Have you ever wondered what is would be like to hang around Jesus back in the day?

[kisstheson]

shuli,

you, my friend, are a huge encouragement. I'm so happy you are sharing my day dream of Yeshua with me.

 

[stormdancer0]

Waiting patiently for the next installment. . . . . . . . .

 

[Shulamite]

shuli,

you, my friend, are a huge encouragement. I'm so happy you are sharing my day dream of Yeshua with me.

I am so glad that I've been an encouragement to you, Amy.....
Your stories are very "tangible" experiences and "true-to-form". Looking forward to more too!

 

[kisstheson]

Stomie, Angie...You gals are just swell!

 

[stormdancer0]

Stomie, Angie...You gals are just swell!

Okay, so we're swell.

(Everyone join the chant

post more, post more, post more, post more (ad infintim)

(insert tantrum here!!)

Oh wait. Here's one!!

 

[kisstheson]

You made me laugh stormie. I am grateful for your interest.

Here's entry 5

The Magdalene Journals​

Bethany​

Monday​

The comparison between my sister and brother and I is remarkable. How could three children, born to the same parents, suffer the trauma of my father's vicious temper and my mother's abuses be so different from each other? Marta and Lazarus kept a spotless home, were loyal to the Holy Writ, and honored the God of Israel in action in deed. Lazarus earned his way through an honest living crafting fine pottery while Martha wove beautiful tapestries. My father had already been long gone when my mother also abandoned us. My brother and sister became my guardians. But I would not be "guarded" or "protected." My siblings busied themselves in work to forget the terrible things that happened in our home. I however had a deep seated hatred. I wanted to run from the pain and loathed the small town of Bethany. Ever young and impetuous I played on my untamed behavior until my brother and sister poured money into my bosom. The thriving town of Magdala was my dream of a pleasure filled life where I would forget my past and be far away from the prying eyes of the village gossips. For twenty years I lived in Magdala seperated from my family.​

Through Yeshua our small family was reconciled. Long before I had returned home, Lazarus and Marta had opened their home as a place of refuge from the crowds in Jerusalem since Bethany was only a half day's journey from the city. Lazarus and Yeshua became close friends, Marta adored the Master and showered him with all the comforts money afforded.​

My Rabbi and his company visited Marta and Lazarus often. So it was that late Thursday evening the tired Yeshua along with his troop of followers arrived on Marta's door step and received a warm welcome. As I embraced my brother and sister, I was determined more than ever to show Lazarus and especially Marta how repentant I was for the heart ache I had caused because of my selfish ways. ​

I wanted them to notice the change and be proud.​

I rose early this morning. Already Marta was was busy in the kitchen preparing the days meal. I arrived, my hair tied up on top of my head and looked for a covering for my robe.​

"I do hope after we are finished preparing the meal you will take that old thing off and change into something, well...more becomingly." Marta whispered nervously, wiping the flour from her hands. "Do you have to be in his company dressed like that?"​

I smiled patiently. "Marta, I gave all my beautiful robes to the poor." I replied. "You know that."​

"So now you look like a beggar." Marta retorted shaking her head. "What about the robe Yeshua has been wearing? You would think he's a rich man dressed like that."​

"The robe was given to him." Said I.​

Marta's eyes dropped. She pushed a lock of her salt and pepper hair away from her forehead. The frown marks disappeared from her temples. "Would you agree to wear one of my robes?" She asked timidly. Slowly, hope once again flooded her face. ""Oh you would look beautiful in it! I want everything about this night to be special." She turned and found some fresh parsley. "After all Miriam, we will be serving him. Don't you want to look special for him?"​

Yes. I did want to look special for Yeshua. The familiar sadness crept inside of me that I couldn’t make myself appear as beautiful as I wished for him. Once I had countless silks and tapestries, veils, anklets, bracelets, oh but now that had been discarded at his request. Yet there was no denying Marta's coaxing. In sisterly fashion I slipped an arm around her shoulder. I am a head taller than Martha. I smiled into her eyes and kissed her cheek. "Dear Marta, thank you. As always, you think of everything. Perhaps Yeshua wouldn't mind this time. May I wear one of our robes?" I asked.​

