I'm so excited...

...and I just can't hide it! I know, I know, I know, I want to... LEARN ABOUT JESUS FROM THE BIBLICAL HOLIDAY'S AND CELEBRATE THEM WITH MY KIDS!!!

Oh! Sorry did you hear my terrible voice and see me dancing to the Pointer Sisters? I know, I'm a total nerd!

Anyway... I am really excited.

Three years ago, while God was rescuing me out of the mindset of bondage I had, and turning my life upside-down to teach me to "soar on wings like eagles," by His strength, I had a zeal in my heart to teach my kids God's word- though they were just 21 months and a newborn, and one of the things God put on my heart was a desire to learn how to celebrate a Passover.

I remember doing some online research, planning and preparing a Passover meal, and inviting some dear family over to join me. It didn't turn out in detail the way my heart was imagining, nevertheless my heart was worshipping and I was so impacted and enjoyed learning of my Savior through that meal. During the middle of that dinner there was a knock on my little apartment door, and when I answered, it was a surprise visit from my husband who was in the process of divorcing me. I welcomed him in, feeling a little like the spotlight was definitely on me now, seeing how he sited my "Jesus freak" zeal as being his number one reason for wanting out of the marriage. How would I carry on while he sat in the background critisizing and questioning what we were doing? But, he sat down in the living room and I don't recall him interrupting at all. The entire night went by and a witness of Jesus, our Passover lamb, went out into my precious husband's ears, and I realized that the Lord had given me full freedom to worship him, NO MATTER who said what about my worship.

Eight months later my husband and I were reunited, and funny enough, one of the intial issues that came up between us that winter was whether Christmas was a Biblical holiday or not. This question came from my dear unbelieving husband. He challenged me and I took it to the Lord. It was great. In prayer and searching the word, listening for the Spirit's answer, I came upon the biblical holiday of Tabernacles.

Now, I didn't know a thing about when this was celebrated or how, but when I read about it I immediately thought of John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (dwelt meaning to tabernacle, or live in a tent with us). So I did a google search and found out a little about dwelling in booths for a week and more about how the holiday was celebrated. I took this information prayerfully back to my husband, really excited, ready to trash the Christmas tree, Santa Claus... the whole bit, in trade for a week of sleeping in tent with my kids, talking about how Jesus left heaven to pitch His tent with us. My husband wasn't too keen on the idea and opted to just stick with the Christmas tree.

Today, I regret not just doing as I had done that day he showed up at my apartment while having a Passover meal. I regret not just celebrating the Christmas that was in my heart in spirit and truth and letting the witness go out. Instead the first year we were back together I went with the "Happy Birthday" Jesus cake, and the second year, decided to buy a tent and begin a new tradition of this Tabernacle celebration that was in my heart- though I knew it didn't follow the model that is in scripture exactly. Since then, last year and the year before, I've done this with my boys and it's been one of my favorite times of learning and worship with them.

Well today, as I was reading through, A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson and Linda Pierce, and got to chapter 3: The Spring Holidays, I began to remember all God had put on my heart years ago.

As God has given me a heart to teach my kids His word, and I've cried out to Him in my barrenness- not knowing how, or having faith that I could by His Spirit- He's been faithful to take what I offer and increase it and give me the best ways to teach them.

His word is full of instruction on what to do so that our kids will ask questions and so that we'll remember Him as our Savior and our God. ( See Exodus 13:7-9 and 13:11-16 and Deuteronomy 6:17-24) These Old Testament holidays are not heavy burdens of requirement, but rather a rich oppurtunity to learn about Jesus, "from Moses through the Prophets" just like Jesus explained Himself to the guys on the road to Emmaus.

So I can't wait! Spring is coming. I have a lot to learn so I can worship in Spirit and TRUTH with my kids during these days, and I pray more truth about Jesus will be revealed to us all as we seek His face! I also pray my husband will hear the true witness of Jesus in God's word and be forever changed!

Here's an excerpt from the book that really harmonizes with the reasoning I have for wanting to do this with my boys:

God knows our hearts and desire to learn about Him. Hezekiah kept the Feast of Passover at the wrong time. He even added a full week's celebration, making a second Passover week (2 Chronicles 30:3-27)...Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. (2 Chron.30:18-20)