CHOOSEDAY!

ChooseDay! I love the play on words for Tuesday!*

It has me thinking about Biblical choices to be considered. 

Think---love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. As the picture hanging in my prayer room reminds me, "Choose this day whom you shall serve.....

... as for me and my house, will serve the Lord."(Joshua 24:14)

On this ChooseDay, let us choose what is right. (Job 34:4)

*Thanks to friend Renee for the ChooseDay text this morning!

VETERANS'DAY!

CELEBRATING VETERANS DAY 2025

Remembering my favorite vet.

WWII Purple Heart Recipient. 

Wounded on Leyte Island in the Philippines leading his patrol.

Child of God. (1 Peter 3:15)

Son of Gena and Pap.

Wealth of words of kindness.

Evident gentleness.(Philippians 4:5)

My favorite Dance Partner!

DUSTERONOMY

A recent sermon by ABC elder Mark Andrews, in Texas on the fruit of the Spirit....focused on the aspect of faithfulness. 

The opposite of faithfulness is forgetfulness. Pithy with a punch! 

I'm still musing on it. One cannot remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, if they forget who He is! God's son. Our sovereign Savior!

Emphasizing how the faithful love the Lord and serve others, he used reminders from Deuteronomy of the same truths.

He encouraged listeners to explore one of the most quoted and alluded to OT books in the NT. (Allusions are important but can be difficult to measure) 

Narrowing it down to the top 3, I became interested in Deuteronomy as earlier, Mr. Andrews had used the term, Dusteronomy. Being more familiar with Psalms and Isaiah, I decided to "dust off" the verses of Deuteronomy and ask the LORD for contextual clarity as I begin to study this 5th and final book of the Pentateuch! 

Emphasis loving God and serving others.

When asked the greatest commandment, Jesus, in Mark 12:30 cited Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." 

Seems like a good place to start my dusting!

ASHLEY BRYAN: A WALK THRU 1152

     From 3 Hadlock Street, Isleford Maine a hamlet on Little Cranberry Island to 1152 in my neck of the woods.....my home is filled with memories of AshleyBryan, 1923-2022.

It's been 3 weeks since Ashley passed away. In my book he is "dearly departed" though the euphemism doesn't make the sadness any less. I miss him so! 

It helps that upstairs or down or almost around every corner, I have Ashley reminders.

From his treasured words designating me as as dancing granny....

.....to the signed prints in the kitchen.....

.....and on around the corner to the entry hall....

.....up to the top of the stairs, where the grandkids have access......

 .....and into the computer room.....and downstairs again.....

....to my cherished  "Stand of Dahlias" oil painting, which Ashley said, "Rang out to him of Dotsy.' 

Ashley painted those dahlias outside his home in Isleford as he did many floral pictures. I know because I have stood and watched him at work there. 

My house glows at every angle with his work. Works which I love because he is so dear to my heart.

Tears well up as I type.....what a friend! So easy to love. A man with a big heart! 

"The heart of a man reflects the man."(Proverbs 27:19)

Just like my patio heart rocks he shared & some we gathered from the shore of little Cranberry when Molly and I visited him. 

Words that describe him best come straight from scripture---He was a man who personified love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Ashley not only knew that verse, he truly lived it. 

Ashley Bryan, a man who had my heart!

CHOOSE: FIVE FOR THE 5TH FRIDAY

Choose: Acts of Kindness could have been this entry because kindness is key in relationships.
According to a google search, I've already written 5 entries on kindness and according to the marginalia in my NKJV Bible, a needed reminder....
"Desire a life measured more by kindness than by competency."

So...you can "choose" to search through the links below for your favorite of the five:

Kindness Reciprocated pays it forward.
Mature in Kindness.
Kindle Kindness.
Kindness "gentles" responses of others, even family.
Be Kind.

https://dotsydetails.blogspot.com/2009/02/kindness.html (2/24/09)

http://dotsydetails.blogspot.com/2009/08/watermelon-kindness-analogy.html (8/18/09)

https://dotsydetails.blogspot.com/2011/11/kindness-kindled.html (11/7/11)

http://dotsydetails.blogspot.com/2014/11/loyal-tea-adams-family-cuppa.html (11/7/14)

http://dotsydetails.blogspot.com/2017/01/choose-kindness.html?m=0 (1/24/17)

Desire a life measured by kindness more than by competency. (Marginalia, NKJV)
Choose: To Be Kind in at least one of the 5 ways. It will bless your heart!

