"Positivi-TEA"

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things. (Isaiah 45:7, NLT)

Positivi-TEA. Sounds like a made up word to me. But....I knew that I had spent enough time on the negativi-TEA of darkness so a check with Merriam Webster showed that positivity is indeed a word.

Actually, it was an email last night from my son-in-law which reminded me of Corey's surety that God uses darkness. He began with his memories of night-watch comfort words from his dad and then went "fast forward" to the memory of hearing a radio pastor speaking on WCRV/Bott Radio about darkness being a result of the absence of light. Then Corey concluded with some physical "uses" of the dark.

"I am sure The Lord has alot of reasons for darkness,...rest, cooling the earth and vegetation or to see His heavenly handy work." Corey even ended his email with Isaiah 60:20, and this comment, "a great verse that speaks about the two great lights, greater and lesser and how they won't be needed anymore because He is sufficient."

Those "dark affirming" reminders had me thinking of the importance of embracing darkness as from God's hand and to look for it in a more positive light. Certainly the darkness of the night sky provides the perfect backdrop to showcase the splendor of His "starry" creation.

Then, a scripture search offered a little more light on darkness....and I loved it!

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:21)

עֲרָפֶל, the Hebrew word for that thick darkness is araphel: cloud, heavy cloud. But it was there in that dark cloud that the Presence of God dwelt. God in the darkness!

Darkness is as sure a sign of God's Presence as is the brilliance of His glory.

My cuppa positivi-TEA was all the sweeter when combined with "collects" (prayers) from my Common Book of Prayer and night prayer, compline 133, " Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne and illumine this night with your celestial brightness,"

My cuppa didn't allow much light but I appreciated the rich darkness of both the tea and its translucent container. A step toward positivi-TEA.

Tac-TEA-cal

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God,....so that....you may be able to stand your ground,.....Stand firm....with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,..... the breastplate of righteousness in place,....and.....your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition......take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17, NIV)

Are you ready for war? Christians need to be---now more than ever before, it seems. Just watch the nightly news. The warfare all over the screens are literally spiritual. But those battlefields are not the only tactics that the evil one uses.
On the homefront. In the ordinary times. Daily onslaughts are real, even if they are not as obvious as automatic weapons. Therefore, we, too, need a strategy to ward off those attacks so that we and our loved ones are not broadsided.

Friend, Suzie, follows the Ephesians 6 method of preparation as she "dresses" herself every morning in the military garb needed for such spiritual warfare.

This adroit planning has her thinking beyond the day---she's tactical as she prepares for a military-type end to overcome any obstacles or traps which might be set by the enemy. Think victory!! Spiritually victorious as she overcomes the attacks and temptations. How? She had not only spiritually done (dressed) her part, but full preparation included reliance on the Lord and His strength through prayer.

Fill a cuppa tac-TEA-cal preparation.  It a good way to start one's day.

"luminosi-TEA"

even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:12, NIV)

Don’t be fooled by the luminosi-TEA title. This entry is really about darkness.

Mother would always tell us that we had to be home by dark. That meant we were virtually free to roam the neighborhood until then---an activity unheard of these days. But…because of her admonition, it was easy to assume that bad things loomed and lurked in darkness.

Even as an adult, the darkness that sometimes penetrates my insides seems to get worse as darkness falls outside. Fears become like giants in a kid’s book, attracting and growing more darkness. Like a large shadowy magnet.

Lately I’ve needed words for friends who are in dark places where I’ve never been. So dark, that just quoting scripture would sound platitudinous, if there’s such a word.

• I know nothing about the darkness of living in a war zone as Liza described in her morning email. 
• I can only imagine how scary the place is for a friend whose spouse has had not only a sudden and alarming diagnosis but a gloomy prognosis as well.
• Darkness of job-related worries of several friends; concerns that I can't fathom. 
• I have not experienced the day in and day out darkness of living with chronic pain as the situation of blog friend in AR. 
• Nor have I lived with the fears induced by physical blindness as has a friend just around the corner.
• My heart aches for a dear friend dealing with a BIG potential problem---the fear of it has left me without words.

These are dark places being experienced this very day in the hearts of believers whom I know.

I know that the Light of the Lord is there in all these situations….but that doesn’t negate the existence of those dark places.

