Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Cake1 (29 oz) can pure pumpkin purée3 eggs, beaten1 (12oz) can evaporated milk2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1 box yellow cake mix1 1/4 cup sugar1 cup graham cracker crumbs1 cup butter, melted1/2 cup toffee bitsPreheat oven to 350˚. Lightly grease 9 x 13 baking dish. In prepared dish, mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Scrape down si...  Read More

Mention the word “pumpkin” at any time of year, but especially in the fall, and most people can’t help but think of the enticing smell of freshly baked pumpkin pie wafting through the air.  In fact, so popular is this alluring smell, that many retailers have it on their shelves in the form of room sprays, body scents, and candles.Native to the American continent, pumpkins are from the family of Cu...  Read More

The way that thunder rolls across the sky from ten miles or more..you can count it coming as it rollsLike shofars blowing from one tel to another telAcross the land, across the whole world, how do we know; maybe across the universeSo comes Yom Teruah blasting, blowing, rollingLike a wave across the lands made by YahwehFrom one end of the world the moon comes shyly risingTill it shines in every pla...  Read More

The infant had died unexpectedly in the womb and the subsequent birth had been difficult.  I watched silently nearby as the mother hovered over the lifeless body of her daughter and leaned down to gently touch her face.   An unfathomable sadness emanated from her vacant, sunken eyes, she turned her head to look away in disbelief and pain.  It would be three days before she would eat or drink much ...  Read More

We all know there are compelling environmental reasons to choose organic food. Many of us buy organic out of a belief that it must be healthier. In terms of avoiding the potential toxicity of pesticide residues, it is. But the case for organic food actually being more nutritious has been harder to determine. Over the last few years, though, there has been a growing body of research demonstrating n...  Read More

Each year as the fiery days of summer begin to wane and thoughts enter into our minds of shorter days and cooler weather, a most wonderful event happens.  For eight complete days Yahweh commands us to leave our homes and live in temporary dwellings so that we can observe one of His pilgrim Feasts, the Feast of Tabernacles, along with the Last Great Day.Symbolizing Yahweh’s millennial Kingdom and t...  Read More

He arrived somewhat portentously during a full moon on Friday the 13th with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.  The skillful ministrations of the four midwives in attendance made short work of the problem and a beautiful auburn-haired baby boy made his entrance into this life as we know it.  Simon was ecstatically welcomed with armfuls of love and visions of hope for his future.Over the n...  Read More

Don’t cry for me whenI’m gone;For my heavenly Father and Savior,They live on.They’ve taken my spiritTo keep it safeUntil the time of the resurrectionWhen they will raise me up that day.As you think of me,I’m only asleep,Just getting some needed rest,So don’t weep.I’ll wake up one day;It won’t be long,And we will all be together againWhen His Kingdom comes.Our Father and His Son planned this all ou...  Read More

Anyone who has ever been around children knows that at about 3-4 years old their curious little minds begin wondering about all things around them and they start asking, “Why?”  It seems as if every sentence or command out of your mouth is in return punctuated with this question out of theirs.  Some are easily answered: “Why do birds have wings?”  Other queries, especially as the child gets older,...  Read More

Yahshua said, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living,” Mark 12:43-44.I can relate to this verse because my financial situation is similar to what this “poor widow’s” probably was and, like her, I still tithe. I ...  Read More

The clear, haunting notes of a songbird pierce the chilly breeze at the top of Masada.  Perched on a rock ledge, I notice what looks like a cousin of the red-winged blackbird that inhabits the summer cattails surrounding the pond back home. He looks directly at me, cocking his head in that strange, questioning way of one creature attempting to comprehend another.  We lock eyes for only a few secon...  Read More

Today was a mixture of hurry up and wait; one of time spent  productively, of kindness shared, of good deeds accomplished and a necessary reminder to me of the complexities in the struggle between the human desire to move on to newer things, and finding that elusive peace; the comfort of being satisfied with what you already have gathered around you.It took me back to the times in my past when I a...  Read More

