What's the purpose?

I have had lots of thoughts running through my mind lately, I find that happens when I have not carved out a time to sit and be still. They roll around, noisier on empty walls. This morning I was able to sit for some time, coffee on the arm rest of our sofa and scriptures open to my left...begging to be studied and understood.

One of my biggest draws in my life is to live fully. I have this irrational need to make the right decision about everything...from my coffee order to moving here to Israel. If given the opportunity, I can make myself sick over making the correct decision, sure that if I choose incorrectly that disappointment will quickly ensue.

Moving here, stepping out in faith, helped a lot. I had no idea if, logically, this was the right decision. What over stepped that boundary, however, was that it was a chance to transcend the norm. It called to my deeper sense of faith, my deeper commitment to living life fully and with abandon.

Now, I find myself, almost a year later, not wanting to lean on that as our testimony of faith. "We sold everything and moved to Israel!" That's not our byline, it's a just a line...a sentence in the story. "What now?" I can hear the Spirit say in my heart..."how will you continue to pursue Me? What more will you lay down at My feet and how far will you let me lead you?"

What more can I lay down?

Then, this morning, as I sat and let my thoughts seep out I found myself turning to this space. Like most of the things in my life, I want it to have purpose. What is the purpose of our blog? What is the mission?

I want it to have purpose, not just to have words and pictures. There are thousands of blogs these days, so many stories and so many voices. I know I'm not a "mommy blogger" so I can rule that out, I'm also not a fashion blogger...check check. But even if I was...what is the POINT...what is my voice trying to say? What are OUR voices trying to say? 

So, in the next couple of weeks, I'm going to work on a purpose statement for this little space of ours. I think it's needed. We need to remember why we do what we do, not for followers or for fame, for clothing or giveaways or a sense of worth...but for each other, to exhort, encourage, inspire and, ultimately, to worship. There is so much influence in this world of blogging, not always positive, we must continue to use our words, both spoken and written with direction. Instead of looking at the "about me" page on a blog or perusing through pictures...I would love to read the purpose statement...the mission.

What am I saying that is worth reading? Why am I saying it?

Lord, use me. Use this. Use us. 

I am excited to share with you what this little mission reveals and I am even more excited to give our blog a purpose! Please feel free to share your thoughts...I'd be so intrigued. 

17 bags of Cheetos...

...that is what is staring at me from the top of our kitchen cupboards. It's a result of having come to the end of our few weeks of working with volunteer groups and seeing friends from home. Mind you, Kurt asked for them...I requested coffee and candles.

(While on the subject, I was just perusing the Yankee Candle website...geez I miss candles. We don't have storage though, even if we could get them. One candle at a time, that's life!)

Anyways. Cheetos.

17 bags.

*eye roll*

Neon orange snack food aside, we had a lot of fun with everyone. Being with people on their first trip to Israel is a treat. Inevitably they are more surprised with what they didn't expect (cars, running water, houses with roofs) than what they did (donkeys, dirt, tents). To top it off, there is this incredible country brimming with history and amazing people who seem oddly eager to have you over for dinner. I mean, when we signed up for our Israeli bank account, the man invited us to Shabbat while cutting us a piece of his birthday cake.

If you've ever thought, even for a minute, about visiting Israel - you should. Life is too short to miss out on this place...it really is. Before I get started on the importance of carpe diem and all that...let me just say this: our floor is open (we might even splurge on an air mattress!) and our door is unlocked (not really)...you should come.

Don't bring Cheetos.

Busy seasons.

We all have busy seasons and Kurt & I are in one now. Hence the lack of blog posts. One of our hats here at our congregation is to work with volunteer groups. It's probably one of our favorite jobs, but inevitably one of the busiest.

Welcome teams from the US with big smiles and wide eyes is a reminder of how blessed we are to serve here. Not a days goes by that I take our lives for granted, but perhaps at least a few hours where I miss the US banking system or a one-stop grocery run.

Anyways, they brought us things like coffee, Cheetos (Kurt, duh), and gluten free flour. The next group will bring our board games and some remnants of home (candles that are NOT from Ikea...as are most of the others in this country.)

