Our c.1889 A.H. Andrews Table & Chairs

 In all likelihood, you either have one of these soda fountain sets, have seen one, or own something that is a corollary of an A.H. Andrews invention.   Speaking of the soda fountain set, they aren't rare, but they are relatively old.  When I was looking for a quaint bistro set for our front porch, these sets were everywhere (Craigslist, Ebay, Etsy, and local antique shops) and in all prices & conditions. 

Scene from my last post, Evolution of a Porch 

Our c.1889 Bistro/Soda/Ice Cream Parlor Set

Our 127-year-old A.H. Andrews "Confectioneries" Set

I bought our set from someone on Craigslist and it started out innocent enough with my curiosity & simple research to find out how old exactly our set was and maybe a little more information on it; however, I soon found out that the dating of my set was merely a minuscule byproduct of what mushroomed into a fascinating historical account of something much greater --

a man and his company.

I love things that have a past -- things with a history; a story to tell.

As a lover of history, antiques, & research... this post is right up my alley; so I hope you don't mind, but here is my own version of "History Detectives" (one of the few tv shows I sometimes watch).   Although my research gave me hours & hours of entertainment, I'll try not to bore you with too many details, but I'm not promising anything.  Oh, who am I kidding, have you ever known my posts to be short?  Let's just blame it on big images and proceed; it's more material than my average blogger visitors want to know, but for those of you who do want to know a little more about A.H. Andrews Co. -- perhaps you have an antique stamped with this Company's name, I'm going to share a bit more than usual.  Mind you, I spent a copious amount of time researching and I'm not going to share everything as that would be called... a "book", yes, a book, and since I'm quite certain that it wouldn't become a NY Times bestseller, we won't go there.  Additionally, A.H. Andrews was so diversified with so many inventions and useful devices of that day, that each item could warrant a chapter in itself, so make that a thick book. :)  This all started out with a simple table & chairs and although interesting (at least to me) and perhaps helpful for some..., well, perhaps this will inspire you in your own research.  With that said,...    


Let's start at the beginning!


Setting the Historical Scene

The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 - May 9, 1865) had just ended.  It was a time of reconstruction -- a time of boom in every conceivable sector -- agriculture,  invention, industrial & factory, transportation, and rapid economic growth!
America was now in it's Gilded Age! (1870s - 1900)
 
It was a time of opportunity, and often those who were ambitious and worked hard, found prominence and sometimes great wealth.

Owner/Inventor & Great Success

A.H. Andrews
The Hand-book of Chicago Biography 1893

One such man was Alfred Hinsdale (A.H.) Andrews, born Dec. 25, 1836 in Connecticut; his parents being "people of broad culture of the old puritan type".  A.H. was well-educated, hard-working, ambitious, and interested in mechanics, which would later pay off handsomely.  Following high school in 1854, A. H. came west, seeking opportunity; first soliciting subscribers to the NY "Independent", a well-known weekly magazine at that time, and eventually settled in Chicago in 1857 where he worked for the Holbrook School Apparatus Co. (a firm that made school/college furniture & supplies).  After eight years of hard work & gained experience with furniture in that firm, and after building a nest egg of $3,000 that he had saved out of his salary, his inventive genius began to devise improvements, which led him to leave the Holbrook Co. to form his own company -- first as a partnership with Mr. S. Bigelow, as "Andrews & Bigelow", but was soon changed to A. H. Andrews & Co. and incorporated in 1865, just after the close of the Civil War.  By the end of the 1860s, Andrews employed  about 70 men, who made approx. $150,000/yr. of furniture, and his company continued to grow.

The A.H. Andrews Building 1872 

As a side note, the A.H. Andrews Building was one of the first businesses to be rebuilt (in 1872) following The Great Chicago Fire of Oct. 1871.

   By the beginning of the 1880s, A.H. Andrews & Co. had become the LARGEST manufacturer of commercial furniture; quite a feat in Chicago's robust furniture industry; employing about 500 people and manufacturing around $600,000/yr worth of school and office furniture.

A.H. Andrews Bldg. 1893

By the 1890's, the company's "elegant" Wabash Ave. (Chicago) headquarters housed the office, map-mounting rooms, sales rooms, and shipping rooms for apparatus.  The company operated factories in Chicago & Buffalo, NY with a plant at each place occupying an entire "square" [block?]; later opening branches in NY, Philly, Boston, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and around the world; employing twelve hundred men and turning out annually two million dollars worth of goods.

         

1881 Catalog (190 pgs)
You can read this catalog posted by the Library of Congress

The July, 1904 banker's periodical, "Common-Sense", wrote a very nice 3-page biography on Mr. Andrews in which it stated, "the story of Mr. Andrews' career is an intensely interesting one.  From first to last he had no help, no favors.  It has been hard work, lots of it, and a steady, strong up-hill pull."  If you asked Mr. Andrews to sum up his success in one term, it would be, "hard work".   
          


A Pioneer Manufacturer of School Furniture & Supplies

The Andrews Triumph school desk & seat combined, which
was known to every school child in America, was one of
the first of Mr. Andrews' inventions in 1867.

Although A. H. Andrews & Co. was primarily noted for the manufacture of school furniture, the company ambitiously became supplier of everything a school might want... school bells, globes, microscopes, noiseless drawing slates, teacher's manuals, and even the specs. for schoolhouses!  A. H. Andrews became the quintessential schoolhouse supplier throughout America at that time. 

Little eraser earns a fortune
for it's inventors!

A.H. along with his brother, Herbert Lee (H.L.) Andrews, a hard-working inventor in his own right within A.H.'s company, invented the dustless eraser, the little striped felt blackboard eraser with which every school child was familiar. 

Not Just School Supplies

Not only was A.H. Andrews & Co. BIG in all-things schoolish, they manufactured furniture for offices, banks, telephone operators, drug stores, confectioneries (my set), restaurants, clubs, billiard parlors, barber shops, shoe stores, medical ofs. & hospitals, reception rooms, churches, theaters, and lumberyards (take breath); did I miss anything? The A.H. Andrews Company became the largest manufacturer of school and bank furniture in the world! 

A.H. Andrews ad from 1883 Chicago Elite Directory

The Andrews brothers focused primarily on the invention & improvement of many "useful devices" included the first hinge seat (folding chair), the first curved back & seat, a folding bed (pre-dates the "Murphy Bed"), the Andrews "Triumph" school desk & [chair] with the first dovetailed wood & iron connections in school desk construction (which revolutionized the school desk industry), metal furniture ("for it's durability; light weight, not easily marred, 'germ proof' and in every way a most convenient and economical article"), a dry ("fireproof") kiln for lumberyards, and a $500 office desk which nearly every millionaire in the world did business.

Andrews' GEM Folding Bed came well before "the Murphy Bed".

