MEDITATION: A REMINDER TO BENEFIT AND BLESS OTHERS

4/29/13 Lots of food for thought from yesterday's sermon about my "vocation" in life, coupled with scripture, results in Monday Meditation. 

Vocation: I am called by God as His child, a wife, a mother and nowadays, a grandmother. Everything I do in life whether at work or play gives context to that purpose as I love God & love others.

Love God! Love others!

Truly loving God and loving others will result in both my work and play benefitting and blessing others.

BUT GOD....shows the flip side of that in the book of Ezekiel. A reminder that we can get off course, especially in times of prosperity and ease. (Conviction!!!! I'm all about ease.) Same convicting verse, or snippets thereof, in five different translations

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16: 49, NIV) 

....this... guilt....arrogance, abundant food and careless ease,... not help the poor and needy. (NASB) 

Behold, ....the iniquity, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness ...neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.(KJV) 

The sin...was this: She lived..... in the lap of luxury—proud, gluttonous, and lazy...... ignored the oppressed and the poor. They put on airs and lived obscene lives.  (The Message) 

Behold, this...guilt .... had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. (ESV)

Is this what happens when life gets too cushy (ie prosperous ease)----when there is more self-love than love of God? Does pride set in?

Does complacency begin to take "root" in our lives?

Does pleasure become our idol and our hands the personification of idleness? 

Do these traits benefit and bless others in any way? (Of course NOT!)

Simply put:

BENEFIT AND BLESS OTHERS AS YOU LOVE GOD & LOVE OTHERS!

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS 4/28...continued

4/28/13 ....because of an inability of this wannabe techie to import pix from a different account. Lucy (19 mos.) continued to "feed" a ball to neighbor's dog and then once again she fed herself----this time some watermelon.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: APRIL 28

4/28/13 Birthday celebrations are always fun......especially when you can include family, whether in person or by phone. That's what hubby has done today. Plus Lucy came and Pop-Pop hadn't seen her "in person" since last July!

Preparing "Elmo" toast for breakfast.

Lucy feeding herself.......... 

.......and then feeding Elmo!

Pure Joy....

4/26/13....when the grandaughter you haven't seen in 9 months arrives!

First, Lucy & Shug have tea, naturally....

...followed by a snack.... 

......and washing up our tea set! 

After the rain a little red car ride..... 

....and swinging at Ava's and playing with the doggies. 

"Say Cheese," Elmo!

And there's even a "tub" Elmo at Shug & Pop-Pop's!

Shame on you, Victoria's Secret!

4/24/13 Today's mail held a CCV newsletter with an excerpt from Evan Dolive's blog.

Victoria's Secret is launching a new line of undies aimed at middle-schoolers. Their "Bright Young Things" line will feature "lace black cheeksters with the word "WILD" on them. There's even a lace thong with the words, "Call Me" on the front. As a dad of a 3 yr. old daughter, this made him sick.

It makes me sick as well. As 18 month old Lucy's Shug, I don't want her self-worth during her adolescent years "conforming to the world"(Romans 12:2) by focusing on words emblazoned on her under panties. 

Dolive (3/22/13 & 4/4/13) put it well listing the appropriate concerns he wanted in his daughter's mind at that age....

• Should I be a doctor or a lawyer? 

• Should I take calculus my junior year? Should I go to Texas A&M or U of Texas? 

• Should I raise awareness of slave trafficking or lack of water in developing nations? 

These are questions that he hoped she would be asking, NOT will a boy (or girl) like me if I wear a "call me" thong?

VS told ABC news and W'ton Post that the focus is for their  "pink" group not just tweens. When it's about money, do you believe them? I don't. I'm trying to find the petition that parents are signing to voice their  disgust. If I find it, I'll let you know. Til then, just know that VS greed and exploitation of young women makes me sick. Shame on Victoria's Secret!

I cannot do it.....

4/22/13.....that declaration is so relevant in many new ways and situations as I age. But God.......has been my strength or has provided the answer time after time. Thus that phrase, But God, as my blog readers know, is one I often hang my emotional hat on, especially when I need encouragement or the reminder of God's sovereignty. 

Imagine my excitement this week as I found both the sentence and the phrase in one verse. Joseph was speaking to Pharaoh in regards to a dream interpretation.

I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires. (Genesis 41:16, NIV)

The underlines are mine because that's what I'm meditating on this week as I seek to tackle a new teaching assignment. I cannot do it, but God will----because He has called me to this task. Where God guides, he provides. That's what I'll be thinking on this week, how about you?

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GOD, Creator & Gardener....

4/21/13....so evident thoroughout Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN this past week. From blooming dogwoods, abundant wildflowers and roaring creeks to wild turkeys, domesticated horses and truffle dogs, God's hand was clearly seen.

The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Truffle Dogs--15 Lagotto Romagnolo puppies awaiting their owners 

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. (Genesis 9:3a) 

A godly man...."is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, " (Psalm 1:3)

He makes grass grow for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food from the earth: (Psalm 104:14)

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
    it flows between the mountains. (Psalm 104:10)

And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Genesis 9:3)

How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24)

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice in the Lord. (Psalm 104:33-34)

Blackberry Bye-Bye

4/20/13 So grateful we stayed an extra day! I do so love a rainy day---when you don't have to travel.

Final breakfast treat---"pastry chef" Judy's cream crepes with strawberry, raspberry and "blackberry" sauce , of course. YUMMY!

Night light off

Bye-Bye Blackberry Farm---I'm sure gonna miss you!

ENDING MY DAY....

4/18/13 ....the BLACKBERRY way---with a Luke Bryan concert on the lawn just across the fence. Great temps. Great seats. Great music. Great fun. Great ending to the day.

Luke Bryan concert was good and I loved the drums the drummer used. (far right)

STARTING MY DAY.....

4/18/13......the BLACKBERRY way----with Chef Rick's homemade rhubarb and strawberry pie and a BIG dollop of REAL whipped cream. Add to that a cuppa, a screened porch and a cacophony of singing birds.

 

Easing into and Enjoying a Day..........

4/17/13  ....the "Blackberry" way.

Starting the day with yummy, healthy breakfast, good conversation and an abundance of laughter.

Celebrating Blackberry Farm's Master Gardner,  John Coykendall's, 70th birthday .

Ah-h-h-h those rocking chairs and that view!

BF luncheon appetizer with the BEST bleu cheese ever

Wine cellar tour at The Barn----and Doris got a box.

Farmer John and "his" visiting ladies

MOUNTAIN MAJESTY

4/16/13 A picture is worth a 1,000 words as the old adage goes.

This plaque says it all.........

....except I would swap the word lucky for blessed and add....especially if one is with 3 great friends at Blackberry Farm!

God Speaks--- "Hearing God's Voice in Creation"

4/14/13 Last week's word search on "simple" lead me to meditate on Psalm 19 which lead me to an Old Testament reminder of God speaking in a general way through creation. His fingerprints are carried throughout nature. That speaks volumes to me. God speaks through nature. Springtime has His voice singing to me. In living color! A colorful melody.....but His voice all the same. No wonder this song was written by David "for the director of music." 

The heavens declare the glory of God;
 the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4)

Mayapples covering the Greenline Trail

God also speaks through His people. As we worked all day Saturday at the Kingdom Camp, I thought of what our actions were saying to those who would enjoy the fruits of our labor. When we are the hands and feet of Jesus, His love to others speaks through us. I hope the kids who walk those trails and pathways we created will hear His voice and heed.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: In the Pink of Memphis Springtime

4/14/15 Remember Robert Browning's "Pippa Passes"---at least the "innocent parts?" I do because my 4th grade teacher Mrs. Munday, whom we called "Miss Alice" used it to proclaim God given moral order. (Back in the day when you could do that sort of teaching in public school.)

The year’s at the spring, Day's at the morn..........
God’s in His heaven—
All’s right with the world!

I see God all over our Memphis springtime! 

At my feet on the Greenline walk

Pink cherry blossoms against a blue sky

Pink shades of the tulip 

The Terry's bright neighborly border

"My" Molly's azalea, planted in 1979---just beginning to bloom

Have mercy, O God!

4/13/13 The entry I had intended for today seemed too frivolous to post. Our neighborhood is grieving as "one of us" lost her son yesterday. The pain. The grief. The blow to the heart, the stomach, the psyche and every other part of her being is so evident. The tears of his sister. Her grief and deep love for her brother written in her eyes and seen all over her tear-stained face. The hugs, shared tears and other  attempts of comfort from neighbors and friends seems like so little. What can one do but cry out for God's mercy! But God, who is rich in mercy, (Ephesians 2:4) is plenteous in mercy to all them that call on Him. (Psalm 86:5b)

In Memory*

of

William Grove

1972-2013

loving son, devoted brother, caring father

He will be sorely missed, especially by sons Max (9) & Wyatt (4)

* A beautiful memorial service was held at his family's home in the outside "sanctuary"created by his mother, Lynda, a true master gardener. His life was celebrated on a glorious and sunny Saturday--even the neighborhood hawk came to pay a visit.

"POURED OUT"

4/12/13 I am no Paul, though I do have a Barnabas in my life---a friend of spiritual encouragement. Today she even came to my back door with just the book I needed in my consideration of "strategic service." 

I sat in my prayer chair with Bible and journal open, books scattered here and there and poured my self a "cuppa." And then I asked myself, "Am I willing to be "poured out" for others. 

The Lord is teaching me anew in an ongoing struggle. Life lessons that I need.

But God.....poured out His Spirit and spoke to me through His Word. Relevant scripture had me thinking of sharing these truths & life lessons

with others in an intentional way.

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2: 1-4)

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. (Philippians 2:17)

Pour me out, Lord.

Simply seeking.....

4/10/12 Seeking.............

• simple faith 
• simple sustenance
• simple serenity

....for  sacrificial giving, strategic service and sowing seeds of hospitality.

 A simple quote from C. S. Lewis and a simple scripture passage kept me focused.

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.  (Classic quotes collection, C. S. Lewis)

Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29: 9-18)

Simply said, it's all about seeking Him.

There's a Psalm for that....

4/8/13 Relating recently to friend Wynellen that I was once again "camped-out" in the Psalms, I actually felt guilty about that admission. It's been a year and a half now and I'm still there. I've even intentionally included praying and meditating in selected psalms on birthdays of friends and family.

So, why should I feel guilty? Possibly because I can "do guilt" very well. I think I was afraid that I was in a milk-toast study. I so loved the psalms that I didn't desire to move on, at least not during my quiet times of prayer and reflection. During study times, I am in Genesis and Ecclesiastes. (Listen to me---trying to defend my "guilty" choice of Psalms, as if any book of Scripture isn't a worthy choice, in and of itself!!!)

Summer 2010, son's Allen Bible Church did a series on "Engaging God and One Another thru the Psalms." So....I reread some of those blog notes to remind myself that Psalms are profitable for any season." "Psalms that can help me personally keep engaging God right where I am." (Buddy, 6/13/10)

RIGHT NOW I need a psalm of intercession---there's a psalm for that.....

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11-12)

That Psalm is Psalm 5----for such a time as this.......in this person's season---a Psalm just for that.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Fix-up, Clean-up in the neighborhood

4/8/13 When the rain finally subsided, many neighbors came out anxious to begin Spring cleaning.....in both the house and the yard. 

He changes times and seasons; (Daniel 2:21) and in Memphis on our street, we are ALL so grateful for that truth.

All the tools needed, even safety glasses,  for  Owen to help Pop-Pop.

Not sure what this neighbor has in mind but I think I'd like to follow suit...if it results in less stuff.

Snack in one hand and rake in the other,  Miss A is ready to help Daddy. Love the boots!