HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME

Sunday the Grief Support Group coordinator and his wife stopped in after church let out; they wanted to introduce themselves, find out where I lived so they could pick me up for Thursday’s Meet, and no doubt check me out to see if I am a ‘loose bullet’ concerning the grieving process. They were very friendly and informative people, they found our house with no problem, and apparently I passed the inspection ;-) My grief is not handicapping me; and my only real issue with my husband’s passing from this life to the next is learning to deal effectively with Candy and Ron – in other words, learning to get past the sudden and heated anger that rises up in me every time I have to personally deal with Candy in the Park Office; or every time I catch a glimpse of next-door-neighbor Ron. That my husband is dead, and I am now alone and doing what I can to make this alone journey as easy and as content as possible ... with the tedious burden of wading through uncertain financial situations, and having to daily juggle and face serious economic crisis because of petty ridiculous stupidity brought on by paranoia and egomania, rankles. And I need to get past that. Hopefully these grief support meets will help me with that.

The one thought that popped into my head and stayed since my husband passed December 14^th, 2018, is that Elohim’s grace is sufficient for me.

By His strength I am upheld, supported, prospered, and sanctified. When I am at my weakest point, He lifts me up and places me in the safety of The Rock (Isaiah 28:16 & Romans 9:33), where life’s tempests swirl and howl around me; but cannot touch me. When sudden, unexpected emotions overwhelm me and my knees buckle with the onslaught, He comes alongside me and lends His shoulder for me to lean against as we walk together through the turmoil (Isaiah 41:10-11). And I hear Him whisper gently as He hugs me tight against His supportive shoulder, “It’s okay Val: I have everything under control. You just lean on Me; everything will work out. You’ll see. In these days of uncertainty and economic crisis, don’t worry about tomorrow; I will meet all your needs according to My riches in glory: I am well able to do immeasurably more than you can ask or even imagine.” (Matthew 6:25-34, John 14:27, Hebrews 13:5) What a blessing! What promises! What wonderful expectations to look forward to. I am a child of the Most High God, a joint-heir justified in Yeshua, and can rightly expect the fulfillment of these promises (Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Corinthians 6:11, & Ephesians 1:13).

When I stay in Him, He stays in me (1 Chronicles 16:11, 1 John 1:9, 1 John 3:9 & 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

When I find myself harassed by life’s stressors and seek His strength, and seek His presence continually; I find Him immediately beside me, comforting me and rejoicing over me with gladness as he quiets my soul, exulting over me with joyous singing (Zephaniah 3:17). I have heard that singing … and it is beautiful and comforting.

Since my husband stepped off this planet, I have never been alone though we are now 1 instead of 2. Yeshua was and is a constant 24 hr/every day close companion. My BIL and SIL’s were a great comfort in the first days of my alone journey. Cheryl and Mike have continually been present during this time – if they are not visiting, they are calling: daily. They have helped me in ways I cannot put words to, while dealing with the recent deaths of their own parents. That is real love in action, and I hope I will always be worthy of it. My husband’s son came up from Salem every week for a solid month to help me with a couple things around the house I needed help with … and will come again around tax time to help me get that squared away: it is a 2 hour drive one way; a sacrifice I am appreciate of it. Alex does not have to do this – he is not bound to me by blood, and during the 44 years I have been married to his father we have not even really been friends because he has resented me much of the time. But now, I think he realizes that I am really the only family he has. And he is trying to make amends and do what his father would like him to do. I am thankful. Keenager’s – a weekly Senior meet and greet my husband and I enjoyed, and I attend alone now, is a familiar comfort to me. I have worked out an agreeable check-up schedule and routine with our niece, Tiffany, by which a specific phone call at a certain time during the week will be made: if I send a message that I am okay before that day is over, fine; if that call is not made, she will call me; if I do not answer, she will come over immediately to see what is happening. She has nursing experience with the elderly (I can't believe I am using that word to describe me!) and will be a help if I need help. She picked up the house key Saturday afternoon. Most every day I walk around the perimeter of the Park - a mile distance from our driveway and back again: that is what my husband and I walked nearly every day at various places around town, or throughout the county on scenic day-trips when he was still with me. And I am hoping the upcoming Grief Support Group starting on this upcoming Thursday will help me during this period of adjustment I now face.

Monday Elohim sent close friends to me, Cheryl and Pam – 2 women I love, and appreciate more than words can tell. I have known these women most of my life and they are gracious and thoughtful women who are godly examples of compassionate love while going through their own worrisome struggles: when the daughters of Elohim gather together to support and encourage one another, He is there. His presence is strong. And we are thankful for all that he does for us – things we are aware of, and things that are yet unknown. It is good to praise the Lord together.

