"Pi-e-TEA"

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; (Matthew 6:1, RSV)

Sweet JoLynn is often on her knees for others. Upstairs out of sight at her prayer bench, the kneeling variety, she communes with the Lord.

Yesterday I watched her read from Bible at the altar in the Frost Chapel on the Berry College campus in Rome, GA. Even in the chapel, she quietly stole away from view and prayed.

Her fingers found and smoothed the tails of the red satin ribbon bookmark, her eyes found the Psalm 119:89-90 passage in the open Bible....."Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations;"....

....... and her heart found its way on to prayers for family members who had married at that very altar.

Pi-e-TEA poured out prayerfully.

"Immortali-TEA"

For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:53-54)

"The only certainties in life are death and taxes," the old adage states. It is a given fact that the ability to live forever on planet earth is an impossibility---tho some folks live as if there will always be an earthly tomorrow.

Immortality. Written on the rafters of Howard's Chapel for all to see was a great reminder of the only path to eternal life.

Scripture teaches that man's existence is never autonomous but is always dependent on providential support from God for both the "here and now" and the "hereafter." 

• He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 25:8)
• And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. (1 John 5:11-12)
• ...Yet God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from Him. (2 Samuel 14:4)

But God, through his Son has provided immortality to all who believe.

A cuppa immortali-TEA poured out through His Son for all who will partake of His truth. How grateful I am for this cuppa.

"Felici-TEA"

 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:.....a time to laugh; (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 4, KJV)

Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart.....(Jesus Calling 6/17)
Laughter is a powerful antidote for stress, anxiety, pain, and sadness.
Sometimes getting away with friends can provide that by-product of felicity known as laughter.

Laughter, an over flow of a close friendship, is good for the soul and blesses even the on-lookers, because laughter is contagious!

Pleasing and well chosen....cuppa of felici-TEA, poured out to friends.

"TEA-rip" with friends

I have called you friends, (John 15:15, NIV)

Our annual T-cup trip begins today. Destination unknown---until the BIG reveal later....after our sweet treat and joint tea---whatever joint tea is.

It doesn't really matter where we are going. We're just going as friends on a "girls' get-a-way." And of course we'll probably have tea somewhere along the way.

The BIG plus of this T-cup TEA-rip is that we are not only "girlfriends" at a similar season in life, but we are friends in the faith. 

That means Jesus goes along for the ride.

"vitali-TEA"

Righteous Father,......I know you, and..... I have made you known.... and will continue to make you known....(John 17:25-26, NIV)

John 17:25-26 are the words of Jesus but they also reflect the hearts of believers who want to thrive in their lives as God's children. Living a life of vitality in Him that others might get a glimpse of Him as we strive to "know Him and make Him known." A simple creed with a big message.

More than alive. Thriving. A life of vitality.

"Thrive," a Casting Crowns "big camp" praise song, was written "using the idea of Psalm One in showing them (students) what a believer looks like." 

"Like a tree panted by the water, we will never run dry."

He put you here to thrive, to dig in and to reach out and this record (song) is an effort to draw a picture of what a believer, a follower of Jesus, would look like if they dug into their roots and understood God and themselves more.”  (Mark Hall, lead vocalist/Casting Crowns)l

Fill our hearts and flood our souls with one desire,                            Just to know You and to make You known. 

Joy unspeakable... 

Faith unsinkable... 

Love unstoppable, ("Thrive")

A cuppa "vitali-TEA" is filled with; unspeakable joy, unsinkable faith, & unstoppable love.  Drink deeply if you desire to thrive in life.

Sabbath Snapshot : paterni-TEA

Until memories of Daddy flooded me as I was driving home this Father's Day, I had planned to do a non-fiction book review. But, somehow it didn't pan out. I didn't have the wherewith all to share a deep book based on the spiritual and political turmoil of Poland during WWII. My feelings needed refreshing instead.

I'm not the only one who has buried his/her dad. Some have never know their father or have never married and lived alongside the father of their children. K-Love suggested that everyone has some male in their life whom they could thank for mentoring them (at church, in scouts or a friend's dad) and coming alongside with encouragement and words of wisdom.

So, when I got home I picked up a "Father Tim" book and did a thumb-thru re-read. In the fictional "Mitford series" this small town rector became a mentor for many and a surrogate father as well. This simple book is one to peruse at leisure---no plot, just meaningful quotes that he might have collected in his years of ministry.

Patches of Godlight by Jan Karon is subtitled, Father Tim's Favorite Quotes. Although the book is without page numbers, the listings are somewhat random and there is no topical index, it worked for my mood today. Even the handwriting and old-timey typewritten varieties of entries were appealing to me. Sometimes that's all one needs when her heart is feeling heavy---some pithy reminders of goodness. Plus, there's a teacup on the cover----always a draw for this reader/reviewer.

A few gems from Father Tim's notes:

•  Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the window which hope has opened. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
• If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. (St. Augustine)
• It is only the words, "Our Father," which make the prayer bearable. If God is indeed something like a father, then, as something like children, maybe we can risk approaching Him....(Frederick Buechner)
• You can't get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. (C.S. Lewis)
• You can not do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
• He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God. (Abraham Kuyper, 1837-1920)
• Where is human nature so weak as in a bookstore? (Henry Ward Beecher, 1813-1887) Where indeed?!!!

