"Safe-TEA"

for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:12, NIV)

How grateful I am today for the Most High God who is my Almighty Lord, my refuge, and my fortress, in whom I trust. (Psalm 91: 1-2) How grateful I am, also, to those who earn our honor and gratitude by serving in our military. May we fly our flags today in honor of our US troops (both active and veterans) who throughout the years have willingly gone forth to "protect" our country from war and terrorists.
Even the dedication and sacrifice of their families is to be honored. Last weeks' visit from hubby's friend and "Wounded Warrior" gave us both an "up close and personal" view of such a sacrifice. Joseph---wounded multiple times while serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Such events impact the entire family--wife and daughters included. What a blessing to see them coping as a team with a clear focus on the Lord as they asked His direction for their future.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23: 4) Joseph practiced that verse on the field while Christen lived it at home with their girls. A warrior and a wife---both heroes!

A celebration of our freedom should always be a day to honor our heroes, who are responsible for that liberty. We can freely sip our cuppa safet-TEA because of their willingness to give up the ease of their lives for the betterment of ours. A big salute to them all!

Creativi-TEA: a re-make

Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. (Jeremiah 18:2-4, KJV)

Recently I went  to the Potter's House at Miracle Pottery in Mentone , AL. I heard the story of his wife's art depicting the jug similar to the one that Rebekah might have used in Genesis 24: 43-45.

Though I purchased said jug, it wasn't the pottery itself that stuck with me as much as the sign. 
What a great reminder, as the prophet Jeremiah observed, that the pot in the hands of the potter was his own creation. I, too saw myself in the hands of my Creator realizing He sees the flaws that others don't notice. At His discretion, He can remake or recreate in my life that which seems good to Him. In my life, He allowed cancer to take my smile, but He remade my heart in the process.

How like our Creator, our own personal potter, to see our need for a makeover. The blemishes that are weaknesses, the cracks that need rubbing out. In His masterful hand, we can be made new each day when we choose to go to our Potter/Creator's house/sanctuary and submit to His hand shaping our lives.

What cracks I have! How desperately I need to position myself daily at the hand of my potter, that He might re-create in me a clean heart, as I allow Him to pull and prod and mold me. 

For it is He who created me----HE who "has made us and not we ourselves." (Psalm 100:3)

"Tea with Thee" time draws me to the place of quietness, (like the Potter's House); a place where the voice of the Lord can speak to my inward parts in order to bring about the change I need. As I sip from my cuppa filled with His creativi-TEA, I can trust His re-shaping.

"vi-TEA-mins"

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2, NIV)

For physical health, my counter is lined with vitamins and supplements to be ingested daily for my well-being. Some are big and yuky but I choke them down because I "know" they are good for me.

A fatigue induced "two-cuppa" day--

Years ago, I even made sure our children had a daily dose of a multi-vitamin. Their's seemed to be tastier than mine because Josh called his Flintstone vitamins, "bi-TEA-yums." He actually "semi-overdosed" by taking more than the RDA. Such an event can be dangerous if the "chewables" contain iron. Fortunately, Josh drank almost a half a gallon of milk as he "chewed" them. The poison control center said that he would be fine because "milk binds iron. Who knew?

When asked why he did that, his reply made sense. His rationale was that if "just one bi-TEA-yum would build strong bones, the entire bottle of them would make him even stronger."

Josh had yet to learn that a vitamin's renewed strength came with only "one" daily. Spiritual vitamins dispensed from God's word are the same. One get's strength from seeking the Lord and being in His Presence daily. (Psalm 105:4) His strength--- available and renewable each day

...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. (Isaiah 40:31)

Pour the cuppa adversi-TEA of life at His feet during your "Tea with Thee" times. 

Refill your daily cuppa with hope in the Lord. Continual sipping is needed, especially when enriched with His vi-TEA-mins which provide His strength for the storms of life. 

anonymi-TEA

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:33, NIV)

Pay it forward. Random Act of Kindness. (RAK) These contemporary terms describe unselfish giving of gifts. No thank you note required when the donor chooses to remain anonymous. 
At Hattiloo's Overton Square grand opening this past weekend, I noticed lots of "big" Memphis names and corporations who were etched into the wall of this black repertory theater's entry. But....what caught my eye was the simple one, "A Friend of Hattieloo." No fanfare. No accolade. No strings attached.