In my human weakness, His grace is sufficient for me.

BEARD’S RAISIN-WHEAT BREAD Recipe

This bread, adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard comes from my ‘Recipes I Have Known and Loved’ cookbook by Jane Brody. It is delicious, and the dough is easy to handle, while most whole wheat bread doughs are sticky. If you would rather not use alcohol, just soak the raisins in warm water or apple juice.

                                                                                  

I have tweaked the original instructions and added a few personal hints to make the making if the dough process flow easier, but aside from those small tweaks, the basic ingredients and baking instructions are the same.

Cooked in a new oven … obviously the top got a little too browned and I need to cover with foil a little sooner. Live and learn ;-) 

BEARD’S RAISIN-WHEAT BREAD ~ 2 loaves

1/3 cup Raisins * Brandy or Sherry for soaking raisins * 1-1/2 cups warm Water (105 degree to 115 degrees), divided per instructions below * 2 packages active dry Yeast * 2 Tablespoons granulated Sugar * 4 cups Whole Wheat Flour, preferably stone-ground * 1-3/4 to 2 cups White Flour * 2 teaspoons Salt, if desired * 3/4 cup skim or low-fat Milk * 1/2 cup Honey * 2 Tablespoons melted Butter (or margarine or oil)

Assemble ingredients. Place the raisins in a small bowl, add the brandy or sherry just to cover, and soak the raisins until they are soft and swell. Combine the whole-wheat flour, 1-1/2 cups of the white flour, and the salt.

Place 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl, add the yeast and sugar; stir to dissolve, and let the mixture stand until it is bubbly – about 5 minutes.

Combine the remaining 1 cup of water, milk, honey, and butter. Make a well in the flour mixture, add the milk mixture; blending the ingredients well. Add more white flour if necessary to make a manageable dough.

Turn the dough out on a floured surface; drain the soaked raisins and add to the dough, and knead it for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to grease the top:

Cover the bowl and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place (either in an oven with just the pilot light on … or under a towel-draped basket on top of the clothes dryer while doing laundry) until it has doubled – about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Rising in the oven with pilot light

Rising on clothes dryer

Risen and ready to shape into loaves

 

Punch the dough down, turn it out, and divide it into 2 pieces, shaping dough into 2 loaves. Place the loaves in greased 9x5x3-inch bread pans, cover, and let rise again until they have doubled in bulk – about 45 minutes.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes; then reduce the heat to 350-degrees and bake another 30 minutes or so … until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cool on wire rack. When cold, slice and bag. Because there is just me now since my husband has graduated to our home in glory, and I don’t want the bulk of my kitchen work to spoil, I half each loaf; wrap those halves in foil, and freeze 3 halves … keeping one half in the bread drawer and thawing the others as I want them.

CROCKPOT KRUPNICK (Hearty Potato and Barley Soup) Recipe

Krupnick with Challah

This is a modern krupnick with more meat and fewer potatoes. If you prefer something a little closer to the original krupnick, add four more potatoes and reduce the quantity of meat to a mere scarp clinging to the bone ;-)

CROCKPOT KRUPNICK ~ Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 large Onion, peeled * 2 Marrow Bones * ½ pound stewed Beef, flanken, or lamb shoulder (I used 2 Lamb Ribs because that was what I had on hand) * 1/3 cup Barley * 3 cans slice Mushrooms (or ½ pound fresh, or 1 cup dried, soaked a few hours) * 5 Carrots, scraped clean and cut crosswise * 2 Potatoes, peeled and quartered * 1 large (28-oz) can Tomatoes * 1 TBSP granulated Sugar * 1 teaspoon Salt * ½ teaspoon Black Pepper * Water to cover

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours.

YOU WILL DIE ANYWAY

Death comes for everyone. And it always comes unexpectantly.

When your ticket number is called you cannot escape the trip.

Whether it be a natural death, or a foretold Rapture experience, people will die to the life they now know.

So be prepared.

If you are not yet saved … GET SAVED.

If you are saved and flirting with devilishness … STOP IT; turn or burn.

If you are a gnostic and proud of it … GET WISE: open the Bible and start gaining real knowledge.

While it is important to eat healthy and get enough sleep – be smart about it: salvation does not lie in foods or the proverbial 8 hours of ‘required’ sleep.

