Verbosi-TEA

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.......(Ecclesiastes 5:7, NIV)

Yesterday after opening to the front flyleaf of my Jesus Calling, I saw the inscription from Sarah Young with the date 8/25/13. "It's lovely to meet you and talk over tea."

What a memory trigger! One year ago she had served me tea. Constant Comment tea. 
Constant comment is almost an oxymoron for Sarah, at least as an author. With all of her books, but especially her first "little" devotional book, Jesus Calling, she is anything but verbose. Certainly, not given to wordiness. No excess. 

She explained to me that when she writes she often sits before the Lord for long periods. Meditating on God's Word. Thinking. Limited writing. That must be what it takes to say the most with the fewest words. Words that seem to speak to each reader, right where she/he is in life. Words used by God to touch hearts. Meaningful words---not just words to fill space.

This morning over my cuppa Constant Comment, I meditated on verbosi-TEA. In both writing and talking, I often add words, out of nervousness, in order to fill empty space. Too many words. Yet, scripture teaches that such excess actually creates emptiness.

"In many words there is emptiness," is the NASB version of Ecclesiastes 5:7. 

Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (Proverbs 2:19, NLT)

Constant comment is not necessary. 

Verbosi-TEA is a cuppa that one needs to temper with more thought. Too many words would weaken it. Stir in some med-tea-tation to strengthen it. That's the way to serve that strong cuppa which most believers desire. 

"op-Tea-mism"

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26, NIV)

Striving to continue my optimistic approach to darkness, God uniquely offered a little help. The Sunday comics. "The Family Circus" (CA,8/24) has had lots of good theology for me lately. Served right alongside my cuppa op-TEA-mism. 

Billy saw the beauty in the backdrop of darkness---because of his optimistic attitude.
Then he shared that optimism with his siblings!
"Know what? We have beautiful stars in our neighborhood." AMEN, Billy!

The life lessons continued at church as Lincoln Brewster's lyrics to  "God You Reign" scrolled across the big screen.

You paint the night, You count the starsAnd You call them by nameThe skies proclaim, God, You reign.

I love it when I'm at the beach, in the country at Full Circle Ranch....or just like Billy, on my own doorstep and I can look up at the dark sky and see all those stars which God determined and named. (Psalm 147:4)

Darkness proclaims God.

Tonight I'm gonna take my cuppa op-TEA-mism out and see for myself.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : atroci-TEAs

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is rife with atrocities---and if there is a cuppa I abhor, it's any cuppa with a blend of atroci-TEA. Thus, a lengthy span of time was created as I would pick this book up and put it down---again and again. BUT, I was drawn to this book, as both my dad and Larry's dad were stationed in the Pacific during World War II, with his dad actually in Japan for part of his deployment.

It's a real page turner, though I had to read it only during the daylight hours, as sleep would allude me after reading of the horrors and realities of war, in particular Japanese POW camps--where Geneva convention rules were not followed.  This lady did her homework and documented every smidge of detail---think, a 14 page index and 50 pages of notes and citations.
Definitely a work of non-fiction! If this were a work of fiction, you wouldn't believe it!

Starvation I have never known and torture I couldn't begin to imagine, chronicled in the book, changed my thinking. I may never dump leftovers in the sink again or read current newspaper stories of on-going wars with out a sickness in the pit of my stomach.

As strange as it sounds, I'm glad that I read it. Hillenbrand introduced me to real heroes. Regular guys just like my dad. Places mentioned awakened my Daddy's voice in my head recalling his story of basic training at Hickam Field in Honolulu, even though he was in the Army and not the Air Force. As a young married 19 yr. old, he had his first taste of "fresh" pineapple in fields near that base. He and some of his buddies pulled the fruit up right from the field. Daddy remembered how those pineapples they burned his mouth---not like the Del Monte canned ones on the shelf at Davenport's grocery in Clarksville, TN, owned by his father-in-law.

Later, he was shot by Japanese snipers on the island of Leyte in the Philippines, an event that would require hospitalization thus saving his life. The sergeant who replaced him, along with his entire platoon, was killed the next day. Having read the book, I understand why Daddy rarely spoke of those events. As the real life characters in the book, he, too, must have found it too painful to recall.

