Trust in Hashem

Good morning!

Sorry I have been so slow updating this blog. It is not easy to find a subject that I can discuss. Every day I keep hitting all the favourite blogs and wonder "When is that bloke going to put up something new?" Now I realize it is very difficult to keep updating a blog and the people who manage to do it regularly have my admiration.

OK, Im still trying to figure out what Im doing here. One thing is to have more trust in Hashem. Why is it so hard to trust Him? We know that people are fickle, they say one thing and do another, so why do we run to flesh and blood and not to Hashem?

Well for one thing, we are so frightened of responsibility in this generation. We think that if Hashem is THERE and EXISTS, then gee golly that means no biking trips on Saturday (uh Shabbat) and wow, not going to the Ha'andi Indian restaurant that I so love, coz they serve treife meat, and the walls of their pots and pans are saturated with pork, shellfish, and other treife flavouring. Oh yeah, and that means having to figure out how to tell the boss I need to split at 2pm on a winter Friday afternoon and discuss how the sun goes up and goes down, and here's the kicker: I cannot carry anything in my neighbourhood, until somebody climbs up some telegraph poles and ties some string around them that encompasses the area.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wont get into the reasons for these mitzvot. Im not qualified. However at the end of the day, IT IS WORTH IT! BECAUSE:
1. I belong to an incredible community of beautiful Jewish people, and I cannot imagine starting my day without davening with them in shul.

2. When I know that everything I do, even the stupid mistakes - is because ultimately, Hashem wanted that to happen, that relieves me from the feeling that Im Stupid! Yes I botched something up and next time I'll learn better. However with this precious insight, I dont have to waste valuable energy fretting over my stupidity because Hashem wanted it to happen that way anyway!

3. It is fantastic to know that there is a perfect Being who I can rely on, who isnt fickle and will always support me through the thick and thin.

4. Hashem is also testing me to make sure that I am not a 'fair weather friend' - that I will only like Him when He is good to me (If only we had the appreciation) however when things go bad, that's the BIG GAME...when the shidduch rejects me, or I get teased by my friends, or I dont get the honour I want...then Hashem is testing me to see if I thank him. If I show that I want to thank Him even in the rough times, that is a sign that I am not a fake fair weathered friend and this gives Hashem the greatest pleasure. This results in a sweetening of the bad times, and future blessings!

5. Hashem does not expect us to become Instant Tzaddiks. It took me 2 years to start keeping kosher properly. It took me a year to be Shomer Shabbat. Just one little mitzvah is all you need to do. Just keep looking up. Remember that if you are on the bottom floor but your eyes are looking upwards, that is far far better than being on the penthouse suite on the roof but looking down and saying "Ho hum, life as usual"

Trust in Hashem, keep praying and do an extra mitzvah like lighting candles, a romantic Friday night meal, giving a dollar to charity, or eating one kosher meal a day. Believe me, it gets easier every day!
Shabbat Shalom!