Home Again!

So, I think this has been the coldest winter since we've lived here, and I'm not just saying that because I'm used to 70 degree weather:)  It's been around -20 the whole time.  Normally it's only that cold for a week or two :P

The cold makes for some pretty pictures though.

Nondalton all covered with snow.

A couple days after we got back Ms. Regina had us all over for supper.  We taught everyone some of the new dances we learned.

We had our first Shabbat at home in four months.  

Quentin made a very cool Yeshua menorah.

When we got home our water was frozen then a week later our power was out all day.  The joys of winter in Alaska. (cooking takes longer on the wood stove)

During the school year we baby sit a little girl for two of the teachers.  She has gotten so big since the last time we saw her!!  The little boys and Sarah love playing with her (and giving her mohawks).

It took her a little while to decide she likes the swing being as how her head is at the perfect height to get hit by it every time she walks by.

Sarah and the little boys are getting used to bringing the wood in everyday again.

A one day stomach flu has taken our family by storm, picking us off two or three at a time, well all except for me:)  Now I'll get sick since I wrote that :P  It's funny how different everyone is when they're sick.  Sarah was one of a group of three that got sick one night.  She just calmly says she has to throw up then finds "her" bucket and gets sick.  Benjamin stays asleep the whole time and you have to practically hold him over the bucket.  Caleb and David freak out and call for their mommy.  While we were in Israel we all got whooping cough.  I was the first one to get it and being as how it's called the 100 day cough I should be getting over it next week.  Yay, I'm happy.  Maybe I'll be able catch my breath during basketball practice:)

I made another movie out of our video clips from our trip back to Alaska.  It shows us visiting friends and family in the lower 48 and traveling through Canada.

Trip Back to Alaska from Paul Brendemuhl on Vimeo.

Hanukkah Celebration & Caleb's Birthday

The day we left Grandma Effie's happened to be the last day of Hanukkah. Our friends, the Froeses', were having a Hanukkah celebration near Winnipeg.  So, we spent the afternoon and evening celebrating with them.  We spent the afternoon talking about the book of Daniel then we ate supper.

After supper we lit the Hanukkiyas. 

All the kids.

Afterwards we did some dancing.

The next day we started heading up to Alaska, visiting a few more friend on the way.

Benjamin and Sarah

The 31st was Caleb's birthday.  We worked it out to spend his birthday and shabbat in Whitehorse, Canada.

He turned nine and we had cake, snug in our motor home with all the windows frosted over.  

Being as how his birthday is on New Years Eve everyone celebrates his birthday.  The Canada Games Centre celebrated it with a huge New Years party.  Everything was free and they had snacks, games in the soccer field, a dance, an obstacle course set up in the pool, free skates for the ice rink, fire works and a bunch of other stuff.  It was a lot of fun.

The obstacle course was harder then it looks:P

Sarah and Benjamin had trouble with skates.

We even talked dad into going ice skating.

Caleb and Kendra's Wedding

Last month was Caleb and Kendra Waller's wedding.  The got betrothed this spring and were married here in Israel.

Weddings are good places for family pictures.  This is the Warren family who we were living with.

In the group we're with there are five Abigail's.

And here are the three Sarah Elizabeth's in our house.

The bride waiting for her groom with her parents and sisters and sister-in-law's.

The grooms best friends.

As the groom came to get his bride they hugged for the very first time.

The wedding party.

We were seated in the balcony for the marriage feast.

So much good food.

Lot's of dancing.

A Jewish tradition is to carry the bride and groom around in a chair.  Kendra looks a little scared:)

There was a open mic for people to tell story's about Caleb and Kendra.  The boys are listening very intently:)

Barrett and Devin

We've had quite a lot of excitement in the house the last couple of weeks.  Barrett, the oldest son in the Warren family, was betrothed to be married a couple of nights ago.  Barrett first approached his father concerning Devin over 2 years ago.  They decided he needed to wait until she was 18.  Six months ago Barrett approached Devin's father and they corresponded over the summer.  A few weeks after they arrived in Israel, Devin's father gave Barrett his permission to propose.  Devin had known about Barrett's intentions for several months and let her father know that she approved of the plan.  Barrett proposed in the old city of Jerusalem.  They announced their intentions the next day in the vineyard.  They are both playful characters and they came up with an elaborate skit to announce their coming betrothal.  They had us all pretending to pick grapes in the vineyard while a group of young ladies danced and musicians played.  Someone announced that Barrett should go and choose a wife, and so he did.  

He led her off quite willingly by the hand and then brought her back to let us pray for them.  He also told us the details of how God had brought them together.  The idea for their skit came because we were picking in the region of Benjamin where the tribe of Benjamin had lost all their wives and they choose new ones from the vineyards.

They had a beautiful betrothal ceremony.  Here we are posing for a family picture before the ceremony started.

Family Picture

Worship team.

Eddie blowing the shofar to start the betrothal ceremony.  You can just see the moon at the top of the picture.

Barrett washing Devin's feet.

They fed us all a fancy dinner.

Then we did LOT's of Israeli Folk Dancing.  The Warren's are awesome dancers so the kids have gotten in lots of practice since we've been here.  They had a great time.
Abigail &Susan posted this together....

Passover, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits

Praise Yeshua (Jesus), our Redeemer, our Salvation...

Passover is a celebration commanded by God. It commemorates the escape of His chosen people, the Israelites, from Egypt and Yhwh's protection from the Angel of Death. Yhwh's perfect timing caused Yeshua to become our salvation as He again saved us from eternal death on Passover.

Our small fellowship celebrated the Passover together again this year. We've kind of been taking turns leading the celebration and this year it was the Martin's turn.

As the lady of the house, I got to light the candles to start off the celebration.

Teri carves the lamb as we look on.

Paul &Sarah

The kids dipping the celery.

David Martin breaking the unleavened bread.

Children are an important part of the Passover service. In Exodus 12:26 & 13:8, God specifically tells us to explain to them what and why we are celebrating. Traditionally this is done by having the kids ask questions during the dinner.

Below Benjamin is asking his question with a little help from Quentin.

Caleb, reading his question.

Joshua

Passover starts the feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days His people are to eat no leaven. This is to remind us of when His people had to rush out of Egypt so fast they didn't have time to raise their bread. I have gotten into the habit of making challah bread on Friday evenings to start our weekly Shabbat. Friday is Anna's day to cook and she is in the habit of making pizza every Friday evening. Because we were in the midst of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, she made unleavened pizza and I made a special unleavened bread with a little cinnamon and sugar spread on for fun.
The day after the Shabbat during the week of Unleavened Bread is the First Fruits celebration. We are commanded to wave the first fruits of our harvest in thanks to Yhwh on this day. As believers in Yeshua it is important to note that He rose on the celebration of First Fruits. It is a beautiful picture of His resurrection. The First to be resurrected to eternal life. We celebrated at Regina's house (she has a huge living room) with dancing and dinner.

Lavonne watching the little kids take a turn with the flags.

That's me in the dress, keeping up with the youngsters. Not only did we have a great time of worship, but it's really good exercise too!