"Tea-dium"

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)

In response to a recent question, "Are you always drinking tea?" (Possible underlying question, doesn't it get a little monotonous to "sip" something without much "kick" to it?) 

Do you change flavors with the seasons? (Possible underlying question, doesn't it lose it's appeal after awhile?) For answers, see below......

Most every day, I drink a morning cuppa or two, usually a good black tea. Assam loose leaf comes to mind. (Sameness and routine are okay with me.)

As the Mad Hatter says to Alice, in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, "It's always tea time." (chapter 7) 

For the March Hare and the Hatter it was always 6 o’clock and they were always drinking tea---certainly no TEA-dium at their tea party. 

Possibly, I enjoy my morning cuppa, even if it's not at 6:00, because I see it as my time with the Lord---"Tea with Thee."

My morning, or sometimes afternoon, “tea party” only has one invited guest.....who always shows up. It's the time when I can lay out all the pieces of my life before Him. The good. The bad. The ugly. Often, the same-o-same-o.

How grateful I am that He doesn't see this same-0, same-o time with me as "TEA-dium," regardless of the time of day.

Certainly for me, it's NOT a tedious time, but a glorious time.

"frui-TEA" cuppa choice

Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others. (Galatians 6:4, CEV) 

"Commit to be Fit"---was my month pledge to exercise classes at GAC, a health club. 
I've been very diligent-----because there's a prize that will benefit my grands. 
Others are doing it better than I, without regard to the prize. They actually go beyond the facility with their "Bit- Fit" that continues to monitor their fitness level. But God....says "Don't Compare."

In my daily life maybe I need an exercise that will please Him. A spiritual "Boot Fruit" to give me a kickstart and a monitor that would include a read out of verses to keep me motivated. Motivated to: Love God; love others; serve God; serve others. All fruit bearing exercises!

Reminders that apart from Him I can bear no fruit, (John 15:5) fruit bearing is in His time, (Psalm 1: 3) a good tree bears good fruit.., (Matthew 12:33) what "good" fruit looks like, (Galatians 5:22) love is the fruit that sets Christ's disciples apart. (John 13:35)
"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (John 15:8)
Is a fruitful life necessary for bearing the right testimony to others? The oh so quotable John Bunyan says it well.

So......with my morning cuppa "frui-TEA," I had a choice to make, fruitless or fruitful. The criticisms of those who don't understand the "shape" of my ministry don't count. Only God's approval matters. A raised fruitful cup of praises to the One whom I represent. 

"liber-TEA" is a cuppa relief

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14, NIV)

One can not wait until the one who offended him asks for forgiveness. Forgiveness is a heart issue. An unforgiving heart remains in bondage to the offense.

One needs to forgive for his own sake. May each one, struggling in this area, begin with remembering that the basis for one's own forgiveness was established 2000+ years ago.

Forgiving isn't about the other guy. Typically, they don't "get" the depth of the offense or realize the damage it has done to the relationship. Sometimes, said offender doesn't care whether you forgive him or not. 

Therefore, the offended one must forgive for his own sake. Carrying such anger can eat away at his insides, and steal his inner peace. 

Christians forgive because it's spiritually healthy and because "God says so." There are no exceptions. When the infraction has caused a chasm in a relationship, one must still forgive. Nothing imprisons quite like a grudge. When one has stolen the innocence of life and hope as you once knew it, remember to forgive the thief, not the theft.

Forgiveness has the benefit of personal freedom.

A cuppa liber-TEA is warm and soothing, washing relief over one's insides----yet, invigorating life at the same time. 

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : peculiari-TEA"

Folks who know me, know I have a peculiar way of reading---especially a work of non-fiction. If I'm using a book in preparation for a literature-type workshop or a Bible Study lecture, I begin with skimming and scanning. That method, coupled with a Table of Contents or a good index can get me to what I need quickly. The downside---missing out on "goodies" that aren't on my "need-based" reading. If I'm reading a work of an author who is grounded in God's word, writes well & often infuses her writing with personal reflections, I end up reading beyond my need......and that can be entertaining.

