FAMILY~Tucson-AZ

January 7th, 2024: It is cold here. The wind gusts are brutal.

Hard Freeze coming our way …

Holland has been taking care of us very well - he prides himself on making sure the house is secure; and we are cozily safe within it's walls.

Elohim has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband :-)

Keith Urban - 'God Whispered Your Name' song:

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn7_u-sha8)

Holland does not like the cold weather; he's chomping at the bit to cut his hair … but right now, he needs the length to keep his neck warm.

I like the way his curls kick in when his hair reaches a certain length …

I like Holland's curls - but, he's going to cut them off as soon as the weather warms up; Tucson-AZ

Holland - February 5th, 2023; Kalama-WA

Around noon, Bleu was getting himself into mischief … and Holland was thinking about a short exploratory drive around the local neighborhood.

Bleu and I were game :-)

Debate about the necessity of a half hour drive.

We didn't go far: just a looping mile or two.

Resort Lawn Décor; Arizona things that may present themselves at some point - a coral snake, a saguaro cactus, & a tortoise. So far, we've only seen the cactuses.

This week's outlook doesn't look promising, temperature wise …

Pretty chill ;-(

These store doorway fans aren't currently needed.

But it was fun for all of us - and Holland and I laughed about how stormy weather has haunted us our entire marriage to date; a winter storm chased us from Reno and through calimexarabia, on our Wedding Day, across Oregon and kept us close to home, in Washington, the early weeks of our married life.

Seriously dangerous Spring storms chased us all the way back home from West Virginia, when we drove the distance to purchase our new home.

The bending and blending of two independent and self-sufficient lives, added 10 months of emotional and spiritual tempests that at times seemed to rival mother nature's spectacular events: thank the Lord we came through those stormy moments, too (a bit shaken, but otherwise unscathed - a little scared, but wiser for the experience) ;-)

Stormy Weather marriage; LOL

When we got back home, and inside our home, domesticity comfortably wraps itself around us as we basked in loving familial cohesiveness while the rain tap-danced across Independence's rooftop :-)

Final ABB finished; box of 6 is ready to send off …

I got busy on some comfy-warm, manly, house slippers for Holland; they would have been made up months ago if we had known about the (((SUPRISE!!))) weather ;-)

SUNDAY BLESSINGS JAR~2024

 

A 3-CORD IS NOT EAILY BROKEN

What Elohim has wrought … will stay together.

He never promised a rose garden; He just promised He'd walk with us every day.

A 3-cord is not easily undone.

Clint Black - 'When I Said I Do' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgalAdgEd-E)

Mel Tunney - 'God Knew That I Needed You' song:

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ZzZFJ_nAI)

Foreigner - Until the end of time + Lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0_dajF5SEg)

FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY~Tucson-AZ 2024

It's been a roller-coaster ride … we've been outrunning stormy weather since the day we said, "I DO": but I wouldn't change a thing 😁😘

2%

 

I am one of the 2% :-)

DOWNTOWN TUCSON-AZ~Shabbat Eve

We decided to rise early and go exploring before the day advanced too far into the afternoon hours - there was one particular site we wanted to visit :-)

This building caught our attention when we entered Tucson, Thursday … we were mistaken about what it was.

Southern Arizona VA Health Care: 

(https://www.va.gov/southern-arizona-health-care/)

A BIG pink building.

'Maybe he's color blind …'

As we laughingly re-entered traffic, Holland treated me to downtown sights: he wanted to make sure "you get your pictures, Baby": we don't know what kind of freeze Tucson will experience this weekend - all we know is that whatever happens, will be unprecedented for this region; although higher elevations like Flagstaff annually get a significant snowfall … Holland has only known Phoenix to get a light snow dusting 37 years ago, when he was living and working there.

My loving husband wanted to ensure my week in Tucson isn't a bust, so he ferried me around downtown to see the sights, there … and I agreed if afterwards, he'd lay down and rest when we got back home ;-)

I could see his eyes were hot - that meant his lungs were on fire: he has a chest cold whether he wants to acknowledge that, or not. I'm going to pamper him, and pull the Wife Card when necessary: he needs to rest and heal. There's no time clock to be punched, and no real hurry to get anywhere until the backend of February.

Downtown, Tucson-AZ skyline.

St. Augustine Cathedral; Tucson-AZ

A colorful openwork arch on the Cathedral Plaza.

Openwork Band Shell: 

(https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-oddity-flowery-covering-sets-stage-for-performances/article_21d0e5d4-7137-58cf-adc1-179ceb5e0e20.html)

St. Augustine Cathedral; Tucson-AZ: (https://tucson.com/news/local/watch-now-tucsons-historic-st-augustine-cathedral/video_a819e998-abb0-5dc1-b5c6-96c19474c885.html)

This little stucco church appealed to us; the Primera Iglesia Bautista (First Mexican Baptist Church in English) in the Barrio Viejo historic neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona.

The Primera Iglesia Bautista: 

(https://borderlore.org/inside-tucsons-primera-iglesia-bautista/)

When we saw this building, Holland said, "Look Baby - it's Jewish … I'm gonna pull over so you can check it  out - take your time."

Rose and Maurice Silverman Jewish History Museum Campus, Tucson-AZ

He's trying; and meeting me halfway. And I appreciate it.

Even though it was a holocaust memorial building instead of a synagogue, I was thankful to see it today, on this Sabbath Day: the one day a week, we Jews (Messianic, as well as orthodox) determine to forgive-embrace love and peace-and invite whole-body rest, by declaring a truce between ourselves and the world :-)

Concerning the Sabbath … does it make any difference which Day of the week, we observe? Does the Bible establish Sunday as the Lord's Day? Was the Sabbath given for the Jewish people only - while Christians are commanded to keep Sunday as the Lord's Day?

