Keeping the Light Shining: Standing with the Artisans of Bethlehem

Today is Day 19 of the Counting of the Omer, two weeks and five days preparing my heart for Shavuot. Today I am counting my blessings. Though I may have huge bills to pay, I am inside, warm, dry, and fed. Most importantly there are no threats of bombs going off over my head. Please pray for the protection of our Brothers and Sisters who follow The Messiah in Yisrael.

In the quiet of a Bethlehem workshop, faith takes shape in olive wood even as the world outside remains uncertain.

Table of Contents

• Living Under Uncertainty
• The Current Situation

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Living Under Uncertainty

Can you imagine leaving home in the morning and not knowing if you will be able to get back home that night? For our brothers and sisters in Bethlehem, this isn't a "what if"—it is a daily reality.

When I came across these beautiful olive wood crosses hand-made by followers of Yeshua living in Bethlehem, it hit me like a tonne of bricks. With sudden road closures, checkpoints, and rising tensions, the simple act of going to work or the market is a leap of faith.

The Current Situation

While there are constant calls for a lasting ceasefire, the reality on the ground remains fragile. Even during periods of relative calm, the scars of conflict are everywhere.

• The Struggle for Shelter: Many families have faced the devastating loss of shelter due to ongoing conflict and administrative demolitions. For those who still have homes, the fear of losing them hangs heavy over every meal.
• The Cost of Food: The economic blockade and disrupted supply lines have caused the cost of food to skyrocket. Basic staples that we take for granted are now luxury items for many artisan families, making the income from their olive wood carvings more vital than ever.

By choosing these handmade gifts, you aren’t just buying wood; you are providing a "lifeline" to a family trying to keep their light shining in the Holy Land.

Please prayerfully consider purchasing some of these handmade olive wood crosses to give to friends as a reminder to pray for Our Brothers and Sisters in Yisrael.

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About the Author

Sister Su is a survivor through her Saviour and has been blessed to see many miracles in her life. Currently digging her way out from under a mountain of debt while battling chronic illness, she dreams of one day earning her doctorate in practical theology.

For more information, visit her Linktree- Sister_Su.

Earth Day - Day 18 5786 Omer Count!

Loving the Creator by Cherishing His Creation

Happy Earth Day! Today is Day 18 of Counting the Omer - two weeks and four days. Earth Day is a beautiful reminder to pause and think about ways we can take better care of our environment here in our corner of the world.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!For more information please see the policies page.

Often, people find themselves wondering, "Why am I here?" The answer is actually quite simple: we are here to love our Creator. In the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB), Yeshua reminds us of the greatest mitzvah:

“‘And you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.’” (Mark 12:30, CJB)

What better way to show that love for our Creator than by cherishing everyone and everything He has made? In the beginning, we were given a clear job:

“Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it.” (B’resheet/Genesis 2:15, CJB)

Being a good steward is a natural extension of that love. There are so many simple ways we can take better care of the earth’s resources, and honestly, those small changes often help us be better stewards of our funds, too!

Lighten the Load on the Grid

Since so much of our environmental footprint comes from power consumption, reducing electricity is a great place to start:

• Keep the Lights Off: Personally, I try to keep the lights off as much as possible, especially as the days get longer and it starts to get hotter outside—it keeps the house cooler and saves on the power bill!
• The "Fresh Air" Dryer: Instead of running the clothes dryer, try hanging your laundry to dry. There is nothing quite like the scent of sheets that have been dried in the fresh Canadian breeze, and it’s a great way to cut down on energy use and wear and tear on your clothes.
• Downsize Your Fridge: Did you know that a large, half-empty fridge uses a lot of power? If you’re living on your own, consider a smaller, energy-efficient model. It encourages you to buy only what you need, which helps prevent food waste while saving on your hydro bill.
• Solar-Powered Solutions: I’ve found fun ways to "green" my gear without spending extra. I recently got this solar crank flashlight for free through Amazon! I used a gift card I earned just by scanning my grocery receipts into an app. You can read more about how I do that in this post from my other blog.

Power Saving Solutions I'm Adding to My Wishlist

As I continue to find ways to reduce my reliance on the grid, here are a few things I'm keeping my eye on:

• BLAVOR Solar Power Bank for Charging Cell Phones
• Portable Hand Crank Washing Machine
• Solar Powered Fan

Let's look for those little opportunities today to honour God by looking after the gift of His creation. It’s about taking those small, faithful steps to preserve the world He so lovingly designed.

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About the Author

Sister Su is a survivor through her Saviour and has been blessed to see many miracles in her life. Currently digging her way out from under a mountain debt while battling chronic illness, she dreams of one day earning her doctorate in practical theology. For more information, visit her Linktree- Sister_Su.

