A New Dance

Steps are still being worked out for my new "spiritual" dance. It's difficult because steps "seem" hard---probably because of my negative attitude.
I learned in Psychology 101 that that "feelings follow actions." So....I needed to take action---to let go of my negativity or Dotsy Downer dronings, as daughter Molly dubs them.

Choosing to focus on "Pleasing God" has helped and the pleasure was increased as "Hubby" provided the new journal for recording these thoughts. A daily reminder to "dance in the rain."
Rain---those hard places of "what if "fear, slick with regrets or drowning in "lack of." We all lack something.

Those challenging places. Storms that need a right response. A new dance step.
Tripping lightly. Not tripping as to fall headlong. (Psalm 37:24)

In my GAC zumba classes, I have discovered that It is so much easier to "follow" the dance when the leader/instructor is talking me through the steps while modeling them as well.  

Physically, I follow the instructions of my teacher---his verbal clues tell me exactly what to do and my feet seems to "finally" respond to the dance floor below them---- especially when my shoes are covered by my peds---those little nylon stockinettes that just barely cover the foot of my shoe and keep my tennis shoes from grabbing.

  

Spiritually, I need to move through life on the dance floor that is given---maybe I can "glide" along trusting the best dance partner to guide me once again, regardless of the bumps or splinters on the floor. A dance revival.....with Him in the lead.

To move and celebrate life. To let my spirit start to soar once again. To dance as I've never danced before.

Pithy Grabbers

So pithy....no more words to grab you until.......someday soon.

Around Town #5

"Around Town" involved late (late for me) night viewing of Macbeth at the University of Memphis Theater and Dance auditorium. 
I thought it was well done and found it so different from one other Macbeth I've seen. Edgy, as it were.
The movement and eery voices of the actors on stage took on roles as he "original witches," zombie like tormentors and even the cauldron with its fire. The unusual sparse set, which intrigued me, provided for all of that.
Yet, it was still Shakespeare's Macbeth and I think has an appeal for a far broader audience than Shakespeare aficionados. The blood, murder and madness is still, there but with a visual twist.

The UM production sent me back to my own 1901 copy of Macbeth. I hope it will do the same for the 35+ senior English students I was "chaperoning."

It's fun to go "around town" occasionally with the younger set---even if it means staying up past my bedtime.

Familial Quotability

These quotes were under hashtag John 15---a life changing Scripture for me in 1975.

AND....since they were referenced as Buddy Liles, for sure I'll go back and see how these pertain to my beloved chapter. 

I see them as quote worthy regardless of one's point of reference, familial or not----hope you will too.

Stiff-necked---Who me??

Stiff-necked, more than an idiom.
With 8 pages of definitions, notes and Bible verses, I have to ask myself, "Is this a lesson for me, Lord?" Am I stiff-necked?
Physically, it's a given. Even as I'm typing now, I have a heat wrap on my neck.

What I don't want to be is....a spiritual stiff-neck.

Hopefully, my prayer warrior friends will intercede with prayers for grace at the first glimmer of the malady in my life---much like what Moses did for the Israelites.

Captivi-TEA

A cuppa captivi-TEA is needed if I'm to serve a little positivi-TEA to others. I have to live it before I can serve it.

Yea, yea, I know----tea blogs were for last year ----but cut me a little slack because "tea thinking" is a part of who I am. And a cuppa captivi-Tea is about one's thought life.

If I'm concerned about thinking positive thoughts about Memphis town, surely I can work on eliminating negative aspects about my self.

Replacement thinking. Sounds like something one would hear from a therapist's couch. Replacing my thoughts with His thoughts is from the "good book" not a psychology book. My thoughts are not His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) so I need to "bring every thought captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5) out of obedience to the Lord.

This week, partly in response to my husband's request to "quit being so hard on my wife," I have tried "replacement thinking."

• ADD Reality---Always Distracted Dotsy---(similar to my often "Ditsy" typo-label) Replacement Response---God knows me by my "real" name---(Exodus 33:17)

"Dotsy(s)" on the cuppa mark it as really mine! CF knew that!

--Reality (what I think)---It's so-o-o hard being me.

**Replacement Response--I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

--Ineptness Reality---What I think when unable to conquer my PowerPoint for upcoming Exodus lesson.
**Replacement Response--God's power is made perfect in "my" weakness. Go God! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

--Most common self-inflicted diatribes---I haven't a clue and I can't remember squat.
**Replacement Response--To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, (Ecclesiastes 2:26)

WHOOPS---how pitiful are those diatribes for one whose desire is to please Him---God gives wisdom to those who please Him. 

My "personal pursuit" for 2015 is to please GOD. I'd better bring that reminder front and center---a cuppa Captivi-TEA of thoughts and actions to please Him.