"First in the field, -- and still leading!"

  

"Even on the cloudiest day there is still the glint
of merry sunshine on every piece -- a suggestion
of cheerful brightness that is irresistible!"
(quote from Andrews M-16 catalog (& ads))


"It was our Mr. A. H. Andrews who first produced and marketed twisted steel wire furniture such as this catalog illustrates.  Practically every new design and every important betterment of the older patterns has originated in our big factory, where advanced ideas are constantly being developed and tested out by the experimental department."

(quotes from the "Andrews Metal Furniture" catalog)

Andrews Ad c.1903-1905 (This is when the Andrews Company was at this address)

A. H. Andrews & Co. enjoyed a leading status throughout the 1880s, peaking in 1885.  It is said that the Company started making metal furniture in the early 1890s, although my table may slightly predate that as I will show you in a minute.


Ahh, Metal Furniture, Can We Talk About the Table & Chair Finally???

Ah Yes, so getting to my set... finally.

Here is my A.H. Andrews Set tucked in the corner of my front porch to protect it from the elements.
The table and chair (left,corner) are definitely an Andrews, the chair on the right I bought a bit later and may be by another company that copied the Andrews chair with slight variations.

Page 33 from The A.H. Andrews Co. Catalog M-16
"Concerning Chairs and Tables"

The Page Reads in Part:

ROUND WOOD TOP TABLES
"Note that all our round wood tops, solid quartered oak or birch mahogany, in addition to being thoroughly seasoned, are made, always, with a reinforcing wood ring on the under side, and will not warp. It may be added that we have never put them out any other way. Note also that in ANDREWS' tables the legs are now seated in pressed steel—not cast iron —sockets, so that breakage at this point, in setting up tables, is practically impossible."

They came in 18", 24", 30" 36" and 42" diameters (My table is 24" with "Japanese Copper").
  

As you can see, my table top is not in excellent shape, but it's an original; (everything is original on it) and it's still smooth.  I may try to clean it up later, but I just have a plastic tablecloth on it for now.  I don't think I will be painting it as that takes away from the value.  I specifically wanted the 24" top as my porch is narrow plus 24 inches seems to be the standard diameter of bistro tables.

The real gem of the table is on the flip side...

It is common to see these tables & chairs around, but it's a bit more rare to find one with it's original wood and stamp on the bottom side.  Mine is even more rare as it has it's PRE-PATENTED stamp.  It reads:
"From
A.H. Andrews Co.
Manufacturers
Chicago
Patent Applied For
G.O."
(I don't know what the "G.O." stands for, if anyone can enlighten me on that, I'd appreciate it.)

After much searching, I couldn't find a patent date for the table except I saw a picture of one table with a patent stamp, but it was too faded to read the date, it read:  ?(month) 10, 8 (or 9)?  (year).  So I believe that table was either patented in 1889 or the very early 1890s, putting my table possibly at or prior to 1889.  (If anyone has a stamped table or proof of a patent date for the table, I would love for you to comment below)

Page 12 from The A.H. Andrews Co. Catalog M-16

"Concerning Chairs and Tables"

I have two "Japanese Copper" chairs

The Page Reads as Follows:

3M CHAIR
"A standard chair for all purposes. Heavy 3-ply veneer seat (either quartered oak or birch mahogany) 14½ inches in diameter. Frame of a special grade of Bessemer steel, regularly finished in durable Japanese copper, but can be had if desired in nickel plate or in white enamel. Weight 12½ pounds.
Japanese copper finish $2.00
Nickel plated finish $3.00
White enamel finish $3.20
 Specify whether oak or birch mahogany veneers are wanted, and also indicate the finish desired on the metal parts (chairs finished in white enamel will have seats enameled also). In an ANDREWS chair, you have a springy, cushion-like support for your back—a support that yields slightly with each movement of one's body, but comes back to place instantly when the pressure is removed.
No wooden chair can compare with an ANDREWS in respect to durability and sanitary cleanliness."

I have seen the chairs with patent stamps of April 16, 1889 and July 16, 1889.

Andrews "Sweetheart" chairs

Being Real:  The A.H. Andrews Co. prided themselves on a quality product, or at least that was their sales spiel, perhaps some things were of higher quality than others... for example, the "Japanese Copper"  finish of the metal furniture was nothing more than a sprayed-on copper rust inhibitor, but it does give it an extra nice patina, I think.  Understandably, there seems to be more chairs than tables available today, but I'm surprised of the number of chairs that have survived with the original patent stamp on the underside since the chair was veneer but the table was solid.  The original table tops seems more rare as most have been replaced with a new top or painted -- I have even seen where a Formica-type table top had been mounted on the original table legs and still offered at a steep price.  However, most all A.H. Andrews products are 100 to 150 years old and have that desirably quaint appeal that make them highly collectible.   Just as a heads up, if you are interested in procuring your own Andrews', several furniture companies of the time copied Mr. Andrews' twisted metal designs with slight variations and it takes are careful eye to know whether you have an Andrews chair or a copy -- the best bet is finding one that has the patent stamp.  Just as an added note, the similar A.H. Andrews chair with the heart-shaped metal back (pictured above), called by some today as the "Sweetheart" ice cream parlor chair, and the square table with the same legs as the round table, were both patented a bit later, in 1894. 

  The Tide Turns

In US history, many of us know of the Dust Bowl  & The Great Depression (1929-1939), but few realize that there was a very similar depression prior, known as the "Panic of 1893", which started  in part to failed international commodity investments, which in turn started a major domino effect to the US economy -- US stock prices declined, over-extended railroads failed, there were bank runs, over 500 banks closed, 15,000 businesses failed, numerous farms ceased operation, home & business mortgages defaulted, unemployment was very high (25% - 43% in some states), soup kitchens were opened, and many worked in exchange  for food.  Times were dire, and the economy didn't really start to normalize until 1899/1900.

Panic of 1893 YouTube Video

Needless to say, with businesses folding and most of America barely able to put food on their tables or eke out the necessities of life; life became hard.
  
Between the Panic of 1893 and a series of unfortunate events, the A.H. Andrews Company struggled to stay afloat...

• June 17, 1891, The Iron Workers Strike; 150  metalworkers in the factories of A.H. Andrews & Co. struck for more pay and forced the company to shut down for a time;
• Sept. 21, 1891, A fire at one of the Andrews Co. lumber yards caused $200 in damage (translates to around $5,700 today); 
• Dec., 1892, A former employee is charged with defrauding the A.H. Andrews Co. of $100,000;
• Feb. 20, 1893 (the Panic of 1893) was the first realization of serious economic depression in the US where the booming over-building and over-extending came to a screeching halt; supply quickly outgrew demand, and furniture sales became nonexistent.
• April 7, 1893 School Furniture Company/Conglomeration Anti-Trust Rumor
• 1894 More defrauding pertaining to A.H. Andrews Co. 

