SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Beachside

7/22/12 Will post pix as soon as possible. 

PATIENT in affliction

7/21/12 Am I patient in affliction? Great question for each of us to ask ourselves on a soul searching Saturday.

For some Memphis business folks, the greatest “constant” affliction is their weekday commute in the “crazy” Memphis traffic. For parents at St. Jude, it’s enduring the day- in, day-out rounds of  chemo and radiation, as they “fight” for their child’s life. In these situations, both the “patient” and the parent/caregiver need patience in such an affliction. Others find affliction in the chair that confines them---the paralysis that holds them.

Not all afflictions are physically painful---though it often feels that way. Emotional afflictions of disappointment in a child’s rebellion, deep regret, fear,  rejection by a loved one, are all equally painful. Heartache.

For  Christians, Romans 12: 12 bookends the term, “patient in affliction”, with two other phrases. Fervent in prayer, the bookend that closes the verse, provides the earthly answer---prayers for ones own suffering supported by prayers of others for them. Intercessory prayer is powerful.

 “Joyful in hope is the first bookend and it is key! Hope for a better tomorrow. For some that’s possible this side of eternity.  For those whose “earthly affliction” is diagnosed as chronic or terminal, their daily hope is reliance on the rest, strength  and grace from the God of all comfort. This daily hope coupled with their eternal hope provides the patience needed in the affliction

Many have that patience in abundance.  Ohers do not.  Do you?

TIME REDEMPTION

7/18/12

I am a clock watcher---always have been.I used to even wear a watch to bed if there wasn't a clock nearby. But God.....has been teaching me to "watch" Him more and my timepiece less. Yesterday, that happened. Before my "biggie" 6 month doctor's 11:15 a.m.appointment, I had already run errands in Germantown (2), made a bank stop, picked up tomatoes (For me, jet star tomatoes from Middleton vendor at Agri-center put those Ripley "maters"to shame---more acidic, which is what I prefer.) and "peas to put up" at the market, and voted. After said appointment, which Dr. S. deemed a "good report", I met 3 friends at Paradise Cafe for a yummy lunch and mission trip discussion.
Following that I went to the home of a dear friend. Geary Irwin, who has been a special friend since the 60s and is almost 89, can run circles around me. It was a bittersweet time. Geary is moving to Jacksonville, FL to be nearer to her daughter and the movers were pulling out as I arrived. The sweet part was that Anne Hooker and I both had just dropped in to see her off because in an earlier conversation, she let us know that some folks would be there to clean up and we could just visit. Well, the cleaners never came and Anne, who lives around the corner, went & got her vacuum and we had the privilege to help her grandaughter with the "tidying up" before the new owners came the next day. How special was that---Geary said, "Y'all were God-sent." How those words energized me.
There was even energy left over to make a few more stops on the way home and leftovers were easy to pull out for supper. All of this to say, that earlier in the day, as I was ready to dart out the door with a  l-o-n-g list of "to do items", I had a real God nudge. I took time (which I didn't think I could spare) and had time with Him, not looking at my watch even once.
Hosea 10:12 reminds us that it's time to seek the Lord.

Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord

Maybe I'm on the road to recovery. Maybe I'm not as time compulsive as I once was. Maybe....once again, God clearly showed me that He can redeem the time. Time redemption that even left me energized at the end of a long day.

Seasons of Discontent

7/17/12 If you don’t vote, you can’t complain. I don’t know if those were just Daddy’s words or if it was just the general sentiment of small town folks in Hoptown, where I grew up. Daddy was never a “waster of words” so that would have limited his political discussions to a degree anyway, But…..I NEVER heard him complain. I know it’s hard to believe I’m his daughter---because I, too often. am a waster of words and have been known to cut loose with some complaints.

Complaint often stems from discontent. But God…..has been teaching me contentment like I’ve never known. You see, contentment is a learned condition, it doesn’t come naturally.

Paul reiterates this in Philippians 4:11.

.....for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I must confess that I much prefer seasons of contentment. And these can come regardless of one's circumstances. These seasons of contentment can translate to seasons of “no complaint”. But, just in case my candidate doesn’t win, I can reserve the right to complain…..because I did vote.

MEDITATION: ♪♪ music to His ears ♪♪

7/16/12

PSALM 92:1-4 A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

It is good to praise the Lord
 and make music to your name, O Most High,

proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, 

to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. 

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
 I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

This was the psalm Aggie "prayed all over me" while I was in Ukraine---it means more and more every time I read it. When it was read aloud in church yesterday, I got "glory bumps". 

Today as I pondered it---Chris Tomlin's "Shout to the Lord" began "playing" in my mind.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
Let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand,
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

My Jesus, My Savior,
Lord, there is none like You;
All of my days
I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love.

My comfort, my shelter,
Tower of refuge and strength;
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
Let us sing......

Music. Praise. Meditation. More praise. It's all running together for me. It has me singing. May my "joyful noise" be music to His ears!

3-2-1 Kakes for Kids (BTW, adults enjoy as well.)

