FAREWELL OCTOBER!

OCTOBER 2024..........A MONTH OF FIRSTS!

Our 1st month in a new state, 

town, 

street, 

home,

Darnell Farms

first teenage granddaughter,

new friend 

Halloween

FAREWELL!

THAW DAY!

HOPE FOR A THAW!

Today's the day, according to area weathermen.

We've had friends who have been without propane, their source of heat, for days.

Another friend's mother died and burial has had to be postponed. Another is recovering at the MED from surgery for a broken hip because of a fall on the ice. 

Frozen ground is a difficult weather issue. May it not ice our hearts as we continue to "live, move cautiously and have our being in Him." (Acts 17:28) 

May trusting in the Lord continue to fuel us to pray for others. 

May hard times never allow our love for Abba (Father) to "thaw."  

TIME PERSON OF THE YEAR 2022!!!

Today's reveal of Time Magazine's Person of the year included not only Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, but also the "Spirit of Ukraine." 

Safety concerns keep me from listing the Ukrainians whom I know, who seek the peace and prosperity of the city in Ukraine where the Lord has placed them. (Jeremiah 29:7) As they seek welfare all the displaced people who flee to their city they are blessed themselves! 

These brave souls understand their exact location where they live was set by God that they might seek Him knowing He is always near!(Acts 17:26-27) 

"In Him, they live and move and have their being." (Acts 17:28)

That my friends is the true Spirit of Ukraine!

STRICKLY SOUTHERN... OR NOT!

How does one know they are in the South? Usually it's when a "native" southerner opens his mouth. "Idinit" true!

Chitterlings and neck bones and sweet tea on a menu board could be another clue.

Jevver hear such!

Once one gets passed the joking, there's lots to appreciate about the place where God has placed you---be it north, south, east or west. Whether there's chitterlings or chateaubriand on your plate. 

From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. (Acts 17:26)

What was God's reasoning for this one might ask.

God did this so they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. (Acts 17:27)

Regardless of where one lives, as "God's offspring" (Acts:17:29) may he or she remember..."in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28a) with a cuppa, cappuccino or a glass of sweet tea! May there always be kindness in your cup as you serve others.

OUTSIDE ART---AVAILABLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS

12 Memphis neighborhoods are "showing" 21 different installations of characters "plucked" from our own Memphis Brooks Museum of Art collections by French artist, Julien de Casabianca.

Art scattered all over Memphis--from Orange Mound & The Edge Medical District to Cooper Young, Overton Square and Beyond! What fun! 

Here are five of my favorites of the 13 I saw before the rain came. 

"Slaying of Medusa" (LucaGiordano)  3177 Summer Ave.-on west side of the building

"Reading by the Brook" (Winslow Homer) 959 S. Cooper on east side wall of Cafe Ole

"Windy Corner in Vera Cruz" (Carroll Cloar) 2571 Broad Avenue on west side wall

 "Historic Encounter Between EH Crump & WC Handy on Beale Street" (Carroll Cloar)

1709 Lamar at Gloco Iron

"Gladys" (Abbott H. Thayer) 600 S Perkins on front wall facing west toward Theater Memphis 

"Neighboring" has been on my church's radar lately and I so agree with that truth! 

God has made from one blood, every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, (Acts 17:28)

God has placed me in Shelby County---the boundary of my dwellings for 50+ years has been Memphis.  

I want to be positive about the city where he has placed me. Venturing "out and about" neighbor hoods in my own town has been a blessing for me as I have met others on these "ventures." From the lady in Cooper-Young, with whom I shared my info (when she saw me taking my favorite picture of the girl reading by the brook) became a time of gratitude and blessing to the 4 ladies and 1 little girl in the University of Memphis area, as hubby offered to take their picture, we all had a "POSITIVE" experience in the city where the Lord has placed us as we all had a blessed day!

CHOOSE: POSITIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT MEMPHIS

Watching the "nightly news"can rob me of my joy.
So I continue to subscribe to the Commercial Appeal, my local paper and "look for" good in "my" city, where the Lord has placed me. He determines the "exact places where they (I & you) would live." (Acts 17:26)  I am thrilled when I see hopeful info like last Friday's list of areas all over Memphis where the Tennessee Shakespeare Company would perform "Shout-Out Series" in public spaces. Admission Free. Hubby and I went downtown to Shake(s) Rattle and Roll at Madison Avenue Park. Click here for the TSC Shout- Out schedule. You'll be glad you did!

Who knew there was a park in this itty bitty green space at 151 Madison Ave. ?

They wove Shakespeare into the music and lyrics of Memphis music. Think, Soul Man. Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay and Blue Suede Shoes. Creative!! Great performance---worth the drive!

This morning's CA newspaper had a picture of the performance with the back of hubby's head in the foreground.

I would know that glow in the dark head full of gorgeous white hair anywhere, even from the back, CA  10/11/17 p. 4A

Today's Commercial Appeal made it easy to choose positive thoughts about Memphis. 