Such a gift was "downright" biblical. (Matthew 6:33) In the area of black arts, there has been a tremendous need for a platform for many Memphis actors "of color," as a former HHS student of mine shared with me.  Not just on the stage, but behind the stage expertise as well. So a "shout-out" of "Hooray" to that "friend of Hattieloo."

In the spiritual realm, anonymous giving is more than just a way to reignite one's faith in human kindness, it's a way to follow the examples set in God's word.

Certainly a cuppa anonymi-TEA in gift giving can brighten the day of the recipient or recipients, but it can brighten the "givers" day as well.

Mis-TEA Med-TEA-tation

This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me. 
(Psalm 119:50, NASB)

Misty eyes from conviction of unworthiness. An affliction of sorts. An overwhelming need to "feel" God's love. Yet, knowing that I need to trust that He loves me, whether I "feel" it or not. 
...feelings are like the mists that cover the mountains in misty weather. The mists pass; the mountains abide.(Edges of His Ways, p. 83) I need to remind myself that my Father God abides with me. He loves me whether I feel it or not. God goes with me wherever I go, whether I feel it or not. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

The King James Version of the Bible says, "Thy Word hath quickened me." Quicken, as a transitive verb, makes alive. To revive; to cheer; to reinvigorate; to refresh by new supplies of comfort or grace.  (King James Version Dictionary) His truth revives me and becomes my feeling of comfort.
I need to sip that cuppa truth daily. Believe it. Then, pour it out to Him as I sing of His love forever.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : historical reali-TEA

This is NOT a work of fiction. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman is a well-written, non-fiction narrative of the horrors of WWII. Set in Warsaw Poland, the story was taken from the journals of Antonio Zabinski. Antonio and her husband, Ian, were Christian zookeepers, horrified by Nazi racism, yet able to use the Nazi's obsession of rare animals as a way of saving over 300 "doomed" Jews, during a time when even handing a thirsty Jew a cup of water was punishable by death. (p.11)
Holocaust literature, at its best, is a "tough" read but Ackerman, in this poignant story, was able to combine the scholarship of documentation of these atrocities with the kindness and daring of Christians. In an odd way, it was a celebration of life among the dying.

The audio version of the book was the right choice for me. The narrator was excellent with all the Polish names, which added to my understanding. Yet, the documentation "Details" section in the print copy were eye-opening for me!

Even amidst the starving and suffering children who compared their ills, "like old people in a sanitarium," they sang and prayed prayers of thanksgiving. 'Thank you. Merciful Lord, for having arranged to provide flowers with fragrance, glow worms with their glow, and to make the stars in the sky sparkle.' (p. 284)

Definitely not a book for everyone....but following a Friday night dessert at the Sanborn's with Viktor from Cherkassy Ukraine, I saw the frightening similarities of their situation and the ones the Poles had faced. He gave a clear  "political and spiritual climate" update from his country, and I was shocked at how it mirrored my recent reading. 

Realities of war stories are not easy reading but....needful, " lest we forget."

"sinceri-TEA"

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3, NIV)

Clothing oneself in the attributes of God is a worthy pursuit for all mankind. Too many leave these spiritual character traits on the shelf. Like an unwrapped gift, they wait to be opened and experienced in one's own life and then spill over to touch the lives of others.

May today be the day to "open" those spiritual fruits of love, graciousness, goodness, mercy, kindness and sincerity.

Sinceri-TEA. A great cuppa to start the day. 

Sincere and pure devotion to Him easily flows through us to others. 

A shared cuppa.

"Mortali-TEA"

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2, KJV)

No, I have not been sipping a cuppa "morbidi-TEA." I've actually been celebrating life with friends. But.....last week's trekking with said comrades, in my same "aging" season, had us exploring some final resting places. 

Famous people. War heroes. Pastors. Pets.

Ellen Wilson, wife of the 28th US President, is interred at Myrtle Hill in Rome , GA--a cemetery whose tiers look like a stacked wedding cake, rising out of the dirt. Trust me, the way to the top is precarious, especially for a wide mini-van.

Both known & unknown soldiers.