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Day 17 Omer Count 2026 5786

Journey of the Heart: Understanding the Omer Count

If you are new to counting the Omer like me, you will discover more and more things about this as you go along. For instance, I never knew there were so many different ways to be doing this count! The important thing is to know Our Creator sees the intentions of our hearts.

I have been trying my best to follow the 7 weeks of 7 days Jewish teachings that focus on a specific area of repentance for each day—for example, today's focus is Tiferet shebeTiferet (Compassion within Compassion). I did not know that this is not done by the Karaites who closely follow the Torah.

Nowhere in the Torah does it say any specific blessing you must say each day—nor anything about special devotions, nor even repentance! The Torah simply says to count the days!

This has me thinking about when Yeshua walked with his disciples through Yerusalem—what was it He criticised again and again? That the leaders had overcomplicated the law by adding their own traditions to it!

Was Creator simply stating—bring a first fruits offering on the day after the first Sabbath following Passover—then count 50 days and bring a second offering?

The instruction for this count comes from Leviticus (Vayikra) Chapter 23.

"Vayikra (Lev) 23:15-17 CJB [15] “‘From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, [16] until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai. [17] You must bring bread from your homes for waving — two loaves made with one gallon of fine flour, baked with leaven — as firstfruits for Adonai. Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Leviticus (Vayikra)23:15-17

Today, Tuesday, April 21, Karaite Jews and other Torah followers like me are marking Day 17 of the Omer (2 weeks and 3 days).

Day 17 of the journey: Finding harmony and balance through "Compassion within Compassion" as we number our days toward Shavuot.

Different Paths of Reflection

Omer Counting Day 16 5786 (2026)

From Walls to Bridges: Finding the Heart of Discipline

Following a week of focusing on Gevurah (Strength/Discipline), we transition to Tiferet (Harmony/Compassion), focusing on Gevurah sheb'Tiferet—Disciplined Compassion—on Day 16 of the Omer. Discipline is viewed here not as an end, but as a tool for balanced love.

Table of Contents

• Biblical Example of Gevurah sheb'Tiferet
• Scripture: Yochanan (John) 8:1–11 CJB
• Why the Shift Matters Today
• The Strategy: Moving Toward "Tactful Discipline"
• Today's Actionable Goal

Biblical Example of Gevurah sheb'Tiferet

Omer 12 2026 Thoughts

The Battleship vs. The Lighthouse: A Lesson in Restraint

Today is Day 12 of the Omer: one week and five days.I started counting the Omer late - thankfully there are rules to cover this unfortunate situation.You can learn a bit more about about starting counting the Omer late in this blogpost.Today's introspective theme is Hod of Gevurah—Humility in Strength.

Has the spirit of pride ever put you in a disastrous circumstance like this?

Unyielding strength without humility is a wreck waiting to happen. This reminds me of that old joke about the arrogant Navy ship's captain. Have you heard it?

The "Big Ship" Ego

An arrogant Captain, chest puffed with medals, spots a light in the fog. He signals: "Change your course 15 degrees north!"

The reply comes back: "Change your course 15 degrees south."

Insulted, the Captain pulls rank: "I am a Captain! Identify yourself!"

The reply: "I am a Seaman Second Class. Move."

Furious, the Captain signals a final boast: "I am a 100,000-ton battleship! Change your course now!"

The reply: "I am a lighthouse. Your move."

Power Under Control

That Captain has Gevurah (Strength) without Hod (Humility). He’s so focused on his "rank" that he’s about to sail 100,000 tons of steel into a pile of rocks. The sin of pride is deadly.

The Lesson

The Ruach HaKodesh can’t write the Torah on a "battleship" heart that demands the world move for it. It needs a heart strong enough to be disciplined, but humble enough to yield to Divine Truth.

Today’s Challenge: Stop shouting at the lighthouse. Where do you need to yield your "rank" to avoid a wreck?

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Day 12 Checklist: The Lighthouse & The Wolf

Refining Hod of Gevurah

• Identify the "Battleship": Where am I being unyielding just to protect my ego or "rank"?
• Spot the "Lighthouse": Is there a truth or a person I’m fighting that I actually need to listen to?
• Practice restraint: Just because you can win an argument, pull rank, or be harsh, doesn't mean you should.
• Yield the Course: Intentionally step back in one interaction today to make room for peace.
• Prep the Heart: Acknowledge that yielding to Truth is the only way to let the Ruach HaKodesh write the Torah inside.

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Next Step: Tomorrow, we move to Day 13: Yesod of Gevurah, where we see how this "Restrained Strength" actually builds unshakable bonds with others.

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I hope this is useful to you.

Su

About the Author

Sister Su is a survivor through her Saviour and has been blessed to see many miracles in her life. Currently digging her way out from under a mountain of debt while battling chronic illness, she dreams of one day earning her doctorate in practical theology.

For more information, visit her Linktree- Sister_Su.