MEDITATION: A REMINDER TO BENEFIT AND BLESS OTHERS

4/29/13 Lots of food for thought from yesterday's sermon about my "vocation" in life, coupled with scripture, results in Monday Meditation. 

Vocation: I am called by God as His child, a wife, a mother and nowadays, a grandmother. Everything I do in life whether at work or play gives context to that purpose as I love God & love others.

Love God! Love others!

Truly loving God and loving others will result in both my work and play benefitting and blessing others.

BUT GOD....shows the flip side of that in the book of Ezekiel. A reminder that we can get off course, especially in times of prosperity and ease. (Conviction!!!! I'm all about ease.) Same convicting verse, or snippets thereof, in five different translations

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16: 49, NIV) 

....this... guilt....arrogance, abundant food and careless ease,... not help the poor and needy. (NASB) 

Behold, ....the iniquity, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness ...neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.(KJV) 

The sin...was this: She lived..... in the lap of luxury—proud, gluttonous, and lazy...... ignored the oppressed and the poor. They put on airs and lived obscene lives.  (The Message) 

Behold, this...guilt .... had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. (ESV)

Is this what happens when life gets too cushy (ie prosperous ease)----when there is more self-love than love of God? Does pride set in?

Does complacency begin to take "root" in our lives?

Does pleasure become our idol and our hands the personification of idleness? 

Do these traits benefit and bless others in any way? (Of course NOT!)

Simply put:

BENEFIT AND BLESS OTHERS AS YOU LOVE GOD & LOVE OTHERS!

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS 4/28...continued

4/28/13 ....because of an inability of this wannabe techie to import pix from a different account. Lucy (19 mos.) continued to "feed" a ball to neighbor's dog and then once again she fed herself----this time some watermelon.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: APRIL 28

4/28/13 Birthday celebrations are always fun......especially when you can include family, whether in person or by phone. That's what hubby has done today. Plus Lucy came and Pop-Pop hadn't seen her "in person" since last July!

Preparing "Elmo" toast for breakfast.

Lucy feeding herself.......... 

.......and then feeding Elmo!

Pure Joy....

4/26/13....when the grandaughter you haven't seen in 9 months arrives!

First, Lucy & Shug have tea, naturally....

...followed by a snack.... 

......and washing up our tea set! 

After the rain a little red car ride..... 

....and swinging at Ava's and playing with the doggies. 

"Say Cheese," Elmo!

And there's even a "tub" Elmo at Shug & Pop-Pop's!

Shame on you, Victoria's Secret!

4/24/13 Today's mail held a CCV newsletter with an excerpt from Evan Dolive's blog.

Victoria's Secret is launching a new line of undies aimed at middle-schoolers. Their "Bright Young Things" line will feature "lace black cheeksters with the word "WILD" on them. There's even a lace thong with the words, "Call Me" on the front. As a dad of a 3 yr. old daughter, this made him sick.

It makes me sick as well. As 18 month old Lucy's Shug, I don't want her self-worth during her adolescent years "conforming to the world"(Romans 12:2) by focusing on words emblazoned on her under panties. 

Dolive (3/22/13 & 4/4/13) put it well listing the appropriate concerns he wanted in his daughter's mind at that age....

• Should I be a doctor or a lawyer? 

• Should I take calculus my junior year? Should I go to Texas A&M or U of Texas? 

• Should I raise awareness of slave trafficking or lack of water in developing nations? 

These are questions that he hoped she would be asking, NOT will a boy (or girl) like me if I wear a "call me" thong?

VS told ABC news and W'ton Post that the focus is for their  "pink" group not just tweens. When it's about money, do you believe them? I don't. I'm trying to find the petition that parents are signing to voice their  disgust. If I find it, I'll let you know. Til then, just know that VS greed and exploitation of young women makes me sick. Shame on Victoria's Secret!

I cannot do it.....

4/22/13.....that declaration is so relevant in many new ways and situations as I age. But God.......has been my strength or has provided the answer time after time. Thus that phrase, But God, as my blog readers know, is one I often hang my emotional hat on, especially when I need encouragement or the reminder of God's sovereignty. 

Imagine my excitement this week as I found both the sentence and the phrase in one verse. Joseph was speaking to Pharaoh in regards to a dream interpretation.

I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires. (Genesis 41:16, NIV)

The underlines are mine because that's what I'm meditating on this week as I seek to tackle a new teaching assignment. I cannot do it, but God will----because He has called me to this task. Where God guides, he provides. That's what I'll be thinking on this week, how about you?

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GOD, Creator & Gardener....

4/21/13....so evident thoroughout Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN this past week. From blooming dogwoods, abundant wildflowers and roaring creeks to wild turkeys, domesticated horses and truffle dogs, God's hand was clearly seen.

The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Truffle Dogs--15 Lagotto Romagnolo puppies awaiting their owners 

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. (Genesis 9:3a) 

A godly man...."is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, " (Psalm 1:3)

He makes grass grow for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food from the earth: (Psalm 104:14)

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
    it flows between the mountains. (Psalm 104:10)

And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Genesis 9:3)

How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24)

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice in the Lord. (Psalm 104:33-34)

Blackberry Bye-Bye

4/20/13 So grateful we stayed an extra day! I do so love a rainy day---when you don't have to travel.

Final breakfast treat---"pastry chef" Judy's cream crepes with strawberry, raspberry and "blackberry" sauce , of course. YUMMY!

Night light off

Bye-Bye Blackberry Farm---I'm sure gonna miss you!

ENDING MY DAY....

4/18/13 ....the BLACKBERRY way---with a Luke Bryan concert on the lawn just across the fence. Great temps. Great seats. Great music. Great fun. Great ending to the day.

Luke Bryan concert was good and I loved the drums the drummer used. (far right)

STARTING MY DAY.....

4/18/13......the BLACKBERRY way----with Chef Rick's homemade rhubarb and strawberry pie and a BIG dollop of REAL whipped cream. Add to that a cuppa, a screened porch and a cacophony of singing birds.