CHOOSE: LOVE

Choose love and find joy!
Greeks had 6 words for love---3 of which were used in NT scripture.
Phileo love (deep friendship) John 12:25, Storge (like a family love) Romans 12:10, a combo of phileo & storge, and agape (unconditional, represented by God's love) John 3:16.
Hebrew definition for love in OT is 'ahabah (similar to GK Eros, romantic love) as depicted in Song of Solomon and Proverbs 5:18.

Today is a day to celebrate love. I celebrated with tea as I read cards & emails, and opened candy from loved ones.
I celebrate "morningtime" with tea. I love tea.
But God.....has shown me that "love" in scripture is not about inanimate objects.
In scripture, love is always the only kind of real love----relational.
So....I guess that excludes my cuppa. But.....I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like my morning cuppa.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

CHOOSE: GOD'S GUIDANCE & GOD'S TIMING

BUMMER! That's what I thought when I saw that the MidSouth Food Bank Collection box had been removed from "my" Kroger. Of course, I can pay for meals at the grocery check-out but I had been purchasing food to "give" and the sacks were in my trunk.

But God....had me see national news on TV about communities having "blessing boxes" to share food in neighborhoods. So....I started "scouting" Memphis area for some. A recent article in Commercial Appeal highlighted one in Binghampton area that was restocked on weekends. So....I decided to try and locate it and take food in middle of week when they might be running low.

BUMMER! Last week as I was headed to dinner with two of my widow ladies along, seated comfortably in the back seat, we tried to locate said box. It was "dusk." We could not find it and I could sense uneasiness from the back seat!

But God....had hubby with me at Board of Education on S. Hollywood last Wednesday. After the meeting, and armed with his GPS, the "hunt" began again.  Voilà! We found it at intersection of Merton St. and Harvard. If I had realized it was in front of Caritas Village, I would have found it much sooner as I've been there several times. 

The door of the "Little Free Pantry" at 2509 Harvard Ave. (38112) was swinging open.
It was almost empty so my assumptions were right. 

Hm-m-m-m God must have had someone in need in mind for that day!

It's always the right time to help feed the hungry, whenever God guides you to them. (Matthew 25:35)

CHOOSE: TO REFLECT

Sorry for the inconsistency in today's entry title. Mostly, I've been using nouns and gerunds (verb forms which function as a noun) but today, only the infinitive phrase would do. That's what I want to continue choosing. Not reflection in general but "to reflect" Him in my life. To reflect in word and deed, the One who gave me life.

This simple reflection through my window pane onto the bottom kitchen cabinet brought up all this grammatical searching. Because of that, I changed the entry title from reflection  (noun)  to the  infinitive verb phrase to help me remember that this needs to be action, continuous action, in day to day choices of any believer.

And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)

Whatever happens, to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27)

And to put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of God

(Colossians 3:10)

Believers everywhere, you, too, can choose "to reflect Christ. 

CHOOSE: TEA WITH THEE

"Shall we have some tea and talk about it?"

Doesn't that sound as if it's from the mouth of Miss Marple or some other sleuth in an English cozy mystery? You know, the ones known for crimes "served" without sex and violence, which are so hard to find nowadays.

Tea is the British version of our  "chicken soup." 

For me, a black assam is my chosen morning cuppa and often it's served from a teapot kept warm by another type of cozy----those padded covers placed over the teapot to keep the tea hot. 

My morning cuppa is enjoyed with my Bible and journal open as I sip. Even a few devotional books are usually at hand. Some mornings are 2 cuppa mornings,  when I need extra tea and extra time to speak with the Lord about what's on my heart. It's also a time to search His word for answers and guidance, especially for others so dear to my heart. (Psalm 5:3)

It is a cozy time----there's no mystery to that. 

Tea with Thee aka a quiet time----a time to sit with the Lord and talk and pray about whatever is on my heart. 

It's the best choice of the morning.

CHOOSE EXCITEMENT!

Wordsmith grammarians would probably think my "messing" with punctuation is a travesty. 

But....I learned a lesson a few years back......from a 5 yr. old. 

Ever the teacher, after reading aloud to grandson & pre-kindergartener, Owen, I asked him a question.

Notice I did NOT stop and ask a question while reading aloud! Such an interruption can ruin the integrity of the story, especially for a pre-schooler.

AFTER reading, I pointed to some different punctuations in the story and offered meanings----for a period, that means stop. I pointed to an ! and asked him what it was.

He replied, That one's easy----it's an excitement. (Out of the mouth of babes.)

 "Your exactly right I said." Adults call it an exclamation point but I like the name which you coined much better. To this day, I think "excitement" everytime I see an exclamation point!

Recently, I noticed while emailing a verse to 3 friends, who were ministering in Uganda, that I used an exclamation point where none was noted.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. 1 CHRONICLES 16:31, KJV)

I automatically put ! at the end of "The Lord reigneth!" because I think that is exciting news. Later I discovered KJV translators, rarely, if ever, use exclamation points. So, what's the answer? Try the NIV or ESV versions.

