Morning Mysteries…

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 “Be still and know that I AM…” (Psalm 46:10). Prayer is a type of listening (shema), a turning back to heed the message of God’s love and hope. Indeed, the word “teshuvah” (תְּשׁוּבָה), often translated as “repentance,” also means an answer or response to a question. God’s love is the question, and the heart’s response is the answer. Some of us may find it difficult to trust, to open our heart to receive grace and kindness. For those of us wounded by abandonment, it can be a great struggle to hear the voice of God calling you “beloved,” “worthy,” “valued,” and “accepted.” When you find faith to receive God’s word of love, however, your heart comes alive and you begin to heal. May you hear the Spirit speaking to you this hour…

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“He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the stamina of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” – Psalm 147:8-11

הַמְכַסֶּה שָׁמַיִם בְּעָבִים
הַמֵּכִין לָאָרֶץ מָטָר
הַמַּצְמִיחַ הָרִים חָצִיר׃
נוֹתֵן לִבְהֵמָה לַחְמָהּ
לִבְנֵי ערֵב אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאוּ׃
לא בִגְבוּרַת הַסּוּס יֶחְפָּץ
לא־בְשׁוֹקֵי הָאִישׁ יִרְצֶה׃
רוֹצֶה יְהוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָיו
אֶת־הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ׃

This morning the air temperature was high, so the snow melted and made a misty fog… I took this picture about an hour after sunrise.

Techiyat hametim…

midnovember

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“Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead. ” – Isaiah 26:19

יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן
הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁכְנֵי עָפָר
כִּי טַל אוֹרת טַלֶּךָ
וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל

To everything there is a season…

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To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted… (Kohelet 3:1-2)

לַכּל זְמָן
וְעֵת לְכָל־חֵפֶץ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם
עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת
עֵת לָטַעַת וְעֵת לַעֲקוֹר נָטוּעַ

A wideness of mercy…

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“The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”

– Psalm 84:11-12

כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמָגֵן יְהוָה אֱלהִים
חֵן וְכָבוֹד יִתֵּן יְהוָה
לא יִמְנַע־טוֹב לַהלְכִים בְּתָמִים
יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בּטֵחַ בָּךְ

ki shemesh u’magen Adonai Elohim
chen ve’khavod yitten Adonai
lo yimna-tov la’holekhim be’tamim
Adonai tzeva’ot ashrei adam bote’ach bakh