Dis-TEA-pointment in self

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. (Psalm 56:8, NLT)

As Pastor Cole prayed for "some of you this week who have experienced disappointment," the tears started welling up. In my case, I was still dealing with it. I wanted to bolt from the sanctuary while heads were bowed, so no one would see me holding back the sobs. I'd already cried two times that morning, one of those being as we were driving to church. My bottle of tears was filling up.

Granted emotions are still all over the place in my life, but the disappointment comes as I reflect on a week with family when I spent more time "doing" than "being." I don't want busyness (though some of it was needful) to define who I am as a mother and grandmother. "Doing" becomes such a poor use of time when more of said time is spent on accomplishing results than on enhancing relationships. 
Even in times of recreation and vacation, I can become stressed and overwrought--trying to "do" it all right---and then fail because "doing" should NOT have been the goal. Doing can make one feel devitalized. Void of the enjoyment and relational renewal which is so desired.

But God....once again, had a valuable life lesson for me. Restoration comes from Him. Resting in Him and resting with others requires "being." It takes a risk to invest a significant amount of time with God and people in what might be seen by others as non-productive.

I want my grands to see my heart, so-o-o I'm willing to take the risk. 

I just need the power to "stick to it." Power comes from God....thru His Son, and delivered by His Spirit, straight to my core. 

                  Lord of the Powers from an old Byzantine chant.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)

I need to relinquish my cuppa dis-TEA-pointment to Him

"Flexibili-TEA"

The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. 
(Proverbs 16:9, NASB)

NOTHING ----went as planned. Make that, as I planned. 

Schedules didn’t pan out to meet sweet Katya from Ukraine. Mixed signals had a lunch date postponed. Dinner downtime was a wash out. Traffic jam---of course.  One can’t leave east Memphis after 5pm and expect to arrive downtown for a pre-show dinner, when the event starts at 7pm. Green Beetle didn’t even have coconut cake available AND oreo was certainly not a choice I would consider.

Needed: A BIG cuppa flexibili-TEA. 

I, too easily, can get bent out of shape, almost to the point of breaking, when “my” goals and plans are blocked.

But God......The evening ended in “Singing His Praises” at the Orpheum with my African -American brothers and sisters, who can really “belt out” the gospel through their “spirituals!”

How sweet a cuppa  of flexibilTEA, served with song of LOUDEST praise!

Disapointment, in a nutshell

8/11/11 Proverbs 13:12 speaks to unfulfilled expectations. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” rang true yesterday until I chose to see “change” as from God’s hand and asked Him to continue to direct our steps.
Nutshell synopsis:

• Difficulty enjoying the scenery-- Atlas needed to navigate as Mapquest didn’t have a clue, road signage was all but non-existent yet made the pursuit kind of fun.

• Nippersink Lodge on Lookout Mountain (long on my bucket list of places to visit) somewhat resembled a quaint but eerie lodge from a bygone era----think, “The Shining”---only a swinging saloon style door to “rustic” bedroom and NO AC

• 

• No lodging available in either of the only 2 options in quaint/artsy/adorable Mentone, AL & not a single picture
  

• Having to scratch next day’s brunch at the Wildflower Café

• No birds on the short birdwalk at DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne
  

• Dusk coming with no “safe” place to stay

The end result was acceptance----“flying by the seat of our pants “as hubby continued to drive “Miss Dotsy” toward Gadsden, AL, where Josh, from a CE classroom in New York secured us a hotel with a great, think “very reasonable price” hotel right on the road to our next day’s original destination. We became joyfully expectant to see where disappointment would lead.