Marta was overjoyed. "I have just the one for you. I'm sure it will fit just right," she exclaimed. "I have already laid it out on the bed." Removing her soiled tunic, she dipped her hands in a basin of water on top of the table. 'I am going to the market. There are some spices I need. When I return I shall prepare the lamb for roasting." Marta observed hurriedly. "Mariam, would you please gather vegetables from the garden?" Before I could reply, she was out the door, with a basket in hand.​

I laughed and picked up my own basket. "Busy Marta!" I sighed. "Always busy Marta. Will she ever change?" I stepped outside, grateful for the cool morning breeze. Finding Marta's expansive garden I knelt down and began to pick potatoes. "Adonai. I am so unlike my sister. I much rather dream all day, walk in the fields and pick flowers." I pulled at the roots of a stubborn potato. "But I need to be more like Marta, more the servant who does not complain."​

Suddenly hearing footsteps behind me, I assumed Lazarus had come to visit me. I turned and there was Yeshua. He knelt right in the dirt beside me and took the basket. Incredulous, I stared at him. Kneeling in the dirt in his beautiful robe and holding my basket was beyond reasoning. Even more startling, he beagn to pick vegetables. ​

"Master!" I tried to speak softly. "What are you doing? You are going to ruin your beautiful robe. May I have my basket back?"​

"I am helping you." He answered without looking at me and reached for another potato.​

"Forgive me Master,"I replied, my voice remaining calm. "But this is women's work. You shouldn't be doing that."​

Yeshua kept busy with his task. "Now you are saying I am a woman?" He wondered.​

"I did not mean that. What I meant was..."​

"Miriam of Magdala!" He interrupted pretentiously, trying to hide a smile. "Is that what you think of me, that I am a woman because I want to help you?" Yeshua lifted the basket and wrapped his arms around it, holding it tightly. He tilted his nose in the air. "Now I don't know if I can give this basket back to you since my heart has been hurt so deeply."​

Yes. He was playing a game with me, but I was determined to win. I was ready for a good hardy fight. Had he forgotten how I fought to obtain riches and how nothing or no one could stand in my way? Defiantly I placed my hands on my hips and faced him squarely. "Alright then. The basket is yours Master."​

Yeshua smiled a smile of victory. "Thank you." He said with a nod. "And do you still see me as a woman? What about that?"​

I stood wiping the dirt from my robe and pretended I was leaving, but I lunched for the basket. I was able to grab hold of it. "Now give me that basket.' I spoke through clenched teeth, "Yeshua Min Z'reth!”​

A tug of war ins sued.​

Yeshua pulled on the basket. I believe he was a little surprised at how strong I was. "Now who is the woman and who is the man?" He mused. And with those words, he jabbed me lightly in the side with his fingers and started tickling me. "Let go!" He insisted. I grabbed him by the knee and Yeshua howled with laughter.​

Proud of my find, I laughed deliciously. "Now I have found your weakness." I squeezed his knee again. The sqeeze truly rendered him helpless. I was delighted to see him weekened so, I couldn't help but laugh all the more, a man as strong as Yeshi yielding to my tickle.​

He pleaded. "Don't, don't!" So I let go,​

As soon as I let go, Yeshua once again grabbed the basket. He jumped up and started running around the garden. "My basket! My basket!" He teased, ducking in and out of Marta's plants.​

'Be careful!" I gasped. 'Don't step on Marta's carrot's. She'll have your head!"​

He ran round the trees and I chased him. Before too long he stopped. He held the basket behind his back. Again I tried reaching for it. "You have me! I surrender!" He sighed. I knew he was just being kind.​

"Miriam." He exclaimed, bending his head toward me. Sweat stood out on his brow. His eyes danced joyfully amid the locks of his hair that had fallen there in my pursuit. My heart fluttered as I tried not to notice how handsome he was.​

"I would like to help you but if you prefer that I do not I will give you the basket." Yehua handed me the basket. I placed it back in his hands.​

"Yeshi please.' I laughed. "I just think..."​

"Come." He said as he touched my hand. "I want to help."​

To be continued...​

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I'm wondering if the story will also seamlessly progress to the Lord's power working within her to carry out His work
....that would be sooooo
I was thinking last night that Magdaline must of been Spirit led to be at the place of the angels when Jesus was
resurrected and to have seen Him before He had ascended to the Father. She was certainly at the right place
at the right time.

