Menorah

I simply want to know the Lord more just like my title says. Then my interests pointed towards Judaism naturally. Many years ago, as I was listening to a testimony of a Jewish lady, it suddenly dawned on me that Jesus was a Jew. I knew that before, but it entered into my heart in a different way. Jesus talked to the Jewish people who lived their Jewish lives. Since then I started seeing the scriptures in a different way. It has been very interesting. I would like to keep the records of those things here in my diary.

A couple of years ago I bought the 7-branched menorah shown above from eBay. I prayed about it over a year because I didn't know if it was okay for me to have it, and then I didn't know if it was okay to buy one from eBay - auctioning God's menorah. Am I allowed??? If not, who is not allowing me? I didn't feel like I heard from God. I wasn't sure it it was okay with him. Yet after one year I told God that I would buy one and I finally bought it! I certainly don't worship this. I just wanted to see exactly what this was like. It is like a visual aid. God knows my heart.

It all started with my 9-branched Hanukkah menorah I bought at a local store during the Christmas time. I was so excited even though it was a mini menorah. Then I realized that the menorah the Bible talks about (not just the OT, but also in the book of Revelation in the NT) has 7 branches. I had never thought of that. Then I started to research a little. Some websites which sell gifts and Judaica don't differentiate 7- and 9-branched menorah. It was confusing. So when my friend and I visited a Messianic Church I asked one person which menorah he had. He said Jews have both. ( It was several years ago.) Then I decided I would like to see and feel the Biblical menorah. That's how I got interested in having a 7-branched menorah. It is about 17 inches tall and is beautiful!

The church next to the menorah is something I made out of an old garage door which I kept in the back of the house when we replaced it with a modern, metal one. I like woodworking and country stuff. I kept the old garage door because I though I may use the wood for something. Then I saw a church-shaped mail holder in a catalog and I copied it! It was fun making it. I learned that if there is a will, there is a way. It was true.

I love this corner of my house.

(edited from 8/16/2008)