Thankful Thursday

Blessed beyond measure.

5/31/13 Glancing at the calendar on my beside table jogged my memory. 

I often forget what day it is and even confuse months sometimes. 

Lately, I think I have let Thankful Thursdays slip by me. Which is obvious since this is Friday. 

Actually I did ponder those blessings yesterday. 

So many blessings noted--a thankful heart begins to see God's hand in every aspect of life and is grateful. 

I'm grateful. Are you? 

Look for Him even in the little things & thankfulness will flow, even if it's NOT Thursday. 

In training.....

5/29/13 My morning walk started off briskly and then faded into meandering rather quickly as my mind wandered. Good thing I'm not in training for a 5K or any other kind of athletic endeavor. Yet, the meandering allowed me to reflect on the "training" that has been part of my schedule these last few weeks. As I've studied for my upcoming simplici-TEA sessions, I've seen the importance of "training" for life----the life I want!. An "in Him, I live and move and have my being " type of life. (Acts 17:28)

I like the way John Ortberg encourages "practice" in living. He suggests that one should train in order to be able to "celebrate and to seek out joy, live in the moment, reflect on God’s attributes. Such training according to him might require one to unplug from TV and technology, and to train one’s mind to think on things from a biblical perspective."

Spiritual transformation takes wise spiritual training. 

So....I'm in training. Join me???

MONDAY OOPS

5/27/13 Today has been a "puddling" kind of day for me as the sadness of missing Daddy continued throughout the day. Daddy didn't die on the battlefield but he was severely wounded on the island of Leyte in the Philippines. The day after his wounding his entire platoon was wiped out while on patrol under the soldier who took Daddy's place. A big part of him died that day in a trauma that stayed with him throughout his life.

But God.......reminded me that today is Monday and on this blog Monday means meditating on scripture. 

A gift bag was the prompted meditation .....
the gift bag had the needed verse to free me from the oops of sadness.

It is for freedom God has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do no commit again to a yoke of slavery.

(Galatians 5:1)

MISSING "MY" VET

5/27/13 A few days ago, grandson Owen sobbed. Inconsolable was the word his mommy used. He could only tell her that he was sad. When his heaving sobs finally lessened, she asked why he was sad. His response made me sad as well.

"I miss my old great grandaddy,"

"Which one?" Mommy asked.

"You know---the one I pushed down the hall in his "stroller."

"Grandaddy Brud," his mommy knowingly replied.

My response today is, "I miss him too, Owen. This is my 2nd "Memorial Day" without him."

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: s...l...o...w...i...n...g

5/26/13

In  Living the Life You’ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg states, "One of the greatest illusions of our day is that "hurrying" will buy us more time.” (Ortberg, p.84) He proclaims “slowing” as a sensible approach to our harried, often overwhelming life. To me, "slowing" sounds like a component of simplicity.

Slowing for someone with a type A, multi-tasker, goal- oriented nature requires "big sips of intentionali-TEA." Slowing doesn't just happen. 

A semi-traditional Memorial Day weekend trek for hubby and me is a l-o-n-g drive out Hwy. 14 for the annual Herb Festival. (#24, this year) Not sure when we first started going but nothing much seems to have changed out on narrow two-laned Brighton Compton Road.

Our invite came via  "snail mail," of course!

As Peter “tarried in Joppa with a tanner," we tarried in Brighton w/ goat cheese makers, potters, canners & gardeners. 

Refurbished sign is a nice touch!

Where else can my "city" grand feed or milk a goat---tho he opted out of milking, we saw what held said milk.

Paper receipts were written out with a snub nosed pencil & "cash" was placed in a semblance of a money box by Mrs. Anthony herself.

Slow walk to the car caps the end of this lady's day.

All involved in the festival do “slowing” well. It’s a great experience. 
Just don’t be in a hurry. 

Saturday Snippets #4

5/25/13 Things tend to come in 3s in order to get my attention. A morning email from my Saturday prayer warrior, Wynellen, was first affirmation that I was tracking with God in my lesson prep for simplici-TEA.

Couldn't help thinking that its really no accident you are so busy and your life is so interrupted because that is the real place to learn and practice simplicity  Yes, we need to get rid of things God has not called us to do,  but real people have interruptions.  The secret is a singleness (simplicity in a way) of mind and heart in the whirlwind. 

Secondly, the NYTimes  listed The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan as an advice-type bestseller. The pithy synopsis read, "Narrowing your concentration and becoming more productive." My spiritual take on that would be the same--simplicity requires a narrow focus in order to be productive in the simplicity of "kingdom living."

Then as I reread the familiar scripture of Martha and Mary in Luke chapter 10, one thought jumped off the page. One thing is needful! Maybe the analogy was to reinforce to Martha that one simple dish for the Lord would have sufficed instead of her trying to "serve" Him in an elaborate manner. (She must have lived in "the South" of Bethany, to have such a southern mentality.) But I think He was commending Mary as well for focusing on one thing as she sat at His feet.