 

[kisstheson]

I agree! Yes she certainly must have been Spirit led or have been sensitive enough to heed the Spirit's promptings having anointed Jesus before His burial. I'm so glad she did that for Him!

Now Maid...you'll just have to keep reading to find out what becomes of Magdalene and where she is led. there's lots more of the journal.

Thanks for being here with me.

 

[kisstheson]

Entry 5, part 2

Yeshua and I returned to our work in the garden. He tossed some carrots into the basket and as he did, he sang softly.​

I ventured to ask him what he was singing.​

"The Song of Solomon." He replied.​

I added a few onions to our collection. "You sing that quite often, don't you Master?" I said.​

Yeshua nodded. "It is very dear to me." He answered. "My father Josef taught it to me. He told me I would need to know it in my pursuit of a wife." A little blush stole across his features. "Now I know the song by heart. When ever I sing it, I remember him"​

Yeshua remained kneeling motionless for a moment with his eyes closed, "My abba., my father, I miss him. He was a good man." He then bent low over his work with a sigh. At long last he tossed more carrots in the basket and asked me if I knew the Song of Solomon. ​

"A little." I said.​

I was almost envious of Yeshi and that he had someone who cared enough to teach him the beloved song of our people. Whatever I learned of the song was from the streets and when it was sung to me, it was not sung with the purity Yeshua sang with.​

"I could teach you." He offered. "Would you like to learn it?"​

I was at once amazed but also joyful. "But Master! Is it not only meant for the rabbi's and the men to know and sing?" I asked.​

Yeshua frowned and pressed the tips of his fingers to his bosom. "Not this Rabbi!" He said emphatically. "I believe in no such divisions."​

I tugged at the fringe of my robe nervously. "Yeshi, it is filled with love and desire and...Other things."​

The Master answered with innocent candor. "It is." He smiled one of his most gentle smiles. ​

"But..." I dared question him. "How can you know? You said you could not marry for the sake of your mission."​

Yeshua gave me a side long glance, the corner of his mouth turning up. ​

He quickly stood and lifted the basket. "I think we have enough vegetables." Yeshua breathed in the fragrances wafting from Marta's kitchen. "Marta must be back. Shall we bring these into her?"​

Bold woman that I am deterred him. "Yeshi?" I addressed him honestly. ​

“Perhaps I misunderstood when you told us of your mission. Is it not true that you are not to take a wife?” ​

Yeshua stood still and then gestured toward a bench in the garden.​

I sat with him on the stone bench waiting for the truth, half not wanting to know, fearful that he would tell me about a secret woman of whom I knew nothing about. I reasoned that it couldn’t be true. Yeshua couldn’t have kept such a secret from us. He passed his hand through his hair and looked skyward. At last, he finally faced me. His eyes swam with a strange knowing, as though every good and pure secret that had ever been birthed in heaven or earth lay hidden in his heart.​

His voice was like a caress. "Do you not know me Magdalene?"​

I was silent.​

Yehua spoke. "Are you afraid that I have deceived you? Haven't we talked about the call My Father has placed upon you, my child?"​

Yes...child. Truly I felt like a child, afraid and vulnerable. How could my Master love another and I not know about it? Hadn’t he chosen me to be his disciple, his close companion? ​

"I will sing my answer to you, Miriam," Yeshua was saying. "This is one of the verses from Solomon's song."​

His singing wakened my heart with a kiss. I knew Yeshua hadn’t deceived me. He couldn’t. There was something I did not understand but Yeshua at fault? Never! I leaned in his song as though I was trying to catch the wind.​

"I went down to the nut orchard​

To see what was sprouting in the valley​

To see if the vines were budding​

And the pomegranate trees were in flower​

Before I knew...my desire had helped me​

on the chariots of my people, as their Prince."​

One moment I was in the dark, the next in the light. I held my hand to my mouth. I understood! I knew! "You are the one.​

