GRADUATION: KINDERARTEN STYLE

KDG GRADS----SO MUCH STILL TO LEARN! Yet, so fun to watch the event---when it's one of your grands!  

Invitations were digital but appreciated.

Kids' sensibilities were respected! When names were called by the teacher to receive one's diploma, they could be last in line and choose to give a hug or a "high five" to principal/teacher. 

Guess who fit all aspects of those choices?

May we, Lord, as loving family of our young ones, share your steadfast love. May we also show gratitude for the teachers who care for and spend hours of planning for the individual lessons needed per child.

Father God, You know the plans You have for them. "Grace plans" from tears to shed and struggles to experience in order to trust you more and serve others well. We might have to keep our knees-bent for many years ahead to keep our over-controlling hands off.....choosing to embrace and encourage instead. 

Today's graduation bulletin had more than only the schedule for the service!

It had an eye-opening salute to the next graduation for these kids. 

A reminder to embrace our moments with our youngsters as many of us are in a season of life that might hinder our attendance in 12 years!

WHITE EVERYWHERE!

Is white even on a color wheel? 

If you are interested in white, black, or variety of hues, it is!

Think Sherwin Williams! Paint mixtures can be softened with white.

Think Scripture. In the Bible white is often associated with purity and righteousness. White can also represent spiritual cleansing or God's glory.

Think Jesus! It's His righteousness that gives us righteousness  through His blood. Without that we have no purity!

All of these white pondering have kept me on a white search. Even my kids  share "white" with me this Easter Holy Week. From New York my son sent the Cherry tree pic with its white scattered petals. He recommended it to keep my mind's focus on a fun search, NOT worry!

Son from Texas, shared blooming of great, great grandfather's heritage snowball bush from His childhood home in Hampton Station, KY. A propagation to Clarksville, TN to Hopkinsville, KY, to Memphis, TN and on to Allen.Beautiful after years of waiting. 

Daughter from North Carolina saw the Dogwood on Main Street by the church where we joined her for the Easter Sun Rise Service. 

She even took it a step further teasing me at the bakery that on any of my selections, "add extra white icing" or just serve me icing.

They all know me well!

HAPPY EASTER, KIDDOS!

SOVEREIGNTY!

How did you start your day today?

If you started with a cuppa self-sovereign-TEA, I hope you spit it out!

Paul David Tripp's New Morning Mercies ON Wednesday (3/22) reminded me that too often our behavior can replicate that of our toddlers. Me first. Mine. 

We can be our own worst enemy. We need to be rescued from ourselves!

More of Thee ........less of me!

We need to appropriate more of God's grace.

• Grace gives us hope.
• Grace decimates our delusions of self-sufficiency.
• Grace works on our behalf.
• Grace helps us submit to the true Sovereign God of all grace. (1 Peter 5:10)

Grace rescues us from us.(Tripp, New Morning Mercies, 3/22)

LANGUAGE OF GRACE!

Is the language of grace a foreign language to you? 

Regardless of the translation, it is a much needed language of life for a Christian.

Grace-based. Grace-laced. Full of Grace.

Sing with me now.

Grace, Grace, God's Grace. Grace that is greater than all our sins 

Speak grace. How? Christ's example---That answer is found in God's word..

*THOTS: three types of grace: prevenient grace, which is God's active presence in people's lives before they even sense the divine at work in their lives; justifying grace, through which all sins are forgiven by God; and sanctifying grace, which allows people to grow in their ability to live like Jesus.

His Grace Is Sufficient for Every Need! 

• 2 Corinthians 12:9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” ...
• 1 Corinthians 15:10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. ...
• 1 Peter 4:10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
• 1 Peter 5:10. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself r2 Timothyestore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

His Grace Is Sufficient for Every Need! 

"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.? (2 Timothy 1:2b)

*THOTS--Trusting Him On This Subject

GOD'S GRACE

Grace notes continue......