Mr. Andrews' business succumbed to financial distress a couple of times, and the sheriff took possession of their store and factory on December 5, 1895 (the courts were very apologetic to dear Mr. Andrews).  


"In various forms the company has been in existence thirty years and its business has increased in volume every year until two years ago.  Since that time, about the time of the general depression, the business decreased at an alarming rate.  For several months the company has been embarrassed...". 
Dec. 6, 1895 The Herald, Los Angeles, CA 

 You Can't Keep a Good Man Down

It is said that through it all, Mr. Andrews retained a cheerful, optimistic outlook on life.  On March 26, 1896, just 3 1/2 months following the closure of the A.H. Andrews Co., it is reported that Alfred H. Andrews, James Heaney, and William Merle, Sr. (Messers Heaney & Merle were former competitors of Mr. Andrews)  incorporated the A.H. Andrews Company with Messers Heaney & Merle as controlling stock partners.  Mr. Andrews remained the president of his company until the time of his death in 1914, at which time William Merle took over with Mr. Heaney as treasurer; although Mr. Andrews connection with the firm was nominal for some years and he was not responsible for its management.  The Merle & Heaney Manufacturing Co. were kept separate from the A.H. Andrews Co..  Actually, history seems to get a little murky at this point with conflicting sources on the merger.  More than one source stated they merged two years earlier in 1894, another says 1893, and yet another says 1889; it's hard to say, but an earlier merger would have placed it prior to the foreclosure, hmm.

After the merger, I find little about the A.H. Andrews Company, but it seemed to go into a steady decline.  The land and buildings of A.H. Andrews were sold in July, 1896, however the A. H. Andrews Co. remained in business in rented space.   I see Andrews ads through at least 1905, and a lawsuit in 1918 (the A.H. Andrews lawyer seemed very busy).  A very pared down Andrews Co. still existed at least through April 18, 1937 as the Chicago Tribune reported of the Company renting in the "Champlain Building" (Chicago) at that time; by this time W.F. Merle, Jr. was President following his dad's death January 28, 1921.  It is difficult to discern exactly when it happened, but the Merle & Heaney Company appears to have gone out of business in 1923 and I find no record of when the A.H. Andrews Company went out of business (sigh).          

A.H. Andrews, the Man

For all of A.H. Andrews' accomplishments, relatively little is known of his personal life.  Unlike many of the successful men & aristocratic families of the Gilded Age, Mr. Andrews remained a very kind, just, hardworking, humble, and devout man.  He was very well liked by employees and the public at large!  I believe the following excerpt from, again, the "Common-Sense" bankers periodical of 1904 describes A.H. Andrews best...

(from an interview by Anne Shannon Monroe)

One has only to sit talking with Mr. Andrews a while to realize the genial kind hearted man he is.  Wholly unspoiled by business, broad-minded, charitable, kindly disposed toward all men, there is no one of the old galaxy of Chicago's stalwarts better known, better loved, more esteemed than A. H. Andrews.  
His sympathies are keen, and his interest fresh as that of a boy.  He avoids publicity, never having given an interview nor his picture for the purpose of write-up; but when I said to him: "Now, Mr. Andrews, there are thousands of young men and women who are ambitious to amount to something in the world, and it would really be a kindness on your part to give them some light, on their way, from your own early struggles" -- his eyes kindled and his fine face took on a look of sympathy that readily explained why he is loved by every young man who has come within his influence.

Bending forward and speaking most earnestly, he said: "It is all hard work, and willingness to adopt new ideas.  In my youth, it was no unusual thing with me to work 15 hours a day, and often and often I have left my brother working at the office at midnight, to find him still there when I got down in the morning; and he would work all day, without an hour's sleep.  When we had an idea to work out, or a scheme to promote, we never thought of sleep or food.  Hard work is the secret of success."

"But many men work hard all their lives,"  I suggested, "and never reach a place when they can be called a success."

"This is because they do not choose simply one line and stick to it.  A man must find out, early, what he is best fitted for, and do nothing else.  he must reach out for every new idea, work intelligently, not alone doggedly, and be ready for innovations.  This is an age calling for special qualification -- for special knowledge."

When other young men were at ball games and other attractive resorts, A.H. Andrews was bending over an office desk.  It was said in those days, that the light never went out in the Andrews' office.
When a young man decides that there is "no chance nowadays, anyway," and goes to the theater or to the bowling alleys to pass away the time, let him recall the experience of A.H. Andrews and his three years of working 15 hours a day in order to get a start.  Let him remember that while other men slept, A.H. Andrews was planning a simple little device for children.  While others killed time, A.H. Andrews was getting all he could out of every moment given him.  

------

Of Genealogy & History

Alfred Hinsdale Andrews 

Dec. 25, 1836 - June 10, 1914 (age 77)

A.H. Andrews was the third son of Deacon Alfred and Mary L. (Shipman) Andrews, both of sterling integrity and high esteem.  His father was at one time an extensive manufacturer in wood, iron, and leather.  In later life, as a diversion, he turned his attention to literary pursuits, and prepared & published three large works, two being genealogical.  His grandfather on his father's side was an officer in the War of 1812.  His grandfather on his mother's side was a brass manufacturer.

A.H. attended common, high and normal schools and worked on his father's homestead farm.  At age sixteen, he worked at a mechanical business and attended one term at the Connecticut Literary Institution in Suffield, Conn.. Evidently literary study was not his cup of tea, but rather he devoted much attention to the study of mechanics.

  A.H. was married February 6, 1872 in Milwaukee, WI to Ella Cornelia/Carnelia? Matson (5/13/1851 - 11/8/1923), daughter of Deacon Newell Matson & Flora Melissa Case, his wife, of Simsbury, Conn & Milwaukee, WI.  His wife, Ella, was prominent in literary and society work; member of the Amateur Musical Club and Woman's Club of Chicago, and member of several art and literary clubs.

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews lived in Chicago until 1891 and then resided at their country estate at Ellynside, Lombard, Du Page County, IL (west of Chicago).  It was said their house was the oldest and best known in the US.

   Mr. & Mrs. Andrews had one son and one daughter.  Their son, Herbert Cornelius Andrews (3/19/1883 - 5/31/1905) worked at the LA branch of the A.H. Andrews Co. for one year, but refused a fine position there in order to follow his great love in genealogy, like his grandfather, completing extensive works in that area.  Herbert was always sickly and died at the age of 22 at his parent's home.  Their daughter, Bertha Matson Andrews (6/8/1874 - 6/7/1947), graduated from the Rockford Seminary and the Chicago Kindergarten College and was director of Kindergarten and Training Teacher of the Colorado State Normal School 1901-02 and wrote ABC books.  She married Dr. Arthur Tenney Holbrook on July 29, 1903 in Lombard, IL and had three sons, Arthur A., Herbert, and Matson.  Hmm, I'm wondering if there was a connection between A.T. Holbrook and the Holbrook School Apparatus Co. where A.H. Andrews got his start; I'm not finding one, but I'm guessing there was. 

