Biblical Feasts & Hanukkah ~ Part 1

Harrison got to light the candles on the 2nd night
of Hanukkah this year.  We enjoy lighting them as we
start dinner so that we can enjoy them, pray and read
while we eat. 

More than three years ago, the topic of the Biblical Feasts kept being put in front of me.  I wasn't searching.  In fact, I had never even really knew about them.  I had heard of them once or twice, but just assumed they were some Jewish cultural thing that really wasn't significant and didn't matter.  God wouldn't let up, though, and in different ways the Feasts just kept showing up, so I finally gave in and did what I love to do - read and search for "treasures".

What I found was really interesting.  I wasn't quite sure what it would practically mean to us, if anything, but I was enjoying the newfound knowledge and understanding of Bible history and Hebrew culture.  I tried to stay unbiased and just search the scriptures, along with other resources to see what I would find rather than trying to prove one point or the other.

The first thing I found was Leviticus 23.   Now quite frankly, Leviticus isn't a book of the Bible that I have ever spent any amount of time reading.  It's really pretty boring reading about all those mundane details of how, exactly, God wanted them to sacrifice, worship, create government, etc etc.  I never felt like any of that applied to us today anyway - so why spend the time reading and trying to figure it out?  But as I began to read this time, things began to stand out in a new way.  Three different times in this chapter, it repeats that these are a "feast to the Lord…It is a statute forever, throughout your generations".  

First of all, these are God's feasts.  His days ~ set up for His honor, to meet with His people and so that all those following Him would know and remember the things He wanted them to remember.  Interesting, right?  I began to have a long list of questions I wanted answered.  Secondly, that word 'forever' stood out to me.  Forever is forever - before and after Jesus.  I believe when God said it, He meant it - forever.  So if they were so important to Him and He wanted them celebrated forever, why didn't I know anything at. all. about them?  Something inside me wouldn't let it rest, and I kept searching.

1 Thess 5:21 says, "Test all things.  Hold fast to what is good."

Here are some questions for you ~ How well would you understand the Pilgrims without a Thanksgiving celebration?  Would you remember all the details of the story?  The names of the ships, how they came to America, the struggles they had, how they learned to plant corn and other food with the help of the Native Americans?  Would you remember their names, their dress, and what foods might have been on the table that first Thanksgiving?   Or, without the celebration, would the first Thanksgiving be just another point of history that you learned and let it quickly fade from your mind?

Maybe it's because my background is in education, but I think it's pretty amazing that God gave us a hands-on, participatory, FUN way to learn about "His Story" through His holy days!  When I realized that, I had an "A-ha Moment" of my own.  Well, of course He did it that way.  He created these brains of ours after all, and He knows best how they work and how we learn.  God is good!  He loves us and desires the we bury the truth of Him and His Word deep in our hearts.  I think He knew from the very beginning that we would need repititous, hands-on, enjoyable learning to get that accomplished.

In a nutshell, there are 7 feasts laid out in Leviticus that are to be celebrated and remembered forever. They are divided into two groups ~ the Spring Feasts & Fall Feasts.  Together, they literally symbolize and tell Christ's story from beginning to end.  In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul tells the Gentile believers that the holy days "are a shadow of things to come."  The Spring Feasts point to Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  Jesus was sacrificed for our sins on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread and rose again on Firstfruits.  The fall holidays are a picture of His first and second coming and the beginning of the Messianic reign of Christ.

Each feast is a huge opportunity to learn more about our Creator, our Savior and His plan for us.  Why waste it?  Each one is filled with details that are absolutely and incredibly amazing to me.  We learn more every year.  They've quickly become very dear to our hearts.  I hope that even if you don't share our feelings about the Feasts, that you'll learn a thing or two about scripture this week that will inspire you to dig for some treasures of your own.

What's Up With Hanukkah? And..Happy Thanksgiving!

I've debated whether or not to even write about this here, because I truly do not want to spark a debate or come across as being judgemental or offensive to anyone, especially our extended family, in any way.   My heart doesn't want you to think I've lost my mind.  I'm a people-pleaser and I HATE it when I feel like the people I love aren't happy with me.  I'm working on that, but it's a work in progress.

