2025

 Although the New Year started for me a few months back, I thought the 31st December 2024 an auspicious time to make an account of recent events and how they might affect the foreseeable future ...

    The thing that has consumed most of my heart and thoughts recently began on the 11th December this year when I discovered my beloved mother had been taken by ambulance to the local casualty department.

    My beloved grandson had arrived for a visit only hours earlier, so the 2 of us caught a Bolt and went to see for ourselves how Mom and Gran-Gran was. Juan-Dre sat in the chair next to her, unable to fully look at her. We spent a bit of time in her presence and once I had seen for myself she was OK, we went back home, Juan-Dre saying goodbye to her by touching her hand gently. I thought they would just stabilise her and send her home. Truly, I did. Boy, was I wrong!

    She went from there to ICU, where she spent about 2 weeks, then to a general ward, where she still is. So, 3 weeks in hospital so far. They are just waiting for the lethargic medical aid to authorise her departure to the Rehab facility, where they will help her to stand and walk and move again.

    Of course, having my grandson here with me was such a delight. We spent good time together and all in all he enjoyed his visit tremendously - as per my last few blog posts! I plan, with his father's blessing, and, more especially, God willing, to go to PE to visit him for 4 days over his birthday in February. 

    On Friday the 27th December, the one just past, I was just sitting here after Erev Shabbat Mincha and looking out the window, wondering where I was going to get the energy from to prepare for Shabbat, which by now was only hours away. Not only that, but the weight on my heart about my mom, not knowing what was happening or what was going to happen, was so heavy on me that I couldn't really find the motivation for anything. Not even Shabbat. It was that bad.

    Just then the phone rang. It was an unknown cell number - I don't usually answer those, but for some reason I found myself clicking the green phone and saying "Hello?"

    A little voice on the other end of the phone said: "Hello. I am the nurse that is looking after your mom. She wants to talk to you."

    My heart was immediately elevated to new heights. I was overjoyed that my mom was recovered enough to actually ask the nurse to use her own airtime and call me! She spoke softly and slowly, but she spoke. She knew what she wanted and requested a couple of things. Just before Shabbat Hanukkah! The miracle had started!

    After Shabbat Shacharit the next day, I went to the hospital with my Siddur and spent 4 or 5 hours with her, praying the Mincha prayers at her bedside and making sure she was comfortable and happy before I left. What a wonderful Shabbat!

    This morning when I spoke to the nurse, she gave me a list of food items that my mom had requested. Those are now in the fridge and will go to her this evening. It will be the first time I've been able to visit her in the evening. Usually, I would go in the morning and stay to feed her lunch.

    Her days in hospital are drawing to a close as she will soon be heading to the Rehab Centre close by, to begin training her body to move properly again. I have always been a bit skeptical about these "Hanukkah Miracles" that people speak about, wondering if there was really anything like that. But now that God has shown me First Hand my very own Hanukkah Miracle - giving my mom back to us, fully recovered - I am convinced that this time of the year, which brings the light of the Messiah to us in a very strong and special way - is indeed one of those times on God's calendar when He leans His ear towards us very intently. He always desires to bless us and answer our prayers each and every day, we just need to learn how to create vessels that will hold His Light. Two of the very best ways I know are: 1. To pray and 2. To obey His Commandments.

    There is no one who can say they are flawless, and that goes especially for me. However, He doesn't expect us to be flawless before we can come to Him. But once we do walk with Him, we will need to love Him and be obedient to Him. I love God so much, it's the easiest thing for me to do. Of course I get it wrong many times. Thank God for Teshuva!

    On the last day of 2024, I am very happy that my mother is well on her way to being a fully recovered 83-year-old - May HaShem bless her with many more years with us!

    Plus there is my grandson's birthday to look forward to in less than 2 months' time!

    And all the prayer meetings, study sessions and Rosh Chodesh gatherings with my friends that are in the proverbial pipeline!

My 2025 is off to a resoundingly good start!

May yours be blessed too!