STRENGTH AND POWER

Lifting heavy exercise weights, body building, at a gym in a locker room with other strong body building females, breathing in the word Adonai and breathing out the word Yah, inhaling from strong lungs, never to touch a cigarette, lighting a flame for Shabbat and lighting one again for the Havdalah, round the clock exertion of our muscles, bending and stretching, yoga classes, turning walking into hiking, then climbing mountains, lava of wrath pouring and pumping from the mouth of a mountain, a volcano, to be slow to anger, to feed our children, to put them through school, even at our own expense of us not achieving a higher education, a choice, to have children or not to have children, birth control, abortions, we have a choice.

Holding a leather wrap, a bow of a gift, a tefillin in our hands and tying it tightly to our arm, blood restricted to flow even faster, a great overwhelming feeling of the power of G-d tied to our arms, securely firmly fit over our heads, the leather of a kosher cow, a muscle bulging under a leather box, a box containing the greatest prayer of all prayers, to listen for G-d, to hear G-d in the silence, to hum to His rhythm as we hear crickets rubbing their legs together in the night, to work in the daytime and to sleep at night, to be in with all the secrets of the mystics, to know the truths, to have The Torah as our guide, to have a G-d that belongs to everyone, but to be the only ones who own The Torah, never to give it up, to keep the miracles of G-d in our memory and to feel His miracles happening everyday every moment of the week, the miracle to have a roof over one's head in the rain, and to eat three kosher meals a day.

It was Deborah who led the largest strongest of all armies in the history of the world, and she won the fight.

RISING IN ACCOMPLISHMENT TO GREAT EXPECTATIONS

"Like all great Jewish leaders, it was Aaron’s feelings of inadequacy that truly made him fit for his role." [Chabad.org]

Truly looking up to the Divine for help in all that you do, to feel the shininess of G-d's great love for you even on a rainy day.

To walk in the rhythm of the Divine, as G-d leads you wherever you go and in whatever you do and say. Opening your mouth with words and having the Divine place the words of loving-kindness on your tongue. Never to be afraid to say the wrong words, as all your words are guided by Torah and G-d gives you the strength to talk or to remain silent. Sweet sounds of silence brought to you from the Divine, all sounds being pure sounds, noise all dissipating, only the sounds G-d wants you to hear are heard, a miracle to have peace even when in a noisy crowd.

Relaxed whether sitting or standing, words coming like the flow of pure mikvah waters having tastiness on your tongue of honey when none was swallowed, the taste in your mouth being pure, of the words of G-d that you learn in your Torah study, to be a malumud, an eternal student of The Torah, Prophets and Writings, to always be eager to learn, to then teach as your words become enlightened with the righteousness of your study.

To have words of wisdom bestowed upon you from G-d, as He teaches you to love, as He loves you and you then feel His great love and can then give it to others.

To always be surrounded by the great Love of The Almighty G-d of Abraham and Sarah.

THE MIRACLE OF FEELING THE LOVE OF GOD

A miracle does not have to be a big deal, a megillah or a big wow(!!!), we do not have to witness another splitting of the Red Sea or seeing a staff turn into a snake again, and we do not need to see a burning bush personally in our experiences to have as some kind of evidence to ourselves that there is truly an existence of G-d. We do not need to come into contact with G-d in any spectacular way, to believe He exists.

Having a friendship with a mortal, a trusting relationship, a loving relationship, to look into someone's eyes, and to see G-d in someone's face, is a real sure way we can know that G-d exists. To have someone to talk to about whatever you want to say, to have a person who listens and does not judge or try to change your mind, to have a person to confide your secrets with, to trust a mortal and not to be let down, to keep trusting in another if you are let down, to be persistent in friendships, to contact old friends and to keep in touch, even when you do not hear first from them. This persistence in doing mitzvoth, in keeping up contacts with friends and making new friends, and having trust in a best friend, is how we know that G-d is with us. We feel this unconditional love from G-d when we do the action of giving unconditional love to others, and when we get this love returned to us from these people, being friends or family.

It is a miracle to feel G-d, and to feel unconditional love, to feel trust. To have someone to talk to about everything that is on your mind. To feel G-d afterwards, as He continues your flames to burn, the warmth of your love for Him and for mortals.

This is how we can know and feel the love of G-d.

THE MIRACLE OF SHABBAT A DAY OF REST

A miracle, a flower budding. A miracle, a leaf on a tree sprouting. A miracle, to receive free internet access. A miracle, to write a Rabbi and to be in touch. A miracle, to eat all kosher foods. A miracle, to be invited to parties. A miracle, to be in a peaceful state of mind, to be welcoming the Shabbat on a Friday night, to lighten a flame to greet the Shabbat bride, to be in shelter not cold or not hot. To have a paycheck coming in regularly every month, to have all expenses paid, to have three regular meals per day all of kosher foods, to be a member of Jewish Temples and to receive the prayers from the Rabbis, to be blessed by a Rabbi, to be named by a Rabbi, to be able to go back to return to Judaism if ever tempted by another god, a true miracle.