God's grace saves.....stays......and transforms. (Buddy Liles, Allen Bible Church 1/23/22)

Grace is God's mercy with blessings. (Jen Pierce, Heart to Heart 1/26/22)

May my life reflect grace-driven living. (OB HOG prayer card #6)

Pithy with a punch to help us remember God's Grace.....and share it with others. (1 Peter 4:10)

.....Author Unknown--Source, Brother Buddy

Self-served Servili-TEA: a bitter cuppa

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

1 Peter 4:10 states an important aspect of ministry. Serving one another.

Yet, a recent conversation had my ears opened to words that were missing....only to be found in the verse that followed. I just had to look for it in order to share it with others.

Have you ever been so tired that even your bones are weary? Fatigue seeps in and permeates your entire body.

Is your service so intense that it is cutting you off from God----God who is your resource as well as your reason for ministry. 

Have you ever been so busy caring for God's household that you have neglected your own time with Him---the One who called you into ministry? (1 Timothy 1:12) In hurrying and scurrying to feed others, both physically and spiritually, have you forgotten to feed yourself? 

Often, one knows when her fire needs to be rekindled. But sometimes that truth has to be shown by an outsider.

One who sees her sister's cuppa service has turned into a cuppa servili-TEA needs to share the following verse from1 Peter 4:11. 

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised. 

"I can not explain exactly  how we are able to receiver the power to serve and to endure through communion with God, but I know it is a fact." (Streams in the Desert, 11/9)

In love, point out how servili-TEA, "an excessive willingness to serve," more easily happens when one is attempting to continue to minister in her own strength. Help her replace her cuppa servili-TEA with a refreshing cuppa of His minis-TEA-ry which is served with His strength.
Encourage her to sip quietly with Him as once again she feeds herself with His Word and His Presence, which will strengthen her anew for His service.

"Special-TEA"

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)

All of us have our specialty (or speciality as the Brits (Princes) who are in Memphis for a weekend wedding would say). Those distinctive qualities are what make us unique. Art, music, even culinary expertise or physical prowess can set us apart from others, especially for those who fine tune these God-given traits.
In the spiritual realm, such aptitude takes on the term giftedness as the  characteristic is used to bless others.
A gift given by God, "fanned into flame" and passed on to others, often in the form of encouragement.
A God-given talent---a "special-TEA" to be served to others.

Not a recipient of the creative gift of "voice," I stand in awe of those who are---and even more so when they use this gift to serve the Lord. Such are the Phoenix ladies, mother Sally and daughter Michèle. who not only are blessed with this gift but share it with others. They minister around the world in any way needed---music, theater, culinary, MKs, writing, divorcee's, widows, other singles & ME!!

My only specialty, not exactly spiritual, but used to bless those who are, is to sniff out unusual "southern" food places and introduce their speciali-TEAS to others, who are not native to the region.

 Deep Fried Brownie Sundae at Puckett's Grocery
Blue Ribbon winner at the Southern Fried Festival
Yes, that's bacon on top.

Special-TEAS---we all have our own cuppa to pour out into the lives of others, especially those who are of the household of faith!

G is for……………Gifts of Grace

12/14/09
Popeye, the comic strip character (which began 80 years ago) gave us lots of food for thought---mainly about spinach. But I also remember him saying, I “yam” what I “yam.” I could say that about myself and the connotation would be derogatory. “I yam what I yam”…..apart from God’s grace, what “I yam” is not a pretty picture. Today "I yam" tired, grumpy and "down." But God......continues to bestow grace on this undeserving old lady.

I learned years ago that grace is "unmerited favor" from God. This gift of grace is a description of the character of God---His gift to humanity. We just have to receive this beautiful gift all tied up with His love---open it up and use it. What a gift----and we can never use it up!

Theologian, J.I. Packer, describes grace this way, “New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves.”

Here’s a gift of “grace scriptures” for you today---open the scripture that appeals to your heart and use it in your life---that’s what meditation does. Open the Bible, accept the Word and use it for yourself and to bless others.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. I Peter 4:10 (THOT---the gift does, in fact, go on)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 (THOT---Grace always precedes peace in the salutations (I found 16) of the epistles ----God’s grace must be present in order to experience His real peace.)

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. (Romans 5:14-16)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (Ephesians 2:8)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (I Corinthians 15:10)

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. (John 1:16)

I hope you chose your gift of grace carefully and prayerfully and will continue to delight in it throughout the week.