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Just another week goes flying by, or does it? In our part of the world down under the Equator, the days are becoming longer albeit by only minutes, but every minute counts. Before too long it will be summer again with all those wonderful times on the beach to look forward to. But first we hopefully have Trumpets, Atonement, The Feast of Tabernacles and The Last Great Day to experience for 2021. Despite all the sudden changes with borders being closed and reopened only to be shut again, feast fever has descended upon me like the earliest faint blush on a rose opening up before full bloom. So much to look forward to no matter how things transpire because we know God is with us.
It would be easy to forget what happened over the last 7 days since the previous Sabbath (this begins Friday evening at sunset and completes at sunset on Saturday each week for those who may not know, thereby giving Sabbath keepers a full 24 hours of holy time). Therefore my brain capacity as it is now needs a prod or a little bit of help to remember all the things God did for me during the week in order to give thanks for these in prayer. While my youngest child was under my care and attended all the holy days for 7 years (from 5 to 12 years of age) we both greatly enjoyed trying to remember all that we were thankful for due to the blessings God provides. Our Sabbath began this way over dinner and then we would watch an age appropriate Christian based movie or DVD like VeggieTales. The following morning before going to services we would select something from the Bible to draw and write about. Memories of Jonah in the belly of a great fish, Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and so on -- we never ran out of topics. Those times were really very precious and now it is a time where my memories tend to fade faster but it is very important, even extremely important for me to write about "the week that was" as a bit of a diary or memorial, otherwise it is just way too easy to forget.
Being forgetful and taking things for granted such as God given blessings reminds me about the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings for 40 years. They were blessed mightily with incredible supernatural events yet they soon forgot these wonders that we would say are unforgettable, such as the miraculous parting of the Red Sea in order to flee from Pharaoh. My blessings this week were small by comparison yet for some reason they do not feel tiny but monumental in size. Perhaps others would laugh if they saw a mature woman walking through a park on a wintry morning while deep in thoughtful exchange with lips moving ever so slightly as if talking to somebody? Some may say "crazy old lady" which reminds me of the time Hannah was accused of being out of her mind but we know she was immersed in heartfelt prayer. There must have been literally hundreds, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people over the years accused of being deranged for their devotion to God and locked away in prisons or mental asylums before their death. Incredibly tragic, but their time will come and God will vindicate them in glory. As they say, these are they who will have the last laugh or hurrah.
God ultimately controls the weather and prayers were said to hold back rain and storms which were forecasted for our area so we could go out to deliver catalogues (it is very satisfying and exciting to pop church leaflets, such as what happens after death or other topics, into letterboxes while walking). God never disappoints. We remained nice and dry despite what the weather people said. A lovely blessing to be most thankful for. Then there was a book that came into our local library which was on hold for me. Another nice blessing. Some projects at home were carried out which required doing and we were able to complete these safely and in good health…further blessings to give thanks for. On my usual daily walks I tend to look at the ground where I am walking especially if uneven so as not to trip. This week some coins were found. A $2 gold coin, a shiny silver 50 cent coin, an old 10 cent coin which was so dirty it was camouflaged in the gravel, an even older 20 cent coin that was black instead of silver, a bright glistening 5 cent piece, and another 20 cent piece in good condition. A sum totalling $3.05 which for some would be considered shrapnel but for me it is very exciting, like finding buried treasure, except it is just not buried. It reminds me of gleaning treasure when reading the Bible which is way more exciting than the coins. Coins found like this have occurred countless times over the years but now remind me of the time when Jesus told Peter to look inside the fish where a coin was found to pay the tax. Unlikely and surprising -- this is how it is for me -- and I hope that this never gets old, becomes expected or humdrum because it is not the value, but the fun of it all while in a thankful and prayerful mindset.
This week I watched a TV documentary on the life of Nat King Cole, who sang many memorable songs and was very famous in a bygone era. One song that brings tears to my eyes is "Unforgettable" which he recorded on 17th August 1951. Hearing about how different things were back then even before I was born was interesting, yet very sad with regard to black and white segregation. As popular and talented as he was he was refused accommodation in the hotels where he sang. Others joined him in a form of solidarity and protest which was nice to know. If you have not discovered his incredible voice then here is a recording for you to listen to.
https://youtu.be/JFyuOEovTOE. He is no longer living yet will be resurrected one day to life again and will keep the Sabbath. His joy will be complete when reunited with his wife and family. Thinking about family, my sister and I chose this beautiful song to end the memorial service after our grandmother's funeral -- and the tears indeed flowed. That was some years ago in 1994. She almost made it to 92 years of age, a long life with great influence on her grandchildren.
Then the package we were expecting from America arrived last Friday containing all the yummy Huckleberry items which I had been so eager to receive. The day I tried these berries for the first time was in a humble establishment just across the border into Montana from Idaho. My mouth "sang for joy" as every taste bud came to life at the incredible and unfamiliar taste while munching and savouring the unique, sweet flavour of Huckleberry pie before attending the 2017 Feast of Tabernacles. Ever since then I looked forward to my next taste. Despite another trip in 2019 it was not meant to be as we were further south and could not find this delectable treat. Plans are underway to make a traditional Huckleberry pie to share with others when celebrating the Feast of Trumpets and this gives me even more to look forward to hoping brethren will enjoy it just as much as I do. Back in the 1960s watching cartoons like Huckleberry Hound it never even occurred to me that he was named after a fruit. Without my calling and conversion the discovery and enjoyment of Huckleberries would have most likely not eventuated at all.
Other blessings were those we receive on a continuous basis such as plenty of food and clean drinking water, protection from danger, plenty of spiritual sustenance with sermons to listen to from the members online site, warm and comfortable dwelling we temporarily live in, a car for transport, hot showers, serviceable clothing with good walking shoes, rest rooms inside the home -- I say this because many still use outhouses for elimination purposes. Alaska Bush people on TV and Alaskan Frontier both show basic homes with no plumbing. Going outside in freezing conditions with wild animals about, such as bears, must be incredibly harsh and dangerous. Counting our blessings is always worthwhile as it keeps us in a humble and thankful mindset which pleases our Father. This reminds me of scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you".