More than half a century

 

    I was blessed to become a grandmother at a relatively young age, and now that I've reached the big Six Oh, I still only have one grandson, but he is such a life force that he might as well be Six! That is not to say that I wouldn't welcome more grandchildren - I certainly would!

    Looking back at the last week or so, the time surrounding my 60th birthday, there are certain things that stand out.

    Exactly a week before, my son-in-law and my beloved grandson came over and had dinner with me. What a special treat it was to see my beloved grandie in the middle of the week! The rest of that day was taken up with prayer meetings and Torah study, as well as a Tubishvat seder with Beit Echad - https://www.facebook.com/nwmessianiccommunity - which is headed up by Ian & Giborah McDonald of AlephOmega - http://www.alephomega.info/  - what a meaningful Tubishvat seder it was. After 5 years, I am finally beginning to understand this festival.

    Last year for Tubishvat I planted a plum tree. This year I took several cuttings from it and planted the babies instead of buying a new tree. I pray this year it will give me plums!

    We had included a short section about Tubishvat in our previous Rosh Chodesh ladies' gathering, which is usually me talking to myself for 30 minutes and sending the recording out to the other ladies whose home and work commitments often prevent them from always being there in the live Zoom meeting. I don't mind though. I love sharing what I'm learning in this walk. It's all so amazing and beautiful. Just like our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

    On Erev Shabbat Beshallach, most of my Preparation Day was taken up with planting some new babies in the garden. It was very hot that day and I was quite exhausted after that exercise! I was very happy once I sat down to welcome the Shabbat, I can tell you!

    That weekend our Yeshiva - https://ahavatammi.org/ - https://www.youtube.com/@AhavatAmmi/streams - had a big, international conference in France, and it was enjoyed by all.

    The Monday after that saw my prayer/study partner and I start reading the Yerushalmi Talmud together. It took us an hour to get to 1:1:15 - and I felt that was going quite fast. Goodness knows how long it'll take us to finish it! But it's certainly going to be an interesting journey!

    Our Jewish Messianic Rabbi is now in Israel, donating a mamad (bomb shelter) to a school for special needs children on behalf of believers in 24 countries, including South Africa, where I live. He also planted a great number of trees on our behalf in the name of all the men, women, and children that wicked Hamas kidnapped, many of whom remain in captivity.

    

    On the 29th and 30th of January 2024, I was blessed and privileged to study the Talmud, pray Shacharit and Mincha, do Torah study, and teach a few Biblical Hebrew classes. I love the life God has given me now.

    On the Eve of my 60th, my twin daughters, Bhatya and Sar'ah, arrived at my door with an orchard and a box of Woollies chocolates. They then whisked me off to Taco Tuesdays at a local restaurant. The food was delicious, the company spectacular and I felt very loved by my two youngest offspring. Thanks, girls and thanks FJ for getting us there and back and for helping to make the outing amazing.

    I came back home and ate the entire box of chocolates while doing an online book reading with Beit Echad!

    When I woke up the next morning, I sat up in bed and, even before saying the Modah Ani, I thought: Gosh, I'm Sixty! I looked inside myself to see if anything was different, and even felt my arms, hands, head, legs, and feet to check. But it all seemed very similar to the way it had been at bedtime the previous night. I was amazed, though, to think that God had kept me alive for so many years. As always, I am thankful to Him for every breath, every heartbeat.

    He daily burdens me with His blessings, as the prayer says. There are so many acts of love from my Father towards me all day long, every day, to the extent that my heart overflows with contentment and joy. From the neighbour who generously supplies me with rainwater for drinking whenever my vessels run dry to the landlord who doesn't charge me a cent for internet access, to the berry tree God planted outside my French doors and the Thistle He caused to grow in my pot of Nasturtiums, that is healing my abdominal issues. God is, simply put, Awesome!

    I fully embrace this time of my life and the new and exciting things God has for me to be part of bringing His Kingdom to earth as we await the return of Yeshua HaMashiach. There are scary things going on, but our faith and trust remains in Him. For me and my friends, we recite these words from our heart:

    Have no fear of sudden terror or of the ruin when it overtakes the wicked. Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. When you grow old, I will still be the same. When your hair turns gray, I will still carry you, I will bear you, I will carry you and I will rescue you. - Proverbs 3, Isaiah 8 & 46.

    I always cry when I read those words during the Shacharit service Just because we are older, doesn't mean we are to be written off. In fact, it's just the opposite! God has given us renewed hope and meaning as we pursue Him and His ways and seek the Truth and share it with others. We just wonder sometimes why He waited so long to make us into the warriors we are now! But we're grateful!

    Another thing that we all seem to be struggling with is maintaining healthy sleeping patterns. I woke up at around One AM and it is now just after Three AM - so I guess, if I want to have a productive day once the sun is up, that I had better try and sleep a bit more.

    Layla tov - or is that Boqer tov!