Israel's Bar Mitzvah

A few days ago our son, Israel, was welcomed into the world of men.

We celebrated him in a homemade Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

He was in on the planning from beginning to end and prepared himself heart and soul for the very real transition he faced.

The evening started with appetizers of flatbread pizzas (potato/herd/asiago, brie/raspberry/caramelized onions and roasted maple vegetables/fontina) and Italian sodas.

Then we played a montage that Meg made of Israel's life.  Of course I was weeping by the end.



Then Israel recited--from memory, no notes!--all of Joshua chapter 1.

Reciting Joshua Chapter 1

Then the blessings began.  Each family stood to bless Israel.  Words, Scriptures, prophetic gifts.  Those that couldn't be physically present (especially his Godmother, Mary Beth---we missed you!!!!) sent their blessings to be read or played on video.  It was powerful.  And long.  The blessing segment of the evening took a good 2.5 hours.  But, looking back it was just as it should have been.  There was no one I would have edited.  A step of this significance should not be rushed over.  In our culture, even our religion has become slave to convenience.  A church website I was on recently made great pains to advertise the fact they they have a 65 minute service.  Wouldn't want our service to the Lord to put us out.  But, I digress.....

Coffee and tea and mismatched cups. Matching is overrated.  In the back there are bookmarks Israel made for his guests with the Prayer of St. Francis.

Sarah and Sarah

Papa and Israel

Nana and Papa blessed Israel with "tools"--a knife and leatherman, instructing him to use them wisely, just as he does his spiritual tools

Reading the blessing from his Godmother who couldn't be there

Higashi family, who blessed Israel with a knife, instructing him to grow in his manhood and that God would bless him with greater weapons later on.  They prophesied about the times and seasons.

Titi blessed Israel with a special cross--courage to wear it and to not be afraid to stand out and be different.

Saraa popped right up with a gift and card all her own doing! Mommy didn't even know about it!  So heart-warming!

Lucas, whose name means "bringer of light" presented Israel with a lighter, engraved with a special message, "Always your bro."

Anna, a friend, and our God-daughter, who blessed Israel with a special prayer and Scripture

Auntie Kristy and Uncle Jordan, who blessed Israel with a Four Seasons cookbook, telling him to mark the times and in his growing into manhood to retain his gentleness and grace and love of beauty, for these, too are masculine gifts.

Gina (his art teacher), Isabella and Vincent. Gina drew a special image for Israel and a bracelet with the Shema 

Israel's best friend Aaron placing his own yarmulke on Israel 

Auntie Micha blessing Israel is a double portion blessing and affirming his as a watchman on the wall, represented by a watch.  It was beautiful because Israel was wearing his grandfather's watch.

Alice, blessing Israel as the honorable man that he is

Bierbrauer family presenting Israel with a scroll (handwritten by Israel's other best friend, Moriah) with Psalm 23 and a Kiddush cup, over which Joshua prophesied Israel's life like a cup overflowing.  They also gave Israel binoculars, so that he can watch and keep his eyes open for what God would show him

Tuya-egch blessing Israel with a long and happy life

Shifu Rae, Israel's Kung Fu instructor and long time mentor blessing him.  

Afterwards, Israel present Rae with a photo book of memories of their seven years together

I spoke a blessing over Israel, only cried a little and presented him an Elijah's Cup, double portion blessings.  I hope one day it sits on his own Passover table 

My baby is a man

Gana's blessing for Israel, calling him up and imparting his heart

Gana presented Israel with a prayer shall with symbols of the 12 Tribes on it

After the blessings, Israel gave a speech, essentially taking a public stand and an oath to live as a man of God.  There were tears--from guests and Israel himself.

Then we feasted!!!  Lasagna, garlic knots (made by my friend Kristina), salad with greens, cranberries, golden beets, candied pecans, and blue cheese....with awesome dressing made by Kristina's daughter.  For dessert we had chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars and milk and a Russian Cake brought by Gana's cousin Tuya.  There was bubbly--champagne and sparkling cider.

There's so much more that there isn't room to share.  And I've tried to remember all the gifts and essence of the messages, but I know that I've left things out.  Please forgive any omissions, they are not intentional.  The evening was truly overflowing with blessings and God's grace.

Ganchimeg's Bat-Mitzvah and Birthday

 Our daughter just turned 12.  Which, according to Hebrew tradition, makes her an adult.  Beautiful and yet, sobering thought.  We've had 12 years to mold her character, to lead her to the Lord, to steward her experiences and help her to form her beliefs.  And now she stands before the Lord as a DAUGHTER OF COVENANT.  That's what Bat-Mitzvah literally means.  Bat: daughter.  Mitzvah: the commands of God.

To celebrate we asked Meg what she wanted.  To be sure she had definite ideas of how she would observe this special time of her life.  So between her ideas and ours, we had a weekend worthy of a daughter of the Lord!

It began on her actual birthday.  She invited only her closest girlfriends and women who she looks at as friends and mentors.  The theme of the party was actually planned by Gana and hidden from Meg until just moments before the party.  Gana worked late into the nights and in all his free time building her a Hope Chest.  The design and all the building and painting was done by Gana alone.