Unbroken is, as the subtitle suggests, a story of survival, resilience and redemption. Well-written and "needful" but a hard read all the same---not for complexities of text but because of topic. Atrocities of war!

If you do pick it up---you MUST read to the end---that's where hope lies!! The final chapters and the Epilogue make it "worth the read."

Quotabili-TEA : a re-brew

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17, NKJV)

Having been dunked last night in the ALS "ice bucket challenge," my brain is a little fuzzy....or frozen. 

Thus, not much wisdom is easily recalled.

But God....reminded me of a few notes in my marginalia that seem perfect for sharing on such a day.......
......Words of wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 says that the "Lord gives skillful and godly wisdom".....and I so appreciate those who take His wisdom and put it into succinct phrases or pithy grabbers, as I call them, that enable easier recollection for me.
Quotes are from famous folks, often via not so famous folks, and other quotes are out of the mouths of friends and family that have "stuck in my mind" for whatever reason. 

Enjoy----

• Way we see God, shapes the way we see others. (Cole Huffman, 5/25/14)
• Compare and you despair. (JoLynn)
• When man works, man works; When man prays, God works (First Evan--World Prayer Focus w/ Operation World prayer guide)
• To say "if" a man sins is like saying "if" a Memphian drives on Poplar Ave. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, eventually, you will end up on Poplar. (Taylor Park, 6/29/14)
• "Bethel Moments"--God was there and I knew it not. (Cole, 8/17/14)
• When "stuck"--"throw an escape party, not a pity party. (Ibid)
• God always outlives the pallbearers. (Ibid) (Pallbearers are the church naysayers.)
• Saint---a person whose life makes God believable. (C.S. Lewis, NKJV marginalia)

A delightful cuppa "quoatibili-TEA" shared.

Shug and PopPop's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

In memory of Ellen Stewart's dad and Liz Curland.
A challenge to Hoptown High Class of 64 and the Brooklyn Liles.

"Positivi-TEA"

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things. (Isaiah 45:7, NLT)

Positivi-TEA. Sounds like a made up word to me. But....I knew that I had spent enough time on the negativi-TEA of darkness so a check with Merriam Webster showed that positivity is indeed a word.

Actually, it was an email last night from my son-in-law which reminded me of Corey's surety that God uses darkness. He began with his memories of night-watch comfort words from his dad and then went "fast forward" to the memory of hearing a radio pastor speaking on WCRV/Bott Radio about darkness being a result of the absence of light. Then Corey concluded with some physical "uses" of the dark.

"I am sure The Lord has alot of reasons for darkness,...rest, cooling the earth and vegetation or to see His heavenly handy work." Corey even ended his email with Isaiah 60:20, and this comment, "a great verse that speaks about the two great lights, greater and lesser and how they won't be needed anymore because He is sufficient."

Those "dark affirming" reminders had me thinking of the importance of embracing darkness as from God's hand and to look for it in a more positive light. Certainly the darkness of the night sky provides the perfect backdrop to showcase the splendor of His "starry" creation.

Then, a scripture search offered a little more light on darkness....and I loved it!

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:21)

עֲרָפֶל, the Hebrew word for that thick darkness is araphel: cloud, heavy cloud. But it was there in that dark cloud that the Presence of God dwelt. God in the darkness!

Darkness is as sure a sign of God's Presence as is the brilliance of His glory.

My cuppa positivi-TEA was all the sweeter when combined with "collects" (prayers) from my Common Book of Prayer and night prayer, compline 133, " Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne and illumine this night with your celestial brightness,"

My cuppa didn't allow much light but I appreciated the rich darkness of both the tea and its translucent container. A step toward positivi-TEA.

Tac-TEA-cal

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God,....so that....you may be able to stand your ground,.....Stand firm....with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,..... the breastplate of righteousness in place,....and.....your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition......take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17, NIV)

Are you ready for war? Christians need to be---now more than ever before, it seems. Just watch the nightly news. The warfare all over the screens are literally spiritual. But those battlefields are not the only tactics that the evil one uses.
On the homefront. In the ordinary times. Daily onslaughts are real, even if they are not as obvious as automatic weapons. Therefore, we, too, need a strategy to ward off those attacks so that we and our loved ones are not broadsided.

Friend, Suzie, follows the Ephesians 6 method of preparation as she "dresses" herself every morning in the military garb needed for such spiritual warfare.

