Showing posts with label simple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simple. Show all posts

Sukkah Inspiration for the Feast of Tabernacles

Sukkah Inspiration - lots of ideas for temporary dwellings for the Feast of Tabernacles | Land of Honey

Who needs ideas for their temporary dwelling? Scripture instructs us that during Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles we are to live in temporary dwellings or booths (Leviticus 23:42). While Judaism has many, many rules for how a sukkah should look and be, Scripture doesn't give specifics. So I have no doubt that YHWH expected us to each put our own spin on how we keep this commandment. I love getting to share sukkahs from several different feast keepers so you can see the range of possibilities. Your temporary dwelling could be a tent or a camper or a homemade canopy. Hopefully this inspiration sparks and idea that is doable for you.

Dinner party in the sukkah! | Land of Honey
From @blooming_light - What a pretty set up for a Sukkot dinner party! Simple two by fours can definitely be dressed up to look elegant.

Sukkot dinner party - ideas for the feasts | Land of Honey
From @blooming_light - After the party!

Simple and Elegant Sukkah for the Feast of Booths | Land of Honey
From @elysamary - The lights add such a festive touch to this elegant sukkah!

DIY Yarn Sukkah for Sukkot - easy sukkah ideas | Land of Honey
From Land of Honey - This is my yarn sukkah from a few years back. The structure is really easy to do. The yarn takes a little persistence but is definitely doable, or you could put curtains or a tarp up to make more protective walls.

Ideas for Sukkot | Land of Honey
A friend send me this picture of a more traditional sukkah in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. You can get kits for sukkahs similar to this.

A small sukkah made from items you have around - easy Sukkot DIY project | Land of Honey
Another friend made this using the structure from an old swing set, and then some furniture and decor that she had. It looks like a great place for Bible study!

Beautiful temporary dwelling for Sukkot | Land of Honey
From @taliacarbis of The Climbing Tree - I love that she took comfy furniture and a rug (a plant even!) to make this temporary dwelling more like home. These touches make for an inviting atmosphere for your friends and family to spend time in.

Beautiful temporary dwelling for Sukkot | Land of Honey
From @taliacarbis of The Climbing Tree - Decorative touches like Talia's pomegranates can be a great activity for kids or yourself.

Inspiration for Sukkahs for the Feast of Tabernacles | Land of Honey
From Land of Honey - See the whole post for this here. It's made out of bamboo rods and thrifted curtains.

Woodsy Inspiration for Sukkahs for the Feast of Tabernacles | Land of Honey
From @blooming_light - Here's a woodsy temporary dwelling made from tree branches and pine boughs.

Woodsy Inspiration for Sukkahs for the Feast of Tabernacles | Land of Honey
From Asherah Cinnamon, displayed at the Oregon Jewish Museum Sukkah exhibit in 2014 - the branches in this one are so pretty!

Beautiful dinner setting to celebrate Sukkot | Land of Honey
From Love Sarah Schneider - I love the idea of a canopy right over the table! Absolutely beautiful for a Sukkot dinner party or Scripture study.

A big thank you to everyone who allowed me to share their work and photos; you guys are inspiring others to keep the feasts of YHWH! #sukkahgoals for sure!

More sukkah inspiration here. And here.

Summer Salads for Shabbat

Summer Salads to make for the Sabbath day | Land of Honey

Sharing some fresh inspiration for your Sabbath meals today! To me, there is nothing easier and more delicious than pulling out a fresh and satisfying salad for lunch and this is the perfect time of year for doing that. Put all those fresh veggies to use and put together a simple meal ahead of time so that you can fully rest on the Sabbath!

I think any of these would suffice for a meal, but you could definitely serve these with grilled chicken, bread, greens with vinaigrette, or the summertime staple of sliced tomatoes. Fresh fruit would make a refreshing (and easy) dessert.

Crunchy Thai Peanut Quinoa from Cookie and Kate
Crunchy Thai Peanut Quinoa to make for the Sabbath day | Land of Honey

Summer Grain Bowls from How Sweet Eats
Summer Grain Bowls - easy meal for the Sabbath | Land of Honey

Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas from How Sweet Eats
Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas - easy meal for the Sabbath | Land of Honey

Mediterranean Tomato and Feta Dip from Cookie and Kate
Mediterranean Tomato Feta Dip - make ahead dish for Shabbat | Land of Honey

Greek Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Greek Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad - make ahead dish for Shabbat | Land of Honey

Easy Lentil Taco Salad from Making Thyme for Health
Easy Lentil Taco Salad - make ahead for Sabbath lunch | Land of Honey

Roasted Red Pepper Meze Platter from Half Baked Harvest
Roasted Red Pepper Meze Platter - super easy for Shabbat meals| Land of Honey

Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing from Well Plated
Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing - healthy make ahead meal| Land of Honey