He presented it to her before the party.  She was so surprised and happy.  She's been wanting a Hope Chest for a while.

As the women gathered, they brought with them special contributions to the Hope Chest.  Heirlooms, antiques, presents with prophetic meanings, crafts they'd made by hand.  It was so moving as each lady presented Meg with a little piece of themselves that she can carry with her into her own womanhood.

Meg and her Titi

Hadassah, one of Meg's oldest friends

Me and my grandmother, who presented Meg with her own wedding Bible and a handkerchief that my Grandfather had given her before they even met face-to-face.  Yes, I cried.

A special gift from a grafted in Auntie.

The food was also all of Meg's choosing--CHEESE! Of many varieties!  Crispy fried goat cheese, homemade mozzarella sticks, port salut, blue, ricotta, several aged and stinky varieties.  Fruit and nuts and baguettes.  Sparkling cider with hibiscus flowers so we could toast pink!

 We celebrated Meg late into the night.  The next day, however, was the BIG DAY!  The day that Meg would make a public declaration of her movement from childhood to womanhood, receiving all the blessings of her parents, grandparents, god-parents and pastors.

On this day, men and boys were there to witness it as well as the women and girls.  It was a small intimate group of those that Meg chose as her spiritual mentors and fellow-journeyers.

Meg opened up the ceremony by quoting all of I Corinthians 13.

Meg was dressed in a beautiful dress from India, thanks to Auntie Micha.  Jewelry borrowed from Titi.  And an antique hair piece given her by Nina, a dear friend whose grandmother was a famous actress in India.  So special!

(In case you don't know Meg and are wondering at all the Indian stuff, well, it's like this:  When Meg was five years old she came to us and said something like "I had a vision.  And God told me I was going to go to India as a missionary."  And she has been unwavering in that statement these seven years.  She loves India.  She prays for India.  She is determined to go there and be the Mama Heidi of India.)

Then three of Meg's brothers serenaded her One Direction style!  What Makes You Beautiful, with a few lyrical changes to reflect Meg, her pink hair and how if she could see what God could see, she'd understand why the world needs her desperately!  It was hilarious and sweet!!!  Meg was properly embarrassed.  Mission accomplished, boys.

 Her pastors, Karl and Debbie, and god-parents couldn't be there that day, but they sent their prayers and blessings via YouTube, which we played next.

Then her grandparents gave their blessing to Meg.  Emee, Gana's mom, blessed Meg via YouTube (what a wonderful thing technology is!) and my parents spoke their generational and prophetic blessing over Meg's life.  I am a fourth generation Spirit-filled pastor.  So, Meg is the fifth!  That's a lot of blessings that come from a Lord who is faithful to bless those who seek Him to a thousand generations!

Papa washing Meg's feet.

Oh, our prophetic Nana!!!  She challenged Meg not to ask the Lord to fulfill her dreams, but rather that Meg ask God how she might fulfill His dreams!  AMEN!

Meg gave a speech, thanking those who have poured into her life and asking those present to keep her accountable for following the Lord and all His ways.

My turn.  Which meant get the ugly cry on.  I can't believe my little girl has come to this place in her life.  I thanked her, blessed her and laid out some of her new responsibilities and new privileges that come with growing into womanhood. 

When I started crying, of course, Meg started crying, too.

Daddy's turn!  I wish every little girl growing into womanhood could hear words from her father that Meg heard from hers.  The world would be a very different place if they did.  I'm sure of it.

Then we celebrated with Meg's celebration dinner of choice: Indian food and Russian cake!  

Some people have questioned why we do so many Jewish things, such as observing Passover and Shabbat and seasons of fasting.  And now we've undertaken to give our children Bar/Bat-Mitzvah.  No, we are not Jewish and no we haven't converted.  Rather, we are grafted in!  (Romans 11)  There has been such an amazing amount of blessing that has been poured out over our family through observing Hebrew and Biblical traditions.  We don't do it from a place of legalism at all.  It's all an overflow of grace!  

So, I guess you could say we gave our daughter a Gentile-Charismatic-Prophetic-Family Centered Bat-Mitzvah!

We felt it was important because in our culture today we don't mark times and seasons and much to our demise.  How many young people grow up and no one has ever declared them that they are men and women before God?!  No one has ever affirmed them and launched them into their destinies and callings.  Instead, so many young people wallow in doubt and second guess their place as a child full of promise.  And these young people grow up into adults who still feel as if they are sitting at God's kiddie table at Thanksgiving.

The Bible talks about two groups of people: children and adults.  There is no in-between stage called "teenager" where one is not accountable for their actions and are allowed to live in a self-centered way.  We try not to even use the word "teenager" around here.  Either you are a child or you are an adult.  (Which is why we don't usually do "youth group" type groups and activities.  Now that Meg is an adult, we expect her to participate in our faith--her faith!--as an adult and not as one who has a junior Holy Spirit.)

This last weekend we launched our daughter into being a full daughter of covenant.  She is moving from discipline to guidance.  Negotiating how to live her own life accountable before the Lord, seeking His face, following His ways, leading others to Him and finding ways to serve the Church and the world using her own unique gifts and talents.  Our job is to help steward her experiences and keeping our faces fixed on Jesus together.