You are the Prince. You are the one the song is about."​

"Long ago the song was written for me." Yeshua said. His voice was as soft and as gentle as his smile. "Do you believe?"​

"Yes. I believe." I replied, honored that he would share this truth with me.​

His face brightened with joy. "And it is written for my Bride as well."​

Happily
I slipped to my knees. "And all of Israel is your Bride! The chariots of your people...It's so simple. How could I have not known?" I whispered excitedly.​

"Your portion shall be great in that Bridal company." Yeshua promised. His eyes filled with tears even as he smiled.​

Then, right there, right in the middle of a beautiful moment the old demon of fear gripped my soul. "I am not worthy. What if I fail?" I fretted. ​

He bent towards me. "Remember when Kepha walked on the water at my biding?" He asked.​

I nodded into his shoulder.​

"What happened to him?" Yeshua questioned.​

"He walked on the water."​

"And what else?"​

"He started to drown."​

"Why Miriam?"​

I though for a moment. "He looked at the wind and the waves and lost faith because he stopped looking at you." I replied. ​

Yeshua stroked the length of my hair. "And even when he started to go under the water I took hold of his hand and lifted him to my side. In spite of his weakness I love Kepha all the more. Do you see?"​

His voice was so cheerful, I had to smile. ​

"Good! Now you will let me teach you a verse from the song." He insisted.​

I consented and My Master took hold of my hands. I knew, even as I remained kneeling at his feet, that we both felt it, the feeling of youthful dreams and secrets shared only by the best of friends. He explained that the verse was the brides’ song to her beloved.​

Yeshua sang and I listened.​

"I hear my Beloved
See he comes
leaping on the mountains
bounding over the hills,
My beloved is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
See where he stands
behind our wall
He looks through the window
He peers through the lattice."​

I shook my head once again awed by the melody and his voice. "Master You sing so beautifully. I could never sing it as well as you." I sighed helplessly.​

Yeshua laughed. "Oh yes you can. Come. I will help you."​

Just as I was about to repeat what Yeshua had taught me, there was a loud noise. A voice, in fact. A high, shrill voice.​

"Miriam! What are you doing?"​

Both Yeshi and I were catapulted right out of our enchantment and on to the sun-baked landscape of Marta's terrace and vegetable garden. We both jumped with a start.​

There stood Martha on the stone pathway that led to our bench. Her robe was sullied with flour and her hair in disarray. We both would have laughed were she not so angry. But beyond the anger I saw the disappointment in her eyes. I had done nothing to help her. I didn't prepare the vegetables. I did not help with the cooking. I never put on the dress she had offered. All my plans of showing her that I was a trust worthy and reliable sister fell before her scornful reproach. ​

"Master! Don't you care?" She fumed. "My sister has left me to do all this work." Marta flung up her arms in dismay. "Aren't you going to tell her to help me?"​

Marta so wanted her dinner to be special. There had to be a task I could help her with. I stood and was about to approach my sister when Yeshua placed his hand on my arm. "No. No." He said gently. His other hand he held out to Marta. "Marta. Marta. You are anxious and troubled about many things but only one thing is really necessary right now. And that is what Miriam has chosen and it shall not be taken from her."​

Compassion filled his eyes. "Come" he said extending his hand a bit further. Marta still would not yield. Yeshua himself stepped forward and put his arm around her defeated frame of a body. ​

"Mar...ta" He chided playfully, "Wouldn't you like to rest awhile?"​

She shrugged her shoulders "Just look at me!" She moaned.​

'Yes!" exclaimed Yeshi. "Just look at you!" He kissed her generously on the cheek. 'My little hen."​

"What?!" Marta shouted and pushed him away. "I suppose I look like a hen and my sister looks like a - a- dove?"​

Yeshi's eyes grew wide. Holding up his hands, he pleaded, "Please! That's not what I meant. I meant busy as a hen."​

I gave Martha a side long glance and grinned. Martha raised her eyebrow. We both had the same question. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"​

Together we chased Yeshi around Marta's garden.​

To be continued...​

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I like your comparison of Marta working to meet His natural needs
and Yeshua working Miriam's spiritual needs into her.

