Shavua tov! This week's Torah portion is called Beshalach, which is the passage in which Pharaoh sends the people of Israel out from Egypt. Halleluyah! They are on their way!

As our family studied this passage, we settled down on the couch and watched this 90-minute YouTube video, produced by Ron Wyatt and detailing the route that the Israelites most likely took when leaving the land of Egypt:

Watch here >> https://youtu.be/-rOAfzZP2vk

One thing fascinated me. YHWH never led His people by the easiest or most direct route. Instead, He seemingly led them into narrow passages where they were hemmed in by canyons on each side, where they had no supplies, where the sea loomed large ahead of them -- and where they were easy prey when Pharaoh changed his mind and started to pursue them with *every* chariot in Egypt and with all the priests of the gods they served.

Things were looking hopeless!

But it was all in YHWH's wise plan. He knew that Pharaoh would think they were lost and confused, and He knew Pharaoh would harden his heart and want to pursue them. YHWH was only setting the stage for one of the mightiest deeds ever seen by man, so that He would gain fame in the eyes of all the nations and so that His people would learn to fear and trust Him.

Do you see the important lessons we parents can learn? 

There is never any circumstance which is outside of our loving Father's plan and purpose. 

Fear of man is always a sin.

Fear of YHWH is always an indication of our trust in Him.

"God" means Elohim or "Mighty One." He is THE only Mighty One, mightier than all other gods in which we might be tempted to place our trust.

"Oh that men would praise YHWH for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:31, KJV)

When we lived in snowy Minnesota, our local public school planned two days of vacation into their calendar for February. I think it's a good idea, since school starts feeling a little "old" this time of year. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that it was a day off school, so I didn't plan a break into our calendar.

When my children realized that their neighborhood friends would be outside sledding and building snow forts that day, while they would be inside multiplying and diagramming sentences' well, "mutiny" might be the appropriate word!

Why do we get the mid-winter blues? Why is it so hard to be consistent in our schooling, day after day (after day after grueling day)? I thought of several reasons.