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42, KJV)

Underlining brings that snippet into focus for me---with singleness of mind and heart, I narrow my concentration to focus on the one thing that is needful. Time at His feet. That's simple enough.

reali-TEA

5/23/13 Pursuing info for my simpici-TEA sessions, I have realized that there are some things that people need to let go of in seeking a simple life. Perfection would be at the top of the list. Such a list could be entitled "Unrealistic Expectations." If one is truly seeking a life of spiritual simplici-TEA, adjustments in expectations are one of the beginning steps in order to waylay frustration.

For me, finding a perfect cup of tea is  an unrealistic expectation.
Close, but NOT perfect, so fruitless searching continues.
Not even sure what perfect would look like.
Just too many variables!
Adjustment needed---let go of this "silly" pursuit.
I need to let go and just enjoy the "cuppa" at hand!
What are yours?

Reali-TEA of unrealistic expectations is pretty much the same for all of us and the result is frustration!

Frustration: the difference between expectation and reality. 

Adjust your unrealistic expectations! 

Neccessi-TEAs

5/20/13 Remember the "Bare Necessities" song from the 60s? 

The tune randomly came into my head as I drove home from Mary Flo's today where we had been discussing "simplici-TEA and humili-TEA." In my head Louis Armstrong was singing but I don't know if he was the one who sang it in "The Jungle Book." Regardless, those lyrics had me thinking about choosing today's verse for meditation  from ones that are "neccessities" in my pursuit of simplici-TEA study.

Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget about your worries and your strife I mean the bare necessities Old Mother Nature's (Our Lord's own) recipes That brings the bare necessities of life

My "simply necessary" choice for today:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The Lord's recipe for simplicity is located right between the cover of the Bible, His recipe book for life. It's simply a necessity.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: ROYAL HUES

5/19/13 Purple has always been associated with royalty or nobility because of the expensive dyes used to produce the color. I just know that I like it for it's velvety richness.

From my house..... 

...to Dixon Gallery and Gardens....

and a grandson who was "king for a day" as he carried his dollar tightly in his hand & walked alone to church entry after declaring, "You don't need to hold my hand, Shug! I'm 5!" Indeed he is---today's his birthday.

Saturday Snippets (#3) of Simplicity

5/18/13 Simplicity, is hard to describe as it will vary for each individual. There are countless ways of expressing a "simple life." The manifestation will be an overflow of one's relationship with the Lord----not a series of "DOs and DON'Ts."

Therefore set your mind on things above...(Colossians 3:2) and this "kingdom thinking" (Matthew 6:33)   will add all the rest unto you----including spiritual guidance to what your simplicity should look like!

WHERE'S ANDREW????

5/17/13 It might be hard to keep up with a two year old.....but his answer is priceless!!

HERE "MY" ARE!!!

...or as he says to his mom. "Hold you, me!"

Simplicity Angst: Comments

5/17/13 Yes, I know that the pix of books on previous blog entry looked simply ordered and somewhat "neat"....BUT regardless of my  semblance of order, the old adage of "organized clutter is still clutter" kept coming to mind. Plus, my prideful self did not focus on all the piles (papers, open Bible, scattered pens & highlighters, etc.) I kept all those out of range of my camera lens.

ljj says this is just "my" way as I always seem to "spread out" as I begin a study/prep for teaching. Is this just my "beginning" for separating and simplifying?

So what's the life lesson in this? 

• Acceptance, maybe---is this just the way I study?
• Unrealistic expectations---needing to be let go of the pursuit of perfection?
• Quit "wearing guilt" of inadequacy---for the task to which God has called?

I don't know the answers----I just know the One who is the Answer. 

So I need to return to Him---

.....with "the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)

SIMPLICITY ANGST

5/15/13 Ackkk..........simplicity is such a complex issue. Anything but simple---at least to me! How do I  teach it and keep from making it one more item on someone's to-do list??  The DOs and DON'Ts are so-o-o legalistic!

Look at all those bookmarks and post-it notes.  14 books--- Simply overwhelming!

The problem might not be in the lesson preparation but in my heart prep. 

Sarah Young's Jesus Calling entry (5/3) came to mind. Am I trying to please God or man? Any teacher likes to be affirmed BUT GOD says we cannot serve 2 Masters. 

He has called me to this task so I need to trust Him for the results.

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (I Thess 2:4 ESV)

Speak, Lord...

5/13/13 Can you say as Samuel did, "Speak, Lord for your servant hears?" (1 Samuel 3:10)

Lately, many of my e-mails have continued to ask about "hearing God's voice." One in particular stated, "I know I should 'run to the throne, not to the phone' but I need an audible voice with godly wisdom." Being such an audible voice for a friend in the faith is a big responsibility. It becomes even harder when "google translator" is needed to translate from English to Russian.

Haven't we all longed for that audible voice, a light going off in our head or "feeling" God's hand on ours as He leads us to HIS answers to our questions? 

In my life, rarely has the Lord granted me that kind of answer BUT that doesn't mean I should stop asking or stop listening for His answer. Our "hearing" improves every time we "obey" that which we have heard through His word. That repetitive aspect of discipline seems to have us ready to wholeheartedly say "yes" to the Lord because our hearts are more attuned to hear. Then, His nudges in our spirit seem to speak loud and clear.