Hydration is good … but be sure to refresh your spirit and replenish your life with THE LIVING WATER (aka, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach)

Life can only be found in Yeshua. THAT knowledge is priceless wisdom that is real protection and a sure life guarantee. Take the necessary steps to make sure that when your life here on earth comes to a screeching halt, that halt is not the end of your life, but just the beginning of real living :-D

IN YESHUA'S PRESENCE

When my husband died the 2nd time in 1981, he was returned to me (resurrected) by Elohim ... but he could only communicate with hand signals in short spurts ... he could not talk at all for 5 months; and even that was spotty. He would be talking and then it was like someone pulled his plug: he would just stop and restart again 30 minutes later. Frustrating for him and everyone else if they were not closely paying attention to what he was saying because he would pick up the thread of communication exactly where he left off. Over time, his thought process and speech was returned 100% and he was never silent again. LOL

Paul Wilbur's early music with his band back then, Israel's Hope, ministered to him during those frustrating days. Bob's family are Baptists. I am a Messianic Believer, following the early Church Way - a Messianic Believer, which blends Jew and Gentile Believers in the Faith of Yeshua Ha'Mashiach: our Messiah. My husband joined me in the Messianic walk of faith in Yeshua.

My husband was saved in 1981. Literally “saved from hell”, as he would tell everyone for decades following his 2nd death experience. He was dead for 25 minutes and literally resurrected from the dead on the gurney headed for the morgue. His words when he came back to life was, "Wow! I think God means business this time!" And he turned his life around and started following Yeshua from that day until he was taken home December 14th, 2018.

There is no doubt where he is enjoying life now. Eternal life.

And, while left here behind for a short while, I am going to do everything I know ... and can do ... to dot my i's and cross my t's so that I, too, can live life eternal with my Lord and my husband in that beautiful celestial city beyond the clouds; where the streets are gold, and tears do not stain them.

HUGGING

My husband's family, when we were dating 44 years ago, did not hug.

Anyone.

For any reason.

My family was very touchy-feely ... still are. We hugged.

A lot.

Everyone. For no particular reason.

I hugged my beloved.

A LOT :-D

We, together, taught his family members how to enjoy hugging.

Now they hug; me, included.

I am glad they learned that hugging is a universal language of caring; and of sharing.

I am glad my husband left this world with a lot of hugging going on.

BIBLICAL PLAGUE: LOCUST AND COCKROACHES BLANKETS MECCA. (2019)

https://www.dailywire.com/news/42076/biblical-proportions-meccas-grand-mosque-plagued-paul-bois?fbclid=IwAR3lTNZmbouBK80tw90Pb6gwSfyr0nXjSjOyFKvKiNvb70NP_luvrciI1zM

Okay ... there are a couple misrepresentations in the Daily Wire article:

1 - mecca is NOT 'God's house'; mecca is a satanic dwelling for demonic behavior

2 - locusts are, and HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, a DIVINE JUDGEMENT on wicked people doing wicked things

3 - locusts (aka overgrown and vicious grasshoppers) BITE. Anyone who has ever had a run in with an aggressive grasshopper knows that they bite, spit, kick, and get into places you wouldn't imagine otherwise. Anytime the skin is pierced there is risk of infection setting in, which would lead to serious illness. Just sayin ...

4 - muslims will try to spin their way out of this mess, but it's clear what is happening and WHY it is happening to everyone who still has thinking capabilities that have not been hot-wired by the political correctness social police

5 - I understand that people do not want to hear that muslims are held in demonic sway with satanic swagger; and people do not want to acknowledge that wickedness exists; or that wicked people do wicked things. However, facts are facts and the fact is that what is happening has been foretold eons ago by the ancients concerning modern days.

Call me a crackpot-Jesus-Freak if you want to, but mocking laughter and belittling chatter won't change facts.

The UNholy muslim shrine to Lucifer was built on the Hebrew (Jewish) Temple site in Elohei's City known as the HEBREW "City of David" - in other words, Jerusalem. Jerusalem has always been KNOWN AS A JEWISH HOLY SITE as the Hebrew Temple was built there BY HEBREWS and Hebrew worshippers practiced their holy religious traditions there. Yeshua - THE HEBREW MESSIAH, Himself, was circumcised/worshipped/taught/and walked along Solomon's Porch HIS ENTIRE LIFE. Yeshua embodies all that is Hebrew. And someday Yeshua will come back to claim Jerusalem as His place of Kingdom Government.

muslims may think they have outcouped and outstaged Elohei and His People ... but Lucifer already tried that ... and LOST BIG TIME. So will the muslims.

A 3rd Hebrew temple will be built.

And there will not be any descending locusts on that "house of God", nor will His People be covered in biting or spitting locusts.