Sabbath Snapshot : sa-TEAs-faction

If John Ortberg has a new book out, son Buddy, is gonna buy it and then I'm gonna read it. Thus, his newest, Soul Keeping, was part of my weekend read.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; Psalm 62:5, NIV

I am an Ortberg fan thus the rating of 5 stars for this short book with LOTS of valuable soul keeping ideas. Plus, Ortberg had a way of weaving in visits to "Box Canyon" to visit his mentor, Dallas Willard. Throughout the book the author honored Willard's life with many of his stories and quotes---a festschrift of sorts, as Willard died in 2013.
Tidbits that "touched" me---some all the way down to my soul...some Dotsy paraphrases and some direct quotes.

• Most important thing in life is not what you do, but who you become....that's what you take into eternity, (Dallas Willard, p. 23)
• World replaced soul with self but not the same. The more we focus (obsess) on self, the more we neglect our soul. (p.46)
• Self is a stand-alone, a do-it-yourself unit, while the soul reminds us that we were not made for ourselves. (p. 47)
• There's lots of self-talk these days. The difference between talking to self and talking to your soul, is that the soul exists in the presence of God. (p. 92)
• Soul keeping is NOT about perfection---it's about holding on to God because the soul was made to be connected to Him. (p. 104)
• The soul is seen when it reaches out in love. The Bible's word for this is blessing (p. 153)

Ortberg is a master weaver and these gleanings are but a part of a well spun tale, full of stories as well as truth. His own admissions as well as those of Willard and others.

Two ideas I continue to mull are the equation, soul freedom = embracing God's overall design &  my place in it." Similar to "Red Sea Rule" of acceptance. The other idea is the "daily" commission of idolatry.......anytime one meets his/her needs with anything that distances the soul from God. that distancing is a sin of the soul.

Though this entry sounds a tad pedantic, even to me, the book does not read this way. It's a delightful book full of wit, quips and even some personal self-deprecating Ortberg stories.

Noc-TEA-urnal Happenings

He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. (Psalm 104:19-21, NIV)

I seem to be belaboring the point but....another "upside" of darkness is nocturnal bloomers. Some plants seem to thrive in darkness, blooming only at night and providing much pleasure, both visual and olfactory. 

Larry's grandmother, Anna Douglas Liles, aka Mom, had planted one such flower sometime in the 50s at the old Liles/Lanigan hunting cabin at Pickwick. Mom's moonflower has been on the property since the cove was first dubbed "Liles Cove" by the old-timers and before the property even had a Liles Lane road name. 

Moonflowers, nocturnal bloomers, seem to bloom and glow from sunset to sunrise with much fragrance. It's in the dark of night that they put on their best show. Mom told our kids that the moonflower bloomed once at night before dying at sunrise. Then, the next evening---voilà, the plant would resurrect itself and produce another bloom.....or so the story goes. I have no idea of the validity of this but it's Mom's story, so I'll stick with it. Another positive aspect of darkness to go with a cuppa noc-TEA-urnal recollections.

"Nigh-TEA-Night"

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (Psalm 8:3, NIV)

Set in place. Ordained. The work of His hands.*

As the darkness began to descend, a heavenly creation was prepared for us. A shadowy night loomed over a fiery sunset as we turned off US 380 onto Texas State Hwy 5 near McKinney and ended at Stacy Rd. in Allen.
It was as if the sun had become liquid and provided an edge between night and day.

Night fall coming in to cover the full glory of sundown.

A cuppa Nigh-TEA-Night at its finest.

This was not the entry that started in my head in Memphis----but a visual entry that poured forth from the heavens. What a treat!

absurdi-TEA

And I set my mind to know wisdom and.....; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. (Ecclesiastes 1:17-18, NASB)

Has pursuit of knowledge become somewhat of an all consuming past-time? Is the immediacy "to know" an addiction? Did such a pursuit change Google from a proper noun search engine company's name to a verb?

Google, as a verb, is known by every one from toddlers to seniors. Will "Just google it." be recorded in a baby book as a child's first sentence?

