I must talk a bit about the name of this blog… “schmuck like me”.  I grew up in a home where my grandparents would talk in Yiddish. It is a funny language and I got to know several words. It seems to be a dying language, I used to hear it much more as a young child, rarely these days. I have come to know that a schmuck meant an “idiot”. I am aware that there is another meaning but for all intents and purposes of this blog, let’s say that it means “idiot”.

When I am referring to myself as a schmuck, I kind of mean it in a good way. Hear me out before you pre-judge. In the world around us, there is so much pressure to “be”. We are told we must be good, be polite, be honest, be on time, be prepared and the list goes on….

In the Old Testament of the Bible, we had a lot of “be’s”. And if there were wrongs, there were procedures we followed to “be” (there is that word again) forgiven and back in the good graces of GOD.

Then JESUS came to us to save us from having to “be”. The “be” became “believe”. So we now just have to “believe” that HE came and was crucified for US (all of us) and we are saved. We ALL make mistakes and we ALL are schmucks. None of us are perfect and none of us have to BE! We just have to have faith, that is it…. No strings attached. What freedom in being a schmuck! I can be a schmuck and my GOD still loves me, protects me and blesses me beyond imagine.

PRAYER: Dear GOD, help the reader understand that we are not perfect but loved, not without mistakes but saved and all we need is to BElieve in the glory of the gift we have in YOUR precious SON who gave HIS last breath so that we can just BE who we are and still be loved and saved! In JESUS glorious name, AMEN! And thank you JESUS for giving me what I do not deserve!

I can talk! I post on social media, write this blog and probably talk way more than I should in most circumstances. I think from an early age, I thought that talking was good. It meant that I “knew” about something; I was smart and the ultimate- had someone’s attention. But better than talking, is listening and by far much harder to do.

I am trusting the LORD to teach me and boy am I learning that sometimes it is better to keep my mouth shut and just listen. One of the hardest tasks for me is listening to someone who may have a need. I am drawn to “needs” like a baby to candy. For me, fixing a need equals providing advice. I know I am in good company of the “advice givers”, we are a well-meaning bunch (most of us and most of the time) but sometimes in the desire to provide guidance, we forget to listen. Much of the time listening is so much more helpful than speaking.

I will be honest to tell you that I had to learn to listen. I am still learning.  I am a bit embarrassed also to say, I have to be real cognizant of this and really hone in on the speaker. I am getting better. It is a constant prayer of mine.

The power of listening is so powerful. Hearing the person, acknowledging what is heard and perhaps a smile/hug or even a laugh together. That is real intimacy! Get your mind out of the gutter, not meaning that kind!!!

GOD wants us to relate to HIM! There is talk of worship and prayer all over the bible. But there is also talk of listening.

Proverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

Psalm 85:8 I will listen to what GOD the LORD says; he promises peace to HIS people, his faithful servants. But let them not return to their foolish ways.

PRAYER: DEAR LORD, I ask that you help me to open my ears wider than my mouth. Help me FATHER to hear YOU more and sit quietly in you. Be with the reader JESUS and provide them peace and wisdom; in JESUS blessed name. And thank you JESUS for giving me what I do not deserve!

 

Raised in a Jewish home and not a strict Jewish home but simply known as “Jewish” apparently meant something in the Jewish community. I had cousins that grew up in homes where being Jewish meant something such as what they could eat and what they could not. OF course this is the biggest impact and memory of being Jewish was to me.

There were the big family holidays such as Passover and Yom Kippur….. always having something to do with food during or after. I did not realize the true meaning of Yom Kippur until much later. And that one fasted to atone for sins.

When I praise JESUS, my path was paved with difficulty because this is not what a Jewish girl did. I am not sure what my parents thought about JESUS himself as I was growing up but it was a name that the “gentiles” used and I remember a feeling that we were separated from the gentiles.

I also remember that it hurt my heart that we were “separated” form anyone. GOD puts JESUS in all of our hearts. It is what we do that matters. So, bring me to today where I gladly rejoice and praise HIM.

There is a saying that is used in the world of recovery from addictions: “Act as if”. The idea was that if you would “act as if” then your mind, body and spirit would follow.

I had to “act as if” for many years waning back and forth on the subject of JESUS. But by the grace of HIM, he held on to me because I “acted as if” because I wanted HIM so.

NOW, I AM HIS and I PRAISE his HOLY name that I am. We are released by HIM who died for us and removed our sins. And let me tell you, I battle everyday with sinning. We all do but GOD loved us so that he gave us his only begotten son. PRAISE GOD

PRAYER: Dear FATHER, Thank you for saving me and putting JESUS in my heart and soul so strong that even my background could not deny HIM. I pray for the reader and that they may know the release from bondage JESUS brings even for a JEWISH girl like me. AND thank you JESUS for giving me what I do not deserve!