I might have missed Lysa TeKeurst's  Made to Crave-satisfying your deepest desire with God not food, account of taking out her pony tail holder on "weigh day"& saying, "hey it's gotta weigh something." Or "Two and a half cinnamon rolls later, I decided tomorrow will be ... better day.....to eat healthier." (p. 27) Wow, can I relate to that struggle. I still remember her "tankles" story. (p. 78)
Relating to the reflective aspects of an author's life in a work of non-fiction, are a plus for me. I prefer "realness" to dryness. 
TerKeurst is NOT dry. Just reading her "Contents" will draw one in. I went first to "The Curse of the Skinny Jeans chapter. I skipped around to a few more chapters with notebook in hand and then realized that this was a come back to "cover to cover read---without my notebook.....but maybe a few © Post-It bookmarks.
Personal and practical while interspersed with God's truth. A good combo.

As I often do, if I find an author whose work seems to "speak to me," I check out his/her works. That's how I found TerKeurst's Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed. This small practical book had just the chapter I needed on "Hearing God's Voice" that offered 5 questions" I could offer to some gals who continue to need answers to hearing God's voice. 

But a further perusal led me to Chapter 5, a chapter "just for me." Dealing with "Foes of Grace (naysayers) "The Great Dance" and Choosing to Worry or Worship" those sections spoke to my heart. That's "my" chapter but I'm sure there is a unique one for each reader.....or, I can share mine, if your need-based reading peculiari-TEA is to discover what keeps you from radical obedience.

"Sinceri-TEA"

Above all, brothers, do not swear oaths by heaven, by earth, or by any other object. Instead, let your "Yes" mean yes and your "No" mean no! Otherwise, you may fall under condemnation. (James 5:12, NIV)

Sinceri-TEA is a special tea blend that most of us desire not only in our own lives but in the lives of others as well. Naturally, a little hones-TEA and dependabili-TEA are blended in this cuppa. Probably sweetened with a heaping spoon of trust too.

For the Christian that should be A man can be taken at his word. Daddy said that years ago that's all it took----your word. As Horton the Who said, I "meant what I said and I said what I meant...."
Do I? Do you? Or are we saying just what we think others want to hear? If so, our words of sinceri-TEA have just sloshed in the saucer and are getting stale and cold. Not very palatable.

Truth be told: Extra sloshed tea added for effect.

Sinceri-TEA, a cuppa we all want in our relationships.

"frugali-TEA" BUSTED!

.........the righteous give generously (Psalm 37: 21, NIV)

Today's Commercial Appeal Baby Blues cartoon gave an example of frugal, that spoke to my economically sparing heart.

"Market price" means we've wandered into the wrong restaurant." 

I tend to sip from the melmac cup of frugali-TEA. My kids say I can easily wander into the "cheap domain." Even friend Terry P. asked me if I had Scotch blood in my veins. I do admit that I watch my pennies and I don't like waste. A "repair rather than replace" mentality.

Granted, frugality, in and of itself, can become an idol of its own. Sort of like a shopping martyr persona. On sale or with a coupon or NOTHING. More frugal to a fault than generous to a fault, maybe?

I don't want a "stingy" mentality----I want to give generously. I hope that's why I'm careful with my money.  I rationalize that I practice the frugal life so that I can give. Yet, if that's not what others perceive then obviously there's a problem here. A"trust" issue? Pride?

May I daily sip the cuppa God has for me---whether it's a cuppa generosi-TEA, sipped & served to others spontaneously or the cuppa frugali-TEA that allows me to give generously to others in a God-directed "measured way."

Generosi-TEA---from a God-filled heart.

Serenditpi-TEA

...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:18b-19, NIV)

Today was Elnora's day---it's always the last Thursday of the month. A member of our family for over 35 years, Nora "raised" our babies. On her day, activities vary but always include food and often one of those crazy Madea movies, if one is showing. Today included a Whimsy Cookie Co stop. It was also going to include Bears, a nature movie because Elnora loves animal shows.

But....the time was different than we planned so we went "Heaven is for Real." The movie has gotten a lot of "rotten tomato" reviews so there were no high expectations. But then isn't that what serendipity is.....desirable discoveries, by accident. 

Any movie that starts out with a choir practicing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" has a favorable start----since that, as most readers know, is my favorite hymn. Having read the book,  the storyline was familiar, but the scenery was a surprise----Nebraska panoramic at its best. Plus, the youngster who plays 4 year old, Colton was boyish adorable, with eyes that "talked."  It's the kid who steals the show.