In Kipling's Jungle Book, "The motto of all the mongoose family is “Run and find out,” and Rikki-Tikki was a true mongoose." Curious to find out. 

Much like that mogoose mantra, we too seem like a member of said family. We all "run to find out!" We just call it googling.

Vexation and pain can be by-products of too much knowledge. Maybe, it's because amassing knowledge, just for the sake of more knowledge, isn't the answer to one's problems. The more we know isn't a cure-all---it's what we do with what we know that counts. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (1 Corinthians 8:1)

Definitely there are many "new-fangled" tech-oriented potential absurdities in life---from googling and tweets to selfies and instagrams. In an age of BYOD (bring your own device) it's all about immediacy and it seems highly addictive. But let's forgo those cuppas absurdi-TEAs and serve something more relational.
A cuppa humili-TEA, anyone.

S-TEA-rength

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NASB)

So many scriptures deal with the availability of God's strength---so why do I forget to appropriate it immediately? Why do I exhaust my own strength and then consider Him? Why is it sometimes hard to cry out to Him? Do I need to tattoo, "in my weakness, He is strong" on my forehead?

God's Word clearly says that His strength is there for the taking---maybe accepting is a better word choice.

His strength is offered.....

• every morning (Isaiah 33:2) 
• for renewal (Isaiah 40:31) 
• for the weak (Isaiah 40:29) 
• for help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) 
• to the weary soul (Psalm 119:28) 
• and is sufficient to handle insults, hardships, persecutions & difficulties (2 Corinthians 9:10) 
• through his Spirit for one's inner being (Ephesians 3:16) 
• along with His power (Ephesians 6:10) 
• for everything (Philippians 4:13) 

In everything, He's there (Phil. 4:19)....including strength---
---which friend Ann can certainly attest to
these last six months.

I need to sip a cuppa HIS s-TEA-rength daily. Certainly, casing to strive in my own strength will enhance my joy in Him. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Verbosi-TEA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Constant comment is not necessary. 

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

"op-Tea-mism"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darkness proclaims God.

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

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : atroci-TEAs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quotabili-TEA : a re-brew

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

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

Thus, not much wisdom is easily recalled.

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

Enjoy----

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

A delightful cuppa "quoatibili-TEA" shared.

Shug and PopPop's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

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

"Positivi-TEA"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tac-TEA-cal

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

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

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

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

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

"luminosi-TEA"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Stabili-TEA" : a rebrew

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

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

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

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

 A test of trust. 

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

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

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

A cuppa choice.

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

Rec-TEA-tude

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

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

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

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

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

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

A cuppa rec-TEA-tude.

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

Sabbath Snapshot : diversi-TEA

Diversi-TEA is key for this reader. ....tho recently I've had more than my share of "heavy" non-fiction wartime reading. Heavy reading, even if well written and needful, can eventually wear me down. So....I was primed for a change as our summer road trips began.
When traveling great distances, audio books are a great diversion, but "heavy" isn't the best genre. So...on-line check out of an e-book is a cheap, (free) easy download to my iPad followed by a simple connection to the car radio. It's been one "way to go" on the road this summer.

Alexander McCall Smith's, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party fit the bill. This No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series title offered a diverse locale (Botswana) and a diverse dialect. Not having a clue as how to pronounce many Botswana names such as Tlokweng Rd., Mma Ramotswe & Mma Potokwane, audio has been my "chosen way to go" for all the books in this series.

Synopsis---An older Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s No. 1 Lady Detective, is hired by a fearful client who has had two of his cattle killed. She and secretary Grace Makutsi, (who loves shoes) both work to discover the "killer." Factor in Mma's love for her old white van and Grace's upcoming wedding to Phuti Radiphuti, (a good catch) with a dilemma facing Charlie, the "do nothing" apprentice of Mr J.L.B. Matekoni (Precious' hubby) and you get an idea of the diverse lifestyles of folks living in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

This title, #12 in the series, is not a riveting read. Actually, none of them are. Maybe that's the appeal for me. Not a page turner---but a wholesome story of a few ordinary people doing good things for others.