A. H. Andrews was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars and a Republican, but never held a political office as his inclinations had been only towards business.  "He was in full accord with the bold anti-slavery stand maintained by his church before and during the [Civil] War."

As a Congregationalist, he was member of the Congregational Club of Chicago and several church organizations; active member of the Union Park Congregational Church and regular attender of the Plymouth Congregational Church, and later after their move to their country home, a trustee at the First Congregational Church of Lombard, all within the Chicago area.

Mr. Andrews was well-spoken of by his relatives as very loyal and kind to his kindred, and ready to aid those not so successful in life as himself.   

A.H. Andrews' simple gravestone at
Babcock's Grove Cemetery, Lombard, IL

 Mr. Andrews passed away on June 10, 1914 at the age of 77.  One obituary states he died at the home of his daughter in Milwaukee, WI, where he had gone for a visit following a long and severe illness of more than a year; another states he died at Lakeside Hospital in Milwaukee. 

----------

Oh my, well, that wraps it up for my study on A.H. Andrews.  If you made it through the whole post, you get two gold stars. :)  I hope you found it interesting &/or perhaps spurred you on to doing your own research on something you might value, no matter it's actual worth.  Since starting this study, I became so impressed with the man and his company, that I'm now wanting to purchase an original A.H. Andrews' chalkboard eraser for a little chalkboard that we place above the table on our front porch... and maybe a globe (right Kyle?) :).

Have a Blessed Day!
jane

Passover 2015

 

Springtime Greetings to All!

This year I'm not going to tell of all the whys and wherefores of Passover, I think I covered that pretty well in years past (click on links if you want to see) ...

Passover 2013

Passover 2014

so today I'm just going to focus more on a few scenes from our abode...
 

 First, I always have to put out my Triumphal Entry figures (sorry for the blur)

I've always loved this celebration, possibly because of the palm branches and me loving all-things tropical.

 So, by the looks on the calendar, it's that time again -- the Spring Feasts -- WooHoo!  We all take delight in them -- a time of seriousness and celebration!  Our family happens to follow the 119 Ministries calendar (online), so we are usually a day or two off from the traditional Jewish calendar (pictured: our calendar from Israel) -- just a little something to make things more confusing, teehe.

We cleaned out our pantry of yeast products & crumbs and stocked it with matzah (unleavened bread).

I don't know why many people complain about matzah, I think it's yummy! (I don't eat that much bread)  We eat Matzah (and nothing containing yeast) for 7 days (Exodus 34:18)).

We get quite a few people asking what kind/where we get our matzah;

Whole Foods!  (It's from Israel, but not "Kosher")  

  

Our Passover Meal table with Herb-Roasted Lamb Chops (YUM!, one of our favorites).

This year's meal was a bit rushed as we had Bright Lights Bible Study at our house (21 girls here) and they leave at 5 p.m. or so.  We broke with tradition a little and ate first and then had our Passover seder afterwards (it's always easier to go into it and not be famished), but next year I'll try to remember that the meal typically happens in the middle of the seder. 

This was our dessert!  Another Whole Foods purchase!
Matzah covered with caramel, really good chocolate, and almonds.

It was absolutely THE BEST!!!!  

My DIY 10-Plagues Table Decor

1. Blood (small glass container with a few drops of red food color) - if you have littles, you can add the food color ahead of time and then pour clear water in the container in front of them and wow them them of turning the water into blood).

2. Frogs (wouldn't ya know it, usually I see toy frogs EVERYWHERE, but when I want one, there isn't any in sight and believe me, I searched!  I finally borrowed one from church (it's since been returned), so now I have a whole year to find my own.  I know I can get them from Oriental Trading, but I didn't want 144 of them; that truly would be a plague.

3. Lice (I tacky-glued a piece of course sandpaper onto a piece of folded cardstock and then dripped some dots of tacky glue on the sandpaper and sprinkled rice on the dots for lice -- God turned sand to lice.

4. Flies (I found a package of plastic glittery insects in Walmart's easter assortment that happened to have a fly, disproportionately large aside of everything else, but it will do.  I hope to paint it in more realistic colors by next year (and yes, glitter everywhere!).

5. Livestock (bought a couple of cute plastic animals from our farm store)

6. Boils (small red/pink pompoms; I later had to put them in a plastic bag as Dorie (cat) thinks all fuzzy balls are her play toys.  I initially wanted to use "Red Hots" candy, but they are hard to find this time of year.)

7. Hail (Miniature Marshmallows) - if you have young children, ping pong balls would be fun!

8. Locusts (the package (see #4) also contained a dragonfly which was about as close to a locust as I could come up with (outside of a picture).

9. Darkness (black felt glued onto folded cardstock and a few tiny googly eyes glued on the felt).

10. Death of the firstborn (Lego coffin I bought on eBay)

And on to our Passover Seder

(Seder means "order, arrangement")...

Actually, Scripturally speaking, there are only 3 foodie elements to Passover:

 Lamb, Unleavened Bread, and Bitter Herbs (Exodus 12:5-8) and one cannot even Scriptually observe the Passover today because there is no Temple in Jerusalem, but as instructed in Exodus 12, we are to keep this day as a memorial unto the LORD throughout our generations, as a statute FOREVER!   

 but like everything else, Jewish tradition has added to that so there is even a seder (order) to it all.  And although not necessary, the seder is still filled with meaning, and whether our Jewish friends know it or not, they still point to the Messiah... 

The Elements of a Traditional Seder Plate (used in the Haggadah (Hebrew for "the Telling"):

- Maror (horseradish) - bitter herbs, life was harsh for Israel in Egypt (celery is good with/after the horseradish);

- Z'roa (lamb shank bone) - Passover Lamb (we had lamb chops);

- Karpas (parsley) for "life";

- Charoset (chopped apples & nut mixture) - Mortar for bricks;

- Chazeret (bitter vegetable/lettuce) - Life was bitter for Israel in Egypt;

- Baytzah (roasted egg for Eternal life, mourning for the temple) - (I waited to late and didn't get that done).  

This year we used this Haggadah (Hebrew for "the telling")

"A Christian Passover Seder" by John Pontier 

I LOVED this Haggadah!  It's from Doorposts - gushing with Scripture, it gave me goosebumps and I had to fight back the tears by the end -- so beautiful! (recommendation: if you are interested in using this particular Haggadah, it is recommended (and I agree) to get one copy per person (or at least every 2 people) that are old enough to read as everyone has a part in it).

