FRIDAY IN PHILIPPIANS!

Philippians: an encouraging epistle.

Ask self, "Do others see Christ in me" daily? 

Is my identity with Jesus Christ more than surface?

Certainly as others view believers through the lens of life, it's important that they see the life and hear the lips of Jesus. Lips that promote instruction. (Proverbs 16:23)

Manner of life is important. Being of same mind with other believers, who see others more significant than self. (Philippians 2:3)

Jesus Christ, dwelling deeply in me/you, is magnified by sacrificial, self-emptying servanthood. (Found in Philippians this Friday.)

HUMILITY IN PRACTICE!!

Humility. Without pride, Lowly. Meek. Gentle.

Recently, I came across a NT analogy of humility. It seemed to truly represent the  characteristic of thinking of others more important than oneself and translating those thoughts into action. "Tie on the servant's apron."

The staff at First Evangelical Church does it well! Quite literally!

We can choose to do it too.

Begin each day with your apron at hand. 

Tie on your servant attitude as you sip your morning cuppa humili-TEA!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Respect seems to be losing steam in today's culture. Respect for authority, be it parents, teachers or law enforcement. Respect for restaurant patrons who don't need to hear your cell phone conversation. Respect for others, without labeling.

Today, Aretha Franklin, who was born in Memphis, TN,  died in Detroit, MI.  The daughter of a Baptist preacher, she grew up singing "gospel." In the 60s, "The Queen of Soul" sang of respect. Her grammy award winning rendition, R-E-S-P-E-C-T, was originally written and recorded by STAX artist, Otis Redding, a Soulsville star! The song was playing Tuesday night as I entered the STAX museum for a meeting---so it's fresh on my mind.

The song's lyrics, "wanting just a little bit of respect when you get home, "focused on the need of "respect" for those in a marriage relationship. All relationships benefit from respect as one chooses to honor others as created by God, regardless of gender, race, faith or age. In an interview Franklin once said, "even a 3 yr. old wants respect!"

Philippians 2:3, which encourages others to put self aside, sums it up well---".....with humility of mind regard one another more important than yourself."

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, a good and valuable quality, does not need to be lost from our society. If the spelling out of respect, helps to keep this character trait at the forefront of our mind, let's all start singing together. 

TUESDAY'S TO DOn't LIST

Consider the consequences of the negative "TO-Don'ts" on your list if they become your "DOs."

Switch your thinking. Realize that ultimately you control very few of the circumstances/happenings which life throws your way and you have no control over the responses of others. 

Re-consider those negatives......1) excessive planning, 2) fretting & complaining 3) comparing         4) excessive talking, self-promoting.

.......with a positive focus accepting that the "best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." (R. Burns, to A Mouse")

To end on a more positive note...here are some "DOs" to counteract those DOnt's."

1. Allow the Lord to direct your steps. (Proverbs 3:6) 
2. Give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 
3. Accept self as God created you. (Psalm 139:14) 
4. Be quick to listen, listen, listen. (James 1:19)
5. In humility consider others more important than yourself. (Philippians 2:3)

DO remember that you are not in control! The most positive result is remembering Who is ultimately in control of all of life.

CHOOSE: TO EMPATHIZE

In his latest book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This look on My Face?, Alan Alda calls misunderstanding the grit in the gears of daily life that "jams" our relationships. (p.4)
That's why one needs to empty oneself of that self-promoting/arcane language that causes misconceptions and often hinders our relationships with others.

We can suffer the snags of misunderstanding---in important relationships b/c we are getting so bogged down in confusing language that usurps the important aspects of communication--relating well to other people.

What are the essentials of relating well to others? According to Alda, empathy is key---a fundamental ingredient in for real communication. An important component of communicating well with others.

