Happy Birthday from...Israel!?

My parents came to visit my family on Sunday!  We live pretty close to each other, only an hour away, so we see each other quite frequently.  Still, if I go more than a couple weeks without seeing my Mama, I get a little antsy.

My aunt, who lives about 2 hours away from me, picked a whole bunch of prickly pear fruit for me to make jelly from.  She gave it to my mom, who brought it to me.

My mom was also carrying a birthday present for me!  Now, my birthday isn't for a little bit more (in October), but she has had this for awhile.  She has been dying to give it to me, and has almost given it away a few times.  She just could wait no more!

I pulled a padded envelope out of the bag, and she told me to look closely at it.  It came from Jerusalem!

Immediately, I was excited!  Anyone who has read this blog much knows I have an intense love of Israel and Judaism.

 My hands literally started shaking.

Then, I pull out this little piece of paper:

Well, again, if you read this then you know I have always had a deep love for archaeology.

I felt my eyes begin to tear up and though, "Holy moly, this is going to be good!"

Then, I saw this:

When I opened it up, I immediately teared up.  I was so touched!  My Mama knows me so well!  The necklace encompasses almost everything I hold dear to my heart.

I love Yahweh.  I love Jesus the Messiah.  I love how archaeology and history can line up so beautifully with scripture when one knows what to look for.  (Yes, and I also love simple, silver jewelry.)

Now, like I said, it doesn't cover all the things about me that I hold dear to my heart.  That is where these two charms come into play (and, both were also given to me by my mother!):

One, well, no one will really understand that one unless you are apart of my family, but it reminds  me each day of my mom, dad, and sister.  The other I think is quite self explanatory!

I never change my jewelry.  I wear the exact same pieces every single day, literally.  I don't change my jewelry to match my clothing.  I wear the necklaces pictured.  I wear my wedding rings on my left hand.  I wear a simple pearl ring from my parents and a Harley Davidson ring from Barb Wire Man on the right hand.  I wear the earrings that belonged to my great-grandmother.  That's all.

I guess jewelry isn't so much a fashion statement for me...it is a wearable reminder of who I am, where I have been, and where I am going.

My new necklace is now apart of my every day ensemble. I also think it is neat that mom gave it to me on Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah as most people know it).  And it is also pretty cool that, thanks to Facebook, I was actually able to have a conversation with the man from whom my mom got the necklace...in Jerusalem.  Very, very cool.

What is the most meaningful piece of jewelry do you have?

Be blessed, and have a marvelous day!