"Op-TEA-ing Out"

Do all things without complaining...(Philippians 2:14, NKJV)

Glancing through our "vacation pack" of newspapers, I was intrigued by a headline in the "Local" section, above the fold.

"Can't Complain"

It was a heading for a picture of a man enjoying the weather as he painted by the Mississippi River.

Actually, he could have chosen to complain about the mosquitos or the wind whipping at his drawing tablet. But he chose not to....he opted out of complaint.

Just two weeks ago as I was in the chair of my beau-TEA benefactor, Janine, she too, made that same "I can't complain" response to my "how are you doing" question. 

In my opinion, she could easily choose to complain as she leaves a "special needs" son at home, drives a great distance to a job that keeps her on her feet and then gets my un-cooperative head of hair to try and tame. Yet, she chooses NOT to complain.

"Do not complain" is a simple command from scripture that is hard to follow. In our self-indulgent, narcissistic culture, we seem to be breeding discontent with our own expectations of personal perfection in every aspect of our lives. Disillusionment occurs. Complaint begins.

Complaining when things don't go "our way." Result: An ever complaining society. 

Just think of things that seem to trigger complaints in life. Traffic jams. Weather. Crying babies on an airplane, especially seated near you. Long lines. Full carts in the express line. Any line at all. Cell phone conversations in a restaurant. Neighborly lawn mowing at 6:30 am. Compile your own list.

This morning, as hubby drove us to the dentist, a young lady almost clipped us as she cut in front of us in order to be one car ahead. We "griped" about Memphis drivers the rest of the way there and even in to Dr. Heros' office, where others joined in our complaint.

Complaint seems contagious. I need to opt out of complaint before I emit a spirit of complaint that can spread to others.

Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his (own) sins? (Jeremiah 3:39)

As I pour my "choice" cuppa, may it be an "op-TEA-ing out of complaint." Serving an "op-TEA-ing in" of contentment" to others.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT: beau-TEA

2/16/14 Ah-h-h...the beauty of written dialogue. The language of ordinary people in the dialect of their own time and region.

I grew up with a touch of "Kentucky hick" as my "mother tongue." Maybe not pretty to some, but familiar to me. Comforting. It's where I learned, I "reck-in," not I suppose so. "Fixin' to" was another that still rolls off my tongue. Vowels were drawn out---pronounced for a slightly longer period of time than other folks required. The "widow woman" (redundant, I now know) down the way would "sit a spell" on her porch each day. You get the idea. 

Maybe that's why I was drawn to choose the book Song of the Cardinal (1903) to read. Or maybe because both hubby and I have an affinity for bird-watching, the cardinal being a fave of this Kentucky born gal.

Most likely it was chosen because the author, Gene Stratton-Porter wrote one of my all time favorite books, Keeper of the Bees, published in 1925, the year after her death. A real "keeper" for me on my bookshelf!
Song of the Cardinal has so much "good" written below the story line as it tells of how just a beautiful bird can make a difference in the life of someone who was aging and rheumatic and could hardly put his hand to the plough.

Check out Stratton-Porter's "good" as well as beau-TEAful dialect:

• "The Cardinal had opened the fountains of his soul; life took on a new colour and joy; while every work of God manifested a fresh and heretofore unappreciated loveliness. His very muscles seemed to relax, and new strength arouse to meet the demands of his uplifted spirit." (p. 103) 
• "An' if it hadn't a-compassed a matter o' breakin' your word, what 'ud want to kill the redbird for, anyhow? Who gives you the right to go 'round takin' such beauty an joy out of the world?" (p. 134) 
• "----all full o' life 'at you ain't got no mortal right to touch 'cos God made it, an' it's His!" (p. 135) "....but God knows 'at shootin' a redbird just to see the feathers fly isn't having dominion over anything; it's jest a-makin' a plumb beast o' yerself. (p. 136) 
• "I felt most too rheumaticky to tackle field work this spring until he come 'long, an' the fire o' his coat an' song got me warmed up as I ain't been in years. .....D'you ever stop to think how full this world is o' things to love, if your heart's jest big enough to let 'em in? We love to live for the beauty o' the things surroundin' us," (p. 138) 
• "To my mind, ain't no better way to love an' worship God, 'an to protect an' appreciate these fine gifts He's given for our joy an' use.....Worshippin'....."Getting the beauty from the sky, an' the trees, an' the grass, an' the water 'at God made, is nothin' but doin' HIm homage. Whole earths a sanctuary . You can worship from sky above to grass under foot."           Well said, Mrs. Geneva "Gene" Stratton-Porter! 

Taken through my kitchen window February 2014 

Not a book for everyone but the dialect was "sorta" familiar---comforting as in days of yore.