Oh how God uses our mistakes . . .

Last September Sid’s daughter and I were on the phone discussing her recent pre-natal doctor visit. Although now we know that our youngest grandson is fine, back then in the sixth month of her pregnancy there was an issue that was causing concern. I wanted to do something to take her mind off of the worry and give her something to look forward to so I booked a trip in April to Disneyworld. We would be in Florida then, she and her husband and other son live in Florida, so we picked a date there to celebrate “big brother’s” 4^th birthday.

Only in the last couple weeks did I realize that I had scheduled the week in Orlando over the first night of Passover! In the last several years now that we are in Florida for Pesach we have spent the first night of Passover with my now 97 year old uncle and his daughter (my cousin) Sandy and her husband and adult son. Oy!!

When I realized my mistake and prepared to tell Sandy I figured she would be very upset with me. Instead she was so gracious! No problem, she is now planning a seventh night seder with Sid and me and the Sandy clan which will be when we have returned from Orlando.

Dayenu (It would have been enough) . . .

In Disneyworld Sid’s other daughter and her fiancé will be joining us. Neither of those two daughters’ families have been celebrating Passover. Yet now post 10/7/23 these young families’ Jewish hearts have been awakened. So while all of us are at Disneyworld Sid and I will have the opportunity to share the first night of Passover with these wonderful next generations. We’re coming equipped with Haggadot, plague finger puppets, hopping frogs, felt play seder plate, and real seder plate in tow!

Dayenu. . .

Sid and I still have seder planned with Sandy and local family to look forward to when we return.

Living in Florida during this holiday cannot provide me the possibility to have seder with my siblings, nieces and nephews as has been our tradition for so many years. Nor can it bring me to second night community seder with my Ruach family. Perhaps those blessings still lie in my future. Who knows but God.

This year, by my complete oversight and error, HaShem has provided another opportunity to share the Passover story with family and how special to be able to do so with my grandchildren, at least the four year old and four month old, to introduce them to the depth and importance of these special days, as well as to do so with their parents, too.

Our Abba never gives up on us. He gives us chances, time and again, to learn and grow from our mistakes, and even blesses us in the process, blessing after blessing, forgiveness and grace despite our mistakes, teaching us through them, growing our gratitude, growing our circles of love, showing us His infinite boundless love of us.

I hope you live in awe of the blessing to be able to tell this story of God’s deliverance as relevant now as then, perhaps moreso. As you prepare for these holy days may you treasure them and celebrate fully with family and community.

Hold them close as He does us.

Shabbat shalom.

Diane