A miracle to have a keyboard with a computer so to actually type with all fingers, to use a rubber ball in the palm to squeeze to build up hand muscles to type better, to be entertained twice a week in a Bingo game, to win a prize and to mail it to your family.

To have a holiday coming up, a Purim, a holiday that expresses anger towards a man named Haman who wanted to kill Jews and to express love for friends of Israel, a time to eat chocolate candy and to receive jewelry, a time to get coins, a time to chant Torah of The Book Of Esther.

The Book Of Esther, a Book in the Torah about a Jewish woman who with her bravery and chutzpah saves the lives of thousands of a community of Jews, and condemns a man of hatred to death. Not to be happy when an enemy dies, instead to be happy because thousands of Jews stay alive.

Dressing up in costume: dolls, wizards, dancers, cowboys, not scary costumes as on Halloween, not worshipping ghosts so there is no fear, costumes of good cheer, to disguise oneself to hide, and then to take off your mask and to be truthful, to be open, to live an honest life of disclosure, to have nothing to hide, nothing of which to be ashamed, "coming out" as a Jew.

Face paint coloring the faces of happy children, all the colors of the rainbow, not getting tattoos, skin as pure and blemish free as the sacrifices that were made to G-d, no rashes no spots, a face of a young child with young skin. A child held in the arms of her grandmother receiving nurturing from one who is wise in years.

Quietness with a contrast of lively Shabbat music, to pray with others, to pray alone. To always be in meditation to have peace in loud places where there are crowds.

To be grateful for another day, to praise and to thank G-d for all these attributes, to feel lucky as we feel blessed to be able to celebrate another Shabbat. Another day of rest.

MAILING PURIM GREETINGS CARDS TO OLD FRIENDS

Purim on its way! Being in touch with old friends, writing postal letters with greeting cards sent across the miles, remembering the good times, reconnecting, having the holiday Purim to mail someone your love, reliving old wonderful moments of them in your imagination, times with old friends, memories that stimulate joyousness, remembering her voice, singing with her, bowing with her to G-d at morning minyans.

Having had it all, joyousness everyday, every morning, wishing and praying for those great times to continue, nurturing relationships, praying again and again for more good times.

Postal mail greeting cards sent as a connection with the estranged, desiring person-to-person contact, wanting again to see her smile, hear her words, learn from her wisdom, the healing feeling of going to her with a problem and receiving her compassion, wisdom and understanding.

Not being able to erect old buildings once they are torn down, building new buildings with bricks that are too heavy to lift, relying on G-d to unite broken hearts.

To bring ease to communications, to cause memories to be alive again, words exchanged, prayers sung, passions ignited, old flames lighted, love becoming unconditional love, kindness that is never forgotten.

Having in your heart the knowledge of this great goodness, having had G-d nurture you when others no longer could, having prayed and having  prayers being answered, wishes coming true. Mingling our voices together as one sound, instead of separate as two.

Having one G-d, one singular almighty powerful good and kind G-d, our Savior, only and exclusively being the G-d of Abraham and Sarah.

THE MIRACLE OF A HELPING HAND

The miracle of special needs children learning aside their non-disabled companions, a child who excels in his craft and even with a disability is able to contribute greatly to society, to help to improve things for others, even when he has a deficit, a brain disorder, or blindness, or is confined to immobility because of not being able to walk, so is in a wheelchair or walks with a cane or walker.

These disabilities are to be overcome, to use one's brain to continue to learn, even when learning comes slower than to others, to try to walk, using one's muscles and stretching them, to not allow a walking disability to impair your functioning.

The elderly and disabled have much to contribute to society and are not just "burdens" in our world who must be sustained with our tax money. The tax money goes to improving the living situation of the disabled/elderly and this is the reason these people have the means to contribute to making the world a better place to live, for all people, for the non-disabled and young, for the disabled and elderly.

Traveling to a place of good will, a place of acceptance, a place where the elderly and disabled are respected and not caused to feel shame. To take shame and to convert it to pride, to be proud to take a first independent step out of a wheelchair, to then not be shamed when you need a wheelchair to assist you. To feel the greatness of our President Theodore Roosevelt as he gave his speeches from his place in his wheelchair. To go to rehabilitation services and not to feel shamed so you must keep it a secret, "only the fittest survive" as Darwin told us.