If you don't believe me, ..... 90,700,000 results came up when I googled---adorable Heaven is for Real boy.

Nora, who always talks during a movie, was silent throughout. I who can't sing, sang along as it ended with my favorite verse of that favorite hymn of mine.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

An afternoon of serendipit-TEA, sweet tea at Soul Fish and a movie served with buttered popcorn, as an after thought. 

"Brevi-TEA" : a rebrew

Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. (Ecclesiastes 5:3, NLT)

Terse verse. I'm an admirer. Always have been. It's fun. it became a car game for us on long trips. We called it stink pinks. (one-syllable) A rabbit seat.....a hare chair. Stinky pinkies (two-syllables)  A witty hare....funny bunny  Stinkity pinkity (three syllables) An earth day promise? Pollution Solution.

Just a two-word poem that rhymes. One phrase is given as an explanation. The answer is the rhyming synonym with appropriate number of syllables. The kids were great at this game, aka "hinky pinky."

Think of it as a texting type poem. Fun but not true writing.

Poets. These true writers can say the most with the fewest words. It's as if depth of thought resonates with each single word choice. A rare breed. An admired  breed by me. As I've blogged before, that "pithy with a punch" kind of writing is difficult for me. But.....for the sake of blog readers, and because of conviction from the above verse, I do keep trying to pare the words.

Dog Songs celebrates small everyday moments with canines in this book of "dog poetry" provided by friend Ann M.

My great and lordly satisfaction at her splash
of happiness as she barged
 through the pitch pines swiping my face with her
wild, slightly mossy tongue. (p. 25)

Wow---what a great relationship picture in 26 words. Brief but comprehensive.

My writing is neither concise nor lyrical. It's just words on paper which help me organize my thoughts. But God......seems to keep me writing to extend my "Tea With Thee" time with Him. So....though the blog entry words need to be condensed, my time with Him does not. Writing/blogging keeps me more focused. 

Brevi-TEA of words might come with time....BUT don't "count" on it.

"Twis-TEA" Turning Thoughts

My sheep listen* to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27, NIV)

How appropriate to have a cuppa tea with a wooly sheep on it and read the day's Jesus Calling entry (4/22) and realize that I can be as deaf and hard-headed as sheep. That's why they (& I) NEED a shepherd! Sheep need to continually listen to their shepherd. Uh-h-h, me too!

"Mind spinning," according to Sarah Young, comes from a multitude of thoughts that block out God's voice. "No mind spinning" was written beneath my tornado sketch. That's what my whirring mind looks like to me as I try to make all things (people, places, & events) fit "my"plans, even God.

Too often, my mind reflects Young's words, "pre-occupied with planning,"---even in the night watches.

But it gets worse. Compulsive planning, is not only a form of bondage, it's an "idol of control." 

I don't want any idols in my life---I didn't even consider that control (an extension of self) would be labled as such. To rid myself of this idolotry, I need to turn toward Him with a listening ear in order to "still" my "twist-TEA" turning thoughts and allow His voice to "control" my mind.

*NASB translated "hear" but I want to do more than hear-. I want to listen and recognize the voice as His and "respond" to it as the God's Word translates it.

Felici-TEA

Let every individual be obedient to those who rule over him; for no one is a ruler except by God's permission, and our present rulers have had their rank and power assigned to them by Him. (Romans 13:1, Weymouth)

Happy 88th Birthday to Queen Elizabeth II. Hoping this has been a day of felicity for her.

Those Brits love their royalty.......so much so, that a second birthday will be celebrated in June when the weather is more likely to cooperate for her BIG "official" birthday parade. 

I KNOW she started her day with a cuppa. It's the British way. According to the BBC, the rest of her day was marked with gun salutes. (41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London) 

Gunfire-----not exactly calming to me, but I had a British blend cuppa felici-TEA, just to commemorate her day and to praise the Lord for assigning her to this monarch because of her stated fundamental beliefs and commitment to the Lord. Such awareness certainly brought me real felicity.

For me, the teachings of Christ, and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example. (Queen Elizabeth II, 12/25/2000)

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : stories of "des-TEA-ny"

We all have a story. We all have a destiny.

The Presbyterian pastor at today's Memphis Botanic Garden's sunrise service told the story of two men who lived a lesser story. 

