Why You Should Celebrate Easter and Passover Seder

Shalom Lovely People,

This weekend, my hubby and I celebrate Passover and Resurrection Sunday. We are Christians, but we stand in support of Israel. We are interested in the historical context of Judaism, and we celebrate Jewish holidays and actively learn about Jewish customs. This year, in particular, we wanted to know more about the Passover Seder.

Have you heard of the Seder meal?

Chabad.org provides excellent resources about the Jewish faith and holidays, including the Seder meal. Seder, the Hebrew word meaning order, is celebrated during Passover. Family members of all ages retell the ancient story of when the Israelites were freed from enslavement in Egypt. This story can be found in the Book of Exodus of the Bible and the Shemot in the Jewish Torah. The order of the Passover seder meal is read from the Haggadah, which is the Jewish text of the Israelites being freed from slavery.

We just started learning about the significance of the Seder meal and why it was so critical for Christians to celebrate. The Seder is typically conducted in a family home, but it can also be in a synagogue. This week, my hubby and I watched a Seder service from Eagle Mountain International Church (Kenneth Copeland Ministries ) that incorporated Jewish and Christian meanings. My hubby and I found it to be quite moving but also informative. We decided that we needed to celebrate our freedom with the Passover Seder meal and our traditional Resurrection Day service at church.

We watched several teachings from Rabbi Jason Sobel on the final week of Jesus’ life. Rabbi Jason explains how Jesus’ return to Jerusalem, the Last Supper, and the Cruxification are deeply rooted in Jewish customs. He further said that the Last Supper with Jesus and the twelve apostles was a Passover Seder. This video from Rabbi Jason explains what the Seder meant to the Jewish people and what it means to Christians today.

Rabbi Curt Landry describes the Seder in his blog post, The Nine Blessings of the Passover, “This list of reasons why Passover matters to God is in no way a complete one, yet it repeatedly tells why Passover is vital! Passover is not just for Jews, but for all who call upon the Name of the Lord!” This video show Rabbi Landry’s Seder service on Friday. And another post that I recommend by Rabbi Landry is Celebrating Passover as Believers.

The Passover Seder service video at Eagle Mountain Church is below:

My hubby and I will now celebrate the Passover Seder with Resurrection Sunday during Holy Week. No matter your religion, thanking God for your health, life, and freedom while celebrating Passover would be an excellent idea to incorporate into your family traditions.

10 Side Hustle Ideas To Make Money From Home

Making money online is easier than ever before, with many different opportunities. If you’re looking to increase your earning potential and you’d like a few money-making ideas, these ten side-hustles are a fantastic place to start.

Online tutoring
If you’ve got a little spare time on your hands, you might like to look into online tutoring? There are so many different companies that need online tutors. You can offer tuition services in various subjects, whether English, math, science or playing guitar. Some companies focus on teaching English as a foreign language. You’ll need to take a TEFL course beforehand most of the time.

Photo by Samantha Borges on Unsplash

Sell homemade goods
If you’re a creative person, you could make money by selling homemade goods. People love handmade items, whether soaps, candles, jewelry, or clothing. You might prefer to sell artwork, for example, photography or illustrations? The best thing to set up your website or use a marketplace like Etsy. To drive sales, it helps to build a strong brand. Think carefully about your company name and logo. Ensure that you provide a top-quality product. If your customers are impressed, they’ll return again and again. To assess product quality, it can be helpful to gather customer feedback.

Use a dropshipping model.
Dropshipping is the new trendy way to make money, but how exactly does it work? Dropshipping allows you to sell products online without purchasing or holding any physical stock. When you work with a dropshipping company, you essentially choose which items you want to sell in your online store. If someone makes a purchase, the dropshipping company will post their product and pass on a profit cut to you. To get started today, check out these drop shipping companies:

– Oberlo
– Salehoo
– Spocket

Write a blog
With the help of affiliate marketing, you can make money with a blog. The first step is to figure out the theme of your blog. Once you’ve decided what you’re going to write about, you’ll have a better idea of who your target audience is. You’ll need to put in some time to write the articles and build up your following. Once you’ve done so, you might consider using copywriters. This way, you can create a passive income stream. To monetize your blog, you’ll need to purchase affiliate links and work them into your writing.

