Skip to main content

A Very Special Dinner


I just took my round loaf of Hallah bread out of the oven. My brisket of beef is still cooking in the spices and will be ready to eat tonight at sunset when we reflect on our Jewish Roots and celebrate Rosh Hashana! I’m going to post tonight’s dinner on my recipe blog tomorrow.

The evening begins when my husband blows the shofar. Rosh Hasanah is a wonderful holiday to celebrate because the Jewish calendar calls it their New Year. “Shanah Tovah” is the way they greet one another and it means “May you be inscribed for a good year; may God bless you!

In a nutshell, Rosh Hasanah beckons us to pray. We should be giving our very best money gift during this season. We should repent and especially forgive all who have hurt us. We should do good for others and help them. We should watch our words and show God we are serious about following Him.

This is a season of repentance and if I had to offer a counterpart in the New Testament, I would quote Romans 13: 11-13:

Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

And Ephesians 5: 14-16:
Awake you who sleep. Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

“Shanah Tovah” to you, my family and friends! May God bless you in every way abundantly in the coming year.

Comments

  1. LorenSeptember 8, 2010 at 3:05 PM

    Shanah Tovah Mary!

    I love you so much!

    I know tonight will be one of the most special of the year! Celebrate our Lord. Our Jewish roots and Eternal future.

    I know the Lord is so pleased!

    ReplyDelete
  2. DeniseSeptember 8, 2010 at 5:59 PM

    Shanah Tovah dear sis, be sweetly blessed. I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JackieSeptember 8, 2010 at 11:42 PM

    Beautiful, Mary......My Spirit witnessed with every word in your post here and my heart lept as I thought upon the beautiful sound of the shofar. Oh, what a wonderful God is He!! Thank you for sharing, dear friend!

    Shanah Tovah and Shalom Shalom!

    Love,
    Jackie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michele WilliamsSeptember 9, 2010 at 8:54 AM

    Shanah Tovah to you dear friend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. RCUBEsSeptember 9, 2010 at 9:10 AM

    To be reminded about forgiveness and repentance is what I needed today!!! Thank you for sharing with us an important celebration. God bless you sister...

    ReplyDelete
  6. AlleluiabelleSeptember 9, 2010 at 1:20 PM

    I couldn't of said it any better than Jackie...how beautiful and to hear your husband sound the shofar...gives me goosebumps filled with immense love for our God.

    Shana Tovah to you my sweet smiling friend!!

    Love you,
    Alleluiabelle

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/September 9, 2010 at 3:16 PM

    How wonderful this was to share today. Your history and descriptions just come alive. What a glorious heritage you have! I can just hear the shofar blowing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Cindy AdkinsSeptember 9, 2010 at 6:41 PM

    Dear Mary,
    Shanah Tovah! Wishing you a very Happy New Year filled with blessings...

    Thank you so much for your prayers...When I was at the hospital, the only prayer I could even think of from memory was "The Lord is My Shepherd" in Hebrew...the words kept going through my head...

    I know that the only way I have gone through any of this was because all of you were holding me up with your prayers. Thank you, dear friend.
    Love,
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  9. KarenSeptember 10, 2010 at 1:52 PM

    I was so thrilled to read your blog today about the Jewish New Year. Blessings to you and your family! And the video brought a good belly laugh after a hard day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. LisaShawSeptember 11, 2010 at 6:25 AM

    Mary,

    Thank you for sharing this special time with us.

    Aww, repentance and forgiveness -- two powerful heart choices to live.

    I can just hear that Shofar blowing...

    Blessings and Shalom to you and your family. Love you dear one.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Have This Day

  A friend noticed Cowboy Church off of Dry Creek Road in West Sedona yesterday morning as he drove past and told me the parking lot was bulging with cars from everywhere.  "Something big was going on!  He said." "Yes I replied; I was there and I want to tell you all about what happened." I glanced over the highly attended sanctuary as the first speaker approached to speak.  He introduced himself as a pastor from the state of Washington but he was also my bestie's nephew.  His engaging  eulogy of the life of his cousin, Ashley, gripped me.  He helped all of us understand and trust God when we want to scream "She was so young.  What about her widower husband now who loved her with all his heart?  What about their two-year old boy who misses his mommy?"  There are days we just don't understand God's ways.  But I am at peace to know Ashley is finally pain free and lives in Paradise. I glanced at her mom, Maureen, my best friend now for...
7 comments
Read more

A Memorial Day Reflection

  Memorial Day is always noteworthy for me and my girls.  Next Thursday marks the third year of missing their father, my husband. So many thoughts  run through my mind.  The journey of loss takes on various emotions.  The strongest feeling, at first, was emptiness.  In a split second, I would forget he departed forever.  I imagined things I needed to talk to him about when he got back home.  My mind is realistic now.  He's not coming back.  There will be no more times of sitting on the porch swing together on the front deck staring at the moon and the stars.  He would tell me all he knew about the majestic night sky. I have so much I wish I could tell him, like the excitement of seeing our oldest grandchild make a decision to follow Jesus and get baptized on Mother's Day!  And our little Amy, 11 years old, I wish he could have seen her on stage receiving her induction to the National Honor Society. Our daughters have their own ...
24 comments
Read more

I'm Going as Abigail This Year

I vote for more purses, toothbrushes, cups, storybooks, and Halloween costumes that feature Abigail of the Old Testament.  She is a heroin worthy to emulate, in my opinion, even more than Cinderella. Once upon a time, there was a kind woman by the name of Abigail who lived with a surly man who liked to drink a lot and have parties.  One time, King David and his army were very hungry and entered the surly man’s homestead and asked if they could come to his barbecue.  The king had a right to ask because he and his men protected the homestead’s boundary lines.  The surly man said “No.  Get off my property.”  The King had a temper and became offended. Surly drunk + spiteful King = War In the meantime, Abigail heard about the situation and spent hours baking cinnamon rolls for the King and his army.  She dismounted from her horse and presented the King with her peace offering.  She bowed low and greeted the King and asked his forgi...
39 comments
Read more