One man gave himself to a zealous story of athletic pursuit, naming his daughter Crimson Tide and poisoning the iconic oak trees at Auburn University, a rival university. The pursuit of his story ended in capture. His destiny was prison.

In 2008, another man gave himself to the pursuit of money only to lose it in the plummeting stock market. The pursuit of his story ended in death. Broken down emotionally and financially, he shot his wife, three sons and mother-in-law. His destiny was suicide.

Then there is the great story. HIS story. The Bible story. A life not jaded by sin. A life freely given on behalf of all sinful men. Jesus Christ died for all; that we who live, may not now live to self, but live for Him and should make Christ, the end of our living and actions----for He died and rose again on our behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) His destiny---an on-going heavenly destiny, eternity.
Resurrection. The Easter reminder that there is no end to His story.

The timely dogwood blossoms continue to remind us of HIS story.

Jesus's story fulfilled his earthly destiny for our sake.

That's the des-TEA-ny cuppa I want---an eterni-TEA filled with Him.

Frivoli-TEA & Gaie-TEA

Each of us will be a blessing to the other. (Romans 1:12, TLB)

Today's the day! Lauren and Spencer's wedding.

Many scriptures come to mind on this day when two godly young folks will stand before the Lord and others and declare their vows. "Equally yoked" in true communion. (2 Corinthians 6:14) 

The invitation verse offered hope of both a ceremony and a marriage that will glorify the Lord as the bride and groom continue to be a blessing to each other.

Truly a sacred time--a time of mutual encouragement. 

A time for merriment----for believers to raise a cuppa of frivoli-TEA and gaie-TEA in celebration!

"par-TEA"

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV)

Many outlandish thoughts can can come to mind when someone says, "Let's party!" 

But, friend Mimi told me of a simple invitation she had last week from a dear friend and neighbor. 
"Can you stop by for a cup of tea around 2:00?" 
An invitation of kindness.

When Mimi arrived, she was served "party fare" in the sunroom, replete with candlelight, and yummy sweets and savories, accompanied by delightful tea. The perfect setting for a time of sharing both self and food over steaming cuppas.  

The pleasantry and conversation lasted for over two hours.

Friends......content to sit and chat----not outlandish or raucous but a par-TEA all the same. 

A party of the genteel variety.

"Identi-TEA" : a re-brew

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, NIV)

"I" is for Identi-TEA was the 12/23/09 blog title. Info given is still  a part of my identity fabric. Alphabetical order is a part of who I am and how I organize---sometimes to a fault. The entry was a bit of a walk down memory lane for me.

These days a cuppa of my identi-TEA would be filled with these words---a book lovin’ tea drinker with a burnt toast nametag, 

This was not a staged burn---tho I did scrape it and "tried" to eat some of it---because I don't like to "waste."

----a gal who loves to write for the Lord but who lacks the gene given to poets who are able to say the MOST with the fewest words. Not so with me. Words string forth. A cuppa Verbosi-TEA---is that a word??

That entry from 4 1/2 years ago also dealt with "I" words in scripture. "I" words that identify the Lord.

For this entry, my word choices will identify who I am in the Lord......because that's the identity that counts.

My "in Christ" identity "SHIELD"---

Blessed. (Luke 11:28) Created. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7) Healed. (Isaiah 53:5) Justified. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Loved. (Romans 8:38-39) Redeemed. (Titus 2:14) Sanctified. (1 Corinthians 1:2) Saved (Psalm 3:8)

These participles might not all start with the same letter but they are in alphabetical order and express the continuous action aspect of my life's identity.

Prayer "Directionali-TEA"

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:10, NIV)

The "Prayer of Jabez"  is a great example of the horizontal direction of one's petitions. It also shows a prayer-answering God. This "Chronicler" clearly shows his belief in the efficacy of prayer as he documents the positive answer Jabez received.

Lately I have sensed the direction of my prayer as tending toward the horizontal. So many (outward) petitions for family and others. But God.....in this verse shows that He can certainly answer the petitions of a pray-ers heart.

Yet, prayers also need to be vertical---(upward) in praise and thanksgiving to the glory of God. Focusing on who God is.

Prayers also need to be continual---moving onward in both directions---always God-honoring.

Horizontal. Vertical. On-ward. God-ward.

When any, or all, of these prayers are an application of one's heart to God, one is praying in the right direction. 

