These words are said immediately upon waking from sleep. In them we thank God for life itself, renewed each day. Sleep, said the sages, is ‘one sixtieth of death” (Berakhot 57b). Waking, therefore, is a miniature rebirth. Despite its brevity, this sentence articulates a transformative act of faith; the recognition that life is a gift from God. Expressing gratitude at the fact of being alive, we prepare ourselves to celebrate and sanctify the new day.
The Alef, the Ox, and the Manger
In the Hebrew alphabet, the first letter alef coincides with the first commandment in Exodus 20:2-3: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” א Alef has the Hebrew word picture of an Ox meaning ‘first, strength.’…
Another Day at the Office
Why not campground host? I have loved camping over the years beginning with my family when I was a child and then with my own children. My husband was a backpacker and forEVER until this fifth-wheel, we tent camped everywhere imaginable from Glacier National Park to Rocky Mountain National Park to Zion National Park, to state parks in South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado. We have the blessing to be outdoors and breathe nothing but fresh mountain, sea level air, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Kenai Peninsula, watch for moose, eagles, bear and whatever else saunters along, as well as spend time with family.
This Life called BOONDOCKING!
When we first decided that we wanted to campground host in Alaska, we were directed to the Kenai Wildlife Refuge. All of the information said that we would have to ‘boondock’, a word we had never heard before. A little research showed us that it meant ‘living in the boondocks with no amenities’ or no water, no power, no sewer. In other words, ‘off the grid’ in a trailer.