THE KING IS COMING

Fridays are special to me. Fridays were special to my mother also, who always made it a point to bake bread on that day (I don’t recall her ever making Challah), make a special meal (not a holiday meal, just ‘a little something extra’ kind of meal), light candles (throughout the house, not on the Supper table), and have company over for game night (board games for the kids; cards for the adult. If company didn’t come, she played games with us). My father always drank Mogan David Wine … and later, after I was married, I always drank some Mogan David wine on Friday/Saturday also. I knew our home was different than other homes. I also knew that my name, and my siblings’ names were unusual names – and several times asked her if we were Hebrew in origin … she always denied it. But I found out in my 30’s that my name, Valeria, is indeed a Hebrew Name: my brothers’ names – Mahlon & Samuel – are undeniably Hebrew Names. So, I … along with Bob, began my Messianic Christian walk in 1981; though I had been studying the Messianic Faith since 1979.

Our children were raised in a Messianic Christian home - they have walked away from Elohim now. And openly mock me. There is no Messianic fellowship locally - I am basically alone in my walk now that Bob resides in Heaven. It can be hard. But Elohei is faithful; and in Yeshua, I have everything :-D

The Early Church was founded on the Messianic Faith, which was established by Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus, our Messiah); but it is not new ... it is what Elohei established from the Beginning. The Sabbath revolves around Yeshua, Who is Creator, as well as Redeemer and Savior. On the Sabbath, I bake fresh bread (sometimes Challah, sometimes just basic bread). Yeshua said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 41, 48, & 51). I light candles; Yeshua said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). I celebrate life on Shabbat; Yeshua said, “I am the Resurrection, the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 11:25 & 14:6). And I drink 4 ounces of Shabbat wine (John 15:1 & 5). Drinking wine is not a sin - getting drunk is the sin. I am not going to argue with people who find fault with drinking wine: drinking of wine is a Biblical practice, for many reasons.

Every day with Yeshua is wonderful, but my Sabbaths with Yeshua have always been special – it is a time set aside specifically to honor Him. And now that my earthly husband has gone ahead of me to our Heavenly Home, Yeshua is now my husband, adding another depth of specialness to the Shabbat :-D

And so, I spiffed up my home this morning and afternoon, in preparation for the Shabbat Rest – I always want to make my husband proud: Bob, when he was here; and Yeshua, as He makes Himself at home in our home ;-)

I primarily did surface cleaning today. I started with the filter cover because that was the most intensive and exasperating – then I did the breaker box, washer/dryer, freezer, ‘fridge, range, microwave, and dishwasher. I am breaking house cleaning down into manageable blocks of time now instead of trying to do it all at once; last week I did countertops, mirrors, light shades, dressers, and fireplace. The week before I did floors and tables (alternating the mopping of floors bi-weekly with wiping down doors and cupboard doors). I do sinks every day: and shower stalls during earlier week days. I hire a man to do my windows (inside and out); and gutters Spring and Fall, now that I do not have a man in residence. This routine works for me.

Frosty morning, early this morning. 31-degrees.

Cleaning the furnace filter cover. I used an old toothbrush to brush some Gojo cleaner (not a lot) on the thing and that helped.

Wiping down those cover slashes nearly sliced through my right-hand forefinger nail. I didn’t realize what had happened until I felt a bit of pain.

Filter placement in an awkward place. Makes cleaning it – and changing the filter out, kinda difficult.

Breaker Box is also in an awkward place.

A few years ago I crocheted this Web Buster that slides over the end of my broom handle; I laughed out loud when I had finished it, because it looked risqué. When I showed it to Bob, he chuckled. We never needed any sex toys … Bob was plenty man to keep me satisfied; and then some. But, it did make me laugh - and it STILL makes me laugh. But it works great on the webs ;-)

I cleared all the surface webs around the house: there wasn’t a lot, but I did it anyway to make sure.

And I got some serious stretching in too when I cleared the webs along the skylights

We are told in Scripture to remember the Shabbat and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8): it is a divine and cosmic rhythm of rest in the order of time. The Shabbat is a gift of rest from all creative activity – Elohei rested, and commanded that we, who are created in His image, do likewise. But while we are commanded to cease from creative activities, we are not told to simply sit on our hands and do nothing: the Sabbath is meant to be filled with joy, rest, and refilling; fellowship, reflection, and spiritual insight. Scripture tells us that “man was not made for the Sabbath; the Sabbath was made for man.” (Mark 2: 27). Our primary purpose is for the glory and honor of Elohei – and He knew that mankind would need the Sabbath rest for their health and well-being.

Part of my “health and well-being” routine on the Shabbat is to dress as if for Date Night – I may be a solo lobo, but THE KING IS COMING (John 12:15 & 18:37; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16! I don’t ‘dress to the nines’, but I do dress a bit fancier than I would a normal weekday:

House cleaned, I applied fresh nail polish to my nails – sans the sliced nail. That nail is a little painful; it will need to heal and lengthen before polish covers it again.

Shabbat Sunset over the river.

Candle lighting represents a bringing of domestic peace and tranquility into the home; the lighting of the 2 candles indicates the togetherness of husband & wife, which is the fundamental reason behind the lighting of the Shabbat candles.

Shabbat candle lighting is perfectly acceptable with 1 candle for a Widow’s Shabbat, as 2 candles represents a husband & a wife. For now, I am still doing 2 … I may eventually only light 1.

The importance of lighting the Shabbat candles goes even deeper than domestic tranquility and marital passion – lighting the Shabbat candles, as mentioned in the Midrash (an ancient commentary from the 2^nd century AD, on part of the Hebrew Scriptures; attached to the Biblical text) tells us that Elohei said, “If you light the Shabbat candles, I will show you the marvelous radiance that will shine upon Jerusalem at the final redemption.” In other words, the lighting of the Shabbat candles hastens the final restoration – when there will be peace in the entire world. May this happen speedily in our days!

 ‘Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine’. La'Chiam!