Don't get stuck!

Everything we do adds up for the good and for the bad.

Here's a cute 3 minute film by Aish.com. There's a good mashal in it. Have a great shabbat!

Just keeps getting better.

Ignoring the fact that I spent the whole day in bed yesterday, I'm having a great week. I recieved a present from my college on Tuesday in the form of a snow day. I took this gift as an expression of their appreciation for the tuition I pay. Additionally, mon examen de francais has been postpond until Lundi! What could be better.

So, I'd like to spread my joy and wish everyone a great shabbat.
I'm off to do more history research. I figured that if I ditch my history class to do history research, I'm ok. Anyooo... thanks for stopping in.

~ Sarah Rutti

Only in Vancouver...

I did not take this picture

"SNOW CLOSURE UPDATE: Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 7:15 am

Langara College is closed for daytime classes due to snow.

Online registration is available as scheduled. All Credit Studies classes are cancelled. College services are not available. Listen to radio stations CKNW (980 AM) or CBC (690 AM) for future updates. The Langara College website homepage is updated regularly."

"So, how much snow has fallen?" you might ask? Well, as of now, 7:47 am, from my window it looks like 5 centimeters. I don't know why this has scared off my professors, and honestly don't care. I'm excited to take advantage of this opportunity, B"H, and come up to date on hw!

BUT! I'm letting anyone, unless they ask. I DON"T have time to babysit and can think of 3 people who would ask for help. I'm already babysitting from ~ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm.

Well, I'll keep you posted. Have a great day!

~Sarah Rutti

P.S. The only down side is shoveling.....

Wow, Maybe I'm Doing Too Much!

I didn't realize how crazy this semester was going to be when I signed up for all of my courses. But now I'm feeling it. Every one of my five classes requires constant work and effort. This is causing a conflict in my time managment. Econ is taking more time then français!

Some things are going to have to start sliding. Sleep has been the first. Last night I went to sleep after 1 am, and woke up at 8 am, not soo bad.

I'm going to start being more selective with the materials I spend time on. English Lit. has too much reading involved, I don't have time for it all....

We'll see how it goes. B"H, I'll be able to pull it all together. I'm trying not to think about the fact that I have a history research paper due on the 28th... at least I've picked my topic and sources...
Right?

Be well

~ Sarah Rutti

Pulling Back

This week has been really hard. I've felt the tug a lot harder then usual. I hope I passed.

I'm reaching out now to all of my friends.

Being alone Vancouver has gotten harder over the past 6 months. I need to start learning more Torah and talking to you guys. The problem is, I don't have time.

I feel consumed by homework and other responsibilities. Arrggg.

B"H for shabbat! I'm gonna embrace my neshama yesera and try to climb as high as I can. I wish you all a brach, that you're able to enhance yourself this shabbat!

Be well and stay in touch!

History's Cancelled

I feel like HaShem just sent me the biggest present! I really didn't want to go to history today and guess what, it's cancelled! YEAH!

(I hope he's ok :S)

Have a great weekend Y'all!

Slow But Steady Wins the Race

Yes that's right! We can do it if we're persistent and stubborn. Just keep trying and before you know it you'll be ahead! Keep up the great work y'all!

....beep....beep....beep....beep...

...BEEP!...

"You have reached the personal voice mail of,..., I'm sorry I missed your call. Please leave a message after the beep and I'll try to get back to as soon as possible. Thank you and have a great day!" ...Beep!....

It's true, I'm busy.

But, other than that, it was tu b'shvat today! I hope that everyone was able to eat yummy fruit, not from aretz Israel as it's shmita year, and learn. I've already written on this topic, see my previous post.

Otherwise, have a great night! I hope that everyone who's off from school is having a blast. For the rest of us, hold in there!

~Sarah Rutti

Lo Aleinu

I've just heard that Rav Noach Wineberg has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Please daven for him, his name is Harav Yisroel Noach ben Ayala Hinda.

Thank you.

Brace Yourself

I will not bend

I will not break

I will conquer

At least that's what I hope.

I've been up to my neck in homework for the past few days, and I still have more to do :-( I didn't accomplish everything, yet. Things are taking longer then I thought they would, and I keep finding myself hoping for the day when I'll have a little time to myself. Well, as least I enjoy reading Pride and Prejudice, it could be worse.

So, off I go to do my french homework. I'm still stuck on my economics, and have asked for an extension due to me oral surgery, we're hoping... and if not, that's fine too. I'll make the time and get it done. So, since I still have a high pile of textbooks on my bed, waiting for me, I'll be off.

Have a great weekend, don't get too blown away.

Thank you

I just wanted to publicly thank all of my supporters, who have helped my through this recovery of wisdom teeth extraction and, therefore, missed school work.

I am busy and crazy, and crazy busy. I'm sorry that I haven't been very attentive to this blog, or others, for the beginning of the week. I'm probably not going to have time to post until the weekend.

So have a great one!