Not being able to admit your sicknesses, going to your employed job sick with a contagious infection because you do not have enough sick days left to pay for your absence. Pregnant women losing jobs because they do not have enough coverage for all the time they need off to take care of themselves and their soon-to-be baby. An elderly man losing his job because his hair turns white and so he is then thought to be unable to work as well as a younger man. Dying your hair to give an appearance of a reduced age, so you can keep your job or keep your house, to not be forced to stop driving a car because of your age. Applying for social security benefits and receiving them so must stop earning money on your own or you will lose your benefits. The benefits not enough to sustain you as a livelihood.

The miracle of a helping hand, to have support so you can be honest with someone about your needs, to seek the help of another and to receive it. One person giving another a helping hand. G-d reaching out to assist the caregivers, to bring them strength, to help those in need of help, and to help those who help them.

LOVE AS THE STRONGEST OF ALL EMOTIONS

Which emotion causes the lake waters to swarm, to roll in wave after wave, that causes crickets to rub their legs to a consistent rhythm in the night, which emotion guides a mother to raise her children, which emotion keeps a family together, keeping a father continuously going to work everyday to bring in a paycheck for his family.

Which emotion is it that guides someone into happy gleeful moments. How are we caused to laugh, to chuckle, how is it that we are able to smile, what does a summer day do to our emotions, to bring us to run and jump rope, to take long walks on sandy beaches. To be in touch with our friends by email or greetings card on holidays. When we hear a Cantor singing the daily prayers and Shabbat prayers, which emotion causes us to join him and be in sweet beautiful song with him?

When we pray and G-d answers our prayers, which emotion does this cause? When we are given the greatest of all gifts, the contact with the supreme G-d, to thank this G-d and to praise Him, which emotion does this spiritual connection stir within us?

Love, of course, is the answer, it is love that keeps the wheels spinning, it is love that shines like sunshine on the leaf of a flower so it blooms into a beautiful bud. Love is the strongest and most proficient of all emotions, stronger than anger which just serves as a destructive not creative power, love is the emotion that builds the strongest of all bridges, that mends and that heals.

Love is G-d and it is G-d's love that keeps us alive, without love, unconditional love, we would perish.

Thanking G-d for His power to love us, even when we need to be forgiven for transgressions, His power of love never dies, love is the greatest most powerful of all emotions.

You have a choice, you can love or you can hate, choose love and live forever in an eternal life with all things that will give you love in return and in doing so bring you happiness.

Give love unconditionally and those around you will love you back.

THE MIRACLE OF THE DIVINE SPARK OF CREATIVITY

What is this spark? Is it energy, and if so what kind of energy? How is it "divine"? This energy, is it like a pot of water that is boiling in anger and hatred and jealousies and cannot blow its top, so becomes creative as a way to change the negativity into positivity? Is creativity an illness? Were Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein sick individuals and that is how they were able to come up with their creative genius that became a catalyst to change the world? Do we call all of our spiritual leaders crazy people because they preach of a G-d that they can imagine and they teach us how to imagine a G-d too. Do students take art classes because they cannot understand mathematics? Is creativity a result of increased brain activity that is injurious to the brain? Are all artists alcoholics, drug addicts, or crazy?

This cruel stigma against creative people serves to fuel us even more. The spark of creativity we feel is not a spark of ignited hatred against enemies, and we as artists do not imagine that we have enemies when we do not, just to ignite the spark. The spark of creativity is like the spark of a cigarette lighter. It has fuel, real gasoline, that by will is ignited when you want to ignite it, at your command you use your energy to flick the flint and a fire ignites and you control how long the fire will burn. You take your finger and turn off the flame after you see it and enjoy it. The flame is ignited for a reason. You ignite the flame when you want to see fire, like on a Shabbat or a Havdalah if you are a member of the Jewish religion. The flame has a reason to spark and it is all in your control, to see it and not to have it burn out of your control. You as the artist are skilled enough to harness this flame and use it as an expression in the field of the Humanities for the purpose of helping others.

This flame of creativity can be a light to you in your darkest days. It can be an addition to your happiness in your days of great light and brightness. The flame can burn as long as you want it to burn, and as intense as you want it to burn. This flame, like the flame that ignited the imagination of Albert Einstein, could cause healing and a changing of the world into a better place. Brainstorming to get an idea to help someone, instead of taking a backseat and saying instead that you cannot help, is this skill that is ignited by the divine creative spark.

A muse, does not have to be a person, a human, a mortal, instead G-d the Almighty can light your flame. The brightness of your flame can be as bright as a burning bush on Mount Sinai. What indeed was this "burning bush"? It was G-d. What is G-d? G-d is someone who you imagine, He is a figment of our imagination, we can imagine Him and therefore He exists. He is this spark of divinity, this flame of creativity. He is our greatest muse to encourage us to create as He did when He created the sun and the moon, the good and the bad.

This spark of creativity can be lighted by love and the greatest spark will come from your love of G-d.