Spring: Day 1

3/20/12 Many writers speak of springtime as the season that eases in or tiptoes in with scents to tickle our noses and blooms to delight our eyes. A time of no extremes. A time of transition between the chill of winter and the heat of summer.

Weather wise, spring of 2012 entered weeks before its designated calendar day and defied such descriptors. It blew in with gale force winds, tornados, flooding and record-breaking high temps that would then plummet without warning. 

Today’s powerful wind gusts scattered the petals of our "early blooming" cherry tree far and wide---and even into our living room through our pane-less frame. The Window World gal said it was “magical” to see all that pink whirring around. Pink cotton candy. (My thought---it looks like we just had a wedding in here.)

None of this surprises our Creator. As our earth revolves, seasons will continue. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) We just get to enjoy each of them.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, …….... 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 ……….. a time to embrace..... (Ecclesiastes 3:1-5)

 Spring: a favorite season for many----embrace it and enjoy!

But God.....

3/19/12 “But God.” I use that phrase a lot in blogging. This week I decided to use it for meditation. A simple phrase. 6 letters, 2 words. Fitting perfectly with my desire to simplify. Part of my BSF lesson in Ephesians 2. Simply a perfect fit.

Not as simple as I thought. I spent entirely too long on the rabbit trail of deciding if it were a subordinating conjunction or prepositional phrase. But God…..began to teach me some profound truths in those 2 words.

In Ephesians 2:4 “but God” introduces a BIG contrast between the condition of a believer and a non-believer…..from death to life.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

But God…..makes all the difference.

Now it’s your turn. Ask God to impact your thinking with those words. They are important throughout scripture.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GOD'S HANDIWORK

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

Daddy's memorial tree is beginning........

.......to bloom!

My cherry tree, a fluff of white froth.......

......whose cotton candyish petals dust the ground as if a bride had just passed by!

"Zoo-erific"

3/17/12 It's been a zoo around here this past week----no phone, no internet. But God.....showered us with 5 kids everyday, 6 kids most days, plus 8 kids somedays and 2 extra cousins at the zoo one day----and that's just family. Throw in a few neighborhood kids and 3 visiting grands of neighbors and one really does have a zoo. Who would have even had time to "talk" on a phone or shoot out an e-mail!

 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for "brothers" to dwell together in unity. (Psalm 133:1)

Our "zoo" went to the zoo.

A slippery slope-----1 girl among 7 boys, total.

Rough & Tumble

When God sends rain, have boat races in the gutter. 

Day is done, gone the sun----but we "party on" with Pop-Pop around the fire!

Meditation Monday, simply

3/12/12 Today's "God Calling" reminds me that "Simplicity is the keynote of the Kingdom. Choose simple things always." In this entry, one is even advised to always choose simple things and to love the simple. Is that why I have no phone or internet access at home. Should I "thank" Comcast instead of berating them.
What are the simple things I should choose. This week it's a houseful of grandboys.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all else will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Now there's a Bible promise for today that is well worth considering.

Sabbath Snapshots: Looking up

3/11/12 What a view-----always "looking up"to see what His hands hath wrought.

"Praise the Lord! 

Praise God in His sanctuary; 

Praise Him in His mighty expanse."

(Psalm 150:1)

A Texas sunrise that keeps growing......

....and glowing

A cloudy Arkansas (Hwy 70) sky anchored by goldenrod and bare trees.

A waxing moon-----can you see it on the right???

Pink Blooms and Blue Skies

A Tennessee sunset---Longreen view.

BEAUCOUPS OF BLESSINGS

3/8/12
I’ve written mine down for the day----You might want to do the same. Result could be a thankful heart which could result in a grateful spirit. Which could make your entire day one of blessing. Beaucoups of them.
1.     Time with precious Mary Flo, who picked me up at the airport. She certainly knows her way around Love Field. Plus lunch at Celebrity Café & Bakery in Highland Park village---what great memories came flooding back.
2.    My favorite “little" Texans awaiting my arrival.
3.    Buddy and Day
4.    Travel mercies with turbulence induced prayer time on plane
5.    So much to look forward to---book fairs for the boys, (be still my heart) lunch dates at an elementary school and reading aloud to my favorite age groups.

Simplici-TEA

3/7/12 Sometimes it’s good to ease up on the accelerator in life. (1,000 words, Commercial Appeal 2/26/12)

Hearkening to those words, after my “retreating” has me hankering to do just that.

It’s the “cuppa” I hope to drink great draughts from this month, especially in my blog. May it be good medicine for my soul and yours as well.

Saying more with fewer words. Slowing down to consider big ideas from small portions of passages, etc.

Simply tea---though a stronger tea for energy

Flying to Texas today. The next 10 days will be spent with all my Texans in Allen, TX and then driving with them back to Memphis on Saturday. They will be here for Spring Break so-o-o today is probably a great time to start. I also hope to plan more moments of solitude and to find a quiet place where I can focus on God. In the past, sitting with one of the little Texans in my lap during my quiet time has given me a great focus and understanding of the simplici-TEA of His love. A love, that when fully accepted, overlows to others.

TEA WITH THEE.....

3/6/12….in Psalm ninety. (nine-TEA) Nothing much better than a morning with the psalms and a cuppa---both tend to soothe the soul.

Psalm 90 is where I found myself as I am trying to “steep” myself in the Psalms this year. Reading through it the first time, the “tea” elements jumped off the page. There was much to “sip-on”---eterni-TEA, (v.1-2) frail-TEA, (v. 3) gravi-TEA (v.7-8 ) of our iniqui-TEAs, etc.  When I got to brevi-TEA, (v.10-22)I thought what a hard cuppa to swallow for those who don’t know the Lord. Perfect "cuppa" (v.17) is a believer's cup of tea.....favor of the Lord our God, resting upon us and establishing the work of our hands.

Tea with the Lord and my cuppa satisfied.  The simplici-TEA of it all---God’s unfailing love, as shown in His word, satisfies. (Psalm 90:14)

MEDITATION MONDAY: A STERLING IDEA

3/5/12 Having been up to my elbows in silver polish for the last week, I readily understood our BSF leader, Cathy’s, analogy about our spiritual lives being like silver. When company comes, our moms always got out the silver and polished it carefully as a way of welcoming and esteeming our guests. Polished silver reflected the best we had to offer

As part of her teaching on Ephesians 1, Cathy reminded us that as God's children, we are chosen by Him for the "praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:12) Our lives should clearly reflect Him---just like my piece of recently polished silver reflected me, the polisher.

Cathy Crowe's BSF principle, 
“God’s children are chosen to bring Him glory.”

But…..the hard part of the lesson came in the realization that, just like the silver, we can easily tarnish. We too often let circumstances or listening to gossip of others, have us reflecting the world and NOT the glory of God. “Polishing” by God is required. In order for “polishing to take place, we must be in His word. Daily exposure to God’s truth can give us such a shine that once again we reflect Him and His glory.

 “Meditation Monday”  = Time for reflection in His word.

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe..... (Ephesians 1:16-19a)

Her question, “Are there any tarnished places in your life?” Her suggestion, “Ask God to use His word to polish them. What a sterling idea!!