And.....when reading the Bible or striving to live a God-shaped life..... 

...."Punctuate your life with excitements," as my grandson says!!!

CHOOSE WONDER

Have you ever been so awed by Him? The wonder of His grace? (Psalm 86:10, Isaiah 25:1)

This morning was such a time for me. A time of affirming.

As I was praying through Psalm 88 (NASB) for a Christian friend who has experienced much darkness and seemingly little resolution, I was struggling for just the right words. 

This is such a sad psalm, seemingly without resolution, much like my friend. A soul full of trouble. If it's not one thing, it's two or more. An anguish of great depth---all exact causes unknown to me. 

But God....in His love and mercy showed me, in my NIV version, a notation made by verses 13-14.

The notation 2/17/07 indicated I had prayed this very verse for myself, at a time when there seemed to be no answer from the Lord. 

Today is 2/7/17. All those 7s in the same month, for the same verse. It was a BIG affirmation. I could continue to pray with hope because I had been where my friend is---in the pit. But God....was there in the midst working even when I "felt" rejection, as if He had hidden His face from me.

Now I could approach His throne of grace with confidence for my friend---as a friend who had been on the "same side of suffering" and had found God had been in the midst of it all along. I understand where she is---though the struggle may be different, the ramifications of being in a dark place are the same. 

May she now see His wonders in the darkness and His hand in the land of forgetfulness. (Psalm 88:12)

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see,
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
is the wonder that God loves me. ("Wonder of it All," Adventist hymn #75) 

Choosing wonder and awe of the Lord for myself and my friend knowing God's love is there in a place of darkness when one cannot "see" it at the moment!
What a wonder!

CHOOSE GREATER JOY

All joy comes from the One who first chose us.

As He chooses to bring others from my family into the fold, that exponentially increases my joy.

Such was the case with Andrew. 

Andrew who week before last kept asking his mommy at bedtime, "How can I believe?" For several nights she would share gospel truth and ask questions to check Andrew's understanding. 

But....he said, "I DO BELIEVE!" 

Nothing more was needed as he prayerfully opened his heart to the Lord.

Sunday, January 29, 2017 Andrew Lawrence Liles had his first communion. A new believer sharing the bread and the cup with other believers at Allen Bible Church.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

CHOOSE JOY AGAIN

CHOOSE JOY AGAIN!
Consider it ALL joy! (James 1:2)

Now isn't that a difficult choice. But a choice it is.

We decide/choose whether to see all events---the good, the bad and the ugly, as part of God's working to bring us unto Himself. Receive with thankfulness "each day the good Lord has given" as Daddy always said. Obstacles and heartaches and heart wrenching tragedies make this seem more difficult.

But God....is the anchor that holds. (Hebrews 6:19)

"The anchor holds. Though the ship is battered, the anchor holds. Though the sails are torn, I have fallen on my knees, As I faced the raging seas. The anchor holds, In spite of the storm." (Ray Bolz)

Often when we can't hold on, He's there doing the holding. (Psalm 139:10; Psalm 63:8)

I know because He brought me up "out of the pit." (Psalm 40:2)

 

READY! MINDSET! GO!
My mind was set on Him and once again, I was ready to "go."
Ready to choose JOY once more!

CHOOSE SCRIPT NOT SILICON

Text. Script. Trusted Hard Copy.

Whatever one wants to call the old tried and true way to research, my recommendation is to hold on to that, especially when doing Bible Study.

Certainly the computer can aid in that study but DO NOT COUNT ON SIRI!
Siri is NOT always the answer. Siri is silicon. (Even she knows that!)

Siri's first response to my "word study"request was, I do NOT eschew theological disquisitions.    

How's that for a mouthful---or screen full---just wish I had gotten a selfie of me sitting with my mouth agape and Siri's response in full view.
I did get a screen shot of the next one, though not nearly as complex!

My policy should be that as well---don't count on Siri to answer life's REAL questions.
So...back to basics---my "good ole Strong's concordance." Works ever time I choose to take the time and not be lazy. 

Strong's Concordance certainly helped me to get to the heart of the matter! (Psalm 43:3, Psalm 119:105, Hebrews 4:12)

CHOOSE HYPERBOLE

Wordsmiths and politicians are known for hyperbole. So are bloggers who want to get a point across to readers!

In 1816 Thomas Jefferson sent the message, "I cannot live without books," to John Adams.
Was that fact or hyperbole? For readers it probably reads as fact but in truth it's a greatly exaggerated quote used to express Jefferson's love for books.

I, as most librarians, have a propensity for the written word as well. 

Librarians lean toward literature. Fact or hyperbole? Probably fact. But these days many are information techies so maybe it's hyperbole for us "old schoolers!"

Readers have chosen genres---mystery, science fiction, biographies, etc. 

I have a predisposition for "quirky" books. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Keeper of the Bees