"ingenui-TEA" : a re-brew

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14, ESV) 

Sometimes the truth of that verse is hard to believe. Why? Comparison. One of the most destructive things a person can do is to compare himself to others. Each one of us is uniquely made by God, so "to compare" is not reality-based or fair to self.

How easy it is for me to see my creative weaknesses. Inventive, clever, innovative are certainly not descriptors of staid ole me.

In order to fill myself with ingenui-TEA, I would need to sip lots of cuppas. But God....has reminded me that one strength of my personality is ability to appreciate gifts in others, knowing God certainly varies His gifts among His children for His purposes. 

The Lord has filled my life with ingenious folks from family to friends.....and even unknowns. Hubby and children continue to rank as high on my creative folks list and a December 15, 2010 blog entry introduced one such friend and her ingenuous gift. 

Last night at Pyro's Pizza, I appreciated the ingenuousness of an unknown. It was a WOW---so glad someone thought of that. A toe pull! It keeps germy hands at bay when leaving a public bathroom. 

How refreshing to sip a cuppa appreciative, "ingenui-TEA."

"tes-TEA-mony"

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10, NASB)

Walking worthy? Does your walk match your talk? Many people can easily and eloquently articulate their testimony, quoting scripture at every comma.  But....is it real or...just empty God talk?
Could others discredit your words by seeing the discrepancies in your life.
A tes-TEA-mony of a God-filled life speaks volumes. A changed life. Without self-exalting words.
Changed lives reach out in relationship. Lives that find their significance in the Lord are willing to pour into the lives of others. The fruit which they have cultivated in their own lives, (love joy, peace, patience, kindness....Galatians 5:22) is cultivated in loving ministry of service to others. All of this pleases God.
A cuppa sincere tes-TEA-mony can affirm, challenge, encourage and change lives. Celebrities, with media-hype, gather crowds and promote their views.....but, what people really want is to hear from someone whose words and life speak to the core of their being and touch their heart with truth.

Pour out to others. Let them see the Lord in your life

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Philippians 1:27, ESV)
A lifestyle which promotes God, not self, is such a "manner of life." A worthy tes-TEA-mony.

"Generosi-TEA"

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. (1 John 1:9, NASB)

God is certainly a bestower of gifts to His children. A loving and generous God. 

Over the past 5 months I have been a recipient of a full measure of that generosity. For a season I was served cup upon cup of generosi-TEA through a God-given friendship. Claudia and Terry's neighbor, Julie.

Julie who brought light and hope and fun into the lives of both Claudia and me, especially during Claudia's last few months. She added "sparkle" in  the dark spots of the struggle. She was part of my tag team in Claudia's care. We laughed. Talked. Shared. Cried. She understood.
Just as the Lord generously blessed both Claudia and me through Julie, Julie also generously gave of herself. In time, relationship and care, Julie gave a much needed energy to those difficult days.

The three of us realized that the placement of each of us in one another's lives added real understanding of rule #1 in Robert Morgan's, Red Sea Rules. "Realize that God means for you to be where you are." Right where you are. Right at this time.

Now that season of relational proximity is over. The moving van arrived today.

Julie's job has her relocating to a new time zone, almost 900 miles away. The friendship and sisterhood will last, but the ease of personal connection will be more difficult. 

My heart is sad. Yet, how grateful I am for the Lord's generosi-TEA in having our paths cross "for such a time as this."

"TEA-ology"

The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16,CEV)

My play on "tea" words is just a technique to give this old lady something to hang her "memory hat" on, as recall seems to be getting harder each year. But, in no way is it to diminish the truth and authority of God's word. My tea-ology is all about the One who is the authority in my life.

Authori-TEA is the first cuppa one needs to be served when seeking truth. The Bible is the authoritative word of God. Solid understanding of spiritual authority is vital to building one's faith.

These days we live in a culture of "nothority." No one wants to be told how to live. There is no right and wrong in our culture----only shades of gray. Why would one listen to a "do what's right" lecture when, in his view, he's not doing anything wrong.

"A time of half-truths and hidden agendas. (Michele Phoenix.com, 12/30/13) Not my cup of tea.

As I savor His word during my "Tea With Thee" time, may I strengthen my brew by continually adding more of His truth to my cuppa tea-ology.

"Guil-TEA" : a second cuppa

"I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our (my) sins are higher than our heads and our (my) guilt has reached to the heavens. (Ezra 9:6, NIV)

Have you ever felt as Ezra did? 

He fell on his knees and tore his clothes as in humiliation and embarrassment as he called out to the Lord in confession.

I often take to long to get to that point of confession. 

Today's devotional reading at kitchen table NOT my prayer chair. Guilty!

Kitchen sink prayers, hurried no less. Guilty!

No thoughts of confession until I started this blog entry. 

I tend to harbor my guilt in the deep, dark recesses of my mind where they can bubble up, at will. Hanging on to my guilt: Every wrong path taken. Every angry word spoken. every bad attitude.

"I wear guilt well," I often say. Shame on me---that should not be a boast.

I need to "check that guilt" at the door of my mind. Not returning to reclaim it. 

I need to no longer drink from that cuppa. Rather, pour down the drain any guil-TEA that is a bitter dreg in my life----serving it up to Him in confession instead.

Twis-TEA---Curvy paths

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

Twis-TEA---Turvy paths----life is full of them as today's Jesus Calling entry reminded me. But God....is there.....if we "dare to walk on the high road with Him. The low road is circuitous: twisting and turning in agonizing knots." Trust is the direct route to the Lord; the straight path to heaven. 

