Jack & Violet on an adventure walk with their shkedia!

A couple of weeks ago we were leaving the apartment in a hurry. Leaving the apartment in a hurry is generally not advised as we have Israeli neighbors and Israeli neighbors are rarely in a hurry because everything is centered around the relationship they have with you.

Case and point: we are rushing down the stairs and since it’s impossible to do it quietly with Jack & Violet, Smadar comes bursting out her door exclaiming “Jack & Violet come in here! I have something special for you!” What might it be? Curious excitement is on both of their little faces! She excitedly hands them an almond branch with a few new little pink blooms on it. Jack looks past it like, "yeah, where’s the surprise?" I can see the branch is pretty but not quite sure what the excitement is. “Shkedia! Shkedia!" exclaims Smadar. (almond blossoms) Here is this 37 year old woman giddy with excitement at the shkedia/new blooms on the branch. She exclaims that these are the first blooms of the year and she was so excited that she broke off a branch, just to give to Jack & Violet.  (*almond trees are the first trees to blossom each year)

What struck me was how incredible this was. This genuine excitement of a new season approaching. Jewish people even have a specific blessing for a new season:

“Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elohai-nu Melech HaOlam, Sheh-he-che-yanu vi-kee-yimanu   Vi-hee-gee-yanu laz-man ha-zeh.”

“Blessed are You God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.”

Now as we take walks with the kids we have a new appreciation for the trees blossoming around us. Signs of a new season. Signs of God’s faithfulness. Signs of God’s provision. What will this season hold for each of us? How will we depend on God in this coming season?

Each year in the Central Valley of California when the almond trees blossom I will think "shkedia! shkedia!" and be reminded of Israel, Smadar, my kids at ages 2 & 3, this season of life that I will never live exactly the same way again. I will never see an almond blossom the same way & for that I am thankful.