Life's Puzzles

I can't even do a 48 piece puzzle without help from a 4 yr. old. My defense is....it was double sided so I never quite had a clear picture.

Today my journal work on "pleasing God" included an anagram search on the word, "please." One that caught my attention was palese---which is Italian for obvious or clear.

Certainly many life lessons are not always clear to me, especially as I age. Most of the time they only become obvious when I'm looking in my rear view----then I see that God's hand was in it all along. It's that double sided-view that confuses me.

I've always heard that God's view is from the top-side of the tapestry of our life. We just see all the strings and undone pieces as we view it from the underside.

It should be "clearly obvious" to me by now----when I please God, my life lessons whether they look-like or feel-like blessings....or if they are just plain painful---all of those puzzles, even the unsolved ones, are for my benefit. 

Gift From the Heart

12 day reminder from a friend---literally bound in Scripture. 

Called to be light and salt by the One "who is Light" and Love. Thanks to my dear friend for that "lovely" reminder---all 12 of them.

Heart-felt

Valentine's Day 2015.
A day of messages with Texas basketball video games, smiley icons from friends, texts that made me puddle and creative gifts/cards from grands.......

.....my fave flowers from my fave man. All appreciated.

My heart "felt" them all!

Celebrating Life

Celebrating life......even in the midst of death.

Last week's funeral of my sweet Aunt Evelyn Davenport was such a service of honor. At age 90, she had continued to serve others, albeit not with the same physical intensity as in earlier years, but continued service all the same. She did not waste time in her final season of life----but chose to continue to minister to others.

It was a time of celebration and affirmation. The morning of the service, as I prayed from John 14:1-3 for both Carl and Joy and the rest of the family, I asked the Lord to give them both comfort and assurance----that they might know Evelyn's heavenly destination was assured. Her faith in the Lord sealed it. Without a doubt. Not because of all the ministry which she had done but because God's word said, " Ye believe in God....and also believe in me.... that where I am, there ye may be also." When the pastor shared some of those verses as well, I felt AFFIRMATION in all caps and I hope they did as well!

Thus, this time of "remembrance".....for one feisty caring and kind lady from the "greatest generation"...... had been an honoring celebration of life.
Evelyn knew the Lord.  She was His beloved daughter.
The officiant and all her friends and family were praising her as a "woman who feared God."

"Her children arose and called her blessed." (Proverbs 31: 28-30)

Quite a celebration.....even though my tears flowed!

God-Speak

First and Foremost-----Know this----God speaks through His word!!!

Yet, occasionally, I can't help but see God's hand in "mysterious" instruction.
A "God-wink" of sorts, as Ann Martin says.

"Take Time for Family and Prayer. Always give Praise."
It's even quoted on their web page.

Thanks to Rucker's Candy for this sweet taste of God-Speak!

"Make do" Generation

I recycle. I make do. Is this mindset a part of aging?

Maybe it's being frugal. Maybe it's abhorring waste. Maybe it's environmental concern for my "grands" generation from this grandmother of the "mostly" cloth diaper generation.

Mother, and her generation, knew the value of "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without" philosophy. I think I inherited just a touch of that.

Hubby says I gift wrap our garbage.

I know I'm an oddity in this throw it away, disposable society.
Replace. Buy new. Update seems to be the buzzword.

Maybe it's a subliminal message to self. I don't want someone to throw me aside or prefer an "updated" version. An "out with the old, in with the new" mentality.

Last year while "languishing in Leviticus," I did hold on to a verse that gave meaning to life in one's "winter" season.

You shall rise up before the gray-headed and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:32)

So....maybe youngins can cut us seniors some slack---accept us with all our idiosyncrasies and learn how to make-do---making the most of all that God has provided in your lives, even the old folks, whose paths you cross.

Chance or Condfidence

"Human pride loathes the suggestion that God orders everything, controls everything, rules over everything." (John MacArthur) Fate or chance defines the theology of the prideful.

I, along with many others, find confidence in God's sovereignty/

Rest : God-given

God's rest to His beloved is a gift. One just has to choose to accept it.

Do you ever feel such fatigue that you just want to "lie down in green pastures"...?(Psalm 23:2)

God provides green pastures of contentment and rest, refreshing and restoring the soul.

He even gives sleep to His beloved. (Psalm 127:2)

I think I'll let His fingers close my eyelids and take a nap. 

Around Town #4

What's with all the "Around Town" blog entries?

Part of it is in preparation to share all the activities going on in M-town with a group of widow ladies.

But....now it has become a conviction of my mine. There are good things happening in Memphis---regardless of what the front page of the Commercial Appeal says.
"Positively Memphis" is a way to continually confirm to me (and readers) the good aspects of Memphis. Think positively.

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted...(Proverbs 11:11)

So....I have set out to love my neighbors and thus love my town.