Ten-Lords A-Leaping.....

12/20/10.........is our sermon series showing the 10 commandments as the pathway to joy. All of us want enjoyment in life but time and again we look for it in all the wrong ways. Too often, these ways, (especially in excess) can be ways of pain---relationships, adultery, alcohol, achievement in workplace, praises of others, etc. We can actually become enslaved by these pursuits of pleasure and significance. Exodus 20:2 keeps me considering what I’m enslaved to. I am becoming more and more aware of desires, excessive, possibly) and “pursuits” (many well meaning) that I think will bring me joy. What are the gods in my life? That’s the question I have begun asking myself.
Here's a peek at page one of my "sermon notes."

• Idolatry is…..desiring something else more than God.
  
• Idolatry is….conflict with God---most intense where our idols (desires) are most appealing.
  
• Human hearts are idolatry factories.
  
• We might not carve out idols with our hands but we create our own idols when we carve God out of our hearts.
  
• We’ve upgraded idol technology so that it’s not so overt----SELF.
  
• Desire in and of itself is not wrong but…….must consider where those desires are placed, i.e. success & achievement.
  
• Idols get our priority, time, attention & sacrifice.
  
• New Jeep Cherokee ad says, “the things we make, make us.” (an idolatry axiom of our culture today)
• Emerson quote, condensed,---"Gods we worship write their names on our faces…..that which dominates his life will determine his character………..what we are worshipping we are becoming."

1 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; (Exodus 20: 1-5a)

Use these words today to help you consider which gods are foremost in your life. Choose to worship the only true God, the One worthy of worship. Carve out time during this season to return to the Lord who gives the kind of love that will have you (and me) leaping for joy.

Me, ingenuous?

12/19/10 Not exactly but………...with a little help from some yet to be named folks, I pulled it off. I told Larry that I did it all myself---but he’s not buying that.

Here’s the scoop.
Larry is not a big fan of “my” brown sofa (from Springers, no less) in our den. Though I’m the one using it 99% of the time, he says it sinks way down anytime anyone sits on it. So yesterday for the ingenuous gift, that required only a “small” tip and some holiday “goodies,” I gave Larry a “new” den couch for Christmas for 1 year. Didn’t go to Aaron rentals either. I just sent Larry to Kroger with an unusual list of hard to find items. Then, I, and my elves, merely transported the den furniture for seating, except his big recliner, to the living room. We then moved the living room couch into the den. That way the big couch, that in no way sinks down---Mommar’s feet wont even touch the floor when she sits on it--has become the den couch. My prayer chair was included in the swap as well, so there was definitely some sacrifice in the giving. The window treatments blend enough with the swap so hopefully my friends with a real decorator’s sense won’t be appalled. Maybe, they, like Larry, will think (at first glance anyway) that we got a “new” couch.

The gift wasn’t costly or time consuming but I still think it hit the mark. Ingenuous giving involves giving a little of yourself in a thoughtful, creative, resourceful and original way. I hope I met those requirements.

ingenuiTEA

12/15/10 Angie is one of my most ingenuous friends so it stands to reason that when it comes to gift giving she overflows with cleverness. Plus, she adds the personal element. Having opened her gift at school, I just had to try it out when I got home.

It’s an ingenuiTEA, the ingenuous teapot. How clever is that!!

It brews my loose tea in the water that can be heated right inside the cup and then will only dispense it when it’s sitting on a teacup. Otherwise it sits up on little “feet.” It’s a great gift for a tea lover who cherishes convenience, especially in the hours before dawn.

ingenuiTEA, especially in gift giving, is not my “cup of tea” or area of giftedness but I can certainly recognize it in others. They are thoughtful, clever, creative, resourceful, and original. Just plain ole good gift givers, like Angie---giving in both tangible gifts and in selfless giving of their time and energy.

God gives good gifts to all of us. He is the initiator of all ingenuity. He gives me family & friends and blog readers who shower me with gifts and encouragement. He gave His son Jesus. What an ingenuous gift!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, (James 1:17)

Hark and Harken...........

12/13/10---the seasonal words for listening attentively to God’s word and then applying it in your own life. It’s meditation, December style.
Tonight at BSF “my” favorite carol, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, was chosen for singing. It was the perfect backdrop for my meditative reflections.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:10-14)

Click on the title and you too can have the instrumental rendition of this glorious carol as you set your mind on this truth.

FATIGUE FACTOR

12/11/10 Last night’s Christmas party was fun even if we all were a bunch of “Friday Tired” teachers. Anyone who has ever taught understands that term. Our spouses are used to us forgoing Friday night entertainment because of this syndrome. But…..it’s the holiday. We all rallied. The fatigue factor was shelved for the night!

The Exner’s home was warm and inviting and the flying pigs on the mantel (Jeanne’s newest addition to her holiday décor) were delightful. How fun to get to know folks apart from the work setting. Good food, fun folks and lots of laughter made for a cheery evening. My laughter increased when I saw the "nap" napkins that Michelle, the other hostess, had put at the dessert table. The message put a smile on all our faces----those of us who share the “Friday Fatigue Factor” but had chosen to banish it and enjoy each other.

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: (Proverbs 15:13a)

The King is Coming---a reprise

12/9/10 Tonight is the last night of Hanukkah. I know because the last candle has been lit on the 2 menorahs that anchor our neighborhood. One is at the “house” synagogue. The other is a few doors down---its candles stay ablaze throughout the night. These last 8 days, Jewish families have been celebrating the “Festival of Lights” remembering the 165 .C. triumph of the Maccabees reclaiming their Holy Temple. Needing oil for the candles for the dedication, they found only enough for 1 night. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight nights--- Hanukkah commemorates this event.
As it’s still very dark as I’ve passed it each morning, I’ve watched the light increase. This morning I saw the shadow it made on the home. WOW---it was a crown in silhouette. This household is still waiting for their king to come. Around the corner at my house, there’s a sign by our manger and cross display that notes,"A King is Born. “The King is Coming.” He’s coming back for His own.

