Create Video Montages

So you don't know what to do with all those digital pics?
We have that problem in our home...and for school it's a huge deal for us.
Since we love to digitally snap anything in sight and archive what we are doing at the spur of any moment, having a way to archive all those digital pics (besides blogging) would be a real plus.

So, here is a free online tool anyone can use to create video montages of your photos and pics. Simply upload pictures, add music and effects, and voila. You have code to embed in your blog and share with family and friends.

Check out One True Media on creating these videos.

Our Family Passover Seder Night 2010

So, last week we celebrated Passover and it was the first time for us.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, we have begun to really explore the Hebraic roots of our Lord, Yeshua - Jesus, and have been learning so much about how the Christian faith is deeply rooted in the early beginnings of Judaism.  It is something that we cannot get away from even if we attempt to close our eyes and ignore it.  For us, they are intertwined.

Lately I have been feeling the pull to draw closer to this aspect of our faith and to really search the scriptures and become more knowledgeable about this area , and really making certain my beliefs and convictions are backed up with Truth...

Here is what we did to prepare for Passover and how we integrated this into our school lessons: (keep in mind this is a somewhat loose Messianic version of the traditional orthodox seder...so not all elements were in place, but it was a wonderful experience nonetheless!!)

Again, as in my previous post about how we celebrated Purim, we used Robin Sampson's Biblical Holidays book to jumpstart us:

We started by getting our tablecloth prepared. I hunted all over town for a nice, lacy tablecloth and finally found some material at Walmart which I simply hemmed the corners, and voila- a tablecloth! NyGirl helped me with the hemming process.

NyGirl helps me prepare the meal for the matzah bread with no yeast. In order to keep it kosher we had to make sure to get it in the oven before 18 minutes so that the dough wouldn't naturally rise.

The dough is formed and ready to roll...

Time to prick the dough and form stripes. We are reminded that Jesus was pierced and received stripes for us.

When done our Matzah looked like this:

Next we make Charoset. This will remind us of the mortar used by the Hebrews, , and also the sweetness will serve to remind us later that Jesus takes away our bitterness. To make charoset, we need apples, which I cooked until a bit soft. Then I added the following ingredients (minus the raisins):

I blended the cooked apples in the blender with all ingredients, and lastly added the whole walnuts. Refrigerated.
Done.



 

Next, I cooked the turnip greens. I put some raw turnips greens aside for the Seder plate later. Horseradish would have been a good choice, but I couldn't find that at the grocery store this time...so turnip greens were next best choice.




Finally the food is all cooked, and I set the table.




Each plate receives a Hagaddah (a small booklet taking us through the ceremony). Each plate also receives a kiddush cup for the grape juice. In the middle is the seder plate – one shank bone of lamb, matzah, bitter herb, and charoset (added later).

Ny reads the four questions:

I keep BabyZ busy while my husband assists in leading the Seder:

Time for fun- I hide the “afikomen”- a piece of matzah bread wrapped in a linen cloth- for the kids to find. Whoever finds it redeems a prize. We are reminded that Jesus’ body was wrapped in a linen cloth, and when we find Him we find eternal life, our True Prize. He died as a ransom for our sins and has redeemed us…

Of course, NyGirl finds the afikomen first so she got a prize.




Finding Shalom in the Passover

This week is Passover.

As our family prayerfully prepares for this signficant time of the year, I am cleaning and cooking-- but better yet, praying for a deeper revelation of who Christ is.
And during my Hebraic roots search I am learning so much that I didn't before realize our savior, Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew).

I have been a King James/New King James reader all my life.  With time I began to see the value in reading the same passages of scripture in different translations.  One of my newest favorites is my Complete Jewish Bible.

As I read through the bible (Complete Jewish Bible), I see a slightly different view on who Jesus was and what He actually did - teaching His talmidim (disciples), healing the sick on Shabbat, forgiving sins, burning with zeal and anger over the temple being turned into a marketplace...

I could almost see the scenes play out in my mind. I felt present as I read through the entire book of Matthew, then Mark.

I saw Jesus tell the little girl "Talita cumi, arise".

I could almost see the look on Peter's face when his mother in law got out of her sick bed and began serving the disciples and Yeshua.

I could almost see the woman who wouldn't stop bleeding touch the fringe of Yeshua's tallit- the hem of His garment. And when she did...immediately she felt His power and virtue flow through her body and stop the continual flow of her blood disease.

I could nearly see woman with the alabaster box pouring out expensive perfume on Yeshua's feet, worshipping Him and crying over His soon to be burial, as the P'rushim (Pharisees) looked on with disdain and judgmentalism. Jesus accepted her offering and blessed her name to be remembered for all time.

Jesus sat across from the temple offering and watched people place their offerings in the temple offering box one day. He noticed that the rich placed loads of coins into the box. But He accepted the offering of the woman with only one mite, who had given all she had. He blessed her offering as the one given with her heart. I could almost see this.


This Passover season as I think about how that Yeshua- Christ Jesus- became our passover, I am amazed at how when He brought the Israelites out of Egypt and "passed over" their homes that had the blood of the lambs on their doorposts...that He is showing us today how that He Himself has become our ultimate Passover.

He causes iniquity to pass over the hearts and homes of those who cling to Him, and protects us from the plagues of the world. He saves us with a mighty and great salvation, bringing us out of bondage and completely out of Egypt. He lights the way with His cloud of fire and shines light on our path with each step we take, leading us safely out of the world and into His way of righteousness, blessings, and peace.

Belonging to Christ is not something to be taken lightly and irreverently.

We don't walk in His true blessings simply because we have the material posessions this world offers. The nicest house, car, and closet full of clothing will not and can NEVER compare to the blessed richness of the SHALOM/peace that only our Savior Yeshua, Christ Jesus, our True Passover, brings.