Welcoming Shabbat

I am so looking forward to Shabbat this week.  Last week, Shabbat was a struggle both to prepare for and to keep properly.  The house was in chaos and boxes begging to be packed.  We had already packed the Shabbat dishes although I made sure to leave out my mother's candle sticks and kiddush cup. 

By contast, the peace of Shabbat is already starting to fill me as I compare our plans.  I do not get make challah yet but I am also not making other preparations.  We are traveling and spending Shabbat with dear friends.  We will be attending a special outdoor Kabbalat Shabbat service this evening.  Growing up, I attended more Kabbalat services than I did Shabbat morning.  Froggy has attended very few and I think she will very much enjoy this service with all its singing. 

We have not done well this summer with making it to Shul.  A friend commented to me recently that "Torah life is a community life".  It is possible but hard and unpleasant to be a Jew in isolation. We draw so much just from davening with others.  It helps renew us and support us.

Knowing that I will be spending all of Shabbat with other Jews has put wings on feet this morning.

Shabbat Shalom

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WFMW - Sewing Machine

Image
What works for me this week is my sewing machine. I am in love with my sewing machine. I have missed it. I have been so busy with my classwork that I have not pulled it out since I finished Froggy's Halloween costume. This week has been a return to normalacy and for me normalcy means sewing. I finished finding m y c raft room on Monday. So yesterday I sewed. I made a skirt for me testing out a new pattern. The pattern is basic and easy with very little fitting. It is not the most flattering of patterns but it supposed to be a plain backdrop for embellishments. I may add a bit of shaping so it is not so full through the hips when I make it again with the embellishments. As soon as the weather dries out, I can go outside and spread out and sandwich together the baby quilts I need to finish up for the new arrivals that are almost here. Come see what works for others at Rocks In My Dryer
Read more

Its Giveaway Time Again - Cooking and Kids

Image
It's hard to believe that time is going by so quickly, but here it is already - the big Fall 2008 Bloggy Giveaway kicks off today, and you're invited. Click on the link (going live at 8am CST) to participate in literally hundreds of great bloggy giveaways. . For my own giveaway this time I'm giving away something that combines my three favorite things in life; children, books and cooking. Cooking with Herb is a companion book to Herb, The Vegetarian . Bright, funny watercolor, crayon, and pen-and-ink illustrations set the tone for a happy time in the kitchen. Grand-Ma-Ma Flora, Squat, Haggis, Gorse and Meathook, help Herb the Dragon prepare such vegetarian specialties as Spaghetti Sandwiches (a frittata of pasta, eggs and cheese), Veggie Sailboats and Radical Dragon-Salsa. To enter the drawing leave me a comment telling me your favorite book, recipe or childhood moment and be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win. While you are here, relax and look around
Read more

Book Giveway - Children

Image
Here is a midweek pick-me-up to continue the joy of Book Giveaway Week. This one if for the little ones. Do you have a little one in your family? Then share with them the joy of books. I will pick two winners. Tell me which book you want and bit about the child with whom you read. Earn extra chances to win by posting about this giveaway in your blog - leave the link to your post in a comment. Earn a third chance to win by subscribing to this blog. Winners will be announced Monday morning. Animal Boogie will let you shake, shimmy and boggie-woogie-oogie with the creatures of the Indian jungle! Enjoy a tale that is bright and fun, wacky and exotic! The vibrant, fun illustrations in this book are packed full of jungle animals to find and count. The rhyme bounces alo ng introducing a colorful collection of intriguing animals through lively word play and repetition. A musical score is included in the book. In this sequel to Llama Llama Red Pajama, llama llama gradually learns to b
Read more