In training.....

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

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

Spiritual transformation takes wise spiritual training. 

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

ABCs---of one's life

11/8/11 ABC. Those three letters are often used to indicate the basics. The foundation. What are the ABCs of your life? All 'Bout C____? What's life mostly 'bout for you?
Asking myself this question, I realized that too often my ABCs for living are All 'Bout Convenience. I like ease and expediency. It influences many of my decisions. My errand list reflects this as I try to accomplish the most in the least amount of time while saving on gasoline. Even my grocery list reflects the ease I appreciate when systematically navigating the aisles from my "list." Lack of ease in said task results in extreme frustration when Kroger changes the aisles. How dare them cause me to have to backtrack. I can get testy! I can also be All 'Bout C ash! I like the sense of security knowing that there's $$ in the account to cover the expense.
Those are my basic failings. How 'bout you? What are your ABCs?

• Are you All 'Bout C uteness ? Are you in a panic to keep your wardrobe current, your weight lower, your teeth whiter and your wrinkles covered?
  
• Are you All 'Bout C liques ? Do you think your "social status" is improved if you are seen with the "right" people?
  
• Are you All 'Bout Coverups ? Do you worry if people knew the real you, that you wouldn't measure up---so you keep your distance.
  
• Are you All 'Bout C onsumerism ? Do you try to feed your deep felt needs with the latest and greatest gadget, home decor update or automobile?
  
• Are you All 'Bout C harts, calendars or computers ? Is "your" agenda on your Daytimer or in your Backberry or on your iCalendar with instant updates? Does achieving "YOUR" agenda rule your life?
  
• Are you All 'Bout C ontrol ? 'nuff said b/c others probably see it more readily than you do.

I could go on but now it's your turn. With some God-led soul searching, discover the basics of your own life rules. Fill in your own blanks. Ask yourself what others see as your basic tenets for living?
Maybe you'll discover truth from underneath the mire of self (your own ABCs)---that for Christians our ABCs should be All 'Bout C hrist ? He is foundational. By His grace all the other aspects of life for us will follow the basics of kindness, mercy, peace and love.

In Him we can live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

That's basic.

Let's Dance!

10/14/11 This entry is about dancers in my life---two who have helped me to dance. Dancing for me is a life fully lived. A life I live with the Lord. It's an abunDANCE, as it's full of God's purpose for me while on this earth. It gives me eyes to see His hand in my life through good and bad times. Dancing is passionate. It's embracing those whom God sends across my path---every single one, even the irregular ones who annoy, hurt, and try to rob me of my joy. Learning to live the life God has planned for me and living without fear requires dancing in His arms. Surrendering to Him. Following His lead. It requires spiritual maturity and in my case encouragement from others. Especially those who already know the steps.

Meet Doris and Marge. Two such dancers. They have chosen to live the "dance" God has chosen for them. I have learned much by watching. Though their lives are intentional in choice they make it look easy---like an overflow of love from above. They laugh. They garden. They cook. They read. They selflessly see to the needs of others. They seem tireless. In Him, they live and move and have their being. (Acts 17:28) There's a deep assurance of God's presence in their lives that touches all who cross their paths.

What connects me to them? Certainly we are connected spiritually. Our paths crossed through introductions years ago from other dear friends. A friendship that has grown through the years. We are all family oriented, wives of the husbands of our "youth." (Proverbs 5:18) We share interests: travel, good food, and good literature. Strangely, we all love "Keeper of the Bees" a somewhat obscure classic from the 20s. I know both and yet they still have never met. Maybe I need to make introductions.

What connects them to others? Their lives----every facet of it. They seem to feel and trust the rhythm of God's music for their own lives. They have His ear. They hear His love song.
During their own fearful times, their courage is infectious. Cheer, strength, and peace seem to flow, as one "whose mind is stayed on Thee." (Isaiah 26:3) They know from whom their hope and trust rests and their thoughts are fixed on Him.

"Given to hospitality," has these two dancers opening their homes and hearts to others. "Hospitable to all strangers, but especially to those who were of the household of faith," is the way Romans 12:13 states it. Financially, they have given and given and given, even during times when there might have been little for family, much less others----they gave anyway. Nowadays they both have acquired homes just to share with others. As God blessess, they bless whether out of their lack, or out of their abundance.

The countenance of Doris and Marge is glowing. Smiling. Always smiling. Roman 12:12 describes these dancers as "never flagging in zeal, aglow with the Spirit, serving the Lord." They live above their circumstances because they are always looking up! Pretty much each and every Sunday you will find them pew side at a local UMC, where "Lord of the Dance" is on page 261 of the Methodist hymnal.

How blessed I am to know them. May you, reader, be blessed as well by using their lives as a model. A model to follow as you become a "dancer," not a critic, for those in your life.

Consistently Doris and Marge respond to His grace. They dance. Their lives say to others, "Join us. Let's dance!" Won't you dance too?