CUPPA GENEROSITY

Generosi-TEA! Let's start our last day in 2021 with that cuppa!

As we turn the corner to a New Year, lets turn from getting to giving!

Robert Morgan would punctuate the above sentence with a divine exclamation point! (All to Jesus, Day 365) 

Where do you find yourself? 

I have to give. GRUDGINGLY

I Need to give. UNDER EXTERNAL COMPULSION

I want to give. CHEERFUL, EAGER & READY TO GIVE

How is your spending trending?

A year in Paul David Tripp's, New Morning Mercies has kept me focused on More of Thee and less of me......aka give to others more than to self. "Give us the grace to look at ourselves in the mirror of God's word. Powerful redeeming grace to remove of our heart of stone and replace them with hears of flesh"----giving hearts. (New Morning Mercies, December 10)

TAKEAWAYS:

Give self first to God.

Generous Giving is rooted in the grace of God.

Generosity is about Spirit, not resources.

Donate to your church or favorite charity. Give your time to pray for others.

Keep sipping your cuppa generosity-TEA throughout the coming year!

UNFORGETTABLE!!

Remembering Dr. Louis Carter........who passed away yesterday, December 25, 2021

Five decades of service with wife Anne at his side, even in remote mission hospitals.

Founder of Plastic Surgery Group for Missionary and National Doctors

Co-editor of Principles of Reconstructive Surgery for Surgeons in Africa

Awards;

• McCallie School Alumnus Award, 
• Wheaton College Distinguished Humanitarian Award, 
• American College of Surgeons Surgical Humanitarian Award, 
• Christian Medical and Dental Society Educator of the Year, 
• Crichton College Doctor of Humane Letters,
• UT Medical School induction in Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

What more could one say about Dr. Carter?

I say....."Dr. Carter saved my life as he blessed me and guided me through every step of my rare facial disfiguring cancer journey. He will forever be in my heart!"

NOEL

NOEL....NOEL from the Latin phrase, "natalis dies Domini" is also a biblical name meaning "the Lord's birthday." It's a short form  of Hebrew "NOrad EL" meaning born of EL"" or "born of God." 

"Noel, noel......born is the King of Israel!" Enough said. 

BEHOLDING WONDER!

Christmas Eve journaling.....

Hark (Behold) Pay attention.

Dr. Luke invites us to behold the birth of Jesus. Behold God's mercy in the manger.

Christmas Eve Service @ Allen Bible Church

Unwrap Jesus in His humanity.

Unwrap Jesus at the cross. 

At the cross, He was wrapped in our sins, to give us His righteousness.

Come let us adore Him.

Changing gloom to gladness.

"The essence of the Christian message is not Behave! but Behold!" (Jared Wilson)

Beholding changed to wonder is where life begins!

SECRET SANTA

What a privilege to be a "tiny" part of "my" Molly's Christmas Joy Project which she shared with many of her friends & social media contacts. Unbelievable response. Toys, clothes, shoes, monogrammed Bibles, small gifts, big gifts, some that had to be put together to gift cards & all the stockings stuffers. 

Some from folks she didn't even know. 

Generosity galore. 

Many of her friends & neighbors had their own children participating as well. 

A lot of God pleasing, cheerful giving going on this Christmas in Memphis! 

(Hebrews 13:16, 2 Corinthians 9:7)

It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:30) 

One person gives freely, yet gains even more....(Proverbs 11;24a) 

I've been blessed watching those blessed on both sides of this Secret Santa spectrum.

FAITH AGAIN!!!

I need any mnemonic, acronym or acrostic that helps my memory, especially in the spiritual realm!

My recall and retrieval are flagging.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

But.....when I'm lagging a bit in my zeal, one quick glance at this faith reminder, which has been hanging askew for years, I'm back on the faith trail!

MEET THE SHEEP--FAITH

Faith is the sheep at the far left on our mantle. He is the starting place.

Just like in life. Faith is the beginning point.

F ast forward

A ll

I ssues

T o 

H eaven

Unwrap faith anew this Christmas and spread it abroad! (Romans 5:5)

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS...........

Indeed it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

from the porch....

....to the kitchen table

....to the buffet

to the Manger in the front yard.

Reason for the Season. 

Christ gave that we might share the true gift!

PREFIX PERFECTION!

Prefix perfection, or as wordsmith friend, farmer Doris, reminds me---a segue to goodness from reality when God uses them in our lives for His glory.

What a wonderful reminder on Wordsmith Wednesday! (2 Corinthians 2 :14a)

HOLE-IN-ONE!!!

FINALLY--hubby's longtime dream has come true.

Hole-in-One

River Bend Links

Tunica Resorts 10:30 AM

Hole #4

December 14, 2021

WOOHOO! CONGRATS, BABY HONEY!

STEAKS FOR SUPPER!!

ADVENT SUNDAY #3

How refreshing to pick up the morning paper on this third Sunday of Advent and read a very appropriate "published" scripture.

Titus 3:4-7 reminds us of the ,joy believers have because of the LOVE of God' who gave His son---His indescribable gift, (2 Corinthians 9:15) the hope of eternal life! Thanks be to God!

MEET THE SHEEP---ZEB

Zeb is the Christmas drummer in the Really Woolly sheep series. Zeb  sits above the stocking of #3 grand who came into the world just 26 days before Christmas in 2005, the year this sheep appeared in th Collectors' Edition Series 1.

The Hebrew meaning for Zeb is a gift of Jehovah. 

In the Really Woolly story, Zeb plays the drum as a way to remember the little heartbeat of love he heard on that Christmas once so long ago. (Luke 2:17-20, NIV)

generosi-TEA

It's December.

Christmas is just around the corner.....a great time of year to sip a cuppa generosity-TEA, sweetened with a heaping spoon of God's grace. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Allen Bible Church 12/5/2021.

• All is God's, we just give back.
• Generosity is rooted in the grace of God.
• Generous people change the world.
• Generosity is about our Spirit, not our resources.
• God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Thanks be to God for HIs inexpressible gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)

2nd ADVENT SUNDAY

Why does one  Light the Candle of Peace during this time of "waiting" known as Advent?

 

Amen to the One who is the "Perfect" answer to the Advent of Peace!

MEET THE SHEEP--HOPE

Hope is the sheep that sits above the youngest grand's stocking.

Hope is holding on to unopened gifts of possibilities. After all that's what hope is.

Is peace a possibility in our world today? I hope so!

Does the power of love reign in our own families? I hope so!

Are our prayers laced with hope and love? I hope so.

He                       Harness                    Hold

Offers                  Omnipotent              Onto  

Peace                   Power of                  Prayers

Eternal                Emmanuel                Everyday

I hope we all unwrap these gifts* from the heart to share with one another this Christmas!

*At Allen bible Church the Advent candle of hope was lit.

MEET THE SHEEP........

Meet the sheep.........the ovines that bedeck my mantle once a year. 

(Fresh magnolia leaves will be added soon.) 

This intro is to hold my place and my thoughts until my energy returns and I can complete entry.

Pic with magnolia still in process.

Would love for "Santa" to bring me Jake for one of my "J" boys!