Create an e-course
Have you got expertise and knowledge to share with the world? If so, why not consider creating an e-course? To create an e-course, you’ll need to work through the following steps:

– Pick a course topic. You’ll need to draw on your skills, expertise, and passions.
– Research your market (ensure that there’s a high demand for your course).
– Establish your learning outcomes.
– Figure out how you’ll test the knowledge of your students.
– Design your course plan and the modules.

Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants offer remote admin support to online businesses. They perform various duties, including taking phone calls, scheduling appointments, and running email accounts. The great thing about being a virtual assistant is that you can work from anywhere, and many roles are part-time.

You’ll need a fast internet connection and a high-performing laptop. The software you need will depend on the role and the company. If you’re using a combination of your phone and a computer, and need support with file transfers, check out the AnyTrans app by accessing this link https://setapp.com/apps/anytrans-for-android.

Sell your old stuff
Many of us have unwanted items, whether clothing, electronics, or books. There’s no use holding onto things that you don’t use. Selling your old items could earn you a nice bit of cash. Getting rid of waste is a great way to go green and live more sustainably. There are lots of different apps where you can sell your old items. To get started, take a look at a few of these second-hand apps.

– Wallapop
– Decluttr
– Letgo
– eBay
– Vinted

Join Fiverr
If you’ve got the skills, you can rent out your services as a freelancer on Fiverr. There are plenty of gigs to land, from copywriting to graphic design. It’s simple to use. All you have to do is create a profile, and you can start selling your services right away. There are plenty of advantages of freelance work, including:

– Flexible working arrangements.
– You can work from home.
– Set your rates.
– Build on your skills.
– Experiment with new types of work.

Make Youtube videos
Do you love being in front of the camera? If so, you might like the idea of making YouTube videos. First, you’ll need to decide what type of YouTube videos you want to make. People make YouTube content about all different things, from fashion to music and business. There are many other formats; you might create how-to videos, provide commentaries, or host interviews. To succeed as a YouTuber, keep the following ideas in mind:

– Research your target audience (this will help you plan your content).
– Network with other YouTubers (it’s helpful to get advice and make connections).
– Plan your content before you post.
– Budget any extra costs if appropriate.

Rent out a room
If you’ve got a spare room in your home, you could make money by renting it out on Airbnb. When you become an Airbnb host, you have the opportunity to meet different people from all over the world. Before you start hosting, it’s a good idea to figure out any house rules that you have. It would help if you communicated rules with your guests from the get-go. Renting out a room on Airbnb is a fantastic way to make a passive income.

Hopefully, one of these side hustle ideas will be just what you’re looking for. If you’re a productive person who’s keen to boost their earning potential, side hustles are the way forward.

Christmas Everyday! Four Ways To Keep Christmas In Your Heart All Year Long

Hello Beautiful People,

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

I hope you all had a wonderful Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I am looking forward to the New Year. Just remember that you still have time to reach a goal. The year is not over yet. You still have time to finish reading the book or finish that DIY project in your bathroom.

I thought that if we celebrate Christmas only one day, it would be a letdown to me. If you build up this momentum to only one day, and when that big day is over, then what? Do we have to keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year long? The answer is yes, we do.

Four Ways to keep Christmas in your heart all year long

Text or call that relative or friend you have not talked to in a while. A simple message of “Hello” or “I was just thinking of you” can go a long way to brighten their day.

Think of ways to be kind to someone you know or may not know. Shovel the snow off their sidewalk, bring them some homemade cookies or offer them a ride to the grocery store. Be the reason that they smile today and think good thoughts about humanity.

Start a thank you journal to keep life in perspective. When you need encouragement or feel like things are not going your way, take out your journal to remind you of the successes you have achieved or read over the things that you are grateful for.

If you feel strife coming on in a relationship, take a step back and observe what you can do to make it better. I need to examine myself and how I am responding to difficult situations. I have had a hard time dealing with people in my neighborhood who don’t keep up their property, and I can feel the tension in my neck. I had to take a step back and give that to God and let Him handle it. I can pray for change, but I can not change a person’s will. God gives everyone the right to choose the direction and decisions they want to make. I knew this, but my Pastor’s message this past Christmas Sunday made me realize I can’t be moved by my feelings and emotions but by my faith in God.

This was such a profound message that I included the video here of my Pastor’s teaching, called Legacy of Faith

A Day (And Life) of Thanksgiving and Gratitude

Hello, Elegant Readers

Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you are having a wonderful day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether family and friends surround you or not, remember that you are never alone; God is with you and for you. You can feel alone, even in a crowd. I know I have had that feeling so many times. If you feel down or a little low, I am sending lots of love and hugs to you on this holiday.

