authentici-TEA

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, NASB) 

"Tea is a balm for the soul, don't you agree?" Mrs. P. L. Travers (Emma Thompson) asked Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) on the Malco big screen where "Saving Mr. Banks" was showing.

Mr. Disney accepted the tea and the sentiment BUT he understood beyond that. He saw Mrs.Travers, whom he insisted on calling by her given name, for who she was. He also sought to help her not only see her true self, but to accept it as well. 

Accepting one another, warts and all, is authentici-TEA in relationships.

The Lord models that. He genuinely loves us and accepts us. He provides forgiveness as the balm we need. 

The old African-American spiritual,"There is a Balm in Gilead," says it well.

There is a balm in Gilead

To make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead 

To heal the sin sick soul.

 Accepting each other and sharing our own cuppa of authentici-TEA, is a good basis for a genuine relationship. It might even provide a balm for one who is hurting.

Tea Choice: uncertain-TEA? certain-TEA?

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me: Your steadfast love, O Lord endures forever; Do not forsake the work of Your hands. (Psalm 138:8, ESV)

Uncertainty! Isn't that what life is full of? These days uncertainty seems to be the status quo. Many folks "sip" it daily. Sips might be the norm, but continuous gulping of uncertain-TEA can result in fear. One needs to remember the Lord and His faithfulness. One needs to be careful.......not sinking into a fear-induced despair.
Recently I have tried to "manage" the blows of life with a "bootstrap" mentality.
Pulling self up......Getting a grip.......Rather than fully relying on the Lord and His Word.

As the psalmist called upon the Lord, I should also cry out to Him and await His answer, allowing Him to increase the strength of my soul. (138:3) Then, I, too, can wait in an expectation of certainty as the Lord fulfills His purpose for me.

Certain-TEA, a tea sweetened by His love, to be savored with HIm.

weigh-TEA

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, KJV)

Bogged down for several weeks with some disturbing feelings, thoughts, and possible decisions that seemed to weighty for me, I finally asked for help. Help in the form of prayers from the household of faith. God's people. Some things need to be shared.

There are some "teas" that need to be brewed with the Lord's help---- "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) and then poured out to others.

"Come along inside and we'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place." (Wind in the Willows)

Weigh-TEA-----should be a "tea for two." 

Vitali-TEA

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10B, NASB)

Words from Ally, a waitress, jumped off the pages of The Walk as I read it in the early morning hours.
"I meet dead people every day." Her lunch counter philosophy gave me pause as she equated dead people with those breathing people who have just given up on life. "That's all death requires of us, to give up living." (Evans, p.127) How does one get back the zip and zest for living that vitality brings into  his/her life?

Abundant life of vitality comes from union with Him.

Time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer gives needed vitality to life.

Sippin' vitali-TEA with Bible open on my lap and heart open in prayerful communion.
Perfect combo for "Tea with Thee."

SABBATH SNAPSHOT: Liberali-TEA

1/5/14 Allowing for a little poetic license, I am expressing thanks to "trusted" friends who practice liberality in giving freely to my reading life. "Word of mouth"book reviews from such friends are the best gifts for me.

It's the way I discovered Beth's recommended author, Charles Martin. The Mountain Between Us was my first "audio" read and probably my favorite. However his most recent, Unwritten, is one of his "best yet" as well. Of course, that could be because it's the one I've most recently read. "Best yet" term has been coined by my friend, Lo, as relating to the most recent event or experience in one's life. A term easily used with books.

These  friends of "liberality"give recommendations for books and sometimes loans from their own collection, i.e. The Last Jihad, series which I'm still reading. How I love for someone to share an"old to them, new to me," series. Well told stories, in a sequence, that allow one to get to know the characters and the locale. Even if not deemed necessary, I like to start with the first one.

That's what I plan to do on these next few days of possible hibernation. The Walk series, a WH rec, will be opened and savored as I sip my tea & read throughout these next snowy (?) cold days.

I've only read the prologue but I gave myself permission to leisurely continue when I read, " To me it's one man's journey to find hope." (Evans, p.3)

"Liberali-TEA!" A great cuppa to share with book lovin' friends!

at-TEA-tude

See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the WILDERNESS and streams in the wasteland.  (Isaiah 43:19, NIV)

Do you not see it? One can "altitude their attitude" by looking up. Seeing the Lord afresh by refocusing on Him. Reclaiming one's faith, by taking God at His word is an action of an upward attitude.

A fresh brew left the dregs of yesterday's anxi-TEA behind as I opened, Streams in the Desert (1/4) and read a quote from George Mueller. 

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."


Regret looks back.
Worry looks here, there and yon.
Faith looks up.

A new at-TEA-tude as I savored time with Thee.

anxie-TEA

 "Fret not.........Fret not.......Fret not.." (Psalm 37: 1, 7, & 8, ESV)

Anxie-TEA. Not a tea to recommend. Certainly not a tea to sip and savor. Bitterness is left with every swallow. Dregs of regret, self-pity, frustration and fear are left sticking to one's insides. Why does one keep swallowing it?

What happens when one pours herself an anxious cuppa? 

Tea with Thee indicates the need to turn to the one on the throne of one's life. Is it Me? Or Thee? Decide. Then, turn inward to self and more fretting or upward to the One who offers peace.

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37: 4-5)

Time for a re-brew. Choose a new cup. Fresh water and new tea leaves. Discard the dregs and bitter "over-brewed" remnants. 

Sip afresh and "fret not."

Possibili-TEA: a 2nd cup

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13, NLT)

Mulling the possibility of change of any kind, can have one second guessing every decision. When one is pondering a change concerning spiritual matters, second guessing seems to intensify. 
Desire to do God's work, God's way? Desire to edify believers and glorify the Lord? Desire to change?

The change must be His work. "...apart from me you can do nothing."(John 15:5) Apart from God, there is no good thing. (Psalm 16:2) "not adequate in ourselves but our adequacy is from God. He is at work in us." (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Those were my ponderings this morning over a cuppa of possibili-TEA, sipped and savored during my "Time with Thee."
The desire is there. Now the power will come.....if it pleases Him. 

What a thought!

What a possibili-TEA!

Possibili-TEA

Possibility is often about choice.

....fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness......choose this day whom you will serve,.... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14-15, ESV)

A possibilty, for.....this blog....this year, is to focus on devotional-type entries. Entries to be taken from life lessons as I experience them. One cup at a time.

Thus, "Tea with Thee" entries each week will focus on said experiences as I "see" them. Wordplay with "tea" will be added to emphasize the crux of the message---possibly aiding recall of key lessons. Sort of a grammatical aspect of homiletics (think, divergent spelling) to help one remember the preaching/teaching gleaned from time alone with the Lord and in His word.

Universal lessons with uniques applications. Devotionals with a "tea" theme based on seeing God at work in life. 

"Tea With Thee"----a real 2014 possibili-TEA. 

***FYI---January is National Hot Tea Month---a great time to start a tea blog, don't you think!

New Year's Eve 2013

12/31/13 "Frozen," an animated movie, with a grand. A yummy "build your own pizza" from Pyros. Hats and horns "before" midnight. A fun farewell to 2013.