……. in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)

As Dolly explained to P.J---"the sun is there, it's just behind all the dark."
(Commercial Appeal Comics 8/16/14), 

I want to serve them a cuppa luminosi-TEA so that they have strength and hope in the midst of fear and trouble----knowing that they are not alone, as God's all seeing eyes can penetrate even the darkness! 

"Stabili-TEA" : a rebrew

And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure. (Isaiah 33:6, NASB)

Stability is synonymous with security and safety. To me, it's rock-solid. For the past couple of weeks, prayers for an "impending deal" have been a test.*

A test of waiting. "Waiting with absolute certainty that God is sovereign. Waiting with scripture verses in mind rather than fretting and being unduly upset." (dotsydetails 2/24/14)

A test of stability---mine, not His.

 A test of trust. 

Yet, even when my trust seemed to be wavering, my prayers were stable--never ceasing. I sensed the Lord was present, I just didn't know the outcome. I wanted the kind of resolution for my family that Hezekiah had experienced as he trusted in the Lord God of Israel.....for "the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook." (2 Kings 18:7) Regardless of the outcome, I desired my family to stand firm in the words of Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." 

That "solid rock" is what one's faith is built on. 

So many teas brewed in a cuppa stabili-TEA---solidi-TEA of faith being one. 

A cuppa choice.

*A big thanks to blog reader, Nancy E., for the stabili-TEA email encouragement followed by phone prayers that "sealed the deal!"

Rec-TEA-tude

But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11, NET Bible)

 Pursuit of righteousness. Righteousness---synonymous with rectitude.

Rectitude was the word I heard last night from the monotone ”reading” voice on my audio iBook. It’s the word I remembered this morning as I struggled to awaken after a “short” night of sleep.

The struggle started last night as I was still awake in the wee hours because sleep had alluded me….probably because I had continued page turning in a book whose topic greatly disturbed me.*

One of my insomnia tactics is to listen to a work of non-fiction read by a monotonous voice in order to push out thoughts that are keeping me awake, thus lulling me to sleep. Even as I was lulled to sleep, that word, rectitude, stayed with me.

Strong moral principals to guide my loved ones’ thoughts and actions are always upper most in my desires for their lives. However, I know that rectitude cannot be legislated.....but it can certainly be modeled in the early years and prayed for in the latter.

A cuppa rec-TEA-tude.

May my children and their spouses sip such and serve it to their own children tempered with the milk of God's word and the fruits of righteousness. 

Sabbath Snapshot : diversi-TEA

Diversi-TEA is key for this reader. ....tho recently I've had more than my share of "heavy" non-fiction wartime reading. Heavy reading, even if well written and needful, can eventually wear me down. So....I was primed for a change as our summer road trips began.
When traveling great distances, audio books are a great diversion, but "heavy" isn't the best genre. So...on-line check out of an e-book is a cheap, (free) easy download to my iPad followed by a simple connection to the car radio. It's been one "way to go" on the road this summer.

Alexander McCall Smith's, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party fit the bill. This No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series title offered a diverse locale (Botswana) and a diverse dialect. Not having a clue as how to pronounce many Botswana names such as Tlokweng Rd., Mma Ramotswe & Mma Potokwane, audio has been my "chosen way to go" for all the books in this series.

Synopsis---An older Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s No. 1 Lady Detective, is hired by a fearful client who has had two of his cattle killed. She and secretary Grace Makutsi, (who loves shoes) both work to discover the "killer." Factor in Mma's love for her old white van and Grace's upcoming wedding to Phuti Radiphuti, (a good catch) with a dilemma facing Charlie, the "do nothing" apprentice of Mr J.L.B. Matekoni (Precious' hubby) and you get an idea of the diverse lifestyles of folks living in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

This title, #12 in the series, is not a riveting read. Actually, none of them are. Maybe that's the appeal for me. Not a page turner---but a wholesome story of a few ordinary people doing good things for others.

A comfortable read, made all the better by a great reader and believable characters. 

All that was needed was a cuppa of African red bush (Rooibos) to sip on our car trip.

Pa-TEA-o Ponderings

Unseasonably cool temps. A hot cuppa. A quiet patio. 

Contemplation......more like a mishmash of thoughts. Meshed with scripture. 

So begins a time of meditation.

