26th August

 Having woken up this morning with a sore head and nausea, I am very happy to report that the day got much better when I arose! It promises to end on a very good note!

    I felt so ill as I prepared to teach my first Hebrew class at 9am, I prayed and asked the LORD to please help me. And guess what? He did! By the end of the lesson, I was feeling fine! Baruch HaShem!

    And what a joyful lesson it was! I love my students. Each one has amazing special qualities that just jump out at you.

    I told her what I have told others: It is such an honour and privilege that HaShem has allowed me to teach the Holy Tongue - He has truly given me this great treasure into a vessel of clay. I stand in awe of what He can do and how much grace He can offer to a person.

    Thereafter, we did a S'lichot service followed by Shacharit. Short break to water the tomatoes, carrots, banana tree and peas, etc, then it was time to read Bereshiyt Rabbah. Another short break and it was time for my gift to HaShem - Mincha Prayers. Did some stuff around the house and taught my bouncy Gr 6 student Afrikaans. She gets so excited whilst learning! I love it.

    During one of our study sessions this afternoon, a friend said to me that my name appears on her alarm for the class - it may be in the afternoon for me, but it's 5.30am for her! - so I said:

    "Oh Wow! My name is up in lights!" 

    And we all laughted!

    Still to look forward to this evening is my daily chat/prayer with Juan-Dre, a short study with a friend and then further Elul teshuva on my own. I'm part-way through a video - I will finish that and continue praying/studying until I can't keep my eyes open. And also supper. I'm quite hungry, having not eaten yet today.

    HaShem started bringing things to my attention before Elul even started, for which I am very grateful. So by yesterday I had 11 items on my list that I need to pay attention to improving. A couple of them have been on my Yom Kippur list for 2 years and this year I said to Him:

    "This is ridiculous, Lord, 2 years!? This has got to go now." And so they have. I have asked explicitly for help from the heavens this year and I am trusting that it will be available for me. Certainly in my own strength I have only partially succeeded. May The LORD get all the glory this year for my success in ditching these bad habits! Always, always Bli Neder! Taught to us by our beloved Rabbi Bernstein of blessed memory.

    Looking at that list growing from 2 to 11 items, was a bit daunting. So I sat down this afternoon and with help from on high, managed to condense it down to 6 items. Definitely more do-able!

Kadima! Let's do teshuva!