Isaac & Abigail

Recently I have been studying Jewish history, particularly their festivals. Growing up in a Christian home, I knew that Israel had several celebrations throughout the year. Having heard about them from a young age, I have been desensitized to their significance. Honestly, until recently, I never really even thought about how significant Passover is to my Christian faith. Leviticus 23 is a chapter of festivals for the Jews. Each festival signifies something different that God has done, providing crops or bringing them into a new year. Six different celebrations for commemorating the faithfulness of God.

First, Passover commemorates God’s deliverance out of Israel’s slavery in Egypt. The Festival of Unleavened Bread was also to commemorate God’s deliverance from Egypt. Passover was the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which lasted for 7 more days.

Second, they celebrated the first fruits of the barley harvest. They would offer to the Lord a sheaf (about 2 quarts) of barley. This is the Festival of First Fruits.

Third, Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the Festival of first fruits. “50 days after first fruits, two loaves of bread were offered for the people, along with burnt, grain, drink, sin, and peace offerings. The loaves, made with leaven, typified the formation of the church on the Day of Pentecost. The church, the Body of Christ, is composed of sinners (leaven typifies sin) who are saved by the grace of God.”

Fourth, the Festival of Trumpets celebrates the beginning of a new civil year.

Fifth, the Day of Atonement. “The Day of Atonement, described in [Leviticus 16], was the most important of all the ordinances given to Israel because on that day atonement was made for all the sins of the entire congregation, as well as for the sanctuary.” The sanctuary was where the Israelites worshiped God.

Sixth, was the Festival of Booths. The Israelites commemorated the faithfulness of God during the 40 years they wondered in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. The people actually built booths or huts and lived in them during the festival.

Reading and studying the festivals has made such an impression on my heart. I love that God gave the Jews specific times to remember what He had done for them. I love that the festivals were full of worship and gratitude for what God has done. The Israelites would have traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festivals, most of them being several days long. I love that the Jews have added to the God given festivals on their own as well. In the book of Ester we read about a festival called Purim. The Jews celebrate when God used Ester to save their people. During the Festivals the people would stop their normal life rhythm to celebrate what God had done for them. They had parties to declare that they served a living and active God. A God who had provided for them in the past, and He would provide for them in the future as well.

As I was reading about these festivals, I wondered what that would look like in my own life. I celebrate holidays that point to God’s faithfulness. There can’t be a holiday better and more significant than Easter, for example. Jesus’ death and resurrection changed everything for all of time. As remarkable as this is, it is not the only example of God’s faithfulness in my life. God has shown himself to be working for my good and His glory my whole life. I just forget. I move on. I get over it. We have decided as a family that we are going to start celebrating festivals of God’s goodness to us. We are going to set aside days to party! God has been so good to us and I want my children to grow up hearing stories of God’s goodness. I want them to see God’s faithfulness in the history of our family and I want my heart to never forget or take lightly the might works of my God.

Our first festival is going to be on May 20, our 912 Festival. Isaac and I have been married for 8 years. In those 8 years we have moved 8 times. Laurel Street, Venard Road, Hole-In-One Circle Drive, Old Gladiolus Road, Chandler Ave, Winkler Ave, East Ridge Road, and now Block Road. These are all the streets that we have lived on.

We were married in Pennsylvania, moved to Florida, and then moved up to New York. Twice we have moved all our possessions into a home and moved them all back out within 2 weeks. James turned 6 this past fall (2017) and he was so confused why he was celebrating another birthday at the same house. To be fair, his first birthday was celebrated at his Grandma Denton’s house. We did actually live in the same house for his first and second birthday, we just weren’t physically home on his birthday. Two homes we owned, two we lived in for free, renting the rest.

We have brought home our precious babies to three different houses. I can tell their baby pictures apart most easily by the background, which home we were living in. Our record is 912 days. We lived in our Chandler Ave home in Florida for 912 days. I could go on and on about all the lessons we have learned with all these moves. Our family has roots, but it isn’t here on earth.

Our family has constantly been weeding through our possessions, what is worth packing up again and again. Our hearts are full of dear friends we have met and grown to love along the way.

Our souls have suffered and healed and grown. And we see God’s hand through every single day, move, change, friend…He has guided us through the valleys and mountain tops. Whether our home was ours for 14 or 912 days He has been faithful. May 20, 2018 is the second time we’ll hit 912 days in one place. And…we’re still going!!!!! It’s weird actually to be settled. We are so thankful for the home God has given us. We love where we live and the church we get to be a part of. We are happy and thankful that God has us settled and we pray that God will keep us here to dig deep. We celebrate our 912 Festival knowing that God has given us the gift of time right now. He is faithful when he moves us, giving us 14 days. He’s also faithful when he tells us to stay. For 912 days and counting!!