Bob’s recliner; which has become my recliner for the time being.
The parting clouds revealed a
small patch of blue sky – it sparked hope …
And I got ideas :-D
Mentally sorting through the tumbling
possibilities that could unfold with the dawn of the New Year, I started to get
excited as the gray clouds rolled back and a vast expanse of promising blue sky
brightened the day:
Hope springs eternal :-D
I have lots of ideas for Holiday
time coming up in 2020 ;-)
Yu’all will just have to stay tuned
– and check in periodically to see what’s on my mind, and where the ideas lead.
First, I have to formulate a plan and get Denise, Diana, David, Teresa, and
Karen on board with it.