Jeff takes the leading of our Passover Seder very seriously and enjoys doing it

... and we love him doing it!!!

♥

Anna, being the youngest, stands and asks the 4 Questions.

Amber reading some of the Scripture portions.

The girls opening the door to see if Elijah has come.

(of course, we know that Elijah is our Messiah Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ))

 

Jeff being silly after the Seder was over and roasting a miniature marshmallow (hail) over a candle, and you know what happened!

Passover is basically a Holy Day meal, just the one night; a memorial of deliverance and of Jesus Christ being our Passover Lamb, and the Passover meal ushers in and is a part of the Feast of Unleavened Bread which goes for 7 nights/days.  Sometimes one may hear that Passover is for seven days, but actually, Passover is just one (very important) part of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Then Christ was raised on Firstfruits (I Corinthians 15) (celebrated as easter by most Christians).  In addition to not eating yeast products that week, I try to make our suppers special each night of Unleavened Bread;

        ... however, in keeping with our family tradition -- things never go as smoothly as I envision and we had to do the best we could with limited family time -- with Amber's work schedule and Awana of course, but unfortunately we had an added life-changer when I received a call just before 1 a.m. on Sunday morning from ER that my widowed 86 yr. old mother (whom we were planning on spending lunch with that day) was there.  Long story short, Mom had a "Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema" (sudden fluid on the lungs due to the heart being too weak to keep up) and a small heart attack.  So I ended up making a middle-of-the-night trip to the hospital (an hour away) and back & forth thereafter until I could bring her to her home again Tuesday afternoon.  Like Mom said, that heart attack took a lot out of her and she has been quite weak & feeble since.  Despite her having her first bout with congestive heart failure last November, she was doing well; although she refuses to believe that she has heart failure since she has always enjoyed unbelievably good health and it was thought that she had the same long-life gene as several of her extended family members who lived well into their mid-90's or so.  So my thoughts this week have been focused more on her and what to do next.  For now, she wants to & thinks she can still live on her own where she's at, but I have been busy researching other options for when the time comes.

So, getting back to the topic of our celebrations, it has understandably detoured my focus this time around, but we did the best we could.  Now we are counting the Omer! 

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh. ~ Leviticus 23:15-16

And using my snazzy, dazzy Omer Flip Calendar that I made last year.

Counting the Days to Shavu'ot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost)

 A Devotional Flip Calendar

The evening after our Passover Seder I was already making notes while it was yet fresh in my mind of changes I want to make for next year -- my "Don't Forget List".  Every time we celebrate the Feasts of the LORD, they just get better and better.  The spring mo'edim (appointed times) are a memorial of what the LORD has already done and the fall mo'edim  look to things soon to come.  They are a delight and glorious in His sight when focused on Him.  Praise Yah! 

I guess that about wraps it up for Passover 2015.

Have a Blessed Spring my Friends!

Thanks for Stopping ~ jane

Goodbye to Christmas (Part IV): Our 2014 Hanukkah Photos

Finally!  My final post of my 4-part series on why we don't do Christmas and celebrating The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah).  If you haven't caught my first three posts, I warmly invite you to take a peek:

Goodbye to Christmas (Part I)

Goodbye to Christmas (Part II): Why?

Goodbye to Christmas (Part III): Celebrating Hanukkah

Today I'm going to do less teaching of the whys & wherefores of Hanukkah vs. Christmas and just share photos of our Hanukkah 2014.  If you have a desire to remove the pagan traditions from your holy days (holidays) there are several good sources out there (and many bad ones).  Some of the best sources are 119 Ministries and Passion For Truth.  (caveat: I can't say I agree with all of Passion For Truth's doctrine, but I'm not one to throw out the baby with the bath water).  Friends are welcome to add more sources in the comments.  Passion for Truth has a particularly good YouTube on how they do Hanukkah (here).  Some not-so-good resources would be most of the "Jewish" sites that don't know the Messiah and focus on the oil, food, or dreidel.

Being Hanukkah isn't a command of God or specifically listed amongest the 7 Feasts of the LORD in Leviticus 23 (or anywhere else in the Bible), there isn't any right or wrong way to celebrate it (except mimicking the pagan Christmas way).  Oh sure, there is always Jewish tradition!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gRdfX7ut8gw

Just the other night Amber & I broke out in this song. ♥

...but we'd rather not get caught up in Rabbinical micro-management.

So here is what we did...

Hanukkah 2014

Being Hanukkah is perhaps a later celebration of Sukkot & also the Festival of Lights, it is an 8-day celebration (WooHoo, already it's better than the 1-2 day celebration of Christmas :)).  Just think!  An 8-day joy-filled party!

There are some elements of Hanukkah that most follow and we do too: Lights/Decor; Lighting the Chanukiah (menorah); the Blessings and/or reading Scripture; Songs; Pray; Games; Food; Gifts; and Charity.

1. Lights/Decor & Hanukiah:

Hanukkah decor is usually far simpler than Christmas. Seriously, it takes all of five minutes to put it up and take it down! (and far less storage too) 

This year we added steady blue and twinkling mini-whites.

Of course, the main element of Hanukkah is the special 8-branched Menorah called the Hanukiah/Chanukiah with the 9th taller candle (if you look closely, ours is the middle slightly taller candle holder) called the shamash or servant candle that lights the rest of the candles.  The candles are placed right to left but kindled from left to right.

The Shamash representing our Messiah, the Supreme Servant. ♥

On the 7th night!  We also have an oil lamp that a Jewish friend gave to us from Israel.
(We use to have a traditional menorah, but it took a tumble from the top of the fridge one year.)

Our unexpected guest most evenings was this little lady bug that found the warmth of the candles inviting.

As you can see in the background, we had a couple of strings of lights left over from our Christmas tree days that Anna wrapped around the banister -- we like lights!  I think I'll buy more lights for next year.

On the 8th Night - oh, oh, the oil in the lamp is running out!

If you watch the Passion for Truth video on how Pastor Jim Staley's family celebrates Hanukkah, you will see his devotional that he gives to his family, with each candle representing something different in Scriptures: Of course, the Shamash being the Light of the World.  Day 1) Light of Creation; 2) Adam - the Light given to Adam, fall, not to place our light under a bushel; 3) Moses - Shared with Israel the 10 commandments, a light unto our path; 4) King David, reading Scripture from Psalm 119 and other light-related verses; 5) Yahshua/Jesus Christ death & resurrection, a city on a hill; 6) Disciples - Take light and give to others; 7) Gentiles receive the light; 8) Return of Yahshua/Jesus Christ, see not dimly, but face to face! Amen!