May I direct my prayers daily (Psalm 5:3) in all those "right" directions. Heartfelt prayers all end up in God's hands.

"Du-TEA" of the heart

....by love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13, KJV)

Uptick seems to be the "buzz word" of the investment world. A transaction's improvement indicates an uptick. Stock market ratings measure it carefully.

Even in the field of education, it's all about the test scores known as value added assessment. Teachers are rated by the upticks of their students. If the teacher has done his duty, one should notice an uptick in those scores. Growth is the evidence.

What about one's spiritual duty? Can one's spiritual duty be rated on a spiritual scale. Can matters of the heart be rated by an uptick? 

Certainly serving others is an investment in relationship and a pretty clear indicator of spiritual growth.

Those who love the Lord, serve others----it's just part of the continuum. Spiritual matters of the heart don't feel like a cuppa du-TEA or an uptick to be scored. Merely Spirit-fed and Spirit-led overflows of the heart. Duties of the heart are just blessings to be shared. Investing in others counts whether anyone is measuring or not.

In the end, it's the ultimate uptick. An eternal investment.

"Invincibili-TEA

"....the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, KJV)

How grateful I am to Oswald Chambers for serving up a cuppa invincibili-TEA for me today in his My Utmost For His Highest entry. His reminder that the only way to know the strength of God is to give up complaining and take up the yoke of Jesus and "learn from Him." (Matthew 11:29)

We are "burden bearers" with Him. Hopefully others see peace and the joy of the Lord in our lives, for those two emotions are proof positive that a burden is there as well.

The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. .....the Spirit of God within the human spirit, creates that inner invincibility! (My Utmost, 4/14)

Chambers goes on to say, "If your life is producing only a whine, instead of the wine, then ruthlessly kick it out." (My Utmost, 4/14) What a great pithy grabber that is!

Don't you love it?  No whine, just wine.

Want to find the perfect cuppa to begin your day with Him??? Expore your options---you have a choice of accepting "God-placed burden bearing" that will produce the best wine in your life.

A cuppa inner invincibili-TEA is just what one needs to "sip" during a "Tea With Thee" morning time.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT: li-TEA-rary musings

Works of historical fiction have taken up a good bit of my bookshelf space lately.  From the Civil War to Lindbergh's flight. Recently, I read Stella Bain, which took place during World War I, and I felt the gripping horror of that war from the inside of a field hospital tent. Some have made the blog, others have not----mainly because parts of the book might cause a check in my spirit for an all out positive recommendation. 

Literary musings compiled below are from works, that did not make a full review--

1.  King’s Mountain, (© 2013) a historical fiction account of the the American Revolution by Sharyn McCrumb. 

Maybe I wasn't sure about the book in it's entirety, though the accuracy of her research was well documented and she's a NYT best-selling author.

But.......I had taken notes as if some phrases with spiritual meanings for me just jumped off the pages and seem worthy of sharing---

“Your faith will be your armor.” A sentence repeated often to the reluctant ones (mountain men) who were not Tory sympathizers and were willing to fight the British. Yet, setting out for the task of a war, a war they believed in, was still difficult. (p.123) 
(in spiritual warfare, believers need to be clad with the full armor of faith in the Lord. Ephesians 6:11)

The Whigs and the Tory sympathizers did not battle a faceless enemy but their own neighbors in the backwater counties known as home. 

John Sevier who embodied the American pioneer Spirit wanted his “recruits” to know, “There’s a lot of trust in soldiering. Your life depends on them and theirs on yours.” (p.139) 
(Trust, among members in the community of faith, is essential to battle against the "mighty unseen powers of this dark world." Ephesians 6:12)

"But politics is even more troublesome than war, because most of it is done while you’re your back is turned, and the enemy isn’t always easy to spot." (p. 321) 
(Our enemy "prowls around seeking to devour" (1 Peter 5:8) and can take on many forms in order to destroy those who love the Lord. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.)

2.  A realistic fiction set in England is always a draw for me, especially when there's a map on the frontispiece.

"For years they had been in a place where language had no significance" describes, in a nut shell, the relationship of an Englishman's marriage in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. (© 2012)  Fry's pilgrimage often became a life changing exercise of "just putting one foot in front of the other." But, while on his journey to see an old friend/acquaintance, Fry learns much ----about others and himself. "Harold could no longer pass a stranger without acknowledging the truth that everyone was the same, and also unique; and that this was the dilemma of being human." 

