Loyal-TEA : An Adams Family Cuppa

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21, ESV)

"Frugal Fanny" that I am, especially at the grocery store, I tend to let go of my thrifty propensity when I feel the Adams' teaching "kick-in." 
Daddy was an exceptionally kind man. He taught, mainly by his actions, that loyalty to folks he knew was the right way to live.... always being loyal to family and friends first. He helped strangers as well....BUT when it came to his services, he did not frequent national companies. Daddy was more of a "mom and pop" supporter of local businesses. Bummy Hampton's for meat. Rudy's for gas. Ray Kranz for plumbing or heating needs. Haddock's for groceries----usually home delivered, no less. (Of course, that gave jobs to those teens like Bugs Turner.) Tom C. Jones for insurance with Pedro Stamper. After Tongate's, THE hamburger joint in Hoptown and managed by his older brother, closed, Daddy did go to Burger King on Sunday night's for his weekly "senior special" hamburger.

This week at the grocery, I was working hard to meet my goal of always saving 30%, when I balked. I could NOT buy the "on sale" flour. Why not?
It wasn't Sunflour---milled in Hopkinsville by the Yost family. The ones who sat several pews up from us in the sanctuary of the First Methodist Church. No other flour ever graced the cabinet shelf at 2211 in Hoptown. Nor will it at 1152 in Memphis. Plus, today I used it to make some corn light bread for a sweet friend---a "relatively" new Memphian (a little over 2 yrs) with a Hoptown connection.

I caught Daddy's sense of loyalty at a young age. Now if I could just "catch" his kindness---he certainly had lots to spread around. As a result he found honor among his family and peers---an honor that followed him all of his days.

Hot tea was served every morning around the Adams table in Hoptown....and I learned at an early age that a cuppa loyal-TEA sweetened with kindness and sweet milk, (as noted on Sunflour recipes) always trumps a cuppa frugali-TEA. 

Intentionali-TEA

'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.' 

(Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Last night after H2H Bible Study, several of us discussed the importance of "intentionality" as a part of our spiritual growth. Intentional seeking of Him---which involves spending regular time with Him. For me, it's my "Tea with Thee" time. By whatever name it is labeled, such a quiet or devotional time helps one intentionally focus on knowing Him and His agenda for one's day. Offering "my" plans or schedule to Him for His direction or altering as needed. (Proverbs 16:9) He knows the plans He has for us, thus we can trust His interruptions.

Fast forward to this morning....I had a packed agenda. Meditation reminded me that if I was going to be accountable to my spiritual sisters, I needed to slow down and refocus. Intentional slowing coupled with prayer. Walking my talk.

Intentional about seeking Him first, not just spur of the moment. (Matthew 6:33) Intentional = God's way. Driven =  my way, too often. But....not today!

My timetable was altered several times. God's interruptions allowed me to laugh & "catch up" on the CANDY aisle, with dear friend Margie. Adding fun to my day and 1/2 price chocolate to my basket. 

Several schedule shifts, coupled with that delightful aside, altered my intended hair washing before meeting Katherine, another dear friend now living in Atlanta. But God....reminded me of Katherine's gift of dry shampoo she provided for all the ladies on our church's Mexico mission trip 6 years ago. I don't have that shampoo but I had something similar. 

So....I didn't have shiny clean tresses for our lunch---think the old "mini-poo" look---BUT I knew Katherine would not care. She cared about our time together---and so did her sister Kristi. River Oaks' "Chef's TV Dinner" was a sumptuous treat...unlike any TV dinner I've ever had. Probably one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere! 

A delightful time was had by all, especially me!

A cuppa intentionali-TEA blended with accountabili-TEA---a necessary priori-TEA for spiritual growth. Also...a whole lot more fun than my original schedule! Go God!

Heredi-TEA---a "hand-me-down" cuppa

But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” 
(Joshua 24:15, NIV)

I, in no way, am the Bible teacher my seminary-trained son, Buddy is.....so God often uses him to "help" me along.....and I am so grateful....especially as I struggle to teach a passage with more theological depth than I have. 