The intro alone with his funny dental experience when he didn't understand the tethering of his maxillary labial frenum is a worthy read in and of itself! As an author, actor and screenwriter, Alda once again shows his unassuming intelligence along with his uncanny ability to make sense of the minutiae of an esoteric language whether that of a scientist, computer engineer, researcher or medical professional. His goal is to teach those in medicine, insurance or technology to talk to the rest of us by stressing empathy.

Empathy. In acting, it's called relating. (p.5) Listening to them. Hearing them. Observing them.

In Scripture it's putting ourselves in another's place. Not being self-promoting, but considering others more significant that yourself. (Philippians 2:3) A way of looking more to another's interest than our own. (1Corinthians 10:24)

Maybe in communicating/relating with others, we all need to do the same. Empathize.

As scripture puts it, an understanding that gives one the sensitive ability to "bear one another's burdens." (Galatians 6:2)

Simply put, choose empathy.

Sereni-TEA : a BIG cuppa

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
(Philippians 2:3, NASB)

Do you know someone who sips from a cuppa humili-TEA everyday? I do.
The Henizes---who put others first---always. Their door is aways open. Their humility spills over into the lives of every one they know.

They practice Ephesians 4:32. Kindness to others! Marge and Larry Henize exude it!

They embody the gospel and live it every moment of every day---at least every moment I've ever been with them.

For us, visiting in their home is as close to heaven as one can be. It's like a retreat. Blessings abound! Open-eyed prayers so you can face the ones you love. Yummy food. Table talk. Stories. LAUGHTER! Sharing. Peace. Serenity.

Reading aloud caps off a day in the mountains---nothing like it!!!

No better place---to sip a cuppa sereni-TEA. For me, it's the BIGGEST cuppa sereni-TEA available this side of heaven. 

"sui-TEA-ble"

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

In desperate need of something to write info on, I picked up a copy of "The Memphis Flyer" (4/24/14)  stacked on the counter at Lost Pizza. Normally, the "Flyer" is rarely on my reading radar. But....the need for paper was great.

With said paper in my carseat (after garnering my info) and me with some waiting time, I started thumbing 'til a verse of poetry caught my eye. I began to read......

Like the author, Bruce VanWyngarden, I agreed that Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of Myself" (1855) gave "an uncanny descriptive definition of Facebook" and other social media sites.

No need for end of year family review letters,* we now have daily "reviews at our fingertips" thru a barrage of tech blitz. We're bombarded with INFO. 

This personal marketing blitz allows each to present self as he/she wants others to see him/her and Twitter and Instagram allow photographic proof of  good times, proud mommy moments and photo-shopped pix of our almost "true self."

"I celebrate myself and sing myself" penned Whitman. VanWyngarden suggested that if Whitman had posted his work on-line today he could call it, "Song of My Selfie."

But God.......showed me that I cannot smugly stop here just because I don't FB or "tweet" and instagram, .......'cause I do blog. 

I blog what I think, feel, and believe. I post pix of lots of teacups that don't show the rest of my messy countertop. Isn't that like a partial truth?

All that to say, I want a mea-TEA blog---meaty with God's truth. NOT a ME-tea blog that's all about me.

A blog that serves the reader a "sui-TEA-ble "cuppa of God's word. A cuppa that meets him at his point of need. Suitable and significant for giving God's grace, unique to each reader!

*BTW, If I'm on your Christmas letter list, please keep me there. Remember, I'm "old school."

CROSSWORD CLUES

10/8/12

2 Down. Self importance. 3 letters.

Last weeks USA Today’s crossword puzzle clue had an easy answer. EGO.

This week as I have been preparing a lesson from James 4:1-10, I’ve come face to face with the sin of prIde, which is the result of an over-inflated ego.

An ego, simply stated, that……..

Edges

God

Out

The remedy for that sin, given both in James and Philippians, is humility. A “more of Thee and less of me” concept.

Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. ;(Philippians 2:3, CEB)

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (Philippians 2:3, NASB)

Putting self before God and others is sin---the clues to that truth are found in God’s word. 

Who inspires all scripture?

Three letters. Starts with G.