Blessing & Differences

It sure is neat to witness God's blessing! I had a chance to witness that on Friday. But some background information is required, though since you know the story ends happily, your mind will be able to jump to the conclusion before I get there. Anyway, when Mr. A had gone with the movers to our storage facility in Bet Shemesh on Wednesday, he had a sheaf of papers with him in a plastic sleeve (contract and proof of this and that). Though none of the documents were completely irreplaceable, when he left that location and headed to set-up the gas line for the apartment here, which required at least one of those documents, they were nowhere to be found! He ransacked his backpack and we prayed here at the apartment that God would cause those papers to turn up. In our timing that would have taken place that same day, but God had something else in mind.

Fast forward to Friday and we were able to get the gas hooked up without those papers in that particular stack. Mr. and Mrs. A and I were on our way to Ramat Bet Shemesh to examine and possibly purchase a closet/wardrobe, which do not come standard over here. As we were going to be passing near the storage facility, Mr. A suggested we swing by and see if the papers had simply blown off the roof of the car or something like that. We traversed through the valley on narrow roads and as we rounded the corner to our storage facility we spied something on the ground. None other than our missing plastic sleeve of papers! God had answered our prayers, though not in our own timing. It was a great blessing and relief to have them back!

Ahem, now onto some differences here. (chuckle) There are many, but here are several I've noticed so far that either struck me as unusual, humorous, or cute. First all, they don't have closets over here. You either have to buy wardrobe's or hang your clothes on metal poles that mimic closet rods. I'm sure it saves on space and design since space is so limited over here, but it's just an example of something I guess I've taken for granted and I shouldn't.

Second, and I probably wouldn't have noticed this difference if it weren't for the fact that I sat in the car on the way back from Bet Shemesh while Mrs. A went into get some grcoeries, but the shopping carts go sideways! Yup, you read correctly. Instead of having those limiters on the wheels that only allow them to go straight (analogous to a horse with blinders on making it go straight and if it didn't it could get distracted to this side or that) they don't have them so the wheels spin free. I found it quite amusing to witness carts going sideways as their owners pushed them along. In some ways I'll bet the limiters are a good invention, but it was eye-opening to see the converse.

Finally, Shabbat flowers. Either I didn't witness this when I was here before, or had simply forgotten, but it is a custom for Jewish men to bring home flowers to their wives for Shabbat. So you will see by bus stops and at intersections little flower stands popping up, sometimes as early as Wednesday, in anticipation of Shabbat. Flowers are relatively inexpensive over here and they provide color and fragrance to the home. Traditions sometimes can be very beneficial and a great blessing! :)