7/16/12 Preparing more “Olympic Treats” for our upcoming trip has brought in suggestions from everywhere. JoLynn shared a “red white and blue” dessert so simple that the grandkids can make it themselves. Little cake bites topped with…..anything one desires.

3-2-1 Cake Bites Recipe

Mix angel food cake mix (dry) and 1 other cake mix (dry) in a gallon Ziploc bag.

(One cake mix must always be angel food. For our “red” cake we will use a strawberry cake mix as 2nd mix.)

 Child will:

• Scoop 3 Tablespoons of mix into a cup/mug

• Add 2 Tablespoons of Water

• Microwave for 1 minute

Serve with whipped cream (cool whip or reddi-whip will do) Top with fresh blueberries for a “red white and blue” treat. Cheer on the USA team as you enjoy!

 Fun to make in a punch cup so that the colors can be seen. Plus, will smaller than the mug we used.

Options: serve with vanilla ice cream, strawberries and blueberries over white cake bite.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Mountain Memories

7/15/12 Isaiah 52:7 is the verse that comes to mind when I reflect on our trip last week to the mountains of North Carolina. 

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

All curvy roads lead to the mountains.

Perfect window treatment for the home of 2 "saints."

Aunt Margie and Uncle Larry, Sam and JoLynn’s kin, bring good news all over their mountain and exude good tidings all up and down their road---all 56 curves of it. Time with them is a "taste of heaven" from the beginning welcome to the final hugs. It’s easy to see why she’s one of the dancers in my life and her life partner encourages her (and others) to be all that God intends them to be. How blessed I am to have spent time with them once again and to share it with hubby and dear friends.

FLORAL WELCOME #1

FLORAL WELCOME #2

FLORAL WELCOME #4

Perfect setting and temps for morning cuppa and quiet time....for hubby too.

Mountain stream COLD---what a treat!

My kind of library. New life for the old courthouse in Sylva, NC...& they said it couldn't be done!

This view can distract even the staunchest bibliophile.

FLORAL WELCOME #3---can't manipulate pics

Downward view from the deck----Sweet memory of babbling creek.

Saturday’s Question: ♪♪ a song for the soul ♬ ♬

7/14/12 What makes your soul sing? If you can only answer, "My soul sings when blessings come,” then that’s the wrong answer. Unless, you understand that blessings can "come through raindrops and healing through tears." (Blessings, Laura Story)

How do I know? I’ve experienced it---blessings can come through those hard places, the deepest pain and our greatest struggles. Sometimes that’s just hard to see when we’ve just begun the walk through that battle. In fact sometimes we aren’t even upright at first, just on our face, struggling to breathe and inch forward. But God……in his mercy is there. Sometimes it’s the prayer of a friend or a message from His word or maybe even song lyrics.

Lyrics---I just wish you could hear the melodious singing from our Ukraine leadership meetings-- Lyrics that can help your soul to sing, even in your hard place……

♪♪ I could sing of Your love forever…

Over the mountains and the sea

Your river runs with love for me

and I will open up my heart

and let the healer set me free.  (I could sing of Your love forever, Mercy Me)

♪♪And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved

Of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flames…. I will bring praise…. I will bring praise

…..All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship (The Desert Song, Hillsong)

♪♪The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes (10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman)

….as I listened and prayed for several of you this morning. Know I love you and so does God. He longs for your soul to sing once again.

♪Sing like never before

O my soul ♪(Ibid)

Are you singing?

“Fuel” Stop

 7/12/12 The sign on the old filling station caught my eye as I was in need of “fuel” for my body as well as refueling for my soul. An early appointment way out in the Raleigh area and a “jury” selection date downtown put the quietus on my quiet time intentions. No time for Him this morning.

“Do you like capers?” the waitress, from this mid-town restaurant, asked. I knew I was in the right place. “How about some white truffle Parmesan for those hand cut, double fried potatoes?” Definitely the right place.

I was really excited to come to such a feast and today I was equally excited about the table for one in a quiet corner---make that a “table for two”. He met me there! And what a feast it was! Fuel for my soul.

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS…….

7/11/12….We all know that old adage, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” That’s another way of saying, “make the most of those “bad” situations that life often sends your way.” Mary Poppins also added sweetness to life with “a spoonful of sugar.” That spoonful which helped us benefit from something which, on the surface, was down right stinky.

Often things that appear hard or bad can teach us valuable life lessons when we choose to learn from them. There are so-o-o many old sayings to help us through the “bad” spots. But……what about the good spots? The blessings?

In Cherkassy, Jordon Fichthorn wanted to make cookies to take out to the camp. Someone had blessed us with a chunk of chocolate, so Shirley got busy making chocolate chips, which are obviously a rarity in Ukraine. Chocolate. A good thing. A blessing. So where’s the adage for that?

My thought is…..”When life gives you chocolate, make chocolate chips; put them in cookies and share with others.”

It’s a pay it forward idea. Pass it on. Whatever phrase reminds you, just do it. Bless others as you are so richly blessed. It might come right back attcha in the form of a warm cookie.