An elite cemetery in rural AL reserved specifically for the burial of coon dogs. Blood line certification required. Well loved dogs named Ranger, Skid, Squeak and Old Roy are buried here.

Medicare age folks are not like young people, especially teens, who think they are immortal. We know that man is appointed once to die. (Hebrews 9:27) It's not morbid, it's just an awareness. Death is inevitable for mankind---and even their coon dogs. There is nothing that man may do to change or affect this. Such an awareness has each of us carefully choosing how to live. 

When sipping a cuppa "mortali-TEA awareness," one begins to discern the essential versus the non-essential in her life! Cemeteries have a way of bringing that thinking to the forefront of ones thoughts.

"Quotabili-TEA"

Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. (Ruth 2:15, NKJV)

Ruth's gleaning was a harvesting---all a part of her plan to obtain food. In Bible Study one often looks for nourishment from God's word in much the same way. Often the truth that sticks is a quip or a pithy grabber that nourishes my memory.

Indulge me in a few snippets of truth taken from my Bible marginalia. Three Bibles in all; NASB, (birthday gift from hubby, 1977) NIV, (Christmas gift from Diane A, 1995) & NKJV. ("Cove" gift from Lo, 11-4-04) 

Just my succinct notes that come from others, often not identified, that carry a life message gleaned* from Scripture, & given in user friendly terms, so I clearly "get" the idea! 

*Gleaning or extracting information from various sources collected & recorded gradually and bit by bit since 1977 have given me lots of "food for thought."

Pithy with a punch, as I like to say. Messages of wisdom and knowledge with practical applications. 

(NASB)

• There are no atheists in foxholes.
• Bible is the textbook for relational living. (L. Crabb)
• Sorry looks back. Worry looks around. Faith looks up. (C. Swindoll)
• Is it right? (Yes) Should you do it? (Yes) Will you do it? (Probably not) "Probably not" hardens one's heart.
• When there is sin in our life, God has to work "on us" rather than through us.
• The "will" can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.
• We worship our work, work at our play and play at our worship.

(NIV)

• All want deliverance from hell but few want the deliverance from sin---we clutch the pleasures of it.
• A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in a little thing is a big thing. (Hudson Taylor)
• Humility is a right estimation of our life (self) toward God and others. (B. Liles)
• Purpose of prayer is not to change God but to change us.
• Satan doesn't make you do anything; he just fluffs the pillows.
• Ether sin will keep you from this book, or this book will keep you from sin. (D.L. Moody?)

(NKJV) 

• Bible is not an answer book---it just leads you to the One who is the Answer.
• Giving is living the gospel, not just believing the gospel.
• Growth is the only evidence of life. (Growth is visible.)
• Hearing is "seeding" for obedience.
• In fellowship, Jesus is the "fellow" in the ship with you.
• Prayer is the God-ordained alternative to worry. (C. Swindoll)

No special order for gleanings---just a cuppa quotabili-TEA to sip and share.

"Def-TEA-nition"

A friend is always loyal, and a brother (sister) is born to help in time of need. (Psalm 17:17, NLT)

This pass week has had me experience many kinds of family. None were the family of blood relation, but family all the same!

My long time trekking T-Cup friends with whom I travel once a year. My former university office mate, (UM) who is so MUCH more than a professional friend. My HHS friends who are great for laughter and tears and sometimes both at once.

Like family, they have all been there for me in time of need. During my 2009 cancer journey, they clothed me, fed me, and nursed me. Friends going beyond measure of simple friendship. Becoming family.  

Proverbs 18:24 says, "..a real friend sticks closer than a brother." In my life, I'm not sure that's possible because my brothers are my cheerleaders and have always been there for me---but these real friends do the same!

"Flowers are like friends, you get to pick them."

Starla, the young protagonist in Whistling Past the Graveyard, defined family well. "The  people who look out for me. The people I look out for." (p. 308)
I'm grateful God provided me all these beauties ---I got to choose from the best of the bunch! Friends who are like family! A true def-TEA-nition of family, at its best!

"When we consider the blessings of God—the gifts that add beauty and joy to our lives, that enable us to keep going through stretches of boredom and even suffering-friendship is very near the top.

Donald W. McCullough, Mastering Personal Growth