SATURDAY SUMMARY......

My doctors keep reminding  me that "at my age" one needs to keep physically active and intellectually stimulated----i.e. more than the mental floss that tends to fill my head. Last week it was demonyms. This week I added Monegasque. You know.....the residents of Monaco. 

In the scheme of important things, that info is nothing but useless trivia.

Instead, I need a clear, simple way to keep up with daily pills, (ever changing) prayer requests and praises....especially on Saturday. 

May my Saturday summaries help me in remembering. (Psalm 77:11, 1 Corinthians 11:2) 

• Remember your Creator. (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
• I remember your name in the night, O, Lord (Psalm 119:55)
• ..the Helper, the Holy Spirit....will bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. (Psalm 103:2)

Lest I forget..........Lord God of Hosts, be with us (me) yet, Lest we (I) forget---

lest we (I) forget. (Deuteronomy 4:7-9)

Comfor-TEA-ble

 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

(John 14:26, KJV)

What a Saturday! The past 5 hours were spent pew-side in a sanctuary and bedside in ICU 201! In both situations, friends needed comfort.

A former Memphian's life was celebrated today by family and friends. Her husband told of how at 2:30 in the morning at his home in Wisconsin, he received a call from the American Embassy in New Delhi India. In a somewhat matter of fact tone , the voice on the other end informed him, with regret, that his wife had died in Bhutan, which is some 2,000 miles from India.

His wife had left days before, healthy, happy and physically fit, for a biking tour with fellow cycling friends. On that day's ride, she biked off road and fell to her death. Today her life was remembered on the day that would have been the couple's 45th wedding anniversary.

What does one say? More hugs than words. Sharing memories helps. Being there counts.

Bedside with a friend who has more physical struggles than anyone I know. Blind. Paralyzed. 
A widower for almost a year. Weary. Discouraged. 
How can one offer comfort in either of those situations? Certainly  I could not empathize and testify to God's goodness in either situation because I've never experience such trouble. Yes, I know of His goodness and know that "He comforts us in all our troubles." (2 Corinthians 1:4) 

What offers true comfort?  

• God's Word. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) 
• God's people being there....(Psalm 27:13-14) 
• Hugs. Comfortable tears.
• Smiles of caring or laughter if one is blind and can't see your face.

Offer a comfor-TEA-ble cuppa of love to assuage the emotional distress of grief to one and the physical pain of suffering to the other. 

A comfort cross with skin on.

"complexi-TEA"

   "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you (John 14:26, NASB)

Some passages of Scripture are more difficult for me than others. But God, in His word reminded me that His Spirit can teach me all things. Not only that, but as I reread scripture and meditate on it, God often shows me Truth in a new way---not antithetical, just different. It's usually in a very practical way that meets me right at my point of need on that day. Not truth that contradicts earlier understanding but expounds upon it with refreshing new insight.......because, He will guide you into all the truth; (John 16:13)

 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1 John 2:27, NASB)

Simply abiding----that's not hard to understand.

Today's Tea with Thee time has provided simplicity of thought from the seeming complexities of His word. All because I had the "right" Teacher! " 

Notes in Mama Davenport's Bible help my understanding, as well.

Sipping "complexi-TEA" with the "best" of them because ultimately we all have the same spiritual teacher.

SATURDAY RE-BREWS: TEAch-able

1/18/14 Weekends are times for wandering.....so for a season, the Saturday blogs will be a re-brew. A Re-write. I hope to re-write some blogs from the last 5 years. More concise. More focused and in the same format.

TEAch-able will be the first cuppa.

But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. (John 14:26, ASV)

Re-reading my 2/28/09 blog entry today, had me asking myself, "How teachable am I in 2014?" 

"Why do I seem to continue to need re-teaching, especially in the area of trust?" Remedial trust classes?" Or.....maybe be sent to "time-out" to see if "being still" can make a difference in my recall of God's word and all He has done in my past to prove His faithfulness.

In 2009, my classroom was a cancer diagnosis with a grim prognosis. An initial surgery could last 18-22 hours. Possibility of 8-10 surgeries spanning over a year. A good chance of losing my gums and having to rebuild my sinus cavity with titanium. Such a medical foreboding had my listening ears perked. I desired to "hear" more from the Lord, knowing that though "he slay me," as Job said, I was ready to praise HIm.
Suffering can bring one into a TEAch-able position---prostrate before the Lord.

Psalm 23 is a psalm of trust and confidence in the God for not only the moment but for all one's future moments as well. Psalms---a good place to go for re-teaching IF one has a TEAch-able spirit.