No Apples?

Thursday night I was at my cousins, the Machlis's. Anyone that knows the name Machlis immediately thinks of the unbelievable Hachnosas Orchim they do. Every Shabbos their home is open to hundreds of guests. All walks of life enter their home and everyone feels loved and accepted. Thursday night you can imagine what goes on there. The whole house is bustling, cooking, peeling potatoes, and cleaning. There were seminary girls helping to cook. Yeshiva guys were schlepping hundreds of grocery bags into the house. The house was hectic, loud, fun, and busy. In midst of all the Shabbos preparations, one of the older Machlis children came over to me to ask me if I had an apple kugel recipe, I can make.
"Yes", I said.  "Would you like me to make it?"
"Yeah that would be amazing,you can get the apples from the back fridge."
I went to check the fridge- but there were no apples. I checked all three fridges, no apples.
I found my cousins to let them know- there were no apples!
"That's strange. I'm sure we bought. I guess there aren't any.OK, thanks anyways."
I left the Machlis's and went to visit a friend. An hour later when I came back to the Machlis's, my cousin came running over to me.
"You'll never guess what happened. Five minutes after you left we got a phone call from a neighbor we haven't spoken to in years. Basically she made an order from the grocery store. She ordered 60 potatoes, they made a mistake and instead of sending potatoes they sent 60 apples.
'I have nothing do do with these. I figured the Machlis's could use them."
A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. It was the neighbor delivering the apples!
The apple kugles came out delicious!

Forgotten Rugelach

Leaving his apartment on his way to the Shuk, Shmuel passed by his neighbor.
"Hey Eli, I'm going to do Erev Shabbos shopping in the Shuk, need anything?
"Thanks Shmuel, can you pick up some ru
gelach from Marzipan for me.
"It would be my pleasure, I'll see you later."
Shmuel waved goodbye and hopped on the bus headed towards the Shuk.
It was a short Erev Shabbos and Shmuel was zippping through the Shuk. He finished his shopping in record time and was back on the bus headed back home in less then 43 minutes.
Sitting back in his bus seat he felt someone tapping him on his shoulder.
"Hey Gedalia, long time no see! So nice to see you. What are you up to these days?"
Gedalia was a friend of Shmuel's from high school. They caught up with each others lives and the years they missed out on.
"Shmuel, I was just at the Shuk and as I was passing Marzipan I remembered the good old days when we would have their delicious rugelach every week. I bought a few packages, would you like a rugelah?"
Looking at the Rugelah in his hand Shmuel slapped his forehead. "Oh no! I completely forgot to buy a package for Eli."
"Here"Gedalia said, handing a package to Shmuel. "I only bought it for memories sake. Take this!"

Where The Paper Towel Lands

Here is a story that is proof that even a leaf falling from a tree has a purpose and a divine direction from Hashem.
Yocheved was on the last drop of toothpaste and was in need of more. She remembered buying an extra toothpaste a while back, but she could not find it anywhere. So on the top of her shopping list in BOLD letters she wrote TOOTHPASTE.
A few days later she was cleaning and washing her bathroom mirror when suddenly the paper towel she was holding in her hand slipped out and slowly floated to the floor. Since it was light, it floated back and forth (just like a leaf :)) and lightly landed inside the bottom drawer that was slightly open. Yocheved never uses that drawer. Bending down to pick up the paper towel she opened the drawer wider to get a quick glimpse of what she forgot was in the drawer. In the back corner buried under some junk she saw sticking out was TOOTHPASTE! Yocheved was so thankful she found toothpaste, and recognized that thanks to the paper towel that fell from her hand she was able to find it.
IT'S ALL HP!

HP? HP? HP!

"That's real HP" I said to my neighbor as we entered her house. (I met her outside on my way to the store to pick up eggs, HP she had a whole bunch in her fridge- I didn't need to schlep all the way to the store to pick up some eggs for my Kugel)

My neighbor had a guest staying at their house and appearently never heard the term HP!

"HP? My computer is HP" he said.

"HP! MY LIFE IS HP!" I responded out loud.

Pie

A few weeks ago I was doing my grocery shopping and I found myself in the baking isle. Throwing in my wagon chocolate chips, flour, cupcake holders, my eye caught a stack of pie crusts. I picked one up and threw it in my wagon. I have absolutely no idea what possessed me to do that. I NEVER bought a pie crust before; I never even baked anything with a pie crust before. I'm not even allowed to eat gluten! So why did I buy it? I have no idea! But in the back of my mind I thought to myself that I'll make a dessert with it one day and it’s good to have in the house. 

This past Erev Shabbos, I got a call from my neighbor asking to borrow................PIE CRUST! (HP)

The Story Of My Lost Tehillim

I lost my Tehillim. It's the one I had for several years. The one that was small, torn, pages creased, and very old looking. Which is why I loved it. I lost it in Meron.  The girl I was standing next to, (who's elbow was in my face). I didn't care though, because I was stepping on her toes. (Or maybe it was the lady's behind me.) She asked if I had a Tehillim she could borrow. My bag was smushed between two ladies and it took me a few minutes to get my bag unstuck. As soon as I lent her my Tehillm, I had this feeling I would never see it again. (I was right) I was pushed by a wave of people and lost sight of the girl with my Tehillim.
The following day I was by the Kosel, fishing through my bag for my Tehillim. After three minutes of digging in my Savta Simcha bag, I rememberd my Meron story. I got up and looked around for a Tehillim. The moment I turned I saw a friend of mine I had not seen in months. I had been meaning and wanting to get in touch with her since I got to Israel. Had I not gone looking for a Tehillim I would not have been able to reconnect with her. She was in the back about to leave. I had just got to the Kosel and was not planning on leaving yet.

(I really miss my Tehillim! Although this is but a small story...it still is a reminder.....Hashem is running the world!)

WHAT'S FAITH?

A young mother taken away, leaving seven young children, orphaned. An illness that plagued her for the last several months has ripped her away from her young family and small children. Now they remain alone.

And if that’s not enough:

A father of a proud family, taken too soon to see his all children wed. Some young, some grown, yet they are all his children, now fatherless.  Taken away before he was able to see his first grandchild. 

Is this not enough? Can there be more pain then this? It hurts. We‘ve had enough pain. It’s time to stop! ENOUGH!

But no, G-d has other plans.

Yes, He says. There will be more pain. There will be more for you to suffer.

A mere few days passed since their passing, when G-d decides to strike once again.

Again- the dreaded news, the dreadful illness, this time to two fathers. Fathers of loving families, friends and prominent members in our community.  The news spread, prayers are being said. They have been diagnosed with cancer. Now these fathers focus and life has been instantly switched from being surrounded by their young children and homes are now focused on hospitals, tests, pain, and G-d forbid the fear of death.

 Hashem. Does this make sense to you?  Do you see their pain? You are ripping apart families. It doesn’t fit, it doesn’t make sense. I don’t understand.

I wish to understand your ways Hashem, and believe its all part of your complex master plan- But I will not ask why. For if I do know the answer to “Why?” that is not called faith.

Hashem, it’s with this fierce pain in my heart, I accept and know that You are a loving and caring father. And that I would like to call FAITH.

Please Daven for: Chaim Dovid Reuven Ben Chana Rochel and Eliezer Avraham Tzvi Ben Pessa