Meditation Matters (“matters” as both a noun and a verb) REVISED

4/30/12 Returning from a “prayer for revival” time where 4 of us convened to pray today, I opened this email from a blog reader in France (whom I have never met) .

She wasn’t sure why she sent it to me. But God…..knew the nature of our group and this so affirms our need to continue to pray for our nation and its leaders especially as election time is just around the corner.

AGGIE’S E-MAIL (synopsis)

It's early Sunday morning, one of those short nights.  I just checked out your blog and saw the I

It actually reminded me of something totally on the opposite end of the pole.  A positive I  which has nothing to do with the big ugly I  that pops up so insidiously in our lives.

Around 2001, due to some negative I factors, the French leaders felt God asking them to close the French association.  Shortly afterwards, at a small gathering of several Lydia cells at my house, we spent time waiting on the Lord.  I received a mental image of a strong white curtain-type material stretched out, and in the center was a tall I .  As we shared with one another what God had been speaking, I described what I had seen.  To me it was a big tear in the white "wall" and at the same time it was an opening to something else.  When I said "I'm not sure what the I stands for, one of the gals immediately responded, "It means 'INTERCESSION'."

As the four of us (a small nucleus of the group which had gotten together annually) met and prayed with the European leader earlier this year, she saw Jesus just on the other side of the I, waiting with joy to see us enter and begin again this ministry of intercession.

Only five former Lydia cell members, from my local area, responded to a letter sent out in March and expressed their desire to continue, but God (emphasis mine, DAL) doesn't despise small beginnings.  I am asking Him to give us some guidelines for days ahead, and encourage each of the ladies to trust God for a prayer partner (or several) to faithfully listen to God and intercede according to his heart.

Along with excerpts from Aggie's message, I have also included a link from her that led me to a site which led me to our meditation verse for today. (along with a few hints) Lydia Fellowship is “a call to prayer for Christian women, those who have the heart
 to meet with God and encounter his presence. The Vision of Lydia is for women to meet together with a "prayer-partner" or in small groups of 3 - 5 women.  Each Prayer Group is responsible to seek God for his specific agenda for prayer by the group.” 

Our prayer group's structure is very similar in structure to those Lydia cell groups in France. For 15+ years, our goal has been prayer for revival; for our own hearts, for members of our church, for our city, our state, our nation and our world.

At the Lydia website, (http://www.lydiafellowshipinternational.org/) a list of names, of those in authority in our country, was included. I printed those off to share with my group. A verse, which seemed so appropriate for today's meditation entry was:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2: 1-2)

Guidelines for meditation were also given. God is so good!!

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: 4/29/12

One never knows when truth will be revealed--this time it was at Canale's grocery when I stopped to pick up ham. Though preposition "by" has faded, one gets the idea of this company's realization of the "True Builder."

Roof top view of patio welcome mat "à la" hubby.

So very welcome!!!!!

Ashley Bryan said it well---"We be family!"

FAMILY RESEMBLANCE

(Circa 1964 or '65)

 4/28/12 As children of the Clifton “Brud” Adams family, people often commented that though we (my brothers and I) looked like family, & yet individually, none of us really resembled either of our parents. 

When we got together with our spouses this weekend, it was still pretty obvious that we are indeed related---more because of our idiosyncratic behavior than physical appearance. Just ask our spouses!

How fun to get together with kin---to reminiscence and celebrate family. In particular, for us, the key is acceptance. Warts and all----we are family. That’s why is was so fun to get together this weekend and go see “The Addams Family” (“snap, snap”) at the Orpheum.

As the lyrics of the opening melody rang out

You're obligated to the clan

It's family first and family last

And family by and by

When you're an Addams

The standard answers don't apply

When you're an Addams

You do what Addams do for us (Adams) that would be laugh and EAT!)

In same positions as sibling portrait---my how the "baby" has grown.

As Christians, we bear the name of Christ though certainly all of us “look” very different. It’s our actions, attitudes and even mannerisms that reflect that spiritual parentage. Do we act like our heavenly Father?

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love….(Ephesians 5:1-5)

My brothers and I certainly bear an earthly family resemblance in our actions. So much of what we say and do is a reflection of our “upbringing.” May our lives continue to reflect the parentage of our heavenly Father as well.

LESSONS FROM DADDY

2/25/12 Peonies----I just love them. Mama Davenport had gorgeous ones on the rise in her back yard---her cutting garden. The peony bushes backed up to her neighbors’ fence and many a family picture was snapped there among all the blooms in her cutting garden. She would cut peonies and bring them in for her kitchen table. Before they made it to the table they would sit in a big watering can on the back steps outside Dang-Dang’s sleeping porch door. Those blooms full of petals would make us all smile. Blossoms of white with a few pink thrown in for interest.

She loved them first. Therefore I couldn’t help but love them.

They were Mama’s  “pee OWN nees”----regardless of how Webster says we’re to pronounce peony, Mama’s accent was always on the 2^nd syllable.

As a child, Daddy taught me to never make fun of another’s pronunciation when it was different from my own. I still remember the pain/shame I felt from that admonishment when I giggled at Mama’s pronunciation of our phone #---Tuxedo 5-3985. A lesson taken to heart. Kindness taught in a teachable moment. (Ephesians 4: 1-2, 32)

Hopefully, I will continue to afford this grace to others. Another of Daddy’s lessons well learned.

Got junk?

4/24/12 More specifically, got a junk drawer? According to organizing guru, Maryanne MacDonald, no drawer should be a junk drawer, ie a catchall. Each drawer should have a specific purpose. I assume she meant that junk wasn’t a worthy purpose. Our junk drawer evolved into a purpose on its own---a place for hubby and me to put things when we didn’t know where else to put them. “Tidy”ing said “junk” drawer wasn’t on my day’s “to do” list but it came about anyway when I was looking for a sturdy rubberband. I was too lazy to go upstairs and get one out of the “Rubberband” labeled drawer in my old card catalog. Excess “junk” had the drawer jammed----thus the tidying up began.

As I culled and organized, I mused how akin to my brain this drawer was. Crammed. Filled to overflowing. Some information was useless clutter (trivia comes to mind) making retrieval for important info virtually impossible at times.

Sadly, one’s mind can be too spiritually similar to a junk drawer. Truth is, some thoughts don’t need to take up permanent residence there. Those thoughts can build resentment and bitterness and can “jam” pure thoughts or spew over and affect other unrelated aspects of your life. Bitterness is known in the Bible as spiritual poison and a means by which many are defiled (Hebrews 12:15)

 

Some thoughts never need to be allowed access in the first place. Take every thought captive… (2 Corinthians 10:5)

If mind ”junk” continues to be a problem, “….be transformed by the renewing of your mind” through scripture. (Romans 12:2)

Of course, I tidied up my drawer and wrote it on my “to do” list, (after the fact) so I could ✔ it off and feel a sense of accomplishment. Just yesterday, Debbie P. told me she often does the same thing. Since she’s a pastor’s wife, that info made me feel much better.

✔Drawer accomplished. Beginning to work on my brain now because in one’s thought life..…..organized junk is still junk.