A comfortable read, made all the better by a great reader and believable characters. 

All that was needed was a cuppa of African red bush (Rooibos) to sip on our car trip.

Pa-TEA-o Ponderings

Unseasonably cool temps. A hot cuppa. A quiet patio. 

Contemplation......more like a mishmash of thoughts. Meshed with scripture. 

So begins a time of meditation.

Sa-TEAs-fy---How did I miss the verse from Psalm 145:16 last week? Maybe because I needed it this morning to pray for D.W. in NY, knowing God can lift the bowed down and "satisfy desires" of those who are near to Him and call on Him.

Proverbs 3:7-8, another miss---nourishment. It's that fear of God....reverential love and respect that nourishes (fer-TEA-lizes) our growth, all the way to our bones....bringing great refreshment. 

Drought conditions in the west---wildfires so dense that darkness prevails even in the middle of the day. Physical darkness akin to spiritual darkness. A captivi-TEA of sorts, when one can't see beyond the darkness.

How about in a "dark" room of depression? Is it just physical when one can't see hope for a better tomorrow? How does light penetrate a heart darkened by despair? Does she know that the Lord is with the lowly and crushed in spirit? (Isaiah 57:15)

How do I pray about the invasion of darkness in Ukraine? Against the darkness of a Russian leader's heart? How do I encourage "my" Ukraine girls to know that God is there even in the darkness? God is there....for even the "darkness is not dark to Him." (Psalm 139:12) 

My prayer---

May His light dawn in the darkness and (Isaiah 58:10) and penetrate thru the darkness of wildfires, depression, wars and hearts of evil men.

A cuppa "tea" ponderings, served on a pa-TEA-o, that prompted prayers for others. 

fer-TEA-lizer

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. (Ephesian's 3:17, NLT)

Things do grow better with love---God's love.

For God's truth to take root in one's soul, one needs to experience His love and forgiveness. Then, stand back because growth will occur. 

As plants are nourished through photosynthesis that uses energy from sunlight, believers receive nourishment for growth from the Son's life of light, through the grace of God's love. Strength and energy---a spiritual fertilizer.

God's love is the needed fer-TEA-lizer for my cuppa spiritual growth.

sa-TEAs-faction

I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. (Psalm 63:4-5, NLT)

Sometimes the obvious alludes us. I've walked by this "display" on entry hall bookcase for weeks  and enjoyed Timothy Botts' art in his The Book of Psalms. But... only recently did I see the "tea" word in the text. Sa-TEAs-fy. Since then, I've been meditating on the downfalls of seeking sa-TEAs-faction apart from God. Apart from Him, there is no complete and lasting satisfaction.

"In Christ Alone." "No scheme of man" brings satisfaction.

"All my springs of joy are in you." (Psalm 87:7)

 His cuppa leads beyond mere sa-TEAs-faction to consummate joy!! Why hadn't I seen it earlier!

"Sen-TEA-mental"

...when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois......., and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1: 5, NKJV)

This past week, I have been on a sen-TEA-mental journey of sorts. I've spent time with both my brothers (tea drinkers together as kids) as well as cousin Joy. Joyce, as others call her, was a big part of my childhood, tho we lived in different states. (only 24 miles apart) She's always been a Tennessee gal---I've just re-located here from Kentucky.

Sen-TEA-mental--that would be me---it's the adjective that modifies the cuppa I drink from a lot lately. It’s this emotional tendency that causes me to "puddle" at inopportune times. It's  where most of my "house" clutter originates….it's so hard to part with things that prompt feelings of tenderness and nostalgia, along with a little sadness woven in.

Parting from dear ones, those whom I rarely see, always has me excessively prone to those feelings. Plus, on this trip, sweet Joy has given me, a sen-TEA-mental gal, great joy. She gave me Mama’s rocker.