However, as I was prepping to teach "Preach the Word" from 2 Timothy 4:1-8, at our Heart to Heart Bible Study, I came across a picture that warms my heart. It will mean nothing to anyone but me----but to me it speaks volumes. Something I do that I had no idea he does too....until I saw his teaching Bible open on a recent Texas visit. 

Ever camera ready for a possible Kodak "tea" moment, I "snapped" away and then filed away.....until.... God showed it to me as I was feeling a little "less than" scholarly yesterday morning, prior to my teaching time. And.....it doesn't even have to do with Bible knowledge. It has to do with connection. May I sense that connection again tonight as I seek to be "refreshed"as I repeat my lesson for the "night" group!

Maybe, as a household chooses to serve the LORD and chooses to write scripture on “door frames” or in their Bibles  (as we are told to do in Deuteronomy)----maybe imprinting them on hearts requires teaching them to others. Maybe at our house it needs to be LARGE PRINT----so we can see it as we teach---for me , it's a safety net in case I can't remember or lose my place as I'm reading them. For  me, increasing the font and cutting & attaching the passage inside the teaching Bible, eases my reading! We both do it---for me, there's comfort in that.

A cuppa heredi-TEA for sipping when we need to be able to "read" the passage we're teaching from as we stand behind our lectern.

An Important Cuppa Legali-TEA

    ......but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no,.....(James 5:12, ESV)

Today is "voting day" for general elections in our country. Voting is a privilege some countries do not have. I voted "early" and was present when a first-time voter was recognized and applauded as he "signed up."

Both hubby and I take the responsibility of voting very seriously---hoping others do as well.

However, there was a bit of a snafu at my machine.

My card read my precinct incorrectly, resulting in an "election official" checking my status, negating the vote on machine 3 and issuing me a new card for machine 4. The snafu was a result of my divided precinct. My division ends only with an I---the other folks have an I5. I was grateful that the mistake was caught by an alert poll watcher. BUT....I also watched to make sure that machine 3 negated any other votes with my name.....and made sure machine #4 registered my vote.

You see, in this election there were several issues that I wanted my YES to register YES and my NO to register NO.

Returning home, I heartily drank from my cuppa "legali-TEA," grateful for the legal regulations that keep our elections on the "up and up!"

Diversi-TEA

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,....(Matthew 28:19, KJV)

I have shared God's love in rural Hungary, the mountains of Mexico and by the river in Cherkassy, Ukraine. As I taught in those mostly remote areas, I was the one who learned so much. Probably the most.
A paraphrased childhood ditty encapsulates for me the truth of sharing God's love:

God's love in your heart wasn't put there to stay.
For God's love is truly His love when you give it away.

As I prepare to teach from 2 Timothy 4:1-8, I am learning the importance of sharing God's love through "heralding the word, in season and out" as a herald of His truth. May others "hark the herald" and learn.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)
We're a diverse world. One doesn't even have to cross the ocean to engage with "international" folks.

Where does one "go" in the world? Wherever God sends you. For me, it is going to be around the corner behind a lectern in a fellowship hall.
For you, it might be a your neighbor's doorstep---a great place to share love and a cuppa diversi-TEA.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : sal-TEA and luminosi-TEA

Today, brother Buddy and I (via Ma Bell) discussed the availability of devotional books---from Sarah Young and Billy Graham to Mrs. Charles Cowman's, Streams in the Desert. So many choices. So many varying lengths.

At Blackberry Farm last week I came across a new one, new to me, at least. Salt and Light by Memphis CUMC pastor, Shane Stanford, had only 25 entries. Could be used during Advent. (Seems perfect for our friends who have taken those 3 week river cruises over these last few years.) Not overwhelming. Refreshment from a new perspective in a given time period that would fit with those travel plans----as 4 days would be left over to cover the 2 travel days bookending the trip.

Also a good starting point for folks trying on "quiet time" ideas. Written with Dr. Ronnie Kent, two perspectives are given on the "devotional" experience. My favorite part was the emphasis on God's Presence!

Division, of 4 "alliterative" sections,----Watch, (Recognizing God's Presence, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9) Wait, (Being in God's Presence, 1Peter 3:8-15a) Witness (Sharing God's Presence, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, & John 1: 6-8, 19-28) Worship (Celebrating God's Presence, Luke 1:26-28 & Romans 16:25-27) gives an overview to the reader and are seen as the natural progressions of our relationship with God. (p.12)
Consistency of time in word and prayer are given, along with life objectives and things to consider and principles to live by.....along with a "warning"---"If you have a time with God each day to prove your devotion to Him, It will not work!

