Dear friends and curious followers, this blog is done.

Shalom, Joel

My family celebrated the feast of Shavuot (weeks), or Pentecost, by camping with some other families last weekend. It was a really special time of fellowship. A very happy event occurred, the first baptism our congregation has ever had. Actually, two baptisms, a husband and wife were both baptized together. Halleluyah!

And now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul? Deut.10:12

My friend Dennis reminded me of this verse this week. It's a true statement, and it's one I need to remember as I seek Yahweh, to know His will for my life. I'm in a transitory state right now, which is funny, because I've been moving around the world for the past year, and now that I'm at home I feel less at home here than ever. I don't think that's bad. I believe that Yahweh is changing me, cultivating me into His image, and this involves thinning of fruit and pruning of branches. I'm very hopeful for what will be next as I walk with Yeshua day by day, but I'm also experiencing some internal emotional pain and depression (typical for me). I wait.

While on the theme of waiting, read: Love - IV
This is a sweet poem brought to you by Mr. Jason.

שלום

"In essence, our problem is this: we have no independent source of fuel, food, clothing, or shelter, but are forced to rely for them upon the good offices of benevolent leadership and the uninterrupted supply of vast quantities of energy and materials. The necessities are based on a world-wide ordering and presume upon efficient extraction, manufacture and transport. Moreover, apart from any political considerations, our entire material culture presumes the existence of an infinitely available quantity of cheap fuel. We have lately seen just how much a presumption that is."

from The New Pioneer's Handbook, by James Bohlen, 1975

פידישהו בססקטון! אני שמח מאד

I baked sourdough bread again for the first time in seven months. Ooo-wah, it tastes so good.

Here's a story to read. Tzitziyot play a major role in the plot.

I really miss Israel. It suddenly hit me last night. I want to return. Oh Lord, let this exile end!

maranatha.

Tho' I get home how late - how late -
So I get home - 'twill compensate -
Better will be the Extasy
That they have done expecting me -
When Night - descending - dumb - and dark
They hear my unexpected knock -
Transporting must the moment be -
Brewed from decades of Agony!

To think just how the fire will burn -
Just how long-cheated eyes will turn -
To wonder what myself will say,
And what itself, will say to me -
Beguiles the Centuries of way!

-Emily Dickinson


Helena is staying with the Johnson family for a few weeks, and today I biked over to their house to greet her. In other news, I dug up a perfectly good rose bush today and threw it in the rubbish bin. I plan to dig up a great portion of the rest of the yard soon.

Today I read "Keep Refridgerated" on a plastic container full of organic sour cream. I marveled at the double 'd's in "refrigerated". Inspired, I did some research, and discovered that the root of this word is the latin word "refrigerare" which means "again to make cool". Do YOU care?

Time for an update.

On a really rainy day in the beginning of April, my four Canadian brothers and I were dropped off by Mr. Dee at a bus stop outside the town of Ariel. We wanted to catch a bus that would take us to the town of Bracha on Mt. Gerizim. We waited for a long time, and then a bus pulled up. But while we were preoccupied with stuffing our luggage into the baggage compartment under the bus, a multitude of soldiers ran up and filled the bus before we could get on. The driver told us it was full, so we pulled all our luggage off and started to wait for the next bus. Pretty soon it started to rain. A man walked up (the Russian) and he wanted the same bus as we did, so he called the bus company on his cell phone, and found out the next time of arrival (which was over an hour away). Then he walked off to buy some groceries, entrusting us with several bags belonging to him! It rained harder, and I and all my possessions were soon soaked. My sentiments were close to utter misery, but then I looked up...and I remembered. I remembered where I was. I was in the heartland of ancient Israel, the land of Efrayim, and despite (or perhaps because of) the rain everything was green and beautiful and the air was so fresh. So I tried to enjoy myself. Then the Russian showed up, and our bus drove by without even stopping! Again it was too full! Our Russian friend told us what we should do, and soon a different bus came and we boarded. This bus was only going to take us to the junction the foot of Mt. Gerizim. Once there, our Russian friend (who by this time we realized was either an angel or a good imitation) found us all rides going up the hill. So I got to experience hitch-hiking in Israel, of a sort! It turns out the woman who picked me up was a good friend of the family I was going to live with.
Soon the five of us (Colin, Ben, Paul Daniel, Israel, me) were warm in the home of Nir and Shira, our hosts. I unpacked my stuff and hung up clothes to start drying, and we all relaxed the rest of the day.
The next two days we worked in Nir's vineyard, raking and gathering up dead vines and piling them up for burning. On the third morning we went to the vineyard and worked for a short time, but soon it started to rain. After everything was wet and muddy, we decided to quit and we drove back the house on Nir's ATV.
The next morning we took a bus to Jerusalem, left our luggage with a friend, and spent the day with some friends. As evening drew nigh and we still didn't know where we would sleep, Israel called the Waller family, and they invited us to stay with them. So we took another bus back up to Ariel, where we were welcomed joyfully by Tommy, Sherri, and eleven Waller children. We spent Friday and Shabbat with the Wallers. They're an amazing family. Thanks Wallers for taking in the homeless travellers and showing us kindness!
We returned to Jerusalem on the first day of the week to the home Yahweh gave us. What a miracle! We asked the Father for a place to keep the Passover in Jerusalem, and He provided in abundance. Some friends of ours knew of a family that operates a guesthouse in Gilo (a suburb of Jerusalem) and it turns out that house was going to empty during the time of unleavened bread. So that is were we stayed. The house is beautiful. Much thanks to Chaim, Elisheva, and sons for making us feel so welcome and giving a home to the homeless!
So we five Canadians ended up having a special Passover seder meal with Yeshua in Jerusalem. Our friend Taylor came and stayed with us for a few days during Unleavened Bread week, and we walked into Jerusalem a couple times to hear Don Esposito teach and fellowship with other believers. Mah od? On the last day that Taylor was with us we took a bus to the settlement of Bethel (right beside Ramallah) and had an afternoon of picnic, prayer, and praise with Don and Petra, and Andi and Anna.
The last week was full of activity. Paul Daniel and I hung out with a doctor friend for a few afternoons, and we took some chelation treatments. Before Ben left the five of us went walking up to the Mount of Olives for an afternoon with our friends Terry and Carmen. After Ben flew back to Canada, we spent two days with some other friends at the beach in Tel Aviv, and then at their home for Shabbat.
Soon I was watching the moon rise a few minutes before the sun, and then the 747 I was sitting in left the ground of Israel. The journey home was really nice (I had a really long afternoon flying west over the Atlantic). I spent the night with my uncle by Toronto and had a good visit with some of his family. Then in the morning I came to Saskatoon.

Now I'm getting over jetlag and planning my next move. I think I may plant a garden...