Light

I have to remember never to say that Hubby is a pain in my ass because perhaps God is punishing me and has smitten me with hemorroids so painful, I couldn't sleep a wink last night until I talked myself into sleep by saying "You feel no pain.  You feel no pain."  And I think I slept three hours. 

The past couple of weeks have been stressful no doubt, with the flotilla incident - and a day later I had to speak to a group of interfaith people from the US in East Jerusalem, who yelled at me after my talk for living on stolen land. Doesn't good action count for anything anymore?  I almost yelled at the Asian woman that she was living on stolen land too - Native American land.  But who needed more aggravation.

Two days later I hosted a group of 24 Compassionate Listeners for Shabbat.  I cooked up a meal for 30 because part of my family would be there too.  Hubby was hysterical as if he were the cook, yelling at me - "what the fuck did I get myself into cooking for such a crowd."  I told him plainly - we have to be a light unto the nations, don't we?  After all, we definitely need a whole lotta light,because not much is emanating from this place, unfortunately.

The "service" began.  For the multi-religion crowd, I played a cd from my community, of Psalms that Nava Tehilla, the Jewish Renewal community, sing on the Sabbath - really beautiful stuff and original music.  I transliterated the words into English letters so that even the non-Jews could sing along.  I strummed a guitar to Shalom Aleichem, the first time I've strummed a guitar in 37 years.  Pretty good for someone who's forgotten the B and F chords, but thanks to YouTube, regained that knowledge.  The food turned out excellent and the company was wonderful.  I brought in someone from Nablus who is part of our interfaith group so that they could get his perspective too.  And they left me small trinkets like organic soaps, which I love and a folding nylon bag that I can put into my purse effortlessly so that I won't need to mess with those plastic bags when I go shopping.