~ Sarah Rutti

Feeling Swamped

So, now that I've officially missed two days of school, mind you this is only the first week of the semester, I feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework that my professors have decided to distribute in class. I was notified on Monday that I have an english essay due in the beginning of Feb and a history paper due in the middle of Feb. Furthermore, I have a french dictation on Monday, and a rough draft to some assignment in creative writing due on Tuesday. Being that I only have creative writing twice a week, Tues and Thurs, I've missed the first two classes. My teach has been very helpful, however, and has left the handouts on her door.

None the less, I feel a little overwhelmed. I wish that I could have used this time to think and read more. But the medication simply won't comply to my wishes. Instead of spending my day doing French hw and reading up on Modern European history, I've spent my time sleeping and reading Pride and Prejudice, though that is part of my hw as well.

Ok, though I haven't accomplished anything through this rant of annoyance, I do feel better.

I wish you all a great night and weekend. I hope to report back to you in better cheer, as soon as possible.

Thanks for listening.

Sarah Rutti

Thank goodness...

I'm relieved to report that I'm not TOO addicted to blogging. My addiction to facebook is something else to scowl at though :-(

48%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

After the surgery...

The surgery was quick and painless. I was told that they removed my three impacted teeth by cutting them to pieces. I vaguely remember asking to see them right after I woke us, but I couldn't distinguish them as teeth, due to the blood and fragment sizes. I've spent the day reading and sleeping. (At least I got some english homework done, Pride and Prejudice here I come.) After the pain killers kicked in, the pain subsided to a tolerable level.

I haven't been able to talk much, because talking opens up the three cuts. So, I've decided to take advantage my blog as a form of communication.

It was rosh chodesh Shevat today, though I didn't feel it much, I'd like to write something to enlighten my, and hopefully your, month:

We have entered the month of Shevat and on the 15th of this month is the birthday of the trees, known as tu b'shevat. We know that Man is compared to a tree, "A person is like the tree of a field..." (Deut. 20:19) As well as the Torah, "Torah is a tree of life for all who grasp it." (Proverbs 3:18) In the article 'Man is a Tree' by Rabbi Simmons, found on Aish.com.

It is explained in the article that just like a tree needs all of the four elements to survive, so too does a man. With out embellishing, you can always read the article, I'd like to point out that there's a reason why HaShem put us in this world when its creation was complete. As we know, Adam was the last creation so be created, and he, therefore, entered Gan Eden when is was basically complete. Interestingly, Adam had to pray for rain before it came, and he named the animals. He was here to take care of the land and use it for good. This teaches us that the world is here to serve us and we are here to take care of it.

In life in general, we are meant to take what HaShem gives us and use it to serve Him. This idea is applicable in all type of situations, difficult or not. Let us take this reminder from chodesh Shevat and not only safeguard the world we live in but use it to serve HaShem in the happiest way possible.

Have a great day!

I know it's late but...

Parshat Va'eira

(Inspired by Aish.com, Rabbi Aba Wagensberg's article.)

Rabbi Wagensberg begins with a questions: There are four different expressions of redemption mentioned in this week's parsha, 6: 6-7. He goes on to anwser that each expression is another form of redemption that the Jewish people had to go through in order to be fully separated from the Mitzrim, and become Am Yisroel. He quotes one of the Nevitot Shalom's mepharshim regarding this week's parsha:

"The Jewish people in Egypt had fallen to the lowest possible spiritual level. The Midrash (Socher Tov on Psalms 114) compares the enslaved Jewish nation to a fetus within the womb of an impure animal, based on the verse, "...to take for Himself a nation from amidst a nation" (Deut. 4:34). The Jewish people were living "inside" the Egyptians. Their identity was completely meshed with the corruption and immorality of Egyptian society.

According to the Netivot Shalom, since the situation was so severe, the first stage of redemption was for the Jews to be taken out from the darkness and impurity of their surrounding culture. Nevertheless, they were still slaves to their inner drive toward negativity (yetzer hara). The second stage, then, was to be saved from this servitude. The slave mentality cannot be so easily eradicated, however; even after being saved, the Jewish people were still subjugated to the side of negativity. It was this subjugation from which God redeemed the Jews. The final stage of redemption was for God to take the Jews as His nation."

So what does this mean for us personally, as we live amongst the nations and try to attain our identity?

Rabbi Wagensberg continues in his article by explaining the process of separation that the Jewish people went through in order to leave Mitzriam. This process can be applied to our own personal situations.

It must be remebered that we are a people with a unique mission and with many strengths. We have cochout that need to be utilized. The best way to do this is by clinging to HaShem and His mitzvout. As the Nesivat Shalom points out, we need to be SEPARATE! We are not the same as the others. We have to retain out identity as Hakadosh Baruchu's Am!

We should not be confused and try to look and act like the others.

I know that this point is hard for some to swallow, but it is true. There is a reason for tznius and all the mitzvout that we sould be doing the best of our individual abilities. Growth is a must, one should never stay in the same place for too long.

We should all be zochei to grow at the right pace and remain distinct and unique in our speacial way. Hakadosh Baruchu should help us to see clearly how we should act, in order for us to be the best yiddim that we can be.

Have a great shabbat!

~Sarah Rutti.