"FIL' ER UP!"

Fill 'er up, please! 

Ever used that phrase when having a cuppa with friends?

Have you ever been distracted and literally filled to overflowing?

compliments of Doris 

An overflow can happen in your spiritual life and not always for the best reason. First, one must empty self of distractions, expectations, obstacles of worry and opinions, to fully fill up with God's wisdom strength and mercy for the moment.   

Paul David Tripp (New Morning Mercies, 6/07/23) diagnosis is dubbed, "eternity amnesia." A malady that causes one to focus on self-centered wants......which our broken world cannot deliver. The world's inability to deliver disappoints every time.

But God, in his love and mercy, refills us day after day once we've emptied ourselves. (Valley of Vision, Fullness in Christ)

Take your morning empty cuppa, and ask God to "fill 'er up.....so His blessings will runneth over! (Psalm 23)

Communi-TEA TEA-ableau TEA-reat!

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16, NIV)

A tableau is defined as a striking or artistic grouping representing a period of time. Like a picture.

In our neighborhood, it's more than that. It's a charming way of extending blessings.

TEA-ableau TEA-reat for the entire communi-TEA

I was so "taken" by it that I had to set down my cuppa.....

   ......and take a picture of this community TEA-reat!

Thanks to these London Dr. neighbors for sharing their harvest tableau with us.

opportuni-TEA

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10, NASB)

Today is "National Pie Day," according to yesterday's Commercial Appeal. This year the designated day, January 23, falls on a Thursday. That info certainly jogged my memory of a by-gone era. 

At our house 31 years ago, when daughter Molly was 3 yrs. old, we designated Thursdays as "our" pie day. Flexible hours, while teaching at the University during that time, worked well with our endeavor. Together we rolled & pinched pie dough, added various fillings and then delivered them to neighbors, newcomers, and folks who could use a lift, as well as Sunday School and Bible Study teachers.

One week our recipient was Molly's Community Bible Study Children's leader, "Miss" Pam. We, with people from all over the Memphis community, met at 2nd Pres. to hear the teaching of God's Word from Katherine Phillips. So.....not knowing where "Miss" Pam lived, Molly just took the pie to her at CBS.

Year's later, a board member of the Neighborhood School purchased one of Molly's village paintings from her "Contemporary Folk Art for the Soul" series for the inner city Christian school. Hanging the picture at the school Molly, the artist, & "Miss Pam," the board member, made the connection of baker and recipient----of a pie almost 30 years earlier. A blessing "unknowingly" reciprocated. 

My cuppa today is filled with opportuni-TEA to pour out a blessing to another in the household of faith. 

I think I'll bake a pie!

I did----HHS' Debbie J's famous Pecan Pie

BLESSINGS: THINK ON THESE THINGS

7/30/12 Meditating this morning in Psalm 103, I was overwhelmed with all the aspects of God’s goodness in my life. I did NOT want to forget them. But God….had a way of reminding me that once in the past (when there were only 3 grands in my life) I had recorded many of these. Dotsy’s Blessing Book 2007. Opening it, I was aware of that time when I was trying so hard not to get caught up in merely “ritual recording”---thus the list of "it doesn't matter" references on the inside cover. Desiring only true gratitude in order to change my focus or OCD behavior, I had to give my self permission.

Such a time has come again. A continuing change of focus, not just a chronicling of benefits, of which there are many. Beaucoups.

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, (Psalm 103: 1-2)

Maybe all of us should "think on these things." BENEFITS & BLESSINGS.*

 *Recording them is optional.

Saturday’s Question: ♪♪ a song for the soul ♬ ♬

7/14/12 What makes your soul sing? If you can only answer, "My soul sings when blessings come,” then that’s the wrong answer. Unless, you understand that blessings can "come through raindrops and healing through tears." (Blessings, Laura Story)

How do I know? I’ve experienced it---blessings can come through those hard places, the deepest pain and our greatest struggles. Sometimes that’s just hard to see when we’ve just begun the walk through that battle. In fact sometimes we aren’t even upright at first, just on our face, struggling to breathe and inch forward. But God……in his mercy is there. Sometimes it’s the prayer of a friend or a message from His word or maybe even song lyrics.

Lyrics---I just wish you could hear the melodious singing from our Ukraine leadership meetings-- Lyrics that can help your soul to sing, even in your hard place……

♪♪ I could sing of Your love forever…

Over the mountains and the sea

Your river runs with love for me

and I will open up my heart

and let the healer set me free.  (I could sing of Your love forever, Mercy Me)

♪♪And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved

Of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flames…. I will bring praise…. I will bring praise

…..All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship (The Desert Song, Hillsong)

♪♪The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes (10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman)

….as I listened and prayed for several of you this morning. Know I love you and so does God. He longs for your soul to sing once again.

♪Sing like never before

O my soul ♪(Ibid)

Are you singing?