I try not to get caught up in loop arguments that mean nothing at all in the grand scope of things. What I do believe, and say, is that Elohim ordained a specified Day of Rest (and as far as I can discern, that memorial has never been rescinded); so, every Seventh Day, I set my 24-hour Island of Rest aside: without all the orthodox traditions.

As Yeshua, Himself, exampled.

Personally, I start counting my seven days from the day I begin work (I'm retired … some days, I'm a lazy, laid-back thing ;-)) - so my Shabbat Rest can literally fall on any Day of any week, though I do generally rest on the Day most Jews across the globe, do ;-)

Stained Glass Windows & Gate Motif; Holland pointed both out to me as I got out of the truck to take pictures - "Look at the stained glass windows, Baby … and the gate."

Side view & parking lot.

Rose and Maurice Silverman Jewish History Museum Campus:

 (https://azjewishpost.com/2016/museums-prep-for-grand-re-opening-feb-21/ & https://www.tucsonlocalmedia.com/deserttimes/article_749f9df4-dffb-11e5-b432-87cc1bb4a9b9.html)

Barrio Arches; Tucson-AZ

Five Points Barrio Arches: 

(https://www.kold.com/2021/03/14/five-points-intersection-art-project-construction-complete/ & https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/midtown-news/five-points-why-tucson-began-in-the-barrios)

I pointed to the Cesar Chavez Arch, and asked Holland if he knew who Cesar was - Holland did not know the background history of Cesar Chavez; so I informed him ;-)

Cesar Chavez: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Chavez

I originally supported Cesar … but when he became more a messiah-complexed-politician, than a farm worker advocate … he lost his vision, as well as my support. But, he is still an important historical figure.

Colorful Tucson Barrio Homes: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60950-d561907-Reviews-Barrio_Historico-Tucson_Arizona.html

The Santa Cruz Catholic Church; Tucson-AZ: (https://tv.azpm.org/p/arts/2020/1/13/164301-santa-cruz-church/)

The advertising appeared to be a good deal …

Very expensive 3-gallon propane refill.

In the barrio district.

I just consider the overcharge a Shabbat tzedakah.

Tzedakah:

 (https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4203668/jewish/What-Is-Tzedakah.htm)

In Mexico, the word "barrio", can mean: (1) a slum neighborhood or a dangerous poor neighborhood (2) a new government program where they call "barrios mágicos" those beautiful historical small colonial towns trapped inside a big city.

Very pretty street curb mosaics …

Most of the church buildings we saw today were catholic, and I do not support the catholic religion … but, I admit, the buildings were very lovely - even though the religion itself, is not, and is basically paganist in nature.

What does the Bible really say about the Sabbath? It is generally assumed that Sunday is the correct day. 

Few people realize that the Sabbath vs. Catholic enforced Sunday controversy raged during the first three centuries of the Christian era, and thousands were tortured and put to death over this question both before and after the Emperor Constantine supposedly "resolved" the heated debate in his Sabbatical edict in AD 321.

If so many chose death over observing a man-made-day not commanded by God, could not this dispute be more significant than we may have thought?

Roman Catholicism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great#:~:text=Although%20Constantine%20lived%20much%20of,Church%20and%20the%20Coptic%20Orthodox

Was not The Law … "including the Sabbath - nailed to the cross" … when Christ was crucified? 

Is it possible that all of these churches are wrong on this fundamental doctrine?

And, does it really make any difference?

What about scriptures like Galatians 4:10 or Colossians 2:16: do they not prove that it does not matter which day we keep?

For me … I do what I am led to do concerning adhering to Scripture, and let Elohim sort everyone else out.

We enjoyed our drive.

It was fun to see all those historic buildings.

Holland did come home and rest :-)

And I had a cup of hot cocoa and checked upcoming weather reports (Holland is hoping to squeeze a trip to Tombstone in, before we leave this region).

A mug of hot cocoa with a heart-shaped marshmallow ;-)

Researching general Tucson Winter weather, I read that on the morning of January 7, 1913, the mercury bottomed out at a frigid 6° at the University of Arizona, then the official temperature location in Tucson. Based on newspaper reports some low-lying areas in Tucson did report temperatures as low as zero.

WOWSERS!

I hope, and pray, that the Winter of 2024 will not be a repeat of 1913.

A trip to Tombstone, doesn't look good, either :-(

Tombstone-AZ temperatures, this week …

Winter weather = Tombstone-AZ

STORMY WEATHER~Shabbat, Tucson-AZ

Hot coffee was very welcome this morning … and I was checking the temperature outlook before my eyes were sufficiently open ;-)

Freezing morning temp …

The upcoming week doesn't look so hot either :-(

When Holland woke, drank his coffee, and shook his mental cobwebs … he spent the afternoon winterizing Independence against the winter storm front moving in this weekend.

This Orange Tree outside our dining room window, will probably be history after the freeze front moves on …

It doesn't really need doing, but I'm doing laundry before the freeze (hedging any unforeseen bets) - and hopefully none of the Resort water lines will burst as the cold front passes through: Tucson-AZ is not prepared for freezing weather; this is very unusual, in these parts.

As laundry loads are running through their cycles … and I cook Supper, I'm watching an old Ray Aldo & Anne Bancroft movie, while working on a ribbed Angel Baby Blanket as the day fades and Shabbat is ushered in.

No matter the stormy weather, peace reigns on Shabbat :-)

Vintage black-n-white movie.

Good possibility I may finish this ABB - with trim - before the weekend is over.