So that is what we're doing. I have worn my Nike running shorts almost every day for 2 weeks now and I am pretty sure the groups think that I only own v-neck white tee's (thanks Old Navy!), but that's ok. We love it and it' such a gift to work with such wonderful, servant hearted people.

Thanks for reading along on our adventure...we truly love the company.

It is hard to be sad, when you are happy.

Someone asked for my advice recently on how to unload her burdens, how to find light in a dark time.
I was unprepared for it. How can I advise someone without knowing where they are in life? I just met you and now you want me to give you my small, humble opinion? I was humbled, if not a little intimidated, by her outstretched hand.

Quickly, silently, I  asked the Lord for the right words and suddenly heard myself say this:

"You should go hiking more often."

She blinked at me, clearly expecting a different approach, I can't say I blame her.

"Do what you love. It is hard to be sad when you are happy."

We locked eyes.

"If we focus on what's wrong, of course we feel heavy. Stop giving it too much space. Stop giving the devil such an easy in. Do something that makes you happy! Pursue the talent God gave you. Then come back swinging. It is hard to be sad...when you are happy."

I think perhaps the Lord knew I needed her to ask that question, so He could answer it for the both of us. She left with a visually lightened countenance and so did I. Like the quote above, I want to say "I used everything you gave me" and I want to do it with a grin. He gave me my own inspirational reminder though "It is hard to be sad, when you are happy." Maybe it's for you too. Go do what you love. Run, bake, listen to music, go outside! Proverbs 17:22 in action.

As for me? I will decorate our home. Stir my coffee. Go hiking. Cook healthy food. Pursue quality friendships. Take time for Shabbat rest. Read. Write. And show as much grace to others, and to myself, as I possibly can.

Here is a song I have been listening to this week. Listen, soak in it...worship Him. Praise is a weapon, use it!

Shavuot

via

Today is Shavuot (shah-voo-oat) or The Festival of Weeks. I know, another holiday?! Yes, in fact Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) was last week too! Let the good times roll! When I worked in a Jewish office in Boston, I remember my roommates exclaiming "seriously? again? you have today off too??" as I waved them off to work with my coffee mug in hand. I'm pretty sure they hated me during the month of October, I think I worked about 4 days that month.

Anyways.

Shavuot, The Festival of Weeks....I am lifting most of this explanation from here with a few of my own thoughts...just a few though.

It is the second of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Passover and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the temple, this is why it is also known as the Festival of the First Fruits. Historically, it celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Shavuot is not tied to a particular calendar date, but to a counting of weeks from Passover, hence the name.  Shavuot is also sometimes known as Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day (pente...five...get it?).  The Jewish people recognize that Passover freed them physically from bondage, but the giving of the Torah on Shavuot redeemed them spiritually.

Work is not permitted during Shavuot, it is celebrated like a normal Shabbat here in Jerusalem. It is also customary to stay up the entire first night of Shavuot and study Torah, then pray as early as possible in the morning. I can personally account for this, as the yeshiva outside our window was most certainly up all night...as were we.  The book of Ruth is read, but there are varying reasons given for this custom. In my mind, however, it makes perfect sense given that she was harvesting the leftover grains in Boaz's fields. 

It is common to eat dairy meals (remember, meals are either meat or dairy accordong to kosher restriction) during Shavuot. Some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with "milk and honey." Others note that they had just received the kosher laws and dairy was the best option for their first kosher meals. 

This boils down to one thing: expect people to be eating cheesecake today. Seriously.

Chag Sameach!

this weekend, according to my iPhone.

Jaffa, Tel Aviv

Charlie came to visit.

Nate took us out to Meat Burger. Yes, Meat Burger is the name of the place. 

We saw Iron Man in 3D Imax..and took this terribly grainy, embarrassing photo.

I just couldn't leave it out...it's too good.

chai and pizza

Kurt and I took some work on a lunch date. Chai and pesto pizza. 

We don't eat out much, so when we do I like to make it count. 

That chai is incredible...and I like anything with pesto. 

Israel might be expensive, but it does have great food. 

(Also, foamy drinks are so photogenic. Seriously, why is that?)