"Gra-mma-TEA-cally Correct"

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (Romans 4:16, ESV)

Faith is a noun. But gems from today's Streams in the Desert entry (6/14) reminded me that true faith is supported and revealed by verbs.

Action verbs. Verbs expressing what can be done. Often, an outward manifestation of an inner belief.

If faith is the "subject" of one's life, then it is the "thing" that is doing the action. The one receiving the benefits of the action, is the object of said faith.

Faith...

• ...links one to a Holy God.
• ...clothes one with the power of Jehovah.
• ...insures one of God's attributes.
• ...defies the hosts of hell.
• ...cause one to triumph over enemies.

Faith allows and encourages the communication between us and God......the prayer road between soul and heaven. 

A single life of faith can reveal to someone in pursuit of God, the world's most powerful truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Him. (John 14:6)

Faith honors God. God honors faith. (Streams, p. 233)

A gra-mma-TEA-cally correct cuppa is a complete cuppa faith that spills over and touches many others for Christ's sake and His glory. 

"mo-TEA-ley" cuppa

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,...(Romans 8:28, KJV)

My jigsaw puzzle working friend, JoLynn, finds joy in looking at the mishmash of colors and motley/dissimilar shapes which have been dumped out of a 1,000 piece puzzle box. She knows that they are all part of a bigger picture----which she doesn't even choose to see ahead of time. She allows the pieces to "work together" to form the picture. (I recommend "Zuplez" 4/9/09 blog entry for a more complete explanation of her unique ability)

Scrabble expert friend, Ann, has a similar approach to all those tiles that tumble out of the maroon velvet bag. As she selects her "unseen" 7 tiles for her tray, she has an uncanny way of perceiving the longer words or the  higher scoring short ones. She takes what is dealt her and begins looking for only the tiles that are needed exchanges. I want to turn them all in for a fresh start. I can't "see" the possibilities. She sees multiple possibilities. Her technique is the winner. At least, I've never won against her.

Sadly, I often approach life seeing only the pieces, the broken pieces---a hodgepodge of events..... and not factoring in the Lord and His bigger picture for me until later. My desire is  to "pray my way out" of the "pieces and tiles" that are uncomfortable or hurtful. 

For many of us, daily events appear to pour out pieces of life that are stressful, troublesome, disappointing even. Yet, these troubles can be used by God to teach us important life lessons. Where we see stress, He sees opportunities. Unexpected crisis are a part of life---at least in the Liles household. But.....a crisis for any of us can be used, by the Lord, as a lesson for growth and betterment in our lives.

Intentional practice is needed to see problems as learning opportunities. Opportunities waiting to be solved in His timing. If one doesn't focus on seeing God's hand or begin quickly praying and asking to see God's hand, then problems can overwhelm and negatively consume one's thought life.

Look for the bigger picture. Exchange all those disjointed and disappointing mo-TEA-ley, miscellaneous pieces of life for His all encompassing peace. Remember to thank the Lord in everything and to ask Him to clearly show the life lessons He has in each piece. 

 

Each piece of one's life exchanged for His purpose = His peace. 

The Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

A mo-TEA-ley cuppa needs to be sweetened with God's peace.

Wil-TEA : a tuneful cuppa

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.(Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Lately, for a variety of reasons, I have been very much aware of being in the withering, wil-TEA season of life. Scripture presents many rich "comparative" figures of speech to describe this season of brevity, especially when compared to eternity. 

• Swifter than a weaver's shuttle (Job 7:6) 
• Days on earth are like a shadow & wither away like grass. (1 Chronicles 29:13 and Psalm 102:11) 
• A vapor...for awhile...then vanishes. (James 4:14)

But, for aging believers, that knowledge is not without hope. 

These thoughts were whirring. K-Love was playing. Owen piped up---I like that song, Shug.

I like that song as well----especially the verse that reminds me of how fleeting my life is. Such a verse reminds me to make the most of my moments----especially relational moments. It reminds me that God is still with me during this season, watching out for  me, and telling me that I am His. 
Not because of anything this "wilty gal has done, but because of who He is and what He has done on my behalf. Therein lies eternal hope.

I am a flower quickly fading,  Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind.Still you hear me calling.Lord, You catch me when I'm falling. And you've told me who I am. 

I am yours. 

Not because of who I am But because of what You've done. Not because of what I've done. But because of who You are. (Casting Crowns)

Listen to this tune, especially if you're feeling wil-TEA, and renew your hope.

"Wil-TEA"

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1. NIV)

Not only does a deer long for water, so does my forsythia!

Desiring a big POP of yellow sunshine at the end of the driveway, I planted a forsythia. Nothing "pops" YELLOW in a landscape quite like this bush.
According to Mother, a forsythia requires sunshine and lots of room to spread as  it grows---"don't contain or shape it, Dotsy. Let it shape itself." Words from long ago that still ring in my head.

Before God sent the rain, I, and hubby, watered it faithfully, or so we thought. It still looked wil-TEA to us----like it needed a big cuppa fresh water. Even my "master gardener neighbor," Lynda used my same term. "Your forsythia really is looking mighty wilty."

Then, the rains came.

Washed by water from the heavens, my forsythia perked up.

I feel the same way when I've been "washed with water (from God) through the word." (Ephesians 5:26)
Cleansed. Refreshed. Perked up.

That's why one's wilting soul "pants" after the Living Water. The One who offers the drink of living water assures us that when we drink deeply, we will never thirst again. (John 4:14)

No more wilting for those who drink from His cuppa.