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I have written to you before about my belief in angels. Not only have I read about them, but I have experienced them in my own life. I have so many white feather stories! Several years ago, Sid and I were truly rescued by a couple of angels from a disastrous descent on Cadillac... Read More →

Home at last. Well back to Massachusetts at my sister’s for awhile before returning to our actual home in Maine. Our time abroad was so wonderful in so many ways. I had actually not anticipated our trip much beforehand. I had been preoccupied with so many issues that I was really... Read More →

Sid and I are continuing our trip this week with an amazing tour of Portugal. I am so impressed with the history of this small country. What a story of magnificence centuries ago with its early maritime and scientific advances before Spain gained supremacy. Portugal’s far... Read More →

Not sure what time it is back home as I write this, but at the moment Sid and I are sitting in a Starbucks in Dublin, Ireland. We had somehow accumulated an inordinate number of Marriott points which turned into a fully paid big trip which we would either use or lose if not used... Read More →

I recently observed two people carrying on a conversation through a plexiglass window at a bank. Granted, each had on a mask so it was not easy to understand what was being said. I realize in this era of masks how often I actually do aid my hearing by watching the other person’s... Read More →

I recently saw a video about Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis’ promise made to a dying boy. The child was a huge Notre Dame fan and knew he only had a short time to live. He asked the coach if he could call that week’s game’s first offensive play since his hope was to be able to see... Read More →

HaShem has my number. When I seek Him, it is typically when I’m outdoors, in nature, and over the years He knows how to catch my attention. . . As you know, butterflies definitely have a place in my spiritual world communication hotline. I look at them as angelic messengers,... Read More →

Last week, I shared with you my recent time of burden, with hesitation actually, since these encouragements are not to be about me, but rather, intended to be relatable. Such was my hope. I shared how God met me where I was and pulled me out of that time of despair. In response,... Read More →

In these days, so often we feel we have reached our limit. And then something more happens to help us recognize our weakness even further, our need for God, our challenges becoming even more than we thought we could handle when we were already at our limit. When times of... Read More →

As you know, I did not send out my usual Shabbat encouragement on Thursday evening. It was a rather overwhelming week of preparation for and travel to Camp Or L’Dor in the Poconos this year, work deadlines, Airbnb preparation for renting of our house while away, and most... Read More →

Do you ever just need to give yourself a good talking-to? It’s actually quite amazing! This morning I spent some time analyzing my feelings. Why was I not feeling loving toward someone? Was there an underlying sense of resentment that I was not acknowledging? And if so, why? Was... Read More →

As most of you know, I treasure, protectively guard, my time with HaShem when I take my daily jog or walk while listening to Messianic Jewish music. It is a part of my day like daily grooming, or regular meals, but with obviously elevated purposes and unique aspects. Prioritizing... Read More →

Last week at services I spoke about our goal to come back to worship together in person at Ruach. As we work to regroup, rebuild, and recommit, and as I reconnected with our virtual community after services as well, I was reminded of what a larger discussion this topic really is.... Read More →

I read a heartwarming news article this week about a retiring “cop”, a story of the type we typically don’t find covered in mainstream media. Teddy Floyd, an Indian River County Sheriff’s Office deputy, is required to take a year off to stay qualified for his pension. After that,... Read More →

The past couple weeks we have been digging into the concept of faith. Such a deep concept but we are given so many small, practical ways to practice strengthening our faith muscles. While we were in Florida this year I had wanted to buy a sun shirt, the kind that are long... Read More →

Last week we pondered Prince Philip’s crisis of faith alongside the historic landing of Apollo 11. We explored how our natural tendencies toward false realities and skewed perceptions were stumbling blocks in our relationship with HaShem. As I was telling my sister about this... Read More →

I was recently watching “The Crown”, a miniseries primarily based on the life of Queen Elizabeth. The episode that gripped me highlighted Great Britain’s reaction to the launch of Apollo 11 which, as you know, led to Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. For many of us who... Read More →

Have you noticed words become trendy in our vocabulary, sometimes to the point that personally, I go out of my way not to use them. For example, “navigate” is such a great word. Yet several years back so many people were navigating around so many different types of situations,... Read More →

As you know, I’ve spent the past several years’ winter months in Florida, a situation that rather organically evolved rather than ever planned from the outset. As every year has brought the revival of new family relationships down there, we have tended to stay longer each time.... Read More →

Last week we marveled at the omnipresence of HaShem, magnificently even in the inner city of Chicago with no fanfare of beaches and trees. He literally meets us where we are and seeks us constantly. The question is how often do we seek Him? Sometimes we may feel very connected to... Read More →

So many of you noticed I did not send out a Shabbat encouragement last week. First, please remember they will be when they will be. Second, however, thank you for letting me know how much they mean to you. Yes, last week was beyond my capacity to stay in long enough, or even... Read More →

The Brood X cicadas are returning. Every 17 years like clockwork. A beautifully orchestrated time of literal raising from the seemingly dead while in their nymph stage, to rebirth, redemption, renewal, regeneration, as their primary reason to emerge from the ground is to... Read More →

As I was again jogging on the beach this week, I was thinking about last Shabbat’s encouragement which reminded us that when we are fearful, busy, or distracted we often miss the bigger picture. At the very moment of that thought, I spotted a perfect conch shell, large and... Read More →

It’s a beautiful Shabbat morning and I felt the call to spend deep time with HaShem even before our beautiful Shabbat services would start. The day is glorious! The beach is pristine. The ocean is calling. As I arrived, I marveled again at the beautiful movement of the terns at... Read More →

People who live on this particular barrier island in Florida call it a little piece of Paradise. And yet, as everywhere, it has its challenges. This season I’ve been troubled as I’ve watched the falling out of two best friends. As the season wore on, their interpersonal... Read More →

“Passover” – the word brings to mind the amazing saving of our people as the Angel of Death passed over the first born of the Israelites, not sparing those of the Egyptians. It was a seminal moment for our people, so defining, that we are to relive it annually, viscerally, as we... Read More →

Last week we processed the senseless killings in Atlanta. This week we’ve experienced more such tragedy in Boulder. So many theories, inevitable exploitive agendas, inexplicable inconsistencies, such irrational actions, perhaps that last description the most challenging. One of... Read More →

As much as we try to live healthily and optimistically, at times it is so difficult. Sometimes we struggle with personal times of sorrow. Sometimes such as now it’s impossible to ignore troubling headlines as we read of the murders in Atlanta particularly, although clearly not... Read More →

I recently received a moving email from someone who reflected on the one year anniversary of the acknowledged start of the Covid-19 pandemic, at least as it began to most dramatically affect the United States. As I read her various revelations from the smallest (no make-up!) to... Read More →

Last week as I was writing about the many messages from HaShem during a glorious jog on the beach, I was not unaware that writing this during the winter for many of my readers in New England could feel very unrelatable, not to mention during a week of horrific headlines from... Read More →