As Chuck Hodges sang so beautifully at Coach Al Brown’s funeral.

Regal robes are now unfolding
heaven's grandstands all in place
Heaven's choir is now assembled
start to sing Amazing Grace
Oh the King is coming the King is coming...

Oh the King is coming the King is coming...

(He's coming for me)

Whirlaway???

12/6/10 ……… A ride at Coney Island? A thoroughbred racehorse? A method for ridding the mind of whirring thoughts?

The whirring sound from the small bathroom heater that I placed on the bathroom counter mimicked the whirring that was going on in my mind. I don’t use a hairdryer anymore so on these cold days I place the heater where it can dissipate the dampness of my hair, at least a little bit around the edges, while I brush teeth and apply make-up, before hitting the brisk outside air of early morning.

This action is somewhat of a step back in time. As a youngster, my mother would have me sit in front of the open door of our gas oven and run her fingers through my hair from the scalp out---a drying technique similar to the one I use now. As a teenager, I used that bonnet-type dryer so that I could sleep with it on my head. Not sure how safe that was.

All these methods are time-saving devices used throughout my life as my mind has always had the tendency to whir into action once I get out of bed & continues to whir with the days agenda as I dress. That, my friends, is not a peaceful mind.

Nowadays, in order to slow down those whirring thoughts, I try to fill my mind with scripture. It’s scriptural to do that because it keeps one’s mind on the Lord. Try it you’ll like it---especially this scripture that verifies that truth. Choose the version that you want as your “whirlaway.”

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3, KJV)

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3, NASB)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3, NIV)

You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)

ADVENT TRADITIONS

12/5/10 Today is the second advent Sunday of 2010. Advent Sundays are the four Sundays before Christmas Day. The entire advent season is a time of expectancy. Christian families wait and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ. Through the years we Liles have only done it “officially” on Sunday. But….we’ve done it so often we even have our own script. As each married and moved away, I sent an advent candle holder along with a copy of our script.
In the past, on the 2nd Sunday, I would have opened in prayer, our youngest child (Molly) would be lighting the purple candle of faith from last week’s lesson, Larry would read Matthew 1:18-24, middle child (Josh) would light the next purple “candle of light” (also known as the Bethlehem candle) after the devotional and oldest child (Buddy) would lead the singing of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and my favorite carol of all, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Now the script doesn’t quite fit our empty nest household---it doesn’t exactly fit Buddy’s either because he and Day have a lot more kids who will need a part. Whereas Molly and Corey only have one and Josh and Megan have none, it doesn’t fit their houses either and I’m afraid our tradition will die out.

Maybe each house will alter and begin its own tradition. Maybe that’s what Larry and I need to do because it feels lonely here when I think back on previous advent Sunday nights: the time our Jewish neighbors’ son came and came back again when he realized that the next time, Mr. Liles would be singing “We Three Kings” and he didn’t want to miss that; the joy on the faces of our kids opening those small gifts which were fairly predictable over the years---ornament, the first Sunday, magazine or book the second Sunday, etc; extinguishing our candles the Scrooge way---“scrooging” has a way of leaving spit dribbles on the candles.

One year we shared our traditions with friends. With everything organized with our kids so that they were also a part, we had it all planned down to the letter----except for the electricity going off. (& only on our street) It turned out to be memorable, probably more so, because of the “seeming” catastrophe. Cooking was done via extension cords over the fence from our back neighbors’ house and our grill. Gifts were given by candlelight so that those who received gifts with the “wrong” name could pass them on to others. The gift went on…

Tonight, if gmail cooperates, I plan to open an email sent by a friend from Germantown Methodist that includes an Advent guide. Maybe Larry and I will find just the right advent lesson for empty nesters who miss sharing this tradition with their kids.

Laughter that is good for the soul

(12/2/10) What does that look like? In the circle of stoic Christians, laughter can be almost non-existent or forced humor can look like a bad case of locked bowels. Surely it’s okay to have fun especially during this joyous season of celebration, which too often can turn stressful. But how? For me, it’s not too hard because I’m married to a comic. My older brother with his droll personality and his sometimes dry and always off the wall sense of humor with an uncanny sense of timing is also humorous----and that’s putting it mildly. Anyone who prefaces his questions with, “What in the tarnation….?? is witty in my book. Put the two of them together and life becomes “wet your pants” funny. But, they’re rarely together.

Most of you might not have folks like that in your life so you have to “look” else where, especially when life situations aren’t offering too much to laugh at or joke about. Big brother solved that for his wife, Charlotte, and me and my amigas, Gigi and Bonnie. He treated us to a comical feast---an evening with “laugh out loud funny,” Anita Renfroe. Renfroe helped us laugh at our belly rolls, our jigglies, our mammogram experiences, our hubby’s snoring and everyone’s bad breath. It wasn’t raunchy.
It was good, clean laugh at yourself entertainment. It blessed me beyond measure. I continue to remember tidbits and smile when I think about them. She’s a former Baptist preacher’s wife (former b/c he’s now her manager) so her humor not only brings out the deep belly laughs, but it goes right to the soul.

All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15)

On the go, on the go, on the go.........

12/1/10 .....and I'm afraid it's gonna snow, gonna snow, gonna snow. (in KY)
and it did and it was glorious!!



Even Col. Sanders was snowed upon.






Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1