We normally eat such healthy food, this week is a special exception, as we remember the holiday of the Dedication. Does eating fried food really bring about greater devotion to God? No, but reading and learning from the great men of faith in the book of Maccabbees does! And rather than just reading a book, we also enjoy special food, music and games!

The children are playing Minecraft in their virtual world and the entire family is enjoying it, even the little ones.

Meanwhile, mom is frying up some "Popcorn Chicken" which does not contain any popcorn! They are just small cuts of chicken deep fried.

Dinner was scrumptious!

Daddy enjoyed a special brew, very thick and filling. Perfect with this sort of meal. A Belgian Wheat with Citrus. Yum.

Beautiful color and flavor.

Maccabees

After diner, we read a portion of 2nd Maccabees, which is an easier read than 1st Maccabees. It's the same story told in a different way. Many more miracles included in this version and interesting narration interludes. It's a condensed version of FIVE BOOKS of historical accounts. Rather than try to read five books over eight days, we stick to just one. :-)

Here is my favorite part of the reading from tonight, 2nd Maccabees Chapter 8:

Nicanor planned to raise the two thousand talents of tribute owed by the king to the Romans by selling captured Jews into slavery. So he immediately sent word to the coastal cities, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves and promising to deliver ninety slaves for a talent—little anticipating the punishment that was to fall upon him from the Almighty.

When Judas learned of Nicanor’s advance and informed his companions about the approach of the army, those who were fearful and those who lacked faith in God’s justice deserted and got away. But the others sold everything they had left, and at the same time entreated the Lord to deliver those whom the ungodly Nicanor had sold before even capturing them. They entreated the Lord to do this, if not for their sake, at least for the sake of the covenants made with their ancestors, and because they themselves invoked his holy and glorious name. Maccabeus assembled his forces, six thousand strong, and exhorted them not to be panic-stricken before the enemy, nor to fear the very large number of Gentiles unjustly attacking them, but to fight nobly. They were to keep before their eyes the lawless outrage perpetrated by the Gentiles against the holy place and the affliction of the humiliated city, as well as the subversion of their ancestral way of life. He said, “They trust in weapons and acts of daring, but we trust in almighty God, who can by a mere nod destroy not only those who attack us but even the whole world.”

He went on to tell them of the times when help had been given their ancestors: both the time of Sennacherib, when a hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men perished, and the time of the battle in Babylonia against the Galatians, when only eight thousand Jews fought along with four thousand Macedonians; yet when the Macedonians were hard pressed, the eight thousand, by the help they received from Heaven, destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand and took a great quantity of spoils. With these words he encouraged them and made them ready to die for their laws and their country.

Then Judas divided his army into four, placing his brothers, Simon, Joseph, and Jonathan, each over a division, assigning them fifteen hundred men apiece. There was also Eleazar. After reading to them from the holy book and giving them the watchword, “The help of God,” Judas himself took charge of the first division and joined in battle with Nicanor. With the Almighty as their ally, they killed more than nine thousand of the enemy, wounded and disabled the greater part of Nicanor’s army, and put all of them to flight. They also seized the money of those who had come to buy them as slaves.

When they had pursued the enemy for some time, they were obliged to return by reason of the late hour. It was the day before the sabbath, and for that reason they could not continue the pursuit. They collected the enemy’s weapons and stripped them of their spoils, and then observed the sabbath with fervent praise and thanks to the Lord who kept them safe for that day on which he allotted them the beginning of his mercy. After the sabbath, they gave a share of the spoils to those who were tortured and to widows and orphans; the rest they divided among themselves and their children. When this was done, they made supplication in common, imploring the merciful Lord to be completely reconciled with his servants.

Chag Sameach!

Bless the Most High!

Teach Your Children Liberty from Sin

We encourage parents to teach their children principles of Godliness, beginning with the Word and an understanding who God is and what His Son has done to form a relationship with us.

No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13

Teach Your children Liberty from Tyranny

Second to this is the principle of self-determination and freedom, lest we loose the ability to teach our children the first principle in future generations.

Our children read the Tuttle Twin books, specifically to learn libertarian principles, which most people learn later in life. These books are useful for our family, and yours, to teach children concepts that seem complicated, but are made simple in these books. I am an affiliate for Libertas Publishing, your purchase will help our family grow financially.

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"Politicians like problems because they can claim to have solutions... but their solutions often create even more problems."