One goodreads review called it a "story of one man's faith in his feet." An old man, at that, so some readers might not appreciate a book about one of medicare age who becomes a hero....as the book becomes somewhat predictable, until the end.

Steeped in Excellence

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8, NLT)

Regardless of what cuppa life serves us, each of us should steep it in excellence. Whether circumstances of disturbing dispari-TEA, unfamiliari-TEA, unclear directionali-TEA, lack of sereni-TEA or frivoli-TEA and gaie-TEA are poured out, one must measure these "thought" events by today's verse. 

As Kay Arthur taught me years ago, if you can to know if a thought is excellent and praiseworthy.....just "Philippians 4:8 it!" If one's thoughts don't t measure up to the excellence put forth in that verse; true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good repute, don't dwell there. Don't "brew" unwholesome thoughts in your mind. Steep goodness----it might take time, but it's the key to allowing God to make any cuppa (circumstance) palatable. Similar to looking for beauty.

Hm-m....covering a cuppa when steeping tea can keep the flavor in and the "bugs" out--
just like in our thought life when we steep it by covering it in the excellence of God's Word.

Keep those good thoughts brewing. Steep all thoughts in excellence. Cover them with God's word.

Steeping releases flavor for us and favor to God from us. A worthy cuppa.

fa-TEA-gue

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9, NIV)

Fa-TEA-gue is not a cuppa I want to be served....tho my body feels as if I've been sipping from it. I need a cuppa energy with mo-TEA-vation stirred in. Questions whirl in my head? Where did this malady come from? New meds? Meds combo? Age? 

I've exercised today. I slept well last night.....but from noon forward I have had trouble putting one foot in front of the other. Lethargy reigns. 

I was able to pick up my grandson after school and follow "behind" him through the Dixon Gardens to find his mother, but I struggled in the drive home. 

I desperately wished I had written the blog entry this morning. Not sure if the blog is my "doing good" but I have sensed God's prompts to "write daily." Yet, I'm beginning to  wonder if  the "daily entries" part is self-imposed, not God directed. So....I prayed for direction, heated up a big bowl of plain pasta with butter for quick energy and got out the computer.

As I opened my laptop, an email from friend Beth Gurner had a link to Charles Martin, an author whose books we both enjoy.

Maybe there is a lie running rampant and living rent free in your head telling you about all the horrible things that are about to happen to you.
Here's the truth of it -- the very same God who started to blow on the water, (Red Sea) .....is  there at your computer ...... or wherever you're reading this. He was there yesterday and He'll be there tomorrow. Hasn't changed a bit. Doesn't love you any less. His arms haven't grown short. (Charles Martin)

The fatigue is still present in me.........but God......provided the blog.

These would be good stir sticks for all my "BIG"cuppas.
https://www.pgrahamdunn.com/home.php

"beau-TEA-ful"

The LORD God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground--trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. (Genesis 2:9, NLT)

Reading the novel, Stella Bain yesterday (in its entirety), one aspect that "stuck with me" was the young World War I ambulance driver's perspective.
"What do you do when your not driving?" asked a friend, from his childhood, who was both a nursing assistant in a field hospital in France and a sub ambulance driver. 

"I look....for....well....beauty." was his response. (p.100).

Both had seen unimaginable injury coupled with suffering and dying. Beauty was difficult to find. But he chose to look for it and record his findings in a small notebook. 

It became somewhat of a contest for them.

"What beautiful thing did you see this week?" she asks.

"I saw a pair of cows behind a whitewashed fence. There were green shoots on the ground. The beauty was in their obliviousness to the insanity around them. They were positvely serene." (p. 103)

Spring in Memphis has a serenity & beauty all its own----even in the midst of weather extremes, "disturbing" nightly news and the heart-breaking prayer requests of friends for their loved ones.  One can still look out or look up and marvel at the handiwork of the Creator. Such a refocus is soothing.

I had a cuppa with a beau-TEA-ful view----right outside my window. 

GLORIOUSLY BEAU-TEA-FUL---I just had to look for it.!