2. Blessings

I printed out some blessing cards for us to read at the Hanukkah table.  Most are from Hebrew 4 Christians, some are just Jesus-is-the-light type Scriptures.  One is a prayer.  Hebrew 4 Christians also gives suggested Torah readings for Hanukkah.

Note: There is a traditional Jewish blessing when lighting the candles that goes like this, "Blessed art thou, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who sanctifies us with Thy commandments and commanded us to kindle the light of Chanukah."

We don't do that one as God did not command us to kindle the light of Chanukah.  Instead our card says, "Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctifies us with Thy commandments and has given to us this season of gladness, to kindle the light of Hanukkah, for the glory of the Lord Yeshua our Messiah, the Light of the world."



3. Songs

There are a lot of great songs out there for most every taste in music, and one does not have to limit themselves to just Hanukkah songs either.  I uploaded several on to my Tablet and played them every day of Hanukkah.  My personal favorites are several of Joshua Aaron's songs, the ever-fun Maccabeats, Michelle Citrin's Left to Right, and Phillips Craig & Dean... and other worshipful songs.

4. Games

Hanukkah is a very joyous family time!  One of the big elements to help keep the festivities going for eight whole nights is playing games.  Now, we have a large selection of games, but let's face it, many of them the girls have outgrown and I was just getting a little tired of the same old same old, so this year I decided to invest (have you priced board games lately?) in a few new games... 

New games!

Anna spinning the top in the traditional Dreidel game.  I saw a friend used Hershey Kisses which I think I would like better than those cheap-chocolate coins -- next year.  It's an okay game, but we finally just quit lest it go on forever.

Kingdom of Solomon is very fun!  The girls tell me it's similar to Settlers of Catan.

I like games that have some strategy to them.

 Operation Maccabee is also very fun.  At first I wasn't sure how us girly girls would like it as it's a war-type game (bought it more because I thought hubby would like it most), but it's more like a WWII rescue-prisoners-from-a-concentration-camp game, and of course, we want to rescue everyone from the bad guys.

You move your game piece across the board (barely pictured on the left) - moves determined by the spin of a dreidel (much funner than a spinner or die) and try to free the prisoners until all the camps are liberated.  Whenever you land on a concentration camp, you get to spin the dreidel (several times) and knock out little army men.  If you get all the men down, you have liberated the camp.  There's a lot of other factors and point things going on as well.

  

We also played "Sequence, Jewish Edition", which is pretty fun, not as fun as the other two, but a much quicker game.  I'd never played Sequence before, but it's a lot like Bingo, this one having "Jewish" symbols to cover.  There is a little strategy involved, but only if you get the right cards. (ie, I NEVER won)

And Hanukkah Mad Libs is always good for a chuckle -- best with the younger crowd or those that know the basic parts of speech.

To tell you the truth, I've never been much of a game person -- perhaps because I was an only child and never had anyone to play with (and my parents never bought any games), but I do have to say, these were fun, especially Kingdom of Solomon and Operation Maccabee.  We even played them on New Years Eve and I still don't have them put away.

5. Food

Just think!  Eight nights of feasting!

Which is great, except a bit of a challenge if you are the cook ;-). 

In connection with the legend of the miracle of oil, anything cooked in OIL is BIG -- traditionally Latkes and Jelly Donuts!  But, being we are more into eating healthy and really don't like a lot of oil, we forgo the donuts and only had latkes a couple of times during the eight days.  I tried a different latke recipe this year from a contest winner and liked them much better than last year's attempts. 

Latkes (potato pancakes) to the left

 Chicken Marsala

 Our 8-day menu included...

Barbecued Beef Brisket

Herb Roasted Lamb Chops

Beef & Turkey Sliders

Deluxe Baked Bean Hotdish

Chicken "Marsala" (no alcohol)

Honey Salmon in Foil

Fried & Spicy Grilled Chicken

Crustless Pizza Casserole & Lasagna

Sides included: Glazed Carrots, Kale Chips, Crusty Bread, Potato Latkes, Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, Fruit Salad, Potato Salad, (& I forget the rest).

Sweets: Chocolate Covered Cherries (beautifully handmade, compliments of Anna's piano teacher -- thanks Jess!!!); Ginger Cookies; Sugar Cookies w/Blue Crystal Sprinkles, Chocolate Dreidel Coins (haha) - finally finished them off today.

Actually 3 of our family nights were interrupted because the girls had a commitment to play music at our church's program plus there was still one night of AWANA and the girls were out with friends one night.

Anna playing Joy to the World on her ukulele (everybody was asking her to play her uke in church - probably a first).

Amber (right) playing a violin duet.

 6. Gifts

Gift giving is totally optional and some have a conviction not to give any gifts; that's fine.  Others just give one or two small gifts, homemade gifts, or a few pieces of gelt (coins).  We, on the other hand still do gifts.  Probably not as big as when we did Christmas, but I just feel it's an lovely expression of love and to say, "You Bring Light into My Life". ♥

  

 A stack of most of our gifts, I know it looks like a lot, some were money or gift cards, but we like to wrap things in a way to keep'um guessing.  This year the girls and I got smart and set up our own Wishlists on our Pinterest  board with pictures so we knew what each other wanted.

The girls playing with their gifts on Day 1.

Amber gets her long-awaited mandolin and Anna has some new ukulele hymn books.

Don't the Kitties look thrilled about Hanukkah? hahah

7. Charity & Volunteerism

Last but not leastly, Hanukkah is a great time to give to others and a good time of year to get in those last charitable gifts before year's end.  We have a number of charities we support.  Additionally, it's a great time to volunteer -- between Thanksgiving & the middle of December  we volunteer at the Operation Christmas Child Distribution Center in the Twin Cities.  I know it seems like a contradiction, and perhaps it is a little, being we no longer do Christmas and yet participate in something that has the word "Christmas" in it, but we have been active in this ministry for a number of years and although the collection & packing of boxes is in time for Christmas, what many don't realize is that these boxes go out at various times of the year and many to countries that don't have a great sense of a "Christmas Day" because they are Hindu or Muslim or extremely poor -- they are just so excited about receiving something.  Anything!  Along with each box is a booklet that witnesses to that child and most go through a school or church where there are teachers and preachers who will continue to minister and do Bible studies with the recipients.  I have heard so many beautiful stories of children receiving Christ as Saviour and of answered prayer that I can't help believe in this organization no matter what the title.

This year, like always, we were scheduled to volunteer at the Distribution Center but they reached their goal early and closed up the warehouse before it was our turn.  We are happy for them, although missed the opportunity.

Well, there you have it!

I hope you enjoyed a peek into our Hanukkah.  It was so much fun, I really hated to see it end.

Some families jump into doing the LORD's feasts and other festivities like Hanukkah with both feet and catch on right away, and then there are the rest of us that take a few years to really get the hang of it -- it's difficult teaching an old dog ya know, but such a blessing.