Thus, this morning, coupled with the fact that my cancer doc visit would be in just a couple of hours, I gave into the excessive indulgence of my emotions. Praising and "puddling."

As Timothy's grandmother taught him the Scriptures from a young age, it was my grandmother, "Mama Davenport," who let me watch midget wrestling on Saturday nights and still got me up early for the walk to church the next day. 

She taught me scriptures as well....as we walked up Second Street turned right onto Union and a block later hung a right on to Madison Ave. and on down a ways to the First Christian Church. It was on the south side of the street on a corner and we always entered the front door, furthest east. Not sure why. 

I assume God knew that one day my faith would blossom, and my faith was due, in no small measure, to the godly upbringing and influence of Mama.

All of these sentimental thoughts of gratitude crowded my head as I had my cuppa seated in Mama's rocker and read Psalm 121 from her battered Bible. 

The thought that God might use me to pass on an eternal legacy to my children's children has me "puddling" in my sen-TEA-mental cuppa .

Li-TEA-rary Sentimentali-TEA

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalm 116:15, NIV)

NASB renders faithful servants as His godly ones. The King James version calls them saints. Regardless of the translation, they all describe Claudia Parlow.

Today would have been her 70th birthday---August 12, 1944- November 30, 2013.
I know because my morning cuppa li-TEA-rary was sipped as I opened my devotional reading that was based on classic Christian verse. A gift from her, my literary loving friend.

Quickly my 2nd cuppa was filled with sentimentali-TEA as I read the inscription written above the August 12 entry. 

This cup is Claudia's. I baked brownies for her hubby, Terry, today and we shared both sadness and nostalgia as we remembered her past birthdays and celebrations.

"To Dotsy who's been a soulmate in suffering and prayer....." Love, Claudia. 

Both sadness and pleasure served in remembrance.

"agili-TEA"

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble. (Proverbs 4:12, NASB)

Balance is so important as one's chronological age increases. I know because I have to continually "practice" the one leg stance exercises in my "Silver Sneakers" class. When I have both feet on the floor in my Zumba Gold class there's not nearly as much stumbling. Gold......a class for mature adults or old coots as Larry's dad used to say)

Spiritually, when we walk (or dance, as I like to say) with God's leading and trust in His wisdom stumbling seems to occur less often. And.....when I do stumble, I don't hurl headlong His hand is always there to support and "catch" me. (Psalm 37:24, NASB) *

When we're traveling life's path with Him, God might not remove the rocks and stones that hamper us but He enables us to press on without falling flat or being utterly cast down.

Note bit of "rocky" path

Agility is a by-product of walking with Him in faith. 
A cuppa agili-TEA---good for all ages. 

*Update (8/12/14)---Last night hubby read Psalm 94 to me as a part of Allen Bible Church's 2014 Bible reading plan. If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up. (Psalm 94:18)

9/16/09 blog entry reminded me that "God’s Word doesn’t say there won’t be mis-steps throughout our lives, only that He’ll be there to keep us from fallin’ headlong." 

My cuppa agili-TEA is served from His hand.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : au-TEA-biography

God's Double Agent is both a compelling and a disturbing read. It's a true story. That's the disturbing part.
I couldn't quit reading but the relentless persecution of Christians by the the Chinese communist was beyond anything I could ever imagine. The RULES for "family planning. Break the rules and "they" will break you for violation for a States Basic Policy. (p. 316) A blind man's escape over shard's of glass, scaling of walls and finding sighted friends to help him. "God must've helped me escape." (p. 324) Testimony after testimony....of rescues through the underground church and ChinaAID, established by The author.

My favorite parts are the variety of ways the Chinese people have come to know the Lord---only God could orchestrate such testimonies. An imprisoned political dissident was given a copy of Streams in the Desert, upon his release and he became a believer. before escaping to the United States. (p. 255)

Laura Bush describes Fu's story as " a testimony to the power of faith and an inspiration to people struggling to break free from oppression." 

Reviewers call it a page-turner. I have to admit I read it in a matter of a few days. 

