Monday thinking

10/22/12 Sometimes scripture can start us thinking about our own impact on others---both good and not so good. 

Tonight’s BSF lesson leader, Cathy C. shared such insight from Genesis chapter 5, which is somewhat a long list of generations. A quick scan would show that death comes to all men---“then he died” being the common refrain. A sobering reminder as this window sign reminds us. 

But Cathy didn’t stop there. Thank goodness. She gave us great faith truths, both comforting and challenging, from God’s word.  Then, she gave us an illustration of a recent class assignment she had given her 11^th graders.

"Use 6 words to write a biographical sentence about yourself." A tough assignment for any of us.

She then gave examples of 3 Old Testament men who stood out because of their faith. It was easy to give a 6 word bio, from scripture, about each of them. Six words in a sentence that accurately depicted the truth about their lives and in one case the impact on others.

Enosh (Gen. 4:26) Enosh called upon the Lord’s name.

Enoch (Gen. 5:22 & 24) Enoch walked closely with the Lord.

Noah (Genesis 5:29) Noah comforted others in the Lord.

Think about your own bio.

What 6 words would describe you and what was important in your life? 

Would any of those words indicate a positive impact on others?

FRANKLY FACING OURSELVES.....

10/19/12.....as we answer this Friday's question since the weekend will be reserved for writing. I will be tweaking the James 4:1-10 lesson I will teach next Tuesday and Wednesday.

I saw this sign on a St. Benedict's school tour a few weeks ago. 

It has certainly had me thinking, "what amount of my heart is filled with gratitude?"

Frankly, "Give thanks with a grateful heart....." has also been "playing" in my head.

WINDOW REFLECTIONS

10/17/12 I am the daughter of a woman who loved clean windows. Hers glistened. In her eulogy, her grandson Buddy recalled seeing her wave good-bye with one hand while holding her Windex in the other. Not just ordinary windex either, but "foaming" Windex glass cleaner which she special ordered. Those storm door smudges were gone before we backed out of the driveway.

I, on the other hand, see (at least for a few days) those smudge remnants as reflections of a treasure---a treasury of time well-spent with "little" folks. 

A recent neighborhood walk had me checking out reflections in windows along my way. Many must employ full time window washers. One home had two beautiful symmetrical windows anchoring the front of the house. The one on the right reflected a light on in a dining area and gave just a glimpse inside. The one on the left caught the sun and reflected the glorious colors of the turning of the season. 

The contrast had me doing a little self reflection. If someone saw past my outward appearance, what would they see? What would a glimpse of my soul show? My outward countenance should be a reflection of the window of my soul. But....is it? Do I just put on a happy face or a pious face for the world's view? 

I don't want to be like the Pharisees in Matthew 23 who only have a clean exterior.

 “Everything they do is done for people to see..."v.5

As The Message says, They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer.

Those are my reflections, what are yours?

LIQUID GOLD

10/15/12 --Retrieving my postal package of "My Cup of Tea" samples, I felt like I had just opened liquid gold. I sensed the renewal and replenishment my weary body would receive from a "cuppa" of any one of these shiny, delightful gifts. A cuppa that went along with my Bible study meditation verse---Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29) ....Say only what helps, each word a gift. (MSG)

While sipping and savoring, my mind went back to childhood days and Mother. Mother, who served us all hot tea. Mother who kept a "spic and span" house. Mother who used a particular brand of furniture polish----Liquid Gold. It's claim was to restore, enhance and replenish. She liked it for the shine it left on her the wood furniture and bannisters.

Mother and Christine, our across the street neighbor, who shared housekeeping tips through lots of years. Christine, who gave me a book called Apples of Gold. What a fitting book that was for me, at age 14, as I entered high school and needed guidance on relationships during that transition period. What I could give others, that would refresh their lives or replenish their drained emotions, as they too, walked those scary halls as freshman, came from that little gold covered book. Words. Fitting Words. Apples of Gold. Words that can leave a shine, not a scar.

 

Memories that had me thinking----are my words to others gifts? A Liquid Gold of encouragment?

An apt word to give a lift? What gift of words can I give that would bring a shine to someone else? 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)

A "cuppa" with a proverb to match---a double dose of liquid gold.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Lookout Mountain & Beyond

10/14/12 "To everything there is a season" and I so-o-o love the turning of each, especially the visual turning to fall.

Blazing pyracantha

Point Park mountain view of Tennessee River 

Dogwood Radiance

New York Monument--only one in nation with both a Confederate and a Yankee soldier

Incline Railroad to Lookout Mountain---STRAIGHT UP

Asters in the fall

RC Colas and Moon Pies available

A "serious" bird house---"See Rock City" on the side 

Even I-40 is "coloring up"

Weekends are for weddings....