CHOOSE: TO RELINQUISH

Choosing to relinquish, for me, is choosing NOT to choose.
Today, it's choosing not to choose 4F.
4F can be a reference to the basics of evolution, which I would not choose to extrapolate here. 

But....in the spiritual realm, there are "4 Fs" I "try" not to choose.

• Fretting I tend to "stew" about way to much in my life---my family might use the indefinite pronoun "everything" to encapsulate all my fretting. But God....lists several "FRET NOTs" (or fret synonyms) in His word, at least 3 in Psalm 37 alone. "Fret not yourself;" (Psalm 37:8) God says in Proverbs 24:19, "Do NOT fret because of evildoers." (emphasis, mine) The nightly news tends to have me fretting daily at 5:30 pm.
• Fussing (My "F" word for anxiety) Anxious thoughts build. Worry grips. So hard for a world class worrier . There I said it---I exposed my besetting sin. But God....says, "Be anxious for nothing..." (Philippians 4:6, NASB)
• Fruitless I desire to be fruitful, not fruitless. To bear the fruit of the Spirit in my own life (Galatians 5:22-23) being fruitful even through suffering, (Genesis 48:15-21) as well as to bear fruit for His kingdom as I abide in Him. (John 15:4-5)
• Fear "FEAR NOT, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) (emphasis, mine) Enough said.

Therefore, today I choose to relinquish the 4 Fs in my life---or as my little Lucy sings, "Let it go; let it go!"

After all, that's what relinquishing is.....a "letting go and letting God."

What's your & ?

5/26/12 Saturday’s question for mulling is just that----“What’s your & ?” How do others really see you? How do you wish others saw you?

Example: Dotsy: Retired educator/librarian & __________________.

What nouns would be used to fill in the blank? Would my ampersand “eventually” include anything spiritual? 

What about an adjective? Diligent Dotsy & _________Dotsy.
Would any aspects of the fruit of the spirit come to mind to those who know me best?

I can already imagine ampersands my family would include----and that’s not music to my ears. I would like words like gentle and caring to immediately come to mind but fear those words would be “down the list.”

Consider your own ampersand. The first words that come to mind about a person usually identify them by position (mother) or profession. Yet, it’s the words that follow the ampersand that reveal character. Our essence as perceived by others follows the ampersand. It’s what we’re presenting to the world. The light of our soul. That’s why one’s ampersand is important and worthy of consideration.

What’s your & ?

Watermelon-Kindness: An Analogy

8/18/09 Kindness

The mountains shall depart, but my kindness shall not depart from you. (Isaiah 54:10)

I’ve been wondering why two of the “fruit of the spirit characteristics” that I’m most lacking in are side by side in the list. (Galatians 5:22-23) Patience and Kindness.

BTW, before you read any further please remember this—Don’t compare your insides with someone else’s outsides!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve said that before but I’m having to remind myself over and over as I study these spiritual fruit characteristics. Why? Because that’s what I’ve been doing and it’s brutal. This is God’s work and His grace is sufficient in our weaknesses.

Remember when it used to be a big deal to get to eat the “heart” out of the watermelon----you know, that sweet plug you’d always want to take right from the middle! There were no seeds in that location, just cold, refreshing, sweet red fruit----without a doubt, one of the sweetest treats of summertime in the South. But rarely did anyone in my family have access to the heart, except Daddy that is. Mother would always cut a piece for him with lots of heart. In my mind’s eye, I can see him sitting on the top step of the latticework back porch at 2211. Watermelon slice in one hand, salt shaker in the other---enjoying every juicy bite. Refreshment was written all over his face. My brothers and I enjoyed ours as well letting it drip down our chins---juice, seeds and all. Since we had a lot more of those big ole black seeds to contend with---well you know what we did with those. Spitting contest, anyone?