Celebrating the Light of the World during this time of year (and in this day & age) when

so much is dark & bleak is such a joy!

           

 Chag Hanukkah Same'ach!!!

(Joyous Hanukkah Festival)

Goodbye to Christmas (Part III): Celebrating Hanukkah

Today we will continue on with Part III, of my 4-part series on why we don't do Christmas and what we do celebrate at this time of year.  If you haven't caught my first two posts, I warmly invite you to take a peek:
  

Goodbye to Christmas (Part I)

 &

Goodby to Christmas (Part II): Why

Yes, We Celebrate Hanukkah!

Before I move on with Hanukkah, I would just like to reiterate that just because we no longer celebrate Christmas, we still love our extended family and friends.

Love is Key

I can't stress enough that what I share, I share in love. I think it's always important to impart truth -- God commands it, but to do it with a heart of love. Not in a show-offy manner; yet one must not compromise and need not apologize when it comes to the issues of sin and obedience. One must always do so with a level of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, discernment, and maturity (something I see a shortage of in some circles).

A Brief (do I do anything brief?) Hanukkah 101:

First of all, I've heard there are 16+ spellings for Hanukkah, and it seems like there is no one right or wrong way to spell it.  The most accepted spellings are "Hanukkah", "Chanukah", and "Chanukkah", it all depends on your transliteration.  I happen to prefer to use the first spelling, maybe because it's easier for me to remember for some reason, but more correctly, the word Chanukah shares the same root as the Hebrew word "CHiNUKH", meaning "education."  Just as the Maccabees fought & died for the sake of Torah truth (remember "Torah" means "instruction"), so we must wage war within ourselves, educating ourselves through studying the entire Word of God, rededicating ourselves by the washing of the Word, and standing fully committed, enabling us to resist assimilation into this corrupt world.
The "cleansing of the Temple" is a matter of the heart. ♥

"Hanukkah/Chanukah" is Hebrew for "Dedication" and marks an eight-day celebration (Kislev 25 - Tevet 3 (during our Nov-Dec)) that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple after a small group of Jewish believers miraculously defeated the forces of assimilation into the Greek/pagan world.  Hanukkah is somewhat comparable to our Independence Day, representing a great victory of faith through God's providential love and protection over Hellenistic & humanistic belief.

The True History: The Feast of Dedication



Al the Great

The history of Hanukkah begins many years after the captivity & dissimulation of the Houses of Israel and Judah with the reign of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), a student of the renowned pagan Greek philosopher Aristotle.  Al was a militant king who conquered Syria, Egypt, & Babylonia to defeat the mighty Persian Empire in 333 BC and who promoted a Hellenistic culture, but was fairly lenient towards the Jews.  After his death in 323 BC and a series of civil wars, the Greek world divided into four separate powers. One of those powers, the evil Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Epiphanes means "God (Zeus the sky god) made manifest") (perhaps the 5th king of Revelation 17:10) began to openly persecute the Jews in 167 BC.  He decreed that the study of Torah, observance of Shabbat, holidays, circumcision, and offering sacrifices in the Temple were punishable by death and murdered some 40,000 resistors.  Many Jews fled and hid in the wilderness & caves and many died martyrs.  Pagan alters were soon erected throughout Judea; Antiochus even appointed a Hellenistic "High Priest" to the Temple and desecrated the alter by requiring pigs to be sacrificed on it.  (The Jews referred Antiochus not as Epiphanes, but Epimanes "the madman").

Antiochus IV

Outrage incited great rebellion.  In 164 BC, in Modin, a small town about 17 miles from Jerusalem, a Hasmonean High Priest, Mattahias, and his five sons took refuge.  When Antiochus' soldiers arrived at Modin to erect an alter to Zeus and force the sacrifice of a pig, Matthias and his sons rose up and killed the Syrians.  They then fled to the Judean wilderness where others joined them and soon engaged in successful warfare against the Syrian/Greek oppressors.  Matthias died about a year later, but his youngest son, Judah "Maccabee", organized a revolt that eventually succeeded in evicting the Syrian Greeks from Israel.  The Temple in Jerusalem was liberated (167 BC) but needed extensive purification and rededication for Jewish worship.  The Temple menorah needed to be relit and kept burning with pure olive oil as God commanded Aaron through Moses.

Btw, "Maccabee" was not the surname of Judah and his brothers, "son of Mattathias" was.  "Maccabee" was the warrior nickname of Judah and is the acronym (m.k.b.i) for the Hebrew words Mi Kamocha ba-elim Adonai: "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?" (Exodus 15:11); or else was derived from the Hebrew word for "hammer" (makevet), indicating his ferocity in battle.

  

The Probably Not-So True History: The Festival of Lights

According to later (c. 500 AD) Rabbinical Legend/Tradition, at the time of rededication of the Temple there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks, in fact, only enough to last one day!  It would take eight days to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the Temple menorah to keep the menorah burning continually.  Miraculously, the little bit of sanctified oil burned for eight days -- the time needed to prepare a fresh batch.  An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate the miracle, known as Chanukah, "Dedication" or Festival of Lights.

Now being the Hanukkah "oil miracle" is only mentioned a couple of times in the Talmud (oral rabbinic law) and by a few extra-biblical sources such as historian Josephus, scholars have come to doubt if the 8-day oil legend is true.  I've heard three good explanations...

1. It has been suggested that perhaps the oil miracle was made up by a later rabbi to account for the eight-day festival since Jewish war victories were not allowed at that time.
2. Additionally, the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) may have really been a later celebration of Sukkot, which the Hasmoneans did not have a chance to celebrate during their warfare with the Syrians.
3. Or perhaps because the Maccabean dynasty (forefathers of the Sadducees) eventually became entirely corrupt, and the Talmud (which grew out of Pharisaic tradition) did not want to draw much attention to them, therefore the Talmud's statements (recorded centuries after the Maccabean rebellion) focus on the miracle of the oil rather than the Maccabean resistance.

Oy, who knows?  God is certainly big enough to preform such a miracle with the oil, but given the account doesn't pop up until much later, one wonders.  Some try to connect a few verses in the Bible with the oil miracle, but it's a stretch imho.  One thing is for certain, God did preform a miracle in delivering His people from the great wickedness at that time.  And that is a historical fact!

So, Why Do WE Celebrate Hanukkah?

Good question... it was a long time ago in another country and God doesn't command it, right?

True.  It's purely optional.

But we have chosen to celebrate it for several reasons....

First and foremost, it's Biblical!!!

True, the Father doesn't command it as He does the seven Biblical Feasts of the LORD in Leviticus 23, but it is in the Bible... Jesus was at the Feast of Dedication at least once as we find in John 10:22-23:

 "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.  And Yahshua [Jesus] walked in the temple in Solomon's porch." 