I don’t know about you but I love leftovers! You go to all the trouble to make a nice meal for your family, get creative and pour out your expectations of a great din­ner into that beautiful piece of meat, so I say, stretch it out and make it pay.In my family, I tend to be the one happiest to eat leftovers, so after the first leftover day I don’t feel bad if they become mine alone, and I can alway...  Read More

This is a good time to start considering the necessary prepa­rations for the Feast of Unleavened Bread (April 15-21). Readiness begins first with introspection as we search our­selves and humbly seek to rid our lives of the leaven of rebellion and disobedience. Next, we are to rid our homes of all leavening. In other words, it is time for spring cleaning. Women here at our assembly have offered se...  Read More

In school my children and I have been reading all about the Israelites, their leaving Egypt and their travels through the desert. As we have been reading about the Israelites grumbling and complaining, we have been taken aback by their constant lack of faith and unthankful spirit.For one of the suggested activities the teacher was supposed to serve popcorn (manna) for breakfast, snack and lunch. T...  Read More

Soon after I learned the Hebrew name for our Savior Yahshua, an event happened in our town that made clear the importance of names. Taos is a small town of mixed cultures.  Historically, newcomers have come in and with their wealth have created new successful businesses.  They have bought property and prospered, sometimes to the detriment of the locals.An old Ramada Inn was purchased by a man name...  Read More

Like turning over soil in a fallow fieldSearching for the treasures of fertile thoughts and dreamsPast, present, futureFinding deep and unanswered needs and questionsExamining a furrow for possible growthI hill up my hopes in even rowsMark my places neatly at each endTie white strings of truth and powerWait……..by: the late Gayle Bonato...  Read More

You are the Potter:  I am the Clay!Whatever you chooseTo do with me,That’s the thing that ought to be.I wouldn’t try to change your mind,I wouldn’t if I could.Things would always happenThe way you think they should.You are the Father:  I am the Child!I’ll put my trust in you.You have better plans for me,Than anyone ever knew.When I descend into my grave,When my testing has been done,I’ll wait on t...  Read More

The book of Ruth takes us on a journey of love, loss, trials, faith, and love anew. To understand Ruth is to first understand what her name means. Ruth, a Hebrew name רְעוּת (re’ut) in its very essence meaning, “friend,” sets the stage for the journey she was meant to take, a journey of endurance, a journey of a most sincere friendship, a lesson that will forever stand the test of time.Ruth, from ...  Read More

“Consider how the lilies grow…” Luke 12:27A neighbor down the road made quilts; beautiful quilts in a variety of colors and patterns.  I was intrigued.  Soon she was patiently showing me how to piece together my very first quilt in hues of rust, beige and brown.  I was immediately smitten and I have been turning out quilts for over twenty-five years now.  Sometimes you just know that you were mean...  Read More

Braeburn, Pippin, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Cortland …. names of cities or perhaps fictional characters?  No, these are only a few of the many varieties (over 7,000 in all) of that delicious fall fruit, the apple.  One of the most popular for eating out of hand is the Red Delicious, with Gala coming in close behind.  Baking aficionados tend to gravitate to the likes of Winesap,  Jonathan, or McIntosh...  Read More

In Deuteronomy 8:8, Yahweh described the Promised Land as “a land of wheat and barley.”  In John 6, we see that Yahshua fed thousands with five loaves of barley.  The story of how a class of food long revered as the “staff of life” should suddenly become a toxic substance to large numbers of people is complex and controversial.  But it also provides revealing insights into modern agriculture and i...  Read More

She started out so very small, now look at my girl,she’s getting so tall.I remember the cute way she held onto her ear,now look at her helping me, what a sweet little dear!I used to pray, “Oh, Yahweh, please let her sleep through just one night,” now I can’t wake her up no matter how bright the light.I remember taking lots of pictures of all her cute little faces, now it’s trips to the orthodontis...  Read More

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:32A gift of freedom from the chains of pagan tradition has been passed down to our children.  This gift is far superior to anything they ever found under a tree.We ceased to observe Christmas exactly 20 years ago.  It was impossible to convince our family and friends that our reasons for taking this step were correct.  Our ch...  Read More