This adroit planning has her thinking beyond the day---she's tactical as she prepares for a military-type end to overcome any obstacles or traps which might be set by the enemy. Think victory!! Spiritually victorious as she overcomes the attacks and temptations. How? She had not only spiritually done (dressed) her part, but full preparation included reliance on the Lord and His strength through prayer.

Fill a cuppa tac-TEA-cal preparation.  It a good way to start one's day.

"luminosi-TEA"

even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:12, NIV)

Don’t be fooled by the luminosi-TEA title. This entry is really about darkness.

Mother would always tell us that we had to be home by dark. That meant we were virtually free to roam the neighborhood until then---an activity unheard of these days. But…because of her admonition, it was easy to assume that bad things loomed and lurked in darkness.

Even as an adult, the darkness that sometimes penetrates my insides seems to get worse as darkness falls outside. Fears become like giants in a kid’s book, attracting and growing more darkness. Like a large shadowy magnet.

Lately I’ve needed words for friends who are in dark places where I’ve never been. So dark, that just quoting scripture would sound platitudinous, if there’s such a word.

• I know nothing about the darkness of living in a war zone as Liza described in her morning email. 
• I can only imagine how scary the place is for a friend whose spouse has had not only a sudden and alarming diagnosis but a gloomy prognosis as well.
• Darkness of job-related worries of several friends; concerns that I can't fathom. 
• I have not experienced the day in and day out darkness of living with chronic pain as the situation of blog friend in AR. 
• Nor have I lived with the fears induced by physical blindness as has a friend just around the corner.
• My heart aches for a dear friend dealing with a BIG potential problem---the fear of it has left me without words.

These are dark places being experienced this very day in the hearts of believers whom I know.

I know that the Light of the Lord is there in all these situations….but that doesn’t negate the existence of those dark places.

……. in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)

As Dolly explained to P.J---"the sun is there, it's just behind all the dark."
(Commercial Appeal Comics 8/16/14), 

I want to serve them a cuppa luminosi-TEA so that they have strength and hope in the midst of fear and trouble----knowing that they are not alone, as God's all seeing eyes can penetrate even the darkness! 

"Stabili-TEA" : a rebrew

And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure. (Isaiah 33:6, NASB)

Stability is synonymous with security and safety. To me, it's rock-solid. For the past couple of weeks, prayers for an "impending deal" have been a test.*

A test of waiting. "Waiting with absolute certainty that God is sovereign. Waiting with scripture verses in mind rather than fretting and being unduly upset." (dotsydetails 2/24/14)

A test of stability---mine, not His.

 A test of trust. 

Yet, even when my trust seemed to be wavering, my prayers were stable--never ceasing. I sensed the Lord was present, I just didn't know the outcome. I wanted the kind of resolution for my family that Hezekiah had experienced as he trusted in the Lord God of Israel.....for "the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook." (2 Kings 18:7) Regardless of the outcome, I desired my family to stand firm in the words of Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." 

That "solid rock" is what one's faith is built on. 

So many teas brewed in a cuppa stabili-TEA---solidi-TEA of faith being one. 

A cuppa choice.

*A big thanks to blog reader, Nancy E., for the stabili-TEA email encouragement followed by phone prayers that "sealed the deal!"

Rec-TEA-tude

But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11, NET Bible)

 Pursuit of righteousness. Righteousness---synonymous with rectitude.

Rectitude was the word I heard last night from the monotone ”reading” voice on my audio iBook. It’s the word I remembered this morning as I struggled to awaken after a “short” night of sleep.

The struggle started last night as I was still awake in the wee hours because sleep had alluded me….probably because I had continued page turning in a book whose topic greatly disturbed me.*

One of my insomnia tactics is to listen to a work of non-fiction read by a monotonous voice in order to push out thoughts that are keeping me awake, thus lulling me to sleep. Even as I was lulled to sleep, that word, rectitude, stayed with me.

Strong moral principals to guide my loved ones’ thoughts and actions are always upper most in my desires for their lives. However, I know that rectitude cannot be legislated.....but it can certainly be modeled in the early years and prayed for in the latter.

A cuppa rec-TEA-tude.

May my children and their spouses sip such and serve it to their own children tempered with the milk of God's word and the fruits of righteousness.