Though my cherry tree bloomed late this year and was then quickly showered with a BIG rain, there was still beauty. The covered ground had an aura of its own. As I told my friends Julie and Leslie, "It looks as if a bride had just traipsed by and folks threw pink petals in her path along my brick walk way." Beautiful!

"passivi-TEA"

Their strength is to sit still. (Isaiah 30:7, KJV)

A cuppa "passivi-TEA." Sounds negative, doesn't it? Not necessarily.

"Inner stillness is an absolute necessity to truly knowing God," as was noted in yesterday's Streams in the Desert entry. (4/7) I understand those times when one's "entire being seems to throb with anxiety." Often, like the writer of Streams recounts, I, too, have to be aware of my helplessness in the midst of a crisis before I sit and listen for direction from that "still small voice." (1 Kings 19:12) For there in lies strength. His strength that comes as one is still before HIm. It's not just squelching or compressing the anxiety of the present overwhelming circumstance. A temporary quieting of tension might occur....but, that just represses it for eruption at a later time. An eruption that can "hurt" innocent by-standers. Believe me, I have experienced that more often than I want to admit. 

Therefore, passivity has a positive result. It's not laziness or apathy but a "living stillness born of trust." (Streams, 4/7) It might not involve the action of prayer or praise. Just being still before the throne of grace. Quieting one's spirit with an open heart. "Utter quietude of soul." 

'O rest in utter quietude of soul,
     Abandon words, leave prayer and praise awhile;
Let your whole being, hushed in His control,
     Learn the full meaning of His voice and smile.'
              (Mary Rowles Jarvis, Streams in the Desert, 4/7) 

A cuppa passivi-TEA is necessary before arising and going forth in one's day, thus assuring that the activi-TEA, that follows is God directed. 

A cuppa passivi-TEA leaves the "dregs of anxie-TEA at the bottom of the cup.

"longevi-TEA"

• For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. (Proverbs 3:2, KJV)
• For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. (Proverbs 9:11, KJV)
• The fear of the LORD prolongeth days:.... (Proverbs 10:27, KJV)
• Thou shalt come to [thy] grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. (Job 5:26, KJV)
• You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. (Job 14:5, NLT)
• So Job died, [being] old and full of days.  (Job 42:17, KJV)
• "Show me, LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.(Psalm 39:4, NIV)
• Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16, NIV)
• Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:2-3, KJV)

Pick a verse. Any verse.
Understand that one's days are in the Lord's hands. What one does with those days is a matter of choice. Choices played out in the "dash" on your tombstone. The dates are God's. The dash is yours.

Even toward the end of his 89 years, Daddy said, "I'm grateful for each day the good Lord gives me."

Trusting in Him can make God-ordained time into days of peace. Fearing God and sharing those days with ones of the younger generation can encourage them to choose wisely and live well. 

"Longevi-TEA"* shared is a great cuppa poured out for others.

Owen and his great, great, Aunt Nettie share time together on her 90th birthday!

Thanks to Bonnie K. of Hickory Wythe for the "longevi-TEA" suggestion.

"cul-TEA-vate"

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:7, ESV)

Ah-h-h reaping what one sows---pretty sobering thought. As an adult, we often "spew" words from our mouths that we later regret, especially when we hear those words coming from a child. The "words of one's mouth should always be acceptable unto the Lord." (Psalm 19:14) 

The "S" word for our kids was shut-up---that disrespectful word was not to be used. We said "hush," if deemed necessary. Our "adult children" seem to be sowing that same "seed" in their own homes. 

Seeds of kindness in word and deed. (DotsyDetails, 2/24/09) Fruitful seeds. As Michèle Phoenix says, "Kindness is the fruit salad of spiritual gifts."

Those are the seeds we should all cul-TEA-vate* in our homes.

Serve a cuppa kind words to others today so that they, too, might "cul-TEA-vate" that fruit on their own lips.

*How fun it has been to receive "tea" words from blog readers---cul-TEA-vate was Carolyn's (Batesville, MS) contribution.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : "med-TEA-tations" for 5th Sunday of Lent

Prayers for Memphis pastors are a part of our church's monthly intercessory prayer program, "Warriors on the Wall."  This month the featured pastor-friend of our pastor is Christ Methodist's Shane Stanford, so it seemed appropriate to share some of his Lenten insights from his book, Mosaic, on this fifth Sunday of Lent.