"TEA-ditions"

Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:18, NLT)

Today is our wedding anniversary.....so hubby will have to think hard to visualize any "youth" in said wife. But God, our keeper, has kept us together for 45 years.

Anniversary traditions are always a part of our celebration---

Five years ago I searched far and wide for 40 ruby items....this year it's sapphire BUT 45 sapphire items were way out of this retiree's budget. So...I settled on the things he enjoys most---golf and a glass of wine. Lots of wines come in brilliant sapphire bottles. The problem was which one. Not being a connoisseur of wines, I had to have help. I think the clerk was dumbfounded that I cared more about the richness of the color of the bottle than the richness ("bouquet" in he wine term of a oenophile) of the wine within. Gift 2 is a round of golf at Sapphire Mountain Golf Club for an upcoming trip to western North Carolina when the trees will be brilliant against a rich blue sky.

Naturally, I love all the scriptures reminding husbands to love their wives. (Ephesians 5:22) but many describe what that love will entail.....
"....be exhilarated always with her love...."(Proverbs 5:19c) or as Ecclesiastes 9:9 states, "Live joyfully with the wife whom you love." According to hubby, when I"m happy, it's easier to  to live joyfully with me. So....I've scheduled dinner for us  at the Swag on our extended anniversary trip.
Hopefully, this year's anniversary gifts will provide the perfect cuppa TEA-dition for our celebration.**

**YEA! Hubby's gift follows the TEA-dition as well---Sapphire rules for me, aka Mrs. Rand McNally. An atlas, my favorite gift, had a deep "sapphire" blue cover---I now have Crater Lake blue stars in my eyes! What a thoughtful guy!

"Proximi-TEA" : a 3rd cuppa

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28, NASB)

"Tea with Thee" is all about verse 28 in Psalm 73.

I am no where near Memphis at the moment---think, a rainy PGA championship in Louisville, Ky......but during my quiet time, my location doesn't matter. 
All that truly matters is my proximi-TEA to Him.
Proximini-TEA---an intimate cuppa.

"Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God to Thee, Nearer, my God to Thee, Nearer, to Thee." (Cokesbury Hymnal (1923), 83)

"Irresis-TEA-ble"

Thou hast put gladness in my heart...(Psalm 4:7, NIV)

Tea anytime of day is irresistible to a "hot tea" aficionado. 

Tea served right after "tubby time" by a grandaughter is the Best or as the New Living Translation states, "You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Separation from far-off grands has me re-living memories of those irresis-TEA-ble times through photographs.

Praises----as I was having my morning cuppa at brother Bobby's, a text arrived with a pic of Lucy, already at a Brooklyn playground. My plain cuppa became irresis-TEA-ble as it was sweetened with a "digital shot" just minutes old.

"TEA-raining"

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV)

When I teach, I can go to preaching so this verse seems appropriate for today as I go to share with the St. Luke's Methodist Day School Teachers.

What a privilege. What a responsibility! 

Kids count---a lot. Teaching counts---a lot. My words need to count---a lot.

Words to be useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16)

A cuppa "TEA-raining" served in my sheep mug and tempered with responsibili-TEA, as I go forth to feed His sheep, to those who will be tending His lambs. What a privilege. What a BIG responsibility!

LILES LEARNINGS FROM THE TRENCHES OF PRE-SCHOOL

(nothing earth-shattering, just observations)

• ·      Don’t rob a child of his childhood.
• ·      Allow children to think outside the box.
• ·      Allow children to color outside the lines or create their own lines.
• ·      First impressions have lasting significance.
• ·      Never do anything for a child that he can do or learn to do (with developmentally appropriate guidance) on his own.
• ·      Separate and simplify. (Break down into doable steps.)
• ·      Train the eye, at an early age, for the reading experience.
• ·      Without comprehension there is no reading.
• ·      The more one reads (or is read to) the more one knows when he reads.
• ·      Don’t stop reading aloud. Pass it on, even at home.
• ·      It does matter what one reads.