Before you go out to face your day, choose to sit with a cuppa and your trusty (trus-TEA) Friend. Then, watch as this trustworthy One will straighten those twis-TEA-Curvy paths....even if you're walking them in mid-matched shoes.

NOT a staged picture.
Just the result of a twisty-turvy, distracted mind going to appt with Dr. H.
& not even noticing, until sitting in the office. Hey, at least both are black!

SABBATH SNAPSHOT: Readabili-TEA

Max Lucado is a best-selling author amassing  over 80 million books sold. Why? Readabili-TEA! He is the king of readability. Not shallow books but books that can be easily read and understood and yet still linger in our minds. Worthy of pondering for life applications.

Friend Charlotte recently recommended Traveling Light, an "old" (2001) Lucado book. She knew I was knee- deep in lesson prep on three of the Psalms, one of which is Psalm 23.
As I often do with a new work of non-fiction, I read the conclusion or author's notes first. (I could blog for a week on those gems.) Then, I scan the table of contents and often turn right to a chapter.....one I "need," one I am "drawn to" or one that just "catches my eye." This perusal was no different, though eventually I got around to reading chapter one which offered this wisdom.

• For the sake of those you love, travel light. 
• For the sake of  the God you love, travel light.
• For the sake of your own joy, travel light.

Those nuggets alone had me thinking, on a personal level, all week.
Hubby and I have different traveling styles. When we physically travel, especially by air, he packs lots of bags---at least in the days of "free" checked bags. He also is more likely to pack last minute. I, on the other hand, decide my "light" wardrobe, make a packing list and check off items as I put them in the suitcase. Of course, if I'm missing something, I've learned that he probably has it stuffed somewhere in his bag.
With hubby as a travel companion, I can leave my luggage unattended, knowing that he won't fill it with an explosive, as the airport seems to constantly announce. He pulls my rollerboard, when I tire out. He stows my carry-on in those overhead bins so that they don't shift during the flight and fall out injuring me or others. At baggage claim he's good at identifying my bag and grabbing it off the carousel. Even with his bags, he almost always ends up carrying LOTS of my baggage.
But......when it comes to emotional baggage, he travels light whereas my mind is too often filled to capacity. This baggage can't be carried by hubby-----or others, it's all mine. I need to put it down, setting it at the foot of the cross and allowing the Lord to lay claim to it on my behalf.

The sub-title says it all.
Releasing the Burdens You were Never Meant to Bear. The Promise of Psalm 23.

As Lucado put it....."the bags we gather are not made of leather; they're made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt. The trunk of discontent. A backpack of anxiety and a hanging bag of grief. Add on a briefcase of perfectionism, an overnight bag of loneliness and a duffel bag of fear. No wonder we're so tired at the end of the day."
What's your chapter of choice? There's "Readabili-TEA" at its best in each one.

Tea with Thee: A Re-Brew

In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. (Psalm 5:3, NASB)

March 2, 2010, I blogged "Tea With Thee," not knowing that almost two years later, I would begin to concentrate my blogging on that theme. My first entry had me answering a reader's question by sharing my choices of tea for a good cuppa. Yet, I also included the importance of time with the Lord each day---especially, in the morning.

All of that is still true....but what I had omitted was the joy of the morning time in prayer with Him. Not only the joy of the  moment but also the joyful expectation of waiting and eagerly watching to see His hand in my life throughout the day. Daily "Tea With Thee" is foundational for that renewed focus.

Also, I neglected to list PG Tips as my "tea of choice," when I'm using a teabag or sachet. I don't know what PG stands for but I can give you a Pretty Good Tip---starting your day with the Lord, whenever possible, will give you eyes to see His hand in every area of your life and that's a cuppa worth a re-brew!

guil-TEA

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1, KJV)

I'm already sipping from that guilt cuppa as I realize my lack of planning has meant I can not post a complete blog entry in a timely manner.

However, I don't plan on drinking the entire cuppa because hubby and I are going to a dinner for our dear friend, Katherine, who is visiting from Atlanta. Such a visit is certainly nothing to feel guilty about. Maybe we'll all have a sip of gaie-TEA when we get together.

Original entry will be served as a second cuppa at a later date. Though a cuppa guil-TEA has enough "bite" on its on, I can only imagine how bitter a re-brew will be.

opportuni-TEA

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10, NASB)

Today is "National Pie Day," according to yesterday's Commercial Appeal. This year the designated day, January 23, falls on a Thursday. That info certainly jogged my memory of a by-gone era. 

At our house 31 years ago, when daughter Molly was 3 yrs. old, we designated Thursdays as "our" pie day. Flexible hours, while teaching at the University during that time, worked well with our endeavor. Together we rolled & pinched pie dough, added various fillings and then delivered them to neighbors, newcomers, and folks who could use a lift, as well as Sunday School and Bible Study teachers.

One week our recipient was Molly's Community Bible Study Children's leader, "Miss" Pam. We, with people from all over the Memphis community, met at 2nd Pres. to hear the teaching of God's Word from Katherine Phillips. So.....not knowing where "Miss" Pam lived, Molly just took the pie to her at CBS.

Year's later, a board member of the Neighborhood School purchased one of Molly's village paintings from her "Contemporary Folk Art for the Soul" series for the inner city Christian school. Hanging the picture at the school Molly, the artist, & "Miss Pam," the board member, made the connection of baker and recipient----of a pie almost 30 years earlier. A blessing "unknowingly" reciprocated. 

My cuppa today is filled with opportuni-TEA to pour out a blessing to another in the household of faith. 

I think I'll bake a pie!

I did----HHS' Debbie J's famous Pecan Pie