Sacrifice

As a mother, and a civilized human being, there is a specific story in the Torah that I have always had difficulty with. G-d tells Abraham to take his son Isaac and bring him up as a sacrifice. We all know that at the last second, G-d tells Abraham to stop, for now Abraham has passed his final test from G-d, and instead a ram is sacrificed. We also know that Isaac was not a young child, he was 37 years old at that time, and quite capable of figuring out what was going on. He did not question his father, and he did not question 

G-d. He asked that his father tie him down so he would not struggle and make it harder. We also understand that G-d never intended Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, He was only testing him.

This morning, while driving my kids to school, I was listening to music from one of my favorite groups, 8^th Day. They sing a song about our father Abraham that really got me thinking.

We are the children of Abraham and Isaac, and because of this story we have survived 3000 years of wandering. Our ability to put our own logic and preconceived notions aside and do what G-d asks of us, is inherited from Abraham. Our ability to drive 200 miles a day to give our children a G-dly education, comes from Abraham. His actions in this story infused his children with this ability – forever! As long as it is required of us, we can do what it takes for our children.

From Isaac we have inherited the trait of self sacrifice. We have the ability to sacrifice our own comfort and desires and fears, for G-d. Many of us have obstacles getting in the way of our spirituality, our dreams, and many other successes. From Isaac we have inherited the strength to tie ourselves down, so we don't flinch. Get past ourselves, and do what needs to be done.

As a daughter of Abraham and Isaac, I have inherited the strength to do whatever it takes to hold my head up straight and walk the path G-d has lead me on. Had Abraham not been asked to sacrifice Isaac, these gifts would not be part of our inheritance. As G-d made Abraham the father of our nation, he gave our future nation the tools we would need to survive.

To all of my brothers and sisters out there, struggling along the way, do not flinch! Deep within your soul's DNA, you have all of the tools you need to walk straight and proud!

And YES, Abraham, we are the children you dreamed about!

Change#: No change is necessary. You already have it in you, just take a deep breath and recognize it.

Return Again

Water is freshest at its source.

Fruits and vegetables have the most nutrients freshly cut.

Grains loose their nourishment qualities as we strip them of their texture and color.

Animal products have the most value the less processed they are.

Society is relearning these fundamentals of health and nutrition. G-d made perfect food for us. The more we mess with it, the less perfect it becomes, and in turn, so does our health.

If this is true about food, certainly it is true about our laws of morality, judicial systems, and proper conduct within humanity.

Can a person be whole (holistic) without considering the source of these lessons? Where does the idea of fixing the world come from? Where do we learn about fixing ourselves?

What else does it say?

What is my role in this process?

Is there a source to go back to?

Well then, certainly I should study that. At least as much as my nutritional bibles.

Then my heart and soul and mind can be as healthy as my body.

That is wholesome.

Change #5: Find a friend, teacher, spouse, or website that knows a little more then you, and get together a couple times a month. Focus on the 5 Books of Moses. This is where the source is.

L’Chaim! To life!

Why This Blog?

Many years ago, in a small European village, lived an elderly Rabbi.

He said, 

“When I was in my twenties, I thought I could change the world.  When I was in my thirties, I thought I could change my country.  When I was in my forties, I though I could change my state.  When I was in my fifties, I thought I could change my city.  When I was in my sixties, I though I could change my community.  When I was in my seventies, I thought, well maybe at least I can change my family.  When I was in my eighties, I realized that the only one I can change is myself.

Had I realized that in my twenties, I would have changed the world.  

Hidden Talents

Do you share your talents with your family?

We all have things we love to do and we do them well, but do we share them with our loved ones?

Do we sing and dance together?

I’m sure we thought we would.

Do we paint pictures and tell stories?

Do we bake cupcakes and plant vegetables?

Do we write poetry and build furniture?

Does a yoga instructor teach her children yoga?

We all have parts to us that are special and unique.  Many of us love doing these few precious things that make us so happy.

But, do we keep them to ourselves?  Are we afraid that if we do them too often or with too many people they won’t be special? 

Now let’s think without fear.  Who better to share the best parts of ourselves then our loves ones.  They might not love it or be as good at it as you are, but you are opening their eyes and minds to your heart.  They can’t help but see the beauty in that.  They in turn, will learn how to share what’s in their hearts as well.

Change #4:  Have a talent show with your friends or family.  In a fun and safe setting, open up to those closest to you and show each other what you are made of. 

Now that will definitely make the world a more beautiful place.

Recalculating

I have learned a few valuable lessons from my GPS.

Recalculating, and the very unemotional voice telling you one simple directive at a time, have taught me quite a few lessons. 

Recalculating; Finding out that you are going the wrong direction, and calmly adjusting.  Or realizing the path has changed and calmly adjusting.

 Most of us make plans in our lives, and quite often life makes other plans.  It is not completely unnatural to have a hard time with this, yet we likely have the same reactions day after day, year after year.

When we realize that things have changed, how do we adjust?  Do we focus on the burden this has put on us?  Contemplate how unfair this all is?  It is acceptable for a toddler to have an absolute fit, not so much for a 30 something year old woman.  For those of us who tend to become unnerved….

…Enter lesson number two.  When you have been caught off guard, put one foot in front of the other and keep going.  Make a right turn in 2.6 miles, continue straight for the next 8 minutes. 

We can cry, get angry or simply freeze in fear, or we can just breathe and put one foot in front of the other and keep going until we have found our footing once again.

How we deal with the unexpected says a lot about us.  The more people we have in our lives, the more unexpected is in our lives too.

So we recalculate and find our new direction.

And here is a bonus lesson (also from the GPS). 

It only works if you have a destination.  Make your plans, enjoy the journey, and when things change, change with it.

Change #3:  On a daily or weekly basis, as the unexpected arises, breathe through it and recalculate.  If a new direction doesn't become clear, put one foot in front of the next until it does.  

New Beginnings

There is something about new beginnings that is very exciting.
They motivate us to try harder – do better – and have a better attitude.
At least in the beginning.

Can we convince ourselves every day that “Today is a new beginning”?
Will that get old quickly?
Does it matter?
Can every day, where we do the exact same thing, be different?
Do we hold off doing things until a new beginning?

My new diet starts next week.
For my New Years resolution I will do… But I’m waiting until New Years.
Next month I will get my finances in order.
Spring cleaning will have to wait until spring.
When the kids start school, I will take better care of myself.

What if today, as in right now, is next week, next month, New Years, and spring?

The worst thing that could happen is you’ve gotten something done. Wouldn't that feel awesome?

Change #2: Pick a day, any day, once a week or twice a month, and make that your New Years resolution day, and make your own new beginnings.

Dare to Dream

Have you ever looked around and thought to yourself,
The world is so big, and I am so small.
Can I even dream of making it better?
Can’t everyone dream?Is it possible to fix the world?
Can one small person make a difference?
One small person without a lot of money or power?
Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?
Have you ever heard of the domino effect?
How about choose your own adventure?

What if I change one thing a day?
What if 10 people change one thing a day?
How about 100?  

Like a ripple effect.

If one different thing changes many outcomes, can one thing change the world?
If I change me, how many outcomes have I changed?
Can I dream of changing the world?
Is it my destiny?
Will I know if it works?
Change is hard, but I am strong!
And it is important! 

Change #1: Happy hour
Pick a time of day where you interact with the most people, or your most important people, (family) and for one hour, be happy no matter what.
There- that shouldn't be too hard.