CHILDREN

Children are precious and should be nurtured by the society in which they grow up. Often the trauma experienced by a child is virtually unthinkable to an adult. This being the case, how then is a child to work through such terrible trauma and if they are not helped, what becomes of them later in life? What type of next generation will we have?

Traumas that spring to mind:

children subjected to a constant unnatural vigilance for flying rockets in areas such as Sederot, Israel. No they cannot just play and be children.

Imagine a situation in which thousands and thousands of people, many of them children and the elderly, are plunged into a reality in which they must fear for their lives day in and day out, in which their livelihoods are crippled, with their schools and even pre-schools under siege. Entire communities are trapped, paralyzed. Whole childhoods are spent in a state of post-traumatic stress.

children whose parents die of Aids related illnesses and are then taken in by an often older family member who then in turn also dies. Many children such as these, often stay in a mourning phase and live lives of uncertainty.

These examples are obviously only the tip of the iceberg. I just weep for all the fragile, tortured children in this World.

Unfortunately we cannot jump out and change the whole World but we can do something about that one thing that crosses our path.

A very worthy cause that can do with some more help whether it be in the form of volunteer time, groceries, stationery or funds:

http://www.5cees.co.za/

Musings

Last night I dreamed that I had died. And in my mind’s eye I saw the butterfly effect of those things unsaid and undone. Who knows what effect it may have had on other lives or what a difference it could have made in even just one life, no matter how slight.

Then again, what use to write such things in a blog that only a privileged few will ever read? Much rather live and speak out blessings each and every day.

Perhaps I’ll just count my blessings and to keep this short, name only those on the tip of the iceberg, one by one

I was blessed and privileged to have seen my oldest daughter as the most beautiful bride, marrying a man who truly loves her. Materially I am unable to do anything for these two, so I will just love them, pray for them and be there if ever they should need me.

My younger daughter is about to have a baby and I will be a grandmother for the very first time. The first time I behold and hold the baby will indeed be a very special moment and although I anticipate it, I will wait and savour every second when the time comes. In the meanwhile, I will make and serve my daughter’s favourite dish this week and count it a privilege to be able to do this especially for her.

To my children I say, make sure that you fight the good fight and that good will prevail over evil in the eternal inner struggle. To this end, always remember God’s very own words to Cain in Genesis 4:7:

Gen 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.

A lifelong dream to visit Israel is about to be fulfilled in March. My spiritual preparation for this pilgrimage has begun and how wonderful to know that soon I will walk where the Messiah and prophets of old walked and talked.

In June this year we have a 70th birthday coming up. Thanks to God for his more than adequate provision and for giving me the ability to arrange something special for my husband. I plan to have his friends and family around for a celebration and as a special treat, I will arrange for a violinist to play for him. He does so love hearing the violin played, particularly, “Smoke gets in your eyes”.

…..and to God be the Glory!

Rejection

Feeling the pain of rejection by my children and having come to the realization that the only time they call on you is when they need you or something you can supply; I started talking to God about it. Straight off, in fact right at the beginning in mid-sentence I realized that not only was I speaking to the Creator of the Universe, but also I was speaking to an expert in the field of rejection.

Suddenly my entire approach changed and instead of asking how I should best handle the situation, I realized that, like God, I just have to be there again and again despite the feelings of being ‘used’. My initial intent of lodging a complaint, changed to a realization that I instead should be on my knees begging for forgiveness and mercy and I ask:

‘Lord, that you remind me of this very ache the next time I neglect my communion with you in prayer and in your Word. Next time I do not include you in the joys of my life or forget to thank you.’

Much, much more than anything, I thank you Father for always being there.

Not perfect?? a marvellous way to help others!

We are all supposed to learn from our mistakes. When I was very much younger, I used to think: ‘yes, we learn from our mistakes, but others have to make their own mistakes and learn for themselves.’ However, as time passed by, I would warn and tell my children of some of my mistakes and although I would concede that they would still make their own, I suggested that they should learn from mine and try to not repeat them.

There is, however, a far more interesting perspective to this.

Today I received my daily inspirational email from “Growing each day” in it Rabbi Abraham J Twerski writes:

A surgeon once encountered difficult complications during an operation and asked his assistant to see if there was anyone in the surgical suite who could help. The assistant replied that the only one who was there was the chief of the surgical staff. "There is no point in calling him," the operating surgeon said. "He would not know what to do. He never got himself into a predicament like this."

As far as people's own functioning is concerned, it might be better not to have made mistakes. Still, such perfection makes them relatively useless as sources of help to others who have made mistakes, because they have no experience on which to draw to know how to best help them correct their mistakes.

He then concludes:

That someone perfect in righteousness may not be able to identify and empathize with average people who need help in correcting their errors. If a helper is required in this field, someone who has already made mistakes and is repentant and aware of them is certainly the perfect helper.

It would therefore be good to reflect on how mistakes were dealt with and then share the experience with others who may benefit from the information.

Well the bottom line really is that some good can come from almost anything if you put your mind to it and apply it in the correct way and far from perfect seems a good place to be!!

ANTISEMITISM

About fifteen years ago, my daughter and a Jewish boy fell in love. They are both now in their thirties. Having been immersed in the Jewish way of life long enough to make an informed decision, my daughter decided to convert. Despite the fact and probably because I am a Christian, I supported her throughout the conversion process and also often attended Shul and Torah study with her. I love the Jewish people, study their customs, laws and rituals and will be making my very own first pilgrimage to Israel in March this year.

My daughter and her boyfriend are now to be married and the wedding invitations are out. Suddenly the worms come out of the woodwork and some very real antisemitism rears its ugly head. Talk about bursting my little bubble – seems up to now I had been living on another planet! Well, I certainly was bowled over by some of the invited guests’ reaction to having merely to wear a Yarmulke during the ceremony.

Having searched for a way to describe what I’m feeling, I can only come up with ‘shocked and outraged’. I want to weep for these deluded people who obviously do not understand the indescribable suffering, trials and tribulation Jews have already endured and the priceless contribution Jews have made to the World. They do not know or forget the very promise God made to Abram:

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. ”

I am seriously chewing on this one problem. We have to try to educate people and point out the error of their ways and acknowledging what has been learnt by others in the past, I guess we will just have to change the world, one person at a time.