This Thanksgiving day began with rain in the early morning hours. As the sun came up, the rain went away, and the temperature slowly dropped throughout the day. It started in the upper 40s this morning but was in the low 30s by sunset. This is my favorite time of year. Christmas is in the air, and it is time to decorate for the season even though one of our trees is already up.
Dean Graziosi, one of my mentors and life coaches, sent me a quote the other day that I thought I would share in a video because it will make you think.

There’s so much to be thankful for, and don’t forget the little things because they can mean as much as the big things in your life.

God is for you, and Jesus Loves you!

 

Happy Birthday, Hubby!

Hey Lovely People,

I hope your day is sunny and bright.
This weekend I am celebrating my hubby’s birthday! I love you so much honey, lots of hugs and kisses.  Enjoy your special day, weekend, and month!

The picture below shows my hubby in his new wedding anniversary boots and birthday aviator jacket. He never asks for anything, so it is nice to see him in some of his new favorite style pieces.

JT’s hubby in his birthday style Cowboy Boots: Tecovas Aviator jacket: Tommy Hilfiger

I wrote a short poem that I would like to share.

Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to my husband, my love, my best friend
A man of God who seeks daily to put Him first and who is not afraid to stand up for what you believe in.
A sweet man who takes time to listen.
A caring man who loves me unconditionally and looks at me deeply with those handsome blue eyes.
You are strong, steadfast, a communicator, and an encourager.
You’re my cheerleader
You always have my back
You build me up when I get down and hard on myself.
You will tell me you know what the word of God says about you.
May this year be an overabundance of God’s blessings on you
and an overflowing of prosperity.
I love you with all my heart and soul.

Love you,

JT

Mothers Day Memory From The Piano Bench

Hi Lovely Beautiful People,

Wow, it’s May, and the irises are starting to bloom. As I sit on the piano bench, looking out the window in my living room and begin to practice, I ponder over memories of my mother. You know I’m not a child prodigy on the piano. I didn’t start playing at age five, nor did I begin performing concerts at age 7. My mother always wanted me to have a piano, not even really knowing if I could actually play or not. She always wanted me to be the best at everything. I don’t know if she secretly wanted to play piano, but the goal was to one day have a piano, and I took hold of that. She attended San Francisco State and studied music for two years. The joy of music rubbed off on me, and I didn’t have a clue.

As I started my sophomore year of college, I decided to take a private course in beginning piano. At this point, I didn’t have a piano of my own, nor had I ever played before. I went to a private Catholic college, and my instructor was a nun whose specialty was classical music. I could only practice at the East Building in the piano study rooms while I was on campus. I didn’t stay in a dorm for a variety of reasons. I would catch the bus with my Dad being my chaperone and come to school early to practice before my 9 am class. I was a very protected and sheltered only child, so you read that correctly. My Dad would ride the bus to me to college before he went to work. Without a piano, I could go through the first semester and perform a recital at the conclusion.
That next semester, my parents purchased me a piano at a great deal, and I still play on that same piano today. I enjoy learning new pieces. Right now, I am taking a course in piano to sharpen those skills. My mother and father always wanted the best for me and would do whatever they could to help me pursue my goals. I’m their only child, and as I shed tears, I love them so much.

Am I a concert pianist? No, but I enjoy playing. Every time I sit down and play, I am humbled and grateful for their love and overflowing generosity. Even after all these years, it has not been easy to share memories of my mother and father. I would not want to go to church because people would say Happy Mothers Day to me, not knowing whether my mother is on earth or actually a mother myself. I have grown to nod when people say Happy Mothers Day and smile, which is really okay. I remember saying to my friends that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are hard for me to talk about because they are both in heaven. I realize I have to change my mindset because if I don’t talk about the love they had for me, no one will ever know.
I miss my mother, grandmother, and father, but I know they are with the Lord, and they are forever in my heart. My family is not big, but they were family. The treasure of the beautiful times with my parents is fond jewels to hold on to.

Whether you are a mother, a step-mother, an aunt, a father-mother, a fur-mom, an influence, or however you may have positively impacted a child’s life, I say Happy Mothers Day to you! You do not have to conceive a child to be a motherly influence.