Sa-TEAs-fy---How did I miss the verse from Psalm 145:16 last week? Maybe because I needed it this morning to pray for D.W. in NY, knowing God can lift the bowed down and "satisfy desires" of those who are near to Him and call on Him.

Proverbs 3:7-8, another miss---nourishment. It's that fear of God....reverential love and respect that nourishes (fer-TEA-lizes) our growth, all the way to our bones....bringing great refreshment. 

Drought conditions in the west---wildfires so dense that darkness prevails even in the middle of the day. Physical darkness akin to spiritual darkness. A captivi-TEA of sorts, when one can't see beyond the darkness.

How about in a "dark" room of depression? Is it just physical when one can't see hope for a better tomorrow? How does light penetrate a heart darkened by despair? Does she know that the Lord is with the lowly and crushed in spirit? (Isaiah 57:15)

How do I pray about the invasion of darkness in Ukraine? Against the darkness of a Russian leader's heart? How do I encourage "my" Ukraine girls to know that God is there even in the darkness? God is there....for even the "darkness is not dark to Him." (Psalm 139:12) 

My prayer---

May His light dawn in the darkness and (Isaiah 58:10) and penetrate thru the darkness of wildfires, depression, wars and hearts of evil men.

A cuppa "tea" ponderings, served on a pa-TEA-o, that prompted prayers for others. 

fer-TEA-lizer

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. (Ephesian's 3:17, NLT)

Things do grow better with love---God's love.

For God's truth to take root in one's soul, one needs to experience His love and forgiveness. Then, stand back because growth will occur. 

As plants are nourished through photosynthesis that uses energy from sunlight, believers receive nourishment for growth from the Son's life of light, through the grace of God's love. Strength and energy---a spiritual fertilizer.

God's love is the needed fer-TEA-lizer for my cuppa spiritual growth.

sa-TEAs-faction

I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. (Psalm 63:4-5, NLT)

Sometimes the obvious alludes us. I've walked by this "display" on entry hall bookcase for weeks  and enjoyed Timothy Botts' art in his The Book of Psalms. But... only recently did I see the "tea" word in the text. Sa-TEAs-fy. Since then, I've been meditating on the downfalls of seeking sa-TEAs-faction apart from God. Apart from Him, there is no complete and lasting satisfaction.

"In Christ Alone." "No scheme of man" brings satisfaction.

"All my springs of joy are in you." (Psalm 87:7)

 His cuppa leads beyond mere sa-TEAs-faction to consummate joy!! Why hadn't I seen it earlier!

"Sen-TEA-mental"

...when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois......., and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1: 5, NKJV)

This past week, I have been on a sen-TEA-mental journey of sorts. I've spent time with both my brothers (tea drinkers together as kids) as well as cousin Joy. Joyce, as others call her, was a big part of my childhood, tho we lived in different states. (only 24 miles apart) She's always been a Tennessee gal---I've just re-located here from Kentucky.

Sen-TEA-mental--that would be me---it's the adjective that modifies the cuppa I drink from a lot lately. It’s this emotional tendency that causes me to "puddle" at inopportune times. It's  where most of my "house" clutter originates….it's so hard to part with things that prompt feelings of tenderness and nostalgia, along with a little sadness woven in.

Parting from dear ones, those whom I rarely see, always has me excessively prone to those feelings. Plus, on this trip, sweet Joy has given me, a sen-TEA-mental gal, great joy. She gave me Mama’s rocker.

Thus, this morning, coupled with the fact that my cancer doc visit would be in just a couple of hours, I gave into the excessive indulgence of my emotions. Praising and "puddling."

As Timothy's grandmother taught him the Scriptures from a young age, it was my grandmother, "Mama Davenport," who let me watch midget wrestling on Saturday nights and still got me up early for the walk to church the next day. 

She taught me scriptures as well....as we walked up Second Street turned right onto Union and a block later hung a right on to Madison Ave. and on down a ways to the First Christian Church. It was on the south side of the street on a corner and we always entered the front door, furthest east. Not sure why. 

I assume God knew that one day my faith would blossom, and my faith was due, in no small measure, to the godly upbringing and influence of Mama.

All of these sentimental thoughts of gratitude crowded my head as I had my cuppa seated in Mama's rocker and read Psalm 121 from her battered Bible. 

The thought that God might use me to pass on an eternal legacy to my children's children has me "puddling" in my sen-TEA-mental cuppa .