Season's Change

 

Whether it's from winter to summer or autumn to winter, the four seasons come around year after year, no matter where you live in the world. And that's not only the weather.

    After less than 2 weeks of my grandson moving to another city, it already seems the closeness we had for 9 years is diminishing. It is a bit sad, of course, but I think it's better for him to be happy in his new circumstances than for him to pine for me.

    As I prepared for Shabbat yesterday, I found I had time to lay the table properly and do lots of other little things that I didn't have time for when the grandson would come at 3pm on a Friday, but by the time I was finished, I missed him. So I blew up a balloon for each of us and hung them up in the lounge. When I phoned him to pray this evening, I showed him and he had a non-reaction. My, he has grown up in just over a week! We prayed and then he said goodbye and unceremoniously cut the call - no time to say "I love you" or blow kisses today!

    I keep telling myself it's ok, as long as he's happy and settling in. However, I do feel I shall have to have a - probably very short! - chat with him about good manners. From my side, I shall respect his time by simply asking about his day and praying with him. If he chooses to say more about anything, that will be wonderful, but he is now surrounded by people and activities, which is good for a young person. Granny's house was quite boring. A young un needs action.

    In the quiet, I know God has a process for me to navigate. I will use the time to draw closer to Him through prayer and Torah study and see what He will bring to pass. 

    That is not to say that I am not planning a visit to Juan-Dre soon. I am definitely!

    So many things have happened in the last few days. One of them is that, somehow, I am seeing more real people than I have in the last few years, since lockdown. Friends came tonight at Motzei Shabbat and had coffee and collected their organic veggies and herbs. It was so good to chat with living souls.

If you live in East London, South Africa, this is where you can order organic veggies & herbs from: 

https://www.facebook.com/ksfi2020

    Tomorrow I am joining a group of Christian friends for afternoon tea and refreshments. I'm really looking forward to it as I haven't seen them for quite some time.

    This makes me think of my beloved mom, who has just moved to a retirement centre and loves it. She called me at about 11am today and told me they had been treated to an easter show with pastries and tea. I'm so glad she is happy there.

    We have added Erev Shabbat Mincha prayers to our weekday Shacharit and Mincha prayers. We are finding it gives us a calmness to enter Shabbat with and are so grateful that God has blessed us with being able to join in the prayers of Klal Yisrael.

    As we learn and grow and thereby add more actions to our faith, I for one find it a most fulfilling and beautiful way to live. There is a blessing and a prayer for everything, and it's mostly Scripture. How powerful to pray God's word back to Him constantly. Some people may think it's going overboard, but I want to be right at the feet of Yeshua in the Kingdom, I certainly don't want to be in the cheap seats! As far as I'm concerned, the best way to accomplish that is to follow all the commandments to the absolute best of my ability!

    Layla tov & Shavu'a tov