Mediterranean Avocado Chicken Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Mediterranean Avocado Chicken Salad - healthy make ahead meal| Land of Honey

Roasted Carrot Lentil Salad from A Beautiful Plate
Roasted Carrot Lentil Salad - healthy make ahead meal for the Sabbath day| Land of Honey

Wild Rice Stone Fruit Salad from A House in the Hills
Wild Rice Stone Fruit Salad - healthy make ahead meal for the Sabbath day | Land of Honey

Marinated Zucchini Feta Salad from How Sweet Eats
Marinated Zucchini Feta Salad - healthy make ahead meal for the Sabbath day | Land of Honey

Mediterranean Three Bean Salad from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
Mediterranean Three Bean Salad - easy to make ahead for Sabbath lunch | Land of Honey

Charred Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Pasta Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Charred Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Pasta Salad - easy and delicious make ahead meal for the Sabbath | Land of Honey

More on this topic:

Welcome to My Sukkah

Welcome to My Sukkah | Land of Honey
This is my sukkah this year, come on in and have a look around!

decorate a sukkah with corn | Land of Honey
Since Vayikra 23:39 tells us that Sukkot starts after the corn is harvested, I brought the mini blue popcorn I grew into the sukkah as a beautiful decoration (love that color!) and reminder of YHWH's provision.

All dogs go to Sukkot | Land of Honey
My dog spent a lot of time here.

DIY sukkah decorations | Land of Honey
Before we added the roof made of tree branches I hung sedum flowers from the bamboo.

Scripture study in the sukkah | Land of Honey
As you can see our design is very simple this year. Bamboo polls and twine comprised the structure, while thrifted curtains were the 'walls.'

DIY hanging lanterns for the sukkah | Land of Honey

Simple bamboo and twine dwelling for Sukkot | Land of Honey
This was our temporary dwelling this year. It held up really well (no collapses this time), and I was happy with the design. Obviously it wasn't weatherproof, but I haven't seen a sukkah that is. At night we took in the table and chairs and the blanket we used for a rug. The next day we would take out whatever we felt like. Sometimes the table again, or a chair for reading, or even just the rug. Nothing was too heavy so it worked pretty well.

Sukkot centerpiece made with corn stalks | Land of Honey
This bowl of apples brought such a nice perfume to the sukkah.

Scripture study in the sukkah | Land of Honey
2 Cornithians 5:1 - if our earthly tent is destroyed we have an eternal building from YHWH.

Simple bamboo and twine dwelling for Sukkot | Land of Honey

DIY hanging lanterns for the sukkah | Land of Honey
The lanterns are regular ball jars with twine wrapped around them. The candles are the battery operated kind.

Scripture study in the sukkah | Land of Honey
This was such a peaceful place to study and read or sit and talk.

Menorah Sukkot centerpiece | Land of Honey
He is light.

Bamboo sukkah for Sukkot | Land of Honey


What was your sukkah like this year? I am sharing a few of my favorites next week, so please send me a photo of yours if I can include it!

20 Tips to Simplify Shabbat Prep

New to Sabbath keeping? Here's 20 tips to help simplify preparing for Shabbat | Land of Honey

When I first started keeping Shabbat Fridays were a bit overwhelming. The afternoons were a flurry of getting things cleaned, and cooking up a huge amount of food, and, oh no, I need to run to the store. That was really frustrating to me, especially since I was used to Fridays being the happy weekend kick off of relaxation and free time. It felt a little backwards when it became my busiest day of the week. And that's because it takes practice to learn to rest well. If you're not used to preparing ahead of time for a day of no work, that honestly is a bit tricky until you're good at it. But things will get better! 

If you're in the stage where preparing for Shabbat is frustrating and overwhelming -- keep practicing! You will get there. With each week that goes by, preparing for the Sabbath gets easier. It's natural now to look ahead and anticipate what our needs will be on Shabbat, and planning for those needs is no longer the chore that it was. Here are a few tips that I've learned to have a less hectic day on Friday and more peace on Shabbat.

20 Tips for Simpler Shabbat Preparation

1. Prepare your heart first. Why have you decided to honor the Sabbath day? Did you feel the Holy Spirit leading you? Did you and your spouse decide to be obedient to YHWH's instructions? Have you decided to let go of traditions to try things the Savior's way? It's important to remind yourself of that when the week is hectic and you start to feel overwhelmed. 

2. Plan ahead. Almost everyone who participated in our Shabbat Survey mentioned how much easier things are to get done when you get a jump-start Thursday or Wednesday or even before. Having a plan can alleviate the stress of 'it's-Friday-afternoon-and-I'm-not-ready.' Having even just one thing done going into Friday makes things feel much more under control. Maybe that's getting groceries on Monday, jotting down a to do list, or filling up on gas after work on Thursday.

