We had our first Seder this year, over at a friend’s house. Well, I really don’t know what to call him… I know most Messianics call their leaders “Rabbi”, and this guy is a Jew, but he very-much does not fit the mold of mainstream Messianics, even. Still, “Pastor” doesn’t feel right either. But at any rate, it was at T’s house.
We went to a Seder last year at our pentecostal church. I had just been getting really into exploring the Hebrew roots of Christianity and all that, and then they announced it. I was so excited! And so let down, too. “Seder dinner”, “Seder dinner”… that’s all we heard about for weeks.
I hadn’t realized how formal a Seder is, and due to (IIRC) issues with DH I was a little late, and then had to take the girls to the kids’ thing in a whole ‘nother building. Even more late. Then I walk into this formal setting and X decides he’s hungry and being just 2 months old at the time the only option was nursing. And I don’t usually mind doing it anywhere, or in front of anyone. But this was a formal thing, I’d already made a bang of an entrance, and the quarters were close without much else to look at. Eventually I had to just leave the room and go to another room where while I nursed him, he fell asleep. I was so frustrated I just started to cry. But not too long, cuz I didn’t want anyone else catching me lol. (There were occassional stragglers through the hallway, the door to which I didn’t want to shut as I was already feeling isolated enough.) By the time he woke up it was just about over, and there was no way I was interrupting the whole thing again just to get my purse. So I waited, it ended, and then I grabbed my purse and got the heck out of there, picking the girls up from the other building on the way.
To top it off- it wasn’t even a dinner! They had matzah and herbs, but no freakin’ lamb or real food! And then the book I had just gotten about Biblical Holidays and celebrating them with children… I had lent it to the children’s pastor, and even though it meant I could not learn, I was satisfied knowing that my older DD would still be getting benefit, and I’d be learning first-hand anyway. But to add insult to injury, the children’s pastor ended up not doing anything about it at all. Collossal frustration all around. And definitely not to be counted as our first Seder! LOL
This year I’m part of a Messianic congregation, and have learned many things that I was not able to learn last year.
- Passover is, in large part, all about children! I understand that because it was so packed at the seder last year that there really was just *no* room for them. But all the same- if it’s mostly about them, it would be far better to limit the number of adults who can come so that the kids can participate! But be that as it may, I’ve learned just how much it is for kids.
- Passover observance, and the Seder in particular, was intended to happen in individual family’s homes and not as big groups as is so popular to do.
- Passover is a feast and food is not something to be skimped on! (Though most ‘Jewish’ activities involve lots of eating- gotta love that!)
- The Seder is to be held on the 14 of Nisan… which was Tuesday night, and not Wednesday night which was actually the beginning of the 15 of Nisan, which is when most people observe according to Rabbinic tradition and unaccording to when the bible says to do it. Hmmmmm… Looking into that one.
Well, there was probably more I learned, but that’s enough. Noone probably cares anyway lol. But that’s okay because this is mostly all for my own remembrance anyway 
My favorite part of the whole thing? The wine! Yes! Imagine that! Drinking alcohol, which so many Chirstians just can’t see as anything but evil… actually being part of a Godly observance! Well anyway, I’m sure this entry will be long enough without that added rant so I’ll restrain myself… for now lol.
Anyway, there was food, it was fun, and the wine was good! (Not a big wine person, but then again most of what we get is cheap. This wasn’t and I really liked it. So I brought a bottle home LOL) Of course, I was half an hour late because of a daycare mom not picking up her kid on time, or even bothering to call (I would have told her it was not okay anyway, this was a formal event, even if it was small)… but the host and one other guest were gracious and I’m sure God forgave us all for not starting before sundown. We did our best.
You may be wondering why, if it’s supposed to be celebrated in our own homes, we went to T’s house. The answer is simple- the other lady and I are still new to all this and had no clue what we were doing LOL. There was a paper that went around in the weeks prior where you had to check if you were having a Seder in your home or if you needed a place to go. I could have read my books better and muddled our way through at home, but it was really nice to not have to fight for all that and to be just taken under someone’s wing and led through while I learned. And even though I do know a little somethin’, enough to get by at the very least, I may still be looking for a place next year, depending on if DH is ready/willing to let me do it here (he is not into any of this). And God will either have to forgive me for going out again, or change my DHs mind. Cuz I’m sure he doesn’t want me fighting with him over it. So whatever happens, happens. Grace is good, eh?!
