Today Lisa who irons behind me in the laundry asked if I had brothers and sisters. When I told her I have two brothers, she asked if it was hard to be away from them.

Lisa is originally from England. She has been living in Israel for 5 years. She seems to be having a hard time. She doesn't like the kibbutz life and longs to go back to England. She had a baby 9 months ago and is very connected to her child. Her husband has no intention of leaving.

I told her that my older brother is in China jonathansojourn.blogspot.com (visit his blog it is great) and my younger brother is moving to Philedelphia this week; I would be missing them if I were home.

Homesickness and this whole process of moving and growing is hard. Fun, and interesting, but hard. I imagine both my siblings are stuggling right now. We are all trying to find our place in this world. And we are all away from home and all the comforts we know. I am dying to sit on the couch and chill out with a coffee and my family. But, the grass is aways greener on the other side.

The other strange thoughts that cross my mind are how much our lives are changing and going to change without each other. In some ways we are no longer part of each others lives, except for letters, emails, and the rare phone call.

Yet I feel this is a test of time and faith. If I don't hear from my brothers for 3 months or 8 years, does that mean that I don't love them? They don't love me? or God isn't watch over us? Faith takes a lot of faith.


Sometimes a simple poem can help and so this is for my ACH-IM (brothers in Hebrew)

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills --
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip --
He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you --
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm --
He will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forever more.