Just please remember that the primary reason I started this blog is to have a place to write about what our family is doing, keep up with pictures of my kids and print them periodically.  I could've chosen to keep it private - for my eyes only.  Maybe  I should've thought through that a little better.   (Sigh)   Oh well, here we are.  I chose not to keep it private only because I thought that I had some family and friends that would enjoy seeing the kids' pictures and reading about their antics.  I mean, really, they are pretty wonderful and I love 'em so much I just wanted to share them.  What that means is that you are getting a glimpse into my home and my heart.  The way life really is here.  Mostly, that's fun for me.  Sometimes, it's a little scary.  However, if I expect my boys to be able to be transparent and honest even when it's hard, then I'd better be able to do the same.

I want our holiday photos included in the published outcome of all this, so that means I need to post them.  But, I know when I post them, they are going to create questions if I haven't shared my heart, so that's what I decided to do.  Writing where our hearts are will also create a black and white, printed copy on paper that the boys will have someday if they need to remember what their mom & dad were thinking at this time in their lives and why we made these decisions.  In the end, it will be a good thing.

The situation with holidays and learning about the Feasts in scripture has actually been a very long process.  It started at least three years ago, so it's impossible to explain it in three paragraphs.  For that reason, I'm going to divide it up and just post a little bit every day over the next week or so, while we're celebrating Hanukkah.  If you don't want to know about it, just skip it.  Hopefully, if you decide to read them, you'll understand where we're coming from.  We can agree to disagree if we need to - that's fine with me.

In the meantime ~ today is Thanksgiving.  My list of blessings is so incredibly long.  We've been blessed by our Creator beyond measure, and I'm ever so grateful.  Why He loves us so, I'm not sure I understand, but I'm so glad that He does!  I pray that today you found yourself blessed as well, and enjoying your family and friends.

Today, I was blessed to spend some time with Emily, Grant's biological mom.  She's a precious soul and someone that I will be forever thankful for.  Without her, I wouldn't be the mother of 4 boys.  In a million years, I never would have expected to find myself in this place.  One day, I'll write about that, I'm sure.  Today though, I'm not worrying about all that.  Today, I'm just thankful for Emily, who she is, and what she means to me and this family.  It's indescribable.

Emily & Me
Thanksgiving ~ 2013

Happy Hanukkah!

Wednesday evening was the beginning of Hanukkah and it was so much fun!  The boys have been anxiously awaiting this holiday that is fairly new to us.  This is the third year that we've celebrated and each year they love it more and more.  They love lighting the candles each evening and the other new traditions we have started.  This year, for the first time, we invited another family over to share dinner and some fun with.

It was a really relaxed, fun evening.  Logan came over a few hours before dinner for some extra playtime.  I'm sure that part of the celebration will be requested again next year!  While the kids played, I got the food together.  The menu was roast chicken, fried venison, baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, carrots, and salad.  Dessert was apple crisp and a Hanukkah favorite ~ fried donuts.  The kids were so excited about the donuts.  They have significance to the celebration, but I think it's funny because they are so simple and easy - and they aren't even really donuts, but they just love them!  

One of the things I love about celebrating Hanukkah is that it is so simple.  No fuss.  No rush.  No stress.  Just special, quiet time with family and friends that is focused on Christ.  It has been a huge blessing and we've learned so much.  I'm so thankful that God led us to this place.

After dinner,  we lit the menorah, ate dessert, read
scripture and discussed how we can apply the
lessons of Hanukkah to our lives.

After we lit the candles, read and discussed scripture, we watched a DVD that told the story of the Macabees and how the Jewish people rebuilt and cleaned the temple after it had been defiled by the Syrians.  The kids weren't happy when it was all over and we hadn't had time to play with the dreidels.  Hopefully, we'll have some time before Hannukah is over to get together with Logan and do that.   It was a great evening and we're looking forward to the rest of the week!

Ok.  I know that if you know me and my family, you are likely wondering why in the world we are celebrating Hanukkah in the first place.  Stayed tuned.  The answer isn't a short one, but it's coming.  

Throwback Thursday

Jackson ~ Summer '05 ~ 3 yrs old
Adam Barton's wedding

Jackson ~ Christmas '03

Doug, Jackson & me ~ Winter '03
Jackson was 20 months.  