 

[kisstheson]

Thanks! Now if I could just think of another way to say "side long glance" since I mention that phrase twice in this part of the story...

anyway here's the conclusion of entry 5

The Magdalene Journal
Bethany
Late Monday Evening


I often think about my moments with Yeshua. At times they seem so ordinary. How can he be the Holy One of Israel, the Son of God and be so much like us? I am learning that I can not understand the mystery of who he is. I need to accept. I do know this, the great Messiah, most of all longs to be loved. He didn't really need Marta's extravagant banquet. He needed someone to enjoy him without fanfare and fussing.
Sometimes he is just simply...Yeshua. Adonai. Help me to love him when he comes that way... My unadorned Yeshua.​

​

​

 

[kisstheson]

more is coming...

 

[MyLordIsMyLife]

Finally caught up reading it all...and I just love it! What a wonderful way to show that our Yeshua has a human side and is not just Master but also Lover. Thank you dear sister Amy!
God bless
--Jonathan

 

[kisstheson]

Yaaaaaay Jon! I'm so happy you read it all! I was beginning to think that some of my friends lost interest and my goodness...if my buddies are not interesting in seeing the human/lover side of Yeshi who else would beeeee?

hope you keep reading cause there is some good stuff comin' up with john the beloved. so I'll keep buggin' ya when I post new entries.

ain't I a stinker?

 

[MyLordIsMyLife]

Sounds like really good stuff's coming from you sis

 

[stormdancer0]

I love the idea of Jesus being ticklish!!!

 

[kisstheson]

Me too Stormie! Can't wait unti we all can "get Him."

Thanks for reading!

 

[kisstheson]

The Magdalene Journal

On the way to Yeshua’s home in Nazareth
Entry 6​

That is Yeshua alright, up and about, awake before all of us, cheerful and excited about the new day ahead of him. Truthfully, Yeshua had a habit, a wonderful practice I would say. Before the days work, he would announce his, "Shalom! Good morning!" And while his disciple were barely stirring and opening their eyes he would go to each one and softly pray, inquire how they were or just share a thought or two. "Breakfast will be ready soon." He would tell us. He would invite us to come to the table. The table? A low flat stone or a blanket spread out on the grass. To Yeshua every meal was sacred and the gathering place, no matter if it was in a rich mans house or at a beggars table, he cherished our meeting together.​

Now our Rabbi didn't prepare every meal. We took turns. Yes even the men had a share in “women's work." After a few months or so of following the Master, they had learned to accept their tasks without complaining, even when the women were allowed a few extra moments of leisure.​

The company of Yeshua was a sight to see in the morning. Shuffling, the bustling of combing hair, straightening robes, the men divided from the women, whose turn was it for a dip in the lake? Much depended on where we had set up camp the night before, of course. Who was actually brave enough to take the first plunge in the lake when one could still see their breath hanging in the air and bodies shook beneath heavy woolen blankets? Our Yeshi! He was the first! He would run and jump in and splash around like a child just to show us it wasn't really that bad. The disciples would glance at each other with sheepish grins then give a glad shout and they would all join him! While everyone laughed I would gaze at Yeshua rising from the misty lake, the morning sunlight streaming down on him. When I saw him thus unclothed I saw pure innocence born of love. There are some who insist Messiah is not a man, his body but an illusion. Oh he is man very man! When he would come out the water wrapped in his cloak, he would say through chattering teeth, "See, it's truly refreshing!"​

Need I speak of what truly refreshed me? The fount of his laughter, the feast of his eyes, the richness of his voice, all that he said and did. This is why Messiah is more than spirit. He is the banquet of a Man. Perhaps I will find the courage to speak to Jochannan about this and see if I find the same hunger in his heart. Am I alone or do others see Yeshua as I do? ​

To be continued...​

 

[MyLordIsMyLife]

Gentle, fun-loving, beautiful Yeshua...

 

[kisstheson]

ahhhh Jon...you made me smile real big!