NEIGHBORLYNESS!

Neighborhoods are less about zip codes and more about being a part of  each others' lives! (Rev. Kenny Chapman)

For believers, think fellowship! Those walking with God leave their zip codes (of holy ground) often to go to serve others. With a quiet word. A gift of being there to encourage during physical needs or grief. 

Faith bearers serve others in the neighborhood and beyond.

Strength in one's inner being allows Christ to dwell in one's heart through faith and follow the call to serve others.

Serving others honors them. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10,ESV))

Out do one another in showing love says it well, neighbor!

CARING!

If people could use one word to describe you, what do you think it would be? Given that challenge to describe friend, Crickett, one word kept coming to mind. Caring. 

Think synonymously....Kind. Concerned. Thoughtful. Trustworthy.

My One Word to encompass Crickett Keeth.... "Caring"-- with all the above listed facets.

Crickett has always understood the value of fellowship, knowing how difficult it is to do life alone. She shows this as she blesses lives of many. 

She cares for others in various ways with her time, resources and strengths: 

• devoted to others in love as she honors them above her self. (Romans 12:10) 
• serves others humbly in love (Galatians 5:13c) 
• carries another's burdens, (Galatians 6:2a) 
• trustworthy to keep requested secrecy .... as she looks to the interest of others (Philippians 2:4) 
• In fact, Crickett is known world-wide as a caring encourager who builds up women and spurs them on in a teaching ministry. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

GOD is not unjust; He will not forget your (Crickett's) work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. (Hebrew 6:10) 

Now, that's caring at its best! Think all caps...........

THINK CARING CRICKETT! 

Then.....THANK CRICKETT for listening to the Lord and coming to First Evan 17 1/2 years ago.

FAMILY TIES

There are many things that tie families together, some better than others. (Romans 12:10)

Hanging our heads out the rolled down windows to avoid cigarette smoke might not have been a good one but we "back-seaters" remembered it even long after our parents quit smoking.

Growing up in Hoptown we shared a "wolf" language taught by Daddy that was only understood by us.

Dalfaddy, Bulfuddy, Dolfotsy and Bolfobby were in the know. Silly. Yes! ....... But to this day it's a tie that binds.

Stories we heard over and over whether we were there when they happened or not. Several years after Daddy came home from the war, my older sibling who was 4 yrs old at the time, asked Daddy to go to church with Mommy and him. Daddy's reply was he couldn't because his shoes weren't polished. Well, that was an easy fix. Older brother, already dressed in his "Sunday go to Meetin' ", white pique suit with white Peter Pan collared shirt proceeded to the cabinet to get the black polish. The shoes were duly polished and his clothes probably had as much blackness as, if not more than, Daddy's size 11 shoes. Daddy went to church that Sunday and for the next 64 years until his stroke incapacitated him. Faith is certainly a tie that binds in a positive way. In 2010 he was honored as one of three oldest living members of Hopkinsville's First United Methodist Church. 

Inside jokes also bind well. "Cut the mustard" always gets snickers at our house....especially as we recall the time Reverend Grimstead said it! Crazy Ada's "Oh just forget about it" rings a bell every time we hear someone refer to it."

These days my youngest child and I have an ongoing "Fun" dispute.

Any one out there have disputes on punctuation marks? Is ampersand in your vocabulary of dispute?

At my house they have been gifted as reminders. Quite a gift! Fun reminder!

From paper weight to wall hanging, I smile every time I walk past an ampersand. 

It's "my" Molly's way of greeting me with a wink!

MINDSETS

I have decide to spare you my quotidian details involved in my circular thinking that led to this blog. 

Mindsets are earthly focused or focused above. (Colossians 3:1-2)

I think most earthly mindsets fall into one of two categories. Whether it's in your relationships, careers, finances, recreation or entertainment.

Self or others. Which is it for you?

Are you self-absorbed in your thinking?  Actions can follow your thinking.

Are you Other-Oriented? 

Others know, even if you don't.

You might pray as Ronnie Stevens wrote.....

Lift us up out of the pit of perpetual self-regard. 

Cause us to be other-oriented.

 (Path to the Cross, entry July 10)

APRIL= BIRTHDAY MONTH

April birthdays in my family include 1 brother,  1 daughter, 1 grandfather, 1 uncle, 2 cousins, 5 sweet friends and hubby! (Romans 12:10)

Hooray! Hooray!

Hubby caught up with me today! Both of us grateful to the increase of years in our lives. (Proverbs 9:11) 

.....In a Mexican way---with chips, salsa, chicken chimichanga & complimentary sopailla.... 

served with "Happy Birthday" in Spanish. 

An April day of birthday blessing. (Psalm 118:24)

CHOOSE: LOVE

Choose love and find joy!
Greeks had 6 words for love---3 of which were used in NT scripture.
Phileo love (deep friendship) John 12:25, Storge (like a family love) Romans 12:10, a combo of phileo & storge, and agape (unconditional, represented by God's love) John 3:16.
Hebrew definition for love in OT is 'ahabah (similar to GK Eros, romantic love) as depicted in Song of Solomon and Proverbs 5:18.

Today is a day to celebrate love. I celebrated with tea as I read cards & emails, and opened candy from loved ones.
I celebrate "morningtime" with tea. I love tea.
But God.....has shown me that "love" in scripture is not about inanimate objects.
In scripture, love is always the only kind of real love----relational.
So....I guess that excludes my cuppa. But.....I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like my morning cuppa.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

Self is Ugly!

5/25/09 SELF is Ugly! A week ago today, I confessed some self-absorption in my life---I wish that were the only time that “self” reared its ugly head. I have some deep convictions about self centeredness----I may move from teachin’ to meddlin’ here, but I think I, and many others, need a wake-up call because life is not all about us. There’s a world of hurting people out there, people with lots of baggage who could use a listening ear. But….we’re (many of us) too busy taking care of #1!

SELF is #1!

S howing E xtreme L ove F or 1st person singular, “I” --me is grammatically correct. I. ME.  Both are self-focused. "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor;" (Romans 12:10) Ask your self when is the last time you put someone else’s needs before your own—in an honoring way---not begrudgingly. This verse is food for thought or meditation since it’s Monday. Most think that the opposite of love is hate but in a way it’s selfishness---because you don’t have room in your heart to love others----it’s too full of SELF! 

Maybe it’s time we all ask God to free us from selfishness---empty our hearts of SELF and fill it instead with His love.