Two weeks ago for just $3.99 at Wal-Mart one could purchase a seedless watermelon---that’s like all heart. The small, soft, white, seeds that are present are virtually undetected and can be eaten along with the flesh of the melon. When these hybrids were first developed they were not as tasty/sweet but nowadays they are delish----a real “nummy-nummy” as Owen says.

I know a few folks whose insides are like that watermelon---they’re hearts are ripe with kindness. No yucky, bothersome black seeds get in the way of their sweetness. They exude sweetness. This is not contrived---not just manners or superficial social graces or compliments for compliment’s sake-i.e. flattery. Their lives manifest this fruit of the Spirit. As God’s lovingkindness is great toward them, their benevolence is great toward others. I did not say their situations were perfect, only that they have thankful hearts and see God’s kindness in their lives regardless of their circumstances. Just like the watermelon that remains close to the vine until maturity is sweeter, these folks who abide in the True Vine have an eternal sweetness about them. Their sweetness counts for eternity as they “do good” to others regardless of the response, invest in others’ lives, bear the burdens of another, listen to others, pray for others and give thanks in all things.

Though my mother tried many methods to ensure the selection of the sweetest watermelon, no amount of thumping, taping, sniffing, or shaking actually gave a clue to the inside condition of the melon. 

Oftentimes, maybe most times, our outsides don’t give a clue to what’s really on the inside either. Sometimes we don’t even know. (Jer.17:9) But God…………”create in me (you) a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me” (you). (Psalm 51:10)

Now that I know watermelons do not continue to ripen after they have been removed from the vine, I know that if I’m going to mature in this area, I need to move closer to my Vine. I need to abide. Sweetness/kindness in my heart doesn’t come naturally.

In 1974, I couldn’t have found the book of John in my Bible without the Table of Contents. But God……I not only found John but I found chapter 15. It changed my life. This weekend, I plan to return to that “ABIDE” chapter for a refresher---maybe I’ll do it with my Bible in one hand and a piece of watermelon in the other. How refreshing is that!!!

Kindness

2/24/09 “cuppa” kindness
Those who know me well, know that I like “sweet” tea with a big lemon wedge---none of that artificial stuff for me. But they also know that I am somewhat of a “hot” tea aficionado---maybe that accounts for all of those years of my love affair with England. Maybe that also accounts for all those years, as ljj reminded me recently, of serving a “cup of tea” to each student (1,000+) who came to the library during January---as a part of National Hot Tea Month. Of course, a good book was always part of the celebration and Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea was a favorite with the younger ones---and me too. 

I think I liked Mr. Putter b/c “he was old and his bones creaked” but he still took time each day to share his tea. He took his with sugar, Tabby took hers with cream and I take mine with both---actually preferring milk to cream, so it doesn’t overwhelm the tea flavor. (but never lemon for my "cuppa")

Prior to serving the tea, I’d make a big production of the tea tray and all the accouterments that made “taking tea” together so special. We discussed manners---sipping not slurping. Always, we talked about how special it was to sit and share with another person---an act of kindness of sorts---a way of saying I care about you enough to spend time with you.

In Grandaddy’s hospital room, I was jotting down these notes for the blog when a beautiful young nursing assistant in green scrubs came into the room to take care of his needs. I thought how familiar she looked to me----when you’ve been teaching 41 years, you see lots of familiar faces. Later I asked where she went to school. “Germantown.” I’m a Houston High gal so that didn't ring a bell, but then it “hit” me. “Did you go to Southwind Elementary?” I asked from behind my mask, which I have to wear anytime I'm at the hospital. “YES!” I reminded her that I was Mrs. Liles and the first words our of her mouth were, “You served me tea in the library! It had an orange taste and you made it just for us.”
Now over 10 years later, she’s returning the kindness to a member of my family as she cares for him and actually helps him sip his tea. We never know how our lives will impact someone else, but if kindness is involved, I think the benefit lasts a long time. Sadè is my proof.

In celebration, I’m having a “cuppa”--Jacksons of Piccadilly Darjeeeling--“the true classic of afternoon teas”--- in a my Queen’s china cup, with the pink rose design and looking up more kindness verses. As Michèle says, “Kindness is the fruit salad of spiritual gifts.”

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Galatians 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Colossians 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
2 Timothy 2:24 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,