 

Note: I often hear people say that Jesus "Celebrated" the Feast of Dedication, but let's be careful... is that what the Scriptures say?  No, they do not say that!  John tells us that Jesus was there, at that time, on the porch of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Whether he actually went in to the festivities the Bible doesn't state.  Jesus was never what we call a "party animal".  He preformed his first earthly miracle at a wedding feast, and of course there's the Passover Feast, but we must be careful not to read into Scripture what simply wasn't stated.

  One thing we do know is that He was there, at least on the porch.  Jesus liked to be where crowds gathered and crowds gathered wherever Jesus went.  His very purpose on earth was that He came for the lost.  He was always teaching... in everything He said and did; not partying.  We also know that Jesus, being Jewish (not to mention knowing all things), knew all about the Feasts of the LORD and I'm sure was very familiar with the Feast of Dedication as well... and just two chapters earlier we find in John 8:12:

"Then spake Yehshua [Jesus] again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Now isn't that interesting, the throngs were about to celebrate "The Festival of Lights" and here Jesus is telling them that HE is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

  

 What's more... Jesus could have easily condemned the Feast of Dedication right there and then if He so chose, but He did not.  Rather, He used it as a teaching opportunity.  This is far different from what we find about Christmas, since Christmas and the celebration of His birthday are never mentioned in the Bible, but rather the rebuking of adopting pagan ways to worship Him. (See my Part II post for more on this)

But wait, there's more...

A think a true believer in the Messiah Yahshua (the LORD Jesus Christ) would have a hard time not seeing all the beautiful parallels and prophecies in the Spring & Fall Feasts of the LORD.  Likewise, with the Feast of Dedication. 

In the Book of Daniel we seem to have a dual prophesy of the events leading up to the Feast of Dedication paralleled with End Time events...

1. Daniel 8:5-8 First there is a male goat with a notable horn - Alexander the Great was the first king of the Greek Empire and was very great.
2. Daniel 8:8-9 The great horn was broken and 4 notable ones come out - Alexander the Great dies and the kingdom is divided between his four generals.
3. Daniel 8:9 The 4th little horn became exceedingly great and has authority over "the Glorious Land" (Israel). - the Seleucid king Antiochus "Epiphanes" c. 175-163 BC
4. Daniel 8:10-14  Antiochus greatly magnifies himself, casts down the righteous souls, removes the daily sacrifices, and defiled the Temple in Jerusalem itself.  This event is known as the "abomination of desolation" that was decreed to occur 2,300 days into Antiochus' reign.  Obviously this "horn" also refers to a future world leader  called the "Antichrist" who will attempt to "assimilate" all of humanity into a "New World Order".
5. A 3-yr. (or so) campaign culminated in the cleansing and rededication of the Temple.
6. The Messiah is victor and there is a great Feast!

Another reason we celebrate Hanukkah is that we LOVE Israel!

We rejoice with those that rejoice in the victory God has provided!

Another reason we celebrate Hanukkah is that we identify with Israel!

We R Israel!

I'm not sure why most of us want to classify ourselves as "Gentiles".  If you are like me, I was always taught or assumed that if a person is a Believer and not a Jew, then they must be a Gentile.  That was the two choices.  But it doesn't take long, if one really studies their Bible, to notice that the word "Gentile" is not a positive word -- it's always in the same category as "Pagan" or "Heathen".  I don't know about you, but that's not what I want to call myself.

We are grafted in! (not replacing Israel)  And if one studies the Bible in that light, that we ARE Israel, the words in our Bibles take on a whole new beautiful/personal meaning.  There's ONE faith, ONE, hope, ONE baptism, ONE God & Father, ONE Law -- not two, one for the Jew and one for the Gentile.  When I think about Romans 11 (the Grafting-in chapter), I can't help but think of the children's chorus, "Father Abraham" -- perhaps that simple little song has more Biblical truth than a lot of our grown-up "worship" songs of today.  
Remember, not all those that left Egypt in the Exodus (chapter 12) were born of Jacob's family.  It may sound kinda silly, but I've always liked to think that if I had lived at that time & place, I would have been joining with the Israelites.  I think the problem lies in that some confuse the terms "Israel" with "Jews", they think both words are synonymous (I use too), but not true.  Remember there are two houses of Israel, Ephraim and the tribes with him became known as Israel or Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom.  Judah and the tribes with him became known as Judah, the Southern Kingdom, or the Jews.  Occasionally both tribes are referred to together as "Israel".  Ephraim became the first born and it was prophesied that he would multiply and become the multitude of nations (Gentiles) that Abraham was told about in Genesis 48:19.  The phrase "multitude of nations" can just as accurately be translated as "fullness of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:25) when it is noted that all Israel shall be saved when the "fullness of the Gentiles" have come in (Ephraim = Fullness of the Gentiles).  The term, "Jew", is often referred to as all Israelites, but in reality it is only those from the Tribe of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, who has the scepter & leadership -- a protector of the Law.  So actually, most of those of Israel are not "Jews".

"There in neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Messiah Yahshua.  And if ye be Messiah's then are ye Abraham's see and heirs according to the promise."
Galatians 3:28-29

Both Jew & Greek/Gentile are lost and headed for eternal damnation unless they put their faith in Messiah Yahshua (Jesus Christ).  That's the way it's always been (since the time of Genesis) and always will be..."by faith..." (Hebrews 11).

We celebrate Hanukkah because it's FUN!

It's often said that if you take something away, especially with young children, you should have something to put in it's place.  Now, that's not why we celebrate Hanukkah.  Yes, we removed Christmas from our home, but we don't have little children that need a replacement holiday.  In fact, I think our children (ages 17 & 20) were ready to ditch Christmas a year or two ago as we have been celebrating Hanukkah for a while now and found Hanukkah much more fun than Christmas, and of course, I'm all for the Biblical aspects of it.

Hanukkah is not a Kosher Christmas!

One must be careful not to carry over the pagan customs to yet another holiday that should be all about the Light of the World!  That's why we left Christmas!
Hanukkah is so much better!

Hanukkah is NOT Jesus' birthday (I believe Jesus was likely born during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, when God chose to "tabernacle" with us (Immanuel), meaning that He would have been conceived nine months earlier, during the season of Hanukkah), then the time of the Feast of Dedication would also commemorate the miracle of the Incarnation!

So there is much to celebrate!

Well, I have gone on way to long!  Sorry for the delay in this post, but between my mother being rushed to the hospital with congestive heart failure, our celebration of Hanukkah, family gatherings, and birthdays, I'm just now getting back to the ole routine.

In my next and final post of this series, I will share just what we did this past Hanukkah in celebration of
the Light of the World!

love, jane