10/12/12-10/14/12....in the mountains of east Tennessee for the Terry and Templeton families. 

Friday night fun w/Mom and son

Siblings set up slide show

What a backdrop for a wedding---Tennessee River & Lookout Mnt.

Attendees from 6 mos to "almost" 96 yrs--"Mimi" made the dress

Perfect bridal shoes for a riverside wedding

Those all IMPORTANT vows

A "done deal" for Dana and Adam

Radiant Bride

All in the family, Templeton style

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Templeton

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Bird Study

10/10/12

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. George Eliot

Our summer birds must be in pursuit of a new season as well, because it’s awfully quiet around here.

The flitting and fighting of the hummingbirds at our window feeders ended last Wednesday. Nary a one since then.

As I mentioned in a "Scriptural Bird Watching" blog, I can gain much insight into life lessons while just watching the “goings-on" of birds right outside our kitchen window.

BIRDS---providing a visual “spread” as they come to our backyard to picnic. The feast has really been ours. A feast of never ending chatter---going to miss it---even the jay’s throaty mocking chatter, a raucous ole bird indeed.

Also going to miss….. our robins easing us into the dawn as they search the yard near Grushkin’s fence for fat worms. This week I’ve only seen one.

…..Resident red shouldered hawk---who sits and patrols from the top of Grushkin’s fence and swoops and scares (a striking terror, of sorts) our songirds. Sometimes the fleeing and scattering ones fly right into our windows   Haven’t seen him either, though he did leave a trace of last night’s dinner. Some feathers on the patio and clumps of them in the yard.

During the last days of summer (which extends past the designated calendar date for our birds) our patio resembled a big dining table for the birds (and squirrels) as gold finches still flaunted their colors from atop the umbrella domed feeder, woodpeckers lunched on squares of suet cakes in a little wooden house feeder and carolina chickadees feasted at the cylindrical wired feeder while nearby hummers were taking their last few sips, from their tubes that stick to our windows and are filled with red “hubby” created nectar, before they left us for the winter.

Cardinals offered the male’s brilliant red color, though I am drawn to the muted color of the female with her contrasting orange beak---and both chattered and hopped on the wrought iron table and chairs. A baby was hatched nearby this summer so we watched the mom feed him seeds as if breaking them open on his beak. Though a male, he had a dull coat---as he had yet to gain the brilliance of his manliness or the height of his crest (but a prodigy, none the same) and his mom distinguished herself, for me, as “queen of the moms” as I watched her care for him.

Nowadays I’m only seeing ground feeding doves joining with squirrels as they dig in the grasses weighted with seed that has fallen underneath the feeders---even the chipmunks seem to fill their cheeky pouches there

At twilight the cooing of the dove and the plaintive cry of the whippoorwills no longer blend with the call of the crickets. The crickets are gone too. So quiet.

Most leave. Fewer stay, even with our “buffet” of feeders. Where do they go? Peterson Field Guide to Birds can give us answers as can National Geographic. But….who tells the birds? The Bible gives us that answer---from the creation story in Genesis to Isaiah and the reference from the OT book of Job and on in to Matthew in the NT.

7 But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? (Job 12:7-9) 

“Tell” in verse 7 is a Hebrew word that translates as an explanation by way of illustration. In other words, look at the birds. Study and learn from them. Don’t miss the life lessons God has for you ---even if it comes from something as simple as bird watching.

I’ve enjoyed the lessons and the pleasure of His creation, which brings so much activity and “noise” to our yard.

I’m going to miss it all---farewell, my fine feathered friends! You’ve been a great study!

CROSSWORD CLUES

10/8/12

2 Down. Self importance. 3 letters.

Last weeks USA Today’s crossword puzzle clue had an easy answer. EGO.

This week as I have been preparing a lesson from James 4:1-10, I’ve come face to face with the sin of prIde, which is the result of an over-inflated ego.

An ego, simply stated, that……..

Edges

God

Out

The remedy for that sin, given both in James and Philippians, is humility. A “more of Thee and less of me” concept.

Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. ;(Philippians 2:3, CEB)

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (Philippians 2:3, NASB)

Putting self before God and others is sin---the clues to that truth are found in God’s word. 

Who inspires all scripture?

Three letters. Starts with G.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GREENLINE TREK

10/7/12 Nothing says fall in Memphis better than cool temps and glorious foliage. The foliage isn't quite here yet but....the temps are splendid. Morning walks are perfect and sweatshirts are coming out of storage for evening.

Nandina foliage a fave of mine & I LOVE those berries!

Great trekking on Greenline--- haven't tried it, you should--this is the Perkins heading west section.

Someone even left a bit of "art" on the trail for all to see.