JESUS TODAY

10/3012 It's here! Lifeway and Cokesbury bookstores both have Sarah Young's newest book. Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence.

• I have had the privilege of being in touch with Sarah and praying for her during a time of real physical struggle as she was writing this book on hope. 
• Since she prayers daily for all of those who read Jesus Calling, (and her other books) it would behoove us as her regular readers to extend that same "gift" to her. 
• Pray for Sarah as you pick up one of her "little" devotional books with a BIG message and the blessing will go both ways!

Musing Scripture Interrogatively

10/29/12 Sometimes I gain insight as I muse scripture interrogatively. That might sound like a mouthful, but it usually means that I follow the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) line of questioning as I ponder a passage of scripture. In 2004, at “The Cove” (Billy Graham Leadership Training Center) Anne Graham Lotz taught me to ask these questions when meditating on scripture.

• What does it say? (Facts listed is the way I see this first step.)
• What does it mean? (A comprehensive, in context, going deeper approach.)
• What does it mean to me? (Sort of a how can I apply it to my life approach. A James 1:22-25 reminder to be a “doer” of the word.)

The hearts of the people 
cry out to the Lord.
You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. Arise, cry out in the night,
as the watches of the night begin; 
pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. 
Lift up your hands to him 
for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger 
at every street corner. (Lamentations 2:18-19)

This passage was a hard one for me. From previous verses, I know that beautiful Jerusalem had seen great destruction. Destruction in every area of their lives---physical, mental and spiritual. The prophet Jeremiah was crying out to them. I can only imagine his frustration and drained emotions as he wept for †he Jews. But God had brought this destruction upon them because of their unfaithfulness as a nation.

I sensed pain as I read this and wondered about the starvation and hunger at every street corner. From the context it seems as if it was mainly physical hunger. But could there have been a spiritual starvation present as well?

Though difficult for me to understand, I knew immediately that I could apply this passage to my life by calling out to God. Prayer for my own town and my own nation, where many are starving both physically and spiritually, was my answer. But more than that, I can pick up that envelope off my kitchen table, the one for the Union Mission at 383 Poplar, and send in a donation toward meals for the homeless.

I was encouraged to read in verse 20, that Jeremiah called out to God once again. So there’s another example to follow---perseverance in prayer.

Continue to ask God questions about this “hard” passage throughout the week. He’ll show you the answers He has---answers just for you.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: FALL COLORS '12

10/28/12 Everywhere I've walked or turned all week has been rich with color.....even in my kitchen!

A wagon of pumpkins just say "October 

Root veggies---gorgeous!

Dogwood in fall---a color all its own

Colorful jerseys on a soccer field look good even if blurred by speedy 5 yr. olds

Pomegranate----love, love, love the color!

Afternoon walks in the neighborhood--ablaze with color

Making homemade play dough with brilliant color. MY recipe is the BEST!

Warm play dough, fresh out of the pot seems to roll better.

HEART OF HUMILITY: H2H lesson on James 4:1-10

10/27/12 Because you asked.......at least some of you did, I have posted the link to the Bible Study lesson I taught 10/23/12. Clicking the link should take you right to my voice. Hopefully it will sound familiar to my Ukraine girls. Hopefully, also, being able to pause and use with Google translator might help. I do have notes if that would help. Just let me know.

It's called An Obstacle of Worldliness and Pride though I used "Heart of Humility" as my title. (32 min.)

http://www.firstevan.sitewrench.com/media#!/swx/pp/media_archives/127169/episode/35429

Blessings to all who hear.

Questions for Reflection

10/26/12 Having a daughter who is a professional photographer, I have watched her capture reflections of love, growth, birth and change in all of her “baby’s first year” family portfolios. She beautifully captures those inner reflections of a wide range of emotions.

She has even shown me how one can use reflection to enhance or enrich a picture. I have even tried to capture such reflections as we have traveled. 

Oklahoma City 2012

She can use reflected light or capture diffused light with a filter to show amazing effects and beautiful images. For her, photography is all about lighting. She is always checking her lighting source. She even has meters that read the intensity or degree of the lighting. I’m probably using the wrong terms, but you get the idea of the importance of light and reflection in pictures.

Amateur that I am with a camera, even I, have come to realize that surfaces seem to reflect light more clearly when a surface is completely smooth. To me all this seems to bear a resemblance to a Christian’s reflection of the “light” within them. If I have anxiety in my life or am striving for self- promotion or bearing a fruit of impatience, there’s not smoothness of spirit to reflect that inner light. It will be distorted----full of ripples and waves. Sometimes blurred beyond recognition. Source of light not truly visible.

If one's life is in turmoil from trying to control life himself and do things in his own strength, won't the reflection be wavy and distorted? 

If one's light source is Christ and yet that light is not visible, how can one truly reflect Him and His character?

Living a light-filled worthy life, one submitted to God, will bring about the "smoothness" that comes even with life's bumps and enable us to reflect the Spirit within, as Paul reminds us in the fourth chapter of Ephesians.

 “Live a life worthy….with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
 bearing with one another through love,
 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit
 through the bond of peace; (Ephesians 4: 1b-3)

Have you seen this worthy life in others? Do you reflect this yourself?

Reflections of the Heart

10/24/12

“A mirror turned away from the sun cannot reflect the sun's rays. And a human being turned away from God's Son cannot reflect His love to others.” (Ellen White) This quote has been around a long time and it still holds true.

As I learned in this week’s prep for teaching James 4:1-10, Self is the fullness of a heart turned inward…….NOT outward toward God. There is no reflection of God until we turn toward Him. In humbly turning in love and devotion toward Him, we are then able to reflect that love toward others. It just overflows.

Last week's blog asked, " What would a glimpse of my heart/soul show?"

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

When others see me, “Do they see His image?”

The reflection of this morning's sun streaming through the patio door reminded me of the correct answer.

A soul that reflects Jesus.

Ora et Labora

10/23/12 The book of James, which I will be teaching from later this morning, is about faith producing good works. The good works don’t produce the faith. The root of faith is God’s grace. Faith is a gift from God and works are the fruit of that. The two go hand in hand.

Prayer is a part of the Christian faith---but we don’t stop there. Action follows in ministry to others.

I love the way this parochial school entry proclaimed that idea.

Ora et Labora---Latin for pray and work.

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.

GENEROUS??

10/6/12 ARE YOU GENEROUS? That's today's question. A YES to generosity is also God's answer to all of us. His generosity first gave us physical life and then through His Son gave us life everlasting.

Yesterday, daughter, Molly, gave me a gift that touched my heart----small pumpkins. A perfect seasonal gift for a librarian, who in small ways likes home decor to reflect time changes in a "frost on the pumpkins" sort of way. Molly had made them out of pages from "classic literature"--a tattered Jane Eyre found at a garage sale. A small act to some, but a BIG act of generosity to me.

God's word in Deuteronomy 15:4-6 reminds us that "God gives us a rich inheritance, richly blessing us as we are following His commands so that there will be no need for spiritually poor among us."

Whenever God's people live God's way, generosity abounds. (God Tube, 10/6/12)