Last
year was the first time I had any direct contact with Sukkot or Feast
of Tabernacles (Season of Our Joy). I was planning to camp for the
whole week before our church camp out and learned that it was the
week of Sukkot. I didn't really have much time for research, but I
have a smart phone and decided that I would spend the week
investigating and learning more about Sukkot.
To
that time, I knew of it only from the writings in Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. We got there a little before sundown on Monday and
put our pvc and plastic over the picnic table. Our plan was to not
erect the 'kitchen' tent until we moved into our 'group camping' spot
on Thursday since it would just be the two of us and we had to move
camp half way through. While cooking our supper a little after dark,
we began hearing very boisterous singing and celebrating. It was a
fairly large group camping close by who were celebrating Sukkot.
I
researched online and visited with the people who were there to
celebrate for the rest of the week. It was an awesome revelation.
My
plastic cover became my sukkah and we roasted supper over a fire each
night and gave thanks and sang. We tied together a lulav and boxed
the etrog and presented them daily. We searched for ways to give to
others and restricted complaint from our lips. The end of our camping
time came during day 8. I knew the Messianic group would stay
through Tuesday, and I learned about 8th
day, but we had to go home. I vowed to celebrate again this year and
began making plans.
My
plans for this year changed. I would not be camping. Also, because
of responsibilities, I could not accomplish all facets of the
observance. I studied, amassed a file of prayers, readings, and
blessings for the week and determined to do the best I could. Then
God took over.
I
started with a bit of difficulty getting a suitable sukkah (which is
the singular of Sukkot). I abandoned my first attempt and used the
pvc and plastic from last year's effort. I constructed a pipe horn
for call to worship and gathered my tree specie for the lulav. I
bought a fruit to serve as the etrog (heart) though I couldn't find
the fruit specifically mentioned. I thought I had a decorated box
that it would fit in, but it didn't fit, yet I found a perfect fit in
a large plastic egg from my studio. I cleaned it well, found a
couple of doilies and felt good about the presentation. I blessed my
little sukkah on Wednesday night when I got home.
I
started to print out the scripture and such for the first morning
during which I was blessing a friend with breakfast under the sukkah.
The Spirit within said “Don't. I'll lead you into the spirit of
the festival.” Surprisingly I obeyed, and though I stumbled and
fumbled, I made it through call to worship and the presentation of
the etrog and lulav and a blessed breakfast with reading of praise
(Psalm 92). That night I roasted my food over a fire and celebrated
as I never have. It was the beginning of an amazing week of God's
blessing and closeness. And so coming up to day 7, I researched how
to close my sukkah.
Day
7 was an emotional day. I had come so far in my journey of one week
and it would end at sundown. I had the feast for the 8th
day ready for the fire and the coals were ready by mid afternoon. I
cooked, prepared the table under the pergola, and at sundown, crossed
the bridge and entered my little sukkah for the last time. It was
fitting that it was solitary -just me and the Father in the closing
of my sukkah. The horn was sounded, the blessing spoken, the prayer
for the next year's success was given. Thanksgiving for being led
through the journey was offered. I carried my items pipehorn,
unwrapped bouquet and fruit, to the pergola, extinguished the lamps
in the sukkah and relit them at the table of our feast. And it was
an awesome feast cooked over fire.
I
didn't reenter the upper deck until this morning. I wasn't sure how
it would feel taking it all down. I didn't really feel anything. It
was my observation deck. The Spirit was in me and with me, but no
longer stronger in the sukkah than elsewhere. No need to laugh or cry
or even sing. It was a totally unexpected task! My morning time
with the Father was just that. My supper on the deck was good and
sharing with my man and my black doggie was sweet. Life is as it
was. Yet there is a part of me that hopes I will never totally be as
I was before Sukkot 2017.
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