3. Make note of anything that needs done before Shabbat. If you are a list writer, jot down what for sure needs done ahead of time. Not just meal prep for the Sabbath, also consider upcoming bills that need paid or library books to be returned. Are you low on diapers or medication? Will you need to get gas so you can make it to congregation? Having it written down means we are more likely to remember it.

4. Recognize that things don't need to be elaborate. YHWH does not require us to have spotless homes, four course dinners, or candles lit to welcome Shabbat, so feel free to simplify! If there is one specific thing that helps you to rest well, focus on that and let go of the others.

5. Have a go to Shabbat meal on hand. Despite our best plans and intentions there are going to be times that things get away from us. Having non-perishables or slow to perish items on hand to serve keeps us from violating Shabbat when that happens. Here are some ideas for stocking your pantry for Shabbat prep.

6. Learn to rest when everything isn't perfect.  We are not asked to have everything in order or all our to-do list items checked off before Shabbat. Make rest the goal, instead of a spotless home or traditional rituals. Simplifying our expectations allows us to enjoy the simple things instead of obsessing over how things could be in a perfect world.

7. Know some quick last minute snacks to prepare. It takes just a minute to blend up some yogurt and fruit and pour it into a popsicle mold for a great snack the next day. The same for kosher gelatin. Most of those recipes are just letting them chill. These recipes are great to turn to when Shabbat is closing in and the fridge is less than filled.

8. Divide tasks among family members. You don't have to do this by yourself. Assign appropriate tasks for each person in your household to have done by the end of the week. Everyone in the family can have different cleanup jobs, dad can be in charge of grilling for dinner or picking up pizza, and a younger child can pick out which Bible story to read on Shabbat.

9. Figure out what works for you. I have seen several lists of how to get ready for Shabbat, and they are mostly things that would not fit in my life at all. Setting the dining room table for Shabbat dinner the Sunday before? Mine gets used for projects all week long, so that's out. Taking Friday afternoon off? Not usually an option. But if that helps you get ready, then go for it! There is not a right or wrong way to prepare for a day off; decide what works in your schedule and go from there.

10. Log off digitally before Shabbat. Signing out of social media lessens distractions on preparation day, making it easier to get the menial tasks out of the way and to spiritually prepare ourselves. Switching your email to 'off' after work on Friday can become a habit that says, "time to get ready for Shabbat."

11. Grill for Friday evening dinner. You've spent the day scrubbing the dishes and cleaning house. What's more frustrating than kicking off Shabbat with a sink load of dirty pots and pans? Grilling part of your meal can cut down on things to clean up afterwards.

12. Use glass, Pyrex type containers. Having my Shabbat foods stored in glass, oven-proof containers makes things easier in a couple of ways. These can double as serving dishes and go into the oven for foods I am reheating. After our meal I can put the lid back on and store it, without any extra cleanup. 

13. Have a special Sabbath basket for kids. Fill it with Shabbat appropriate books, games, and movies so that children can learn which activities are appropriate for the set apart day. This can also make the day more restful to you, as bored children can be sent to the basket to find something to do.

14. Surround yourself with reminders. Write in your planner, put a Scripture on the importance of honoring Shabbat on your bathroom mirror, or schedule reminders in your phone. This brings to mind that Shabbat is coming and we are to be ready for it.

15. Have a potluck meal. If you know like-minded believers or are involved in a congregation consider hosting a covered dish meal on Shabbat. It is much easier to prepare one or two things for a group meal than to do each thing yourself.

16. Empty the dishwasher. I like to have my dishwasher emptied going into the set apart day so that dirty dishes can be placed inside the next day. Another idea would be using paper products to cut down on cleanup.

17. Use a slow cooker and consider a second one. It's hard to get much more convenient than coming home from congregation to a hot meal at the ready, where you have nothing to do but dish it up. I've also heard a couple of people say they like having two so they can have a hot breakfast, and lunch, or lunch, and dinner ready to go.

18. Double recipes throughout the week. This is a great way to have food prepared ahead of time without the extra time commitment of setting aside Thursday evening or Friday afternoon. Make an extra large pot of soup on Tuesday or grill extra chicken Thursday to get a jump start on meals for the Sabbath.

19. Have books and study materials on hand. In addition to copies of Scripture, consider expanding your resource library to assist with your studies on Shabbat. A designated shelf of books can be a place to head on the rest day when you are looking for something to do or want to learn more. This is especially important if you don't attend a congregation. It eliminates the what am I going to do tomorrow question.

20. Remember you don't have to get everything done! When Shabbat comes what's done is done and that's enough. Things can wait. It really is okay to rest while the kitchen is messy and the laundry isn't done, in fact YHWH requires us to. Rest now and take care of the what remains later.


20 tips to make your Shabbat prep smoother and your life easier | Land of Honey

Related posts:
Sabbath Prep and the Idol of Cleanliness
The No Stress Guide to Sabbath Meals
Five Ways to Have a More Peaceful Sabbath

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