His alliterative headings keep the flow of each chapter very consistent---Rebellion, Restlessness, Regret, Rejection, Responsibilities, Resources, and Relationships for each of the six Sundays.

The one on "Regret" really spoke to my heart. 

Regret is heavier, more encumbering.......when allowed to grow and take hold, it will choke not only our potential but also our joy. (p. 27) But Stanford's scripture selections and meditation insights takes one to the "place of confidence, our place of no regret." (p.33)

With selected scriptures and the same study format in each chapter, (Reveal, Reflect, Refine, and Respond) one is taken from revelation to insight for practical application. In other words, hope is always given showing how God can use all these "broken" pieces of our lives to conform us to the image of His Son.

Mosaic has provided quite a journey for many Christians......aiding their soul searching med-TEA-tation times as Easter approaches.

"Prosperi-TEA for Posteri-TEA"

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:18, ESV)

Prosperity means many things. For most it indicates affluence based on a healthy bank statement. In both scripture and Winnie the Pooh, it can indicate "milk and honey." For the Christian, prosperity goes beyond one's calculated financial wealth. Prosperity for all Christians is made up of faithfulness to and trust in the Lord----regardless of their bank statement. Most of us know believers who have eked out , scratched by and suffered "lack" most of their lives, yet lived lives of utter fidelity to God. How prosperous are they!!

A "Prosperity Gospel" imagines the Lord as a "vending machine" God. This health and wealth gospel teaches that all one has to do is believe and receive, as they ask for God's blessings. The prosperity gospel is a half-truth, perhaps less.
Yes, God is good. God is faithful and God does bless His people, but God.....the one true God of the Bible is the God who will see us through regardless of the circumstances. Sometimes blessings are obvious and it is easy to thank Him. Other times when it seems times are so hard that one is not experiencing the blessing of God, one can still trust that God is there,  just waiting for us to turn to Him, and learn that in loving Him we have life's deepest blessing.

Posterity, on the other hand, indicates a future generation of people. People who need to know the truth of God's faithfulness. Who will tell them? Who will pass on the prosperity that accompanies a life of true faithfulness to the Lord?

As Crickett teaches," God is more interested in our character than our comfort." Our faithful character will be our legacy for posterity.

If one wants to pass on prosperity for posterity, he/she needs more than a T-shirt to tell of God's truth. The whole truth will be told by their life.

Serve a cuppa of true prosperi-TEA for the posteri-TEA of the next generation.

"complexi-TEA"

   "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you (John 14:26, NASB)

Some passages of Scripture are more difficult for me than others. But God, in His word reminded me that His Spirit can teach me all things. Not only that, but as I reread scripture and meditate on it, God often shows me Truth in a new way---not antithetical, just different. It's usually in a very practical way that meets me right at my point of need on that day. Not truth that contradicts earlier understanding but expounds upon it with refreshing new insight.......because, He will guide you into all the truth; (John 16:13)

 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1 John 2:27, NASB)

Simply abiding----that's not hard to understand.

Today's Tea with Thee time has provided simplicity of thought from the seeming complexities of His word. All because I had the "right" Teacher! " 

Notes in Mama Davenport's Bible help my understanding, as well.

Sipping "complexi-TEA" with the "best" of them because ultimately we all have the same spiritual teacher.

"thirs-TEA"

...If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. (John 7:37, NASB) 

A new RX has left me with a dry mouth. I'm always thirsty. I crave liquid and more liquid. Tho I love my morning cuppa, it only satisfies my taste buds, not my dry mouth.
Nothing seems to quench my thirst, not even ice cold Memphis water. I need a 7-Eleven® BIG GULP size slurpee. If it satisfied my thirst, I'd be willing to risk the brain freeze.....but there's not a 7-Eleven anywhere near my neighborhood. 
Hopefully this malady is temporary---just enough discomfort to make me open to life lessons from scripture and more sensitive to those for whom hunger and thirst are daily occurrences.

How grateful I am that God's word reminds me that one day believers will hunger or thirst no more....(Revelation 7:6) (physically or spiritually)

And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) 
Thirs-TEA no more. Eternity will be spent with the One who gives the living water. (John 4:4) For with you is the fountain of life. (Psalm 36:9)

Fountain: a rich metaphor for Jesus

"Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; 

streams of mercy never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise." (My favorite hymn)