A Week's Worth

Every day for a week I've thought, "You need to post these pics to the blog"  or "You need to update the blog tonight after the kids go to bed."  Alas, it didn't happen.  So, rather than several smallish posts with a picture or two - here they are from the whole week.  I swear, I don't know how the days fly by so fast.  Will try to do better from here, but there are just no guarantees around here.  So...Without further a-do, here's what we've been doing for the last several days.

       
One day last week Jackson got a sports physical.  The nurse was nice enough to let Grant do everything Jackson did, so he got to be a big boy, too.

I love to put him in footie pajamas.  Unfortunately, he doesn't share my feelings about them.  I got him these new ones and for a few minutes, he was really excited and would stomp at us and "RAWR".  Didn't last long, though.  He'll keep them on through the night, but first thing in the morning, he's unzipping them and stripping down to his diaper.

Doug went hunting last weekend at his parents' house with his 3 older brothers.  This was his prize.  We also were blessed by two more that his brothers shot and didn't want.  So, I have just spent the entire evening grinding up and packaging all three of them.  Freezer is full of organic, grass fed meat now.  :)

Just pretend their eyes are open.  Aren't they cute? 

While Doug was gone, the kids and I enjoyed some time at home.  Saturday, Dr. Christina McGough was here at the house seeing clients and teaching me a few things.  She is a naturopath, which is a field I am fascinated with, so that was a lot of fun for me.  Saturday evening, we rented movies and hung out watching Monsters University and Duck the Halls.  Sunday was full of church, lunch with friends and the Chiefs-Broncos game with another family.  And, of course, Doug came home with every cooler we own full of deer.

Harrison @ church.  He helped carry in the
Operation Christmas Child boxes.

           



















Sunday was a windy day.  The kids had fun throwing the leaves up and chasing them.  

They were having so much fun!  Wish I'd gotten video.

Didn't take Grant long to figure out that he loves
Grandma Irma's sugar cookies!!

   

More From Harrison...

This morning, he says to me, "Mom, you know that even after I go to college, I will be here with you.  I will eat breakfast with you and dinner with you, too.......if I can find my way back home."

When I hugged him and told him I was positive he'd be able to find his way he said, "How do you know?"

Oh, this boy.  I can hardly look at him without smiling.

Traditions

Conversation at the dinner table tonight.....

Harrison:  Do we HAVE to hold hands when we pray?
Carter:  Well no, Harrison, but it is a lovely tradition!!

These boys CRACK. ME. UP!  I so wish I'd had a picture of them while they were at the table.  The whole thing was so matter of fact.  One of those moments where it was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud.  Love these boys!

He's a Hunter

Carter has been patiently waiting for the youth deer hunting weekend for a year now.  He wanted to go last year, but we just couldn't make it happen.  This year, it was THE priority of this particular weekend.  Doug took a day off work, we skipped out on flag football games, Jackson missed a youth event at church, and of course we missed Sunday worship just so Carter could have his turn in the woods.

All ready to go!

Saturday was a great day for catch with Papa!

We headed to Dad's Thursday evening.  Friday, Dad and Doug took Carter for some target practice.
 He's loved guns and shooting for a while now, but seldom gets to go.  He really hasn't had much experience yet.  But, Wow!  This kid was a perfect shot even in target practice with guns he'd never fired before.  He was SO proud...and so were we.  From about 60 yards, he hit the center target with every shot.  He shot with two different guns, a .22 and a .223 and he nailed every single shot with both guns.  He was beaming!  When he brought in his target to show his Aunt Kaye, Great Grandma Treva and I...and, of course, his brothers...he just couldn't stop smiling.

View from the backporch

Jackson, Harrison, Grant and I stayed at Aunt Kaye's so that the hunters had Dad's house to themselves.  We got to enjoy a great afternoon playing catch, hide and seek, and hanging out with Grandma.  I love going home.  Aunt Kaye's house is and always has been one of my favorite places to be.  The house they live in now is not the same one as when I was a little girl, but I still love it.  The back yard is better than a park ~ it's beautiful, complete with a big pond w/geese and ducks, stocked full of fish, lots of room to run and play ~ and we don't have to share.  Coffee on the backporch has become a morning tradition I adore.

Jackson and I enjoyed a walk around the pond with Grandma and Aunt Kaye.

Grandma

Harrison and I riding 4-wheelers

Saturday morning, he headed out early to a piece of acreage Uncle Homer owns.  Bless his heart, he sat in the blind for about 4 hours and nearly froze.  Doug finally brought him home.  He'd seen three, but wasn't able to get a shot.  Doug took him back out that afternoon and evening, too.  They didn't see anything else.  He was really tired and a little disappointed.  After a day of no luck, he decided he didn't want to get up so early the next day.  So mid-morning on Sunday, they went back to Grandma Hammond's field, but didn't see anything but a coyote.  That afternoon, about 2:30pm, his Papa Rod and Doug took him out one last time.  They sat a couple hours and were ready to head home around 5:00pm, when Papa spotted a doe.  Carter got his gun set and fired one shot.  He killed her clean and she dropped in her tracks.

All ready, but nothing to shoot

Back at the house, everyone was gathered up at Aunt Kaye's waiting.  I was getting a little restless since it had gotten dark and seemed like they should've been home.  Carter is such a sweet spirit and an animal lover, that I wasn't sure how he would handle things if he actually did kill one.  Finally, he came running in the front door, head in his hands and sobbing.  I wasn't sure what was wrong.  With his head buried in my chest and arms wrapped around me, I couldn't quite figure out if he was upset because he killed one or upset because he didn't.  After a little prodding, he finally jumped up and shouted, "I killed a deer!", which was quickly followed by lots of giggling.  The little squirt had gotten me and he thought it was absolutely hilarious.  Everyone went from worried and concerned to cheering and clapping for our successful hunter!  Of course, everyone quickly jumped up and headed out to see his prize.

He came in hungry!

He was so excited, he could hardly stand it!  Before he could go help the men take care of his bounty, though, the mighty hunter had to fill his tummy.  Good thing Aunt Kaye was prepared!  Everyone soon headed to the barn, where the men hung it and everyone pitched in a little bit to get the job done.  It was late before we left and nearly midnight when we got home, but it was so worth it.  Everyone had a great time and made lots of great memories with the people we love the very most.  Can't wait to do it again!

Carter and his first deer

Harrison, Grant, Carter & Jackson

A team effort by Papa Rod, Doug & Carter


                    

Here We Go!

New adventures are sometimes fun & exciting, sometimes nerve wracking or a little scary.  Like my first day of kindergarten - I still remember it.  That was scary stuff!  Beginning a blog - not so scary, but still brings a measure of anxiety, even though I really want to do it.  Mostly, I suppose, because I don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't turn out the way I envision it.  I hate when I feel that way and it keeps me from doing something.  So, I'm beginning.  And I'm going to purpose to be happy with whatever comes, whatever it looks like in design, however many posts I write each week, and regardless of whether a thousand people end up reading it or none.

The real purpose for blogging in the first place is for me to start getting the stuff happens in our lives recorded in some fashion.  A place for pictures of my boys - because I've got 10 years worth of them sitting in boxes in my basement with no way for my kids to even see them.  It's crazy that my need for perfection has kept me from tackling a project that would be so much fun for all of us.  The boys LOVE to see their pictures and look through them.  They'd so enjoy looking through albums if I had them.  So, here's to new beginnings.  Starting now - Widhalm life is going to be chronicled here.  And then, regardless of what it looks like, it's going to get printed.  And maybe I'll even do some Throwback Thursdays so that the old pictures from the basement will come come out of hiding.  This one was in the "basement" of my computer files.  It's Harrison getting ready to board a plane for the first time in early September of 2011.  He was about to be 4 and we were heading to Cabo San Lucas for vacation. 

So, here we go!  It should be fun a ride.  There's never a dull moment around here - so you'll never know what to expect from one post to the next.  Posts about the boys, homeschooling, what God is doing in our lives, DIY projects, our road to natural living and healthy eating, and even a new back-to-school experience and career for me.  Sound like fun?  Hope you enjoy this reading about this life as much as I love living it!