Joy in the Journaling

Adar 1
Shabbat
2/1/14 7 am

Thank you, LORD, for bringing healing yesterday and last night. Strength and health are restored, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

It's a new month, a new chapter. I need to write my thoughts on my blog each Shabbat. John wrote on the Isle of Patmos on Shabbat, the LORD's Day (Revelation 1:9). The Bible always refers to Sabbath as the LORD's day (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 16:23; 20, 31, 35, Lev. 23, Deut. 5, Isaiah 58:13, Ezek. 20, Luke 6:5, etc.) The "Church" very early went astray and deviated from Torah, the instructions of God. Nowhere in Scripture is there any indication that the LORD's day changed to Sunday. Anyway, I have no problem with writing on Sabbath, though others may.

Thank you, LORD, for Joel Allen (Messianic Family Fellowship, NY) for podcasts that helped turn the tide for me last night. His views were similar to mine, his sermon was edifying and reassuring (Terumah 2/16/13) and he used lots of Scripture from the KJV. I miss the KJV. I am going back to reading it today. The Complete Jewish Bible (David Stern) can be a reference, but my primary Bible needs to be the KJV. I treasure the lofty, poetic language and the overall accuracy. There is no better English version. I sense Your leading back to "the old paths" (Jeremiah 6:16). I sense I am back on Your path and out of the tangled thicket I've been in for quite some time. December and January have been rough, spiritually, physically, emotionally....not to mention the frigid weather, which has been like a Judgement on America, a plague, tribulation.

In contrast, the snow today looks peaceful, beautiful, inviting. I hope to play in it today...on my snowshoes, which I enjoy. I hope to get to Potato Creek State Park sometime this month for a snowy trail trek. So far, I've only tried it twice in my backyard/woods.

I have not been running, rowing, or even walking much this winter due to the severity of the weather and my "often infirmities." I hope that is all about to change.

I pray my paddleboards survive the weather being still outside against the Linden dorm wall. Winter came on strong without warning, and I did not get to take them home. I had hoped to paddleboard in November with Denise, but instead of turning warm, it turned very cold. It has been a long, bleak, difficult winter. Is there a message in it? Thank you for keeping us safe through it all.


Daily Bible Reading - Leviticus 1-3 (kidneys, liver)

I pray LORD, heal my kidneys, liver, whatever internal needs complete healing. Refuah Shleimah!

Torah Portion - Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19)


Update 4 pm: I did go snowshoeing in the woods this morning with Allie. It was a winter wonderland with snow falling softly all around us. The snow was up to Allie's belly. She got tired and followed my snowshoe tracks after a while. We only went one time around the trail, about a quarter mile, but I had to stop several times due to exhaustion. I wonder if I am getting over a respiratory virus. I feel fine today other than my limited endurance. I did not go to work yesterday because I felt so horrible. At one point my temperature was 95.4. It's back up to about 97 today. I can't even get to 98.6 at my age! The 97 range has been "normal" for me for a few years at least. I can't seem to burn off any chronic viruses that might be indwelling me and wreaking havoc from time to time. Fatigue is still an issue. But I don't trust modern medicine, so I must rely on the LORD for guidance and healing...and I do.

I have been thinking about all the "burst bubbles" and understand now that reality does not burst like a bubble, only fantasies. What is real remains. What is fake, deceiving, pretentious can and does go "poof." Rather than lament the loss and wallow in disillusionment, I should rejoice in the truth. The truth sets us free. The tares are not worth the tears.