As promised... here is Micheal Rood

As promised in my entry "Holiday Introspection", here is a video that greatly opened my eyes and stirred an inner desire to seek out my responsibility as a parent handing down traditions to my own children. It has been one of my hardest journeys as it has meant stepping away from the comfortable, the fun, the "norm" into a new realm. It has taken me from wanting to embrace differences to feeling like I am stepping on toes for choosing to step away from Christmas.

But I have to ask myself "how must I serve our God?" And he has laid it out so very clearly in Torah (the first five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy). So why don't I just keep this to myself for fear of others feeling uncomfortable and maybe even judged? Why not smile lovingly and just say "it doesn't really matter."?

Because, I love all of you out there... you are all my brothers and my sisters! I pray for you each night as I pour my heart out to God that His mercy and love find each of you, strangers in this world, but my brethren according to God's! Because if our good intentions are leading us away from our Father (as good 'ol Satan would surely want to do), then I want to yell out from the mountain tops "BEWARE!! DO NOT BE TRICKED! COME, MY FAMILY! COME MY LOVED ONES!"

I know this will mean ridicule, snarks and remarks... and this saddens me. We have already begun feeling those pangs and even Melina feels set apart from her friends at school that we observe Sabbath from sundown on Fridays to sundown on Saturdays. But if it means that in those snarks and remarks that someone might think to themselves "why ARE those crazy yahoos doing this?" and they look further, too, then it is worth being ridiculed! Even the prophets warned us that in the end times, "Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

We have been led away from God's commandments believing that they no longer apply. But our Saviour Jesus lived them every day of his life, as did our dear apostle, Paul (or Rav Shaul, his Hebrew name). I tell you, my beloved family out there, the more I delve into the layers upon layers of God's word, the more depth is revealed! Right down to his Feasts being laid out as though to train us to recognize and to be prepared for major events!

So if you are reading this and feeling like I have just flown off the coo's-coo's nest, that's okay! I thought the same thing when Duane first challenged me years ago. But I cannot deny what has emerged, what has been revealed, what has greatly humbled me! Right down to the shaking discovery of how ego-centric I have been! (As I post on my blog as though my thoughts really matter out there!! Oy, the ego just keeps sticking around!)

Sigh.

Anyways, I know I am taking a huge risk in posting this but I am okay with that. I don't want any of you to feel like you will be loved any less, or prayed for any less, or judged, etc... if you do not agree with what you are about to watch. As a friend once said "this is our 'description' not a 'prescription.'"  I just long to reveal to you what has truly changed me. I have promised to be honest with you, especially in the face of times where it is most challenging. And just know that I share this from the deepest parts of my heart's desire for all of us to be one in His Truth... or at the very least to help explain to you, our loved ones, why we are journeying in the direction we are. God bless you all out there, especially given the daunting task of moving past the "self" into a life of servitude... a task I continue to struggle with every single day!

So without further adue, here is Mr. Rood... and just as a heads up, some of you may very well refer to him as Mr. Rude!  He is very passionate about abiding by God's law and anything outside of it he considers an "abomination"... a little hard to hear (okay, not fun to hear at all) but if you can look past what feels like harsh judgement to the historical data, it is very interesting to say the least.

TRUTH & TRADITION
By Micheal Rood