 I appreciate an honest man of the cloth.

Locali-TEA : neighborhood

Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
(Proverbs 27:10b)

How much fun we had last night as new neighbors, a soccer coach from Brazil and his precious family, came trick or treating at our front door. With his 2 daughters, we now have 5 little girls on our street and 1 little boy "on the way." They, too saw the big "Pumpkin Speak" announcement and were thrilled to be a part of our "hood."

Young families are a breath of fresh air, and life, for us----the resident grandparents!
May we share "life" with them as well!

A NEIGHBORHOOD ANNOUNCEMENT......

AS ONLY THE YOUNG AND CREATIVE COULD DO!!!

A cuppa locali-TEA is usually best served in one's own neighborhood and often served right at the threshold of one's doorway.

TEA-ditions

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:4, ESV)

In the fall we Liles have lots of "fall" traditions. Tonight we're having chili because it's Halloween---even son Josh in Brooklyn has his pot cooking as I type. It must be an innate thing.

In the garden, cool temps bring out the pansies for my garden. This tradition was started as my two nieces, Polly and Allyson, became Tri-Delts at the University of Kentucky and the pansy was their sorority's  flower. A flower of friendship thru membership. A flower of loving thoughts. After Allyson's death in 1995, the gentle flower took on the horticultural symbolism of remembrance.
Tonight we warm ourselves as we share that warm pot of chili with friends and sweet memories of her.

Thus, the two traditions meld as the pansies in my garden remember Allyson and the ones on my table celebrate a belated birthday dinner with dear friend, Diane.

Blending loving thoughts of both remembrance and celebration in my cuppa of tea-dition today!

A Grande Cuppa Gra-TEA-tude

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. 
(1 Chronicles 29:13, ESV)

Big things.  Favorable carotid artery report. Good hospital care for relatives. Answered prayers. Seeing a 7 yr old "king" at Kids' Karnival. Lesson input from a daughter-in-law.

Little things. A "positive" phone message. A relevant bookmark. Rye bread for a pimento cheese sandwich. Finding one more Tesco decaf teabag. A quote in a note.

Hard things. Suffering that draws others close. Privilege of praying God's word for others with difficult and challenging prayer needs.

"Giving thanks always and for everything..." as it says in Ephesians 5:20.
Malcolm Muggeridge, who came to know the Lord later in life, says it well, “Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.”

Perfect quote in a note to enjoy with a cuppa gra-TEA-tude, brewed with Tesco decaf, compliments of son, Josh.

Mys-TEA-ry of Prayer

My sheep listen to my voice; (John 10:27, NIV)

It's been said that the only way to really get to know some one is to "shut-up and listen." At our house "shut-up" is considered an "S" word, so we say "hush" or in this context, "Be quiet and listen." 

I think that bodes well for our prayer times as well. God already knows us---inside and out. But, if we want to really know Him, maybe we need to say less and listen more.

Prayertime isn't just some grocery list where we go thru the quick check with our items---cross them off our list and hurry on to "our" real agenda. 

God's children have ears to hear---the question is, "Will they use those ears to hear the voice (Word) of God? (Amos 8:11-12)

Listening requires one to "tune in" to Him, which for me means "tuning out" the audible distractions of the world (“Take heed what ye hear.”--Mark 4:24-25) & even the whirring thoughts that can creep into my thinking. Thus an open Bible--a tool used to keep me focused on His word as I meditate and pray. 

Meditation helps this sheep stayed "tuned in" to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who will enable me to hear the very, and often exact, word I need to help get through my day. Mysterious, I know......but when God's Spirit speaks, we need to be still and "tuned in" in order to truly listen.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17)

As I sip my cuppa, filled with the beauty and mys-TEA-ry of prayer, I pray “give me, thy servant a hearing heart,” just as Solomon prayed.* (1 Kings 3:9)

*In the Hebrew, "understanding heart" is literally translated as "a hearing heart."