Simply center on Him as you ask the Lord to speak. You are asking from your center, that inner part where His presence dwells. Then, in His timing, you will hear from Him---whether audible, through His word, through circumstances, or through  godly counsel from others.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Within the context of the verse, the "all" refers to the necessities of life. To me, a necessity in the Christian life is hearing the voice of the Lord. Seeking Him first enables one to confidently approach His throne of grace with a listening heart. Approaching to "hear" from Him----a hearing that goes beyond listening. As with Samuel, it's "hearing" with the intent to obey.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: WARMTH OF FRIENDSHIP

5/12/13 Guys golf---at least my guy. So..."RTJ golf trips" have been on the May calendar for probably 10+ years. This year, with only 3 men golfing, the wives were invited. NICE! 

Robert Trent Jones Golf courses are beauties to behold, even if you're not a golfer. 

Warming "tootsies" by the fire after a day at the course or....at Chez Lulu in the English Village.  Guess where I was!

More Hezleps = more fun! 

Great golf courses have spas for warming the wives.

Same Time Next Year, maybe!

SATURDAY SNIPPET #2

5/11/13 SIMPLICITY, as a spiritual discipline is....

......a path to finding our way home to the heart of God, where we belong. 

(Foster, R. Life With God, p. 167)

NO Wi-Fi!

5/10/12 NO Wi-Fi----at least no wi-fi without paying at this classy golf resort. My frugal self would not let me pay for this "necessity" especially when the manager explained that wi-fi was available at no charge at all of their other lodgings just NOT their resorts! I could have stayed frustrated or even gotten angry, but God.....had a life lesson for me. I, who am trying to learn to apply simplicity to my life, just needed to put the computer aside and enjoy the time at hand. Live in the moment. Embrace contentment   regardless of the "inconvenience. (Philippians 4:11)

Enjoy life & when it gives you lemons, make lemonade or in this case use them in your sweet tea!

And......enjoy it..........I did!

MONDAY MORSEL

5/6/13 Gospel truth. Is that just an idiom that flies around small towns in Kentucky? I certainly heard it a lot during my growing-up years. Kids said it to parents to give credence to their denials or excuses. Students would even say it to their teachers if trying to give validation to their statement.

Gospel truth. Figuratively, it's an unquestionably true statement.

There's also the truth of the good news of the gospel. (Romans 4:25)

Alistair Begg quote in 5/5/13 First Evan Bulletin said it very succinctly:
   Here's the gospel in a phrase: Christ died in my place. That's the gospel.

Simple enough.
That, readers, is the gospel truth of the gospel message. Undeniable.

A morsel for your Monday meditation.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: MOSTLY WHITE

5/5/13 Mother loved white flowers---a look of peace and serenity to her. Her urns on the front steps had white geraniums and her viburnum down the side were filled with those large showy white snowballs from her mama's childhood home. Mother planted snowball bushes from "Mama" Davenport's original bushes for each of her three children. I have done the same for my three by simply burying a blooming snowball while still attached to the tree and allowing it to root. So...the heritage continues. Heirloom snowballs for inside and out.

Saturday Snippets.....

5/4/13..............posted on Sunday. I know. It goes against my somewhat compulsive nature to post "late" but the alliterative aspect of the title won out.

Simplistic snippets, those pieces of info, often just bits or scraps have been whirring in my head ever since I volunteered to create & teach a "Summer Refreshment" course at church.

simplici-TEA---a guided study to unjumble our lives and clear out our stuffed and cluttered minds, hearts, and souls....practical and spiritual approach to living out 2 Corinthians 11:3, with "the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 

It will be similar to joining a friend for a "cuppa" as we take our "simplici-TEA together, one "sip" at a time.

Time has come to put said snippets in some kind of order---to turn scraps into morsels, worthy of sharing with others. A daunting task. But  God.....reminded me that this is to be His work. So....I'm back to the THOTS department of organization--Trusting Him On This Subject!

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. (1 Timothy 1:12, NCV) 

CUL8TR

5/3/13 Not being a texter & only rarely an internet "chatterer," I thought the cul8ter acronym stood for "call you later"---BUT it means "see you later." So simple. Yet I missed it. I didn't read it as it was. I misread it.

As I'm preparing to teach on simplicity, the duplicity found in internet/text speak seems contrary to what I'm learning. In the beginning, "text-type talk" was used to "deceive" parents who might be looking over the kids shoulder as they "chatted" on-line with their friends. Now, the abbreviations are universally used to expedite the message----the shorter, the better. Making it simple. 

Yet, the relational part is omitted. So, as I prepare to teach, I want to remember that though I want to keep it "simple," I don't want to leave out the relationship part.

Simplicity, in the spiritual realm, goes hand in hand with developing a deeper life/walk with Him, the One who created us for relationships. Therefore shortcuts, no matter how simple, can not be used. Otherwise, the meaning might be "misread."

Simple Trust

5/1/13 Sometimes it just takes a "hand" to provide all the trust that is needed. As Lucy left church Sunday with Pop-Pop, I was reminded of the Psalm 37:24 verse....

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. 

That truth is the basis for simple trust for all of us.