My family and I are departing for "family time" soon...what that entails, I'm quite unsure. Our purse-strings aren't guarding very much and time is limited as well. Today was to be a day-trip date for Franklin and myself, but given the year we've had, Franklin thought a little family celebration would be in order. All this to say, my entry will be short, sweet, concise, and nearly rabbit-trail free.
Our Hanukkah celebration was just just just wonderful. Last night's dinner was selected by my two daughters, and consisted of three-cheese tortellini in pesto, a tomato brushetta (thinly sliced heavy wheat bread, slathered in olive oil, sprinkled generously with coarse sea salt, topped with thinly sliced ripe-red tomato and topped with a snow-fall of mozzarella cheese...all broiled to perfection) and a great fancy olive and pepper tray. For dessert...fried black-raspberry filled donuts.
Those who might have read yesterday's post are familiar with the order our family observance...so I'll skip that for this entry, in favor of the conversation. Once again, the children are asked what they know of the Hanukkah story. On the second night, each one offers a little more, though still not in story mode (which is our goal...before they move out of the house, they must have a rich tapestry to pass on to my future grandchildren). Using information gleaned from the conversation of last nights meal, each child is helping the other with details or points that the other may have neglected (now, different parts of the story are hitting differently with each child...so they all have parts that they consider "more important" for recall). As our children grow older, and more mature, each year, more information is supplied to them...either in vocabulary, detail, history or just plain exchanging.
Last night we focused on the topic of assimiliation and the history that predated, but eventually had direct influence, upon what we now call Hanukkah. We stopped when we came to the history of Epiphanes (not my daughter, she is much sweeter). If you'll read Assimiliation was understood by each child, but not to the depth of what I would like...and so we went into the pros and cons of assimiliation. Very much not known by most who do not a) delve into ancient history of that area, and b) who do not celebrate Hanukkah, is that a large part of the Jewish population found great advantageous, even under an insane madman for a ruler, to assimililating to the Hellenistic culture. We spoke about what assimiliation meant, spiritually as well as economically, etc., and then again quickly (as it seemed out of context for them) as to what miracle are we celebrating...two of my three were incorrect (though I could see one of those two fighting wanting to state what she knew was the correct answer, but suddenly doubted herself and decided to go with the regular program of answering "the oil lasted for an additional seven days"...which I was pleased, because people often think it was a miracle that it lasted for eight).
The miracle was in that their was a revolt...that the people rose up and fought not only against the Seleucid superpower, but also from one another. There were a great population of Jewish people who worked towards assimiliation for the peace and prosperity (of it's kind) that it would profit them as individuals (and perhaps, they felt an illplaced nationalism that said Hellenism would be good for their people as well.) How hard and difficult it is not to be assimiliated when the oppressors hand is around your neck is nothing to how easy it is to be assimiliated when the betrayer is in your heart. The miracle was, that they were going to loose...loose against the military, and loose their loved ones (through death or extreem political and religious chasms). The miracle was...God provided...just as he continues to provide...we might feel the pressure to assimilate, we may be told that we are lesser because we do not assimilate, we might in fear crave to assimilate...and it may appear that to not do so will cost us dearly, to have us loose all. It is in that battle, be it simply telling a friend we've known about God, or it may be if we should enter the period of Great Tribulation when we are offered life for our denial...but it is in that battle that God makes miracles. The miracle is not in the victory the Macabees, but in their willingness at the time that they knew there was no victory be had, having no guarantee that any kind of miracle would be done for them...but doing all for the faith that they had in God.
Messianic Jews and Jews alike, place their Hanukkah menorah in their windows...they do this to declare what God has done. To put it away from the window, to place it where no declaration is made, is equivalent to "putting your light under a bushel" as it serves no greater purpose and does not fulfill anything other than providing a little light to only those whom lit it...and what good does that do? It declares who they are and a very very intimate moment God rekindled their trust and showed that even while weak, He is Strong (and faithful) in the face of their enemies.
I wonder if this is the seed that started the tradition of placing Christmas trees in windows? This, honestly, is the first Christmas when I've had a window that a Christmas tree could be placed. The window happens to be in our kitchen, just a foot or two away from our dining room table. Last night, the firefly-like lights from the tree were the only other light aside from our Hanukkah lights. I've never connected that tradition before...perhaps it isn't connected at all. But last night, while sharing the placement of the Hanukkah menorah in the homes of our spiritual older brother, my eyes glanced toward my tree...knowing outside, we had no other lights adorning our home...and that it must have stood out, this tree through our window...and as a tear came to my eye, I wondered, what it spoke about me.
For those of you who don't know, I've recently posted (at the prompting of Maria, thank you Maria...it means much more to me know that I've connected the Hanukkah lights with the tree) an entry as to why I celebrate Christmas. In the story I used the Christmas tree throughout, and told the story of how the Christmas tree is personally symbolic for me as a gentile (and I hope that it has caused you, too, to understand that it can recall a time when darkness, like a veil, was lifted on our people.)
Thank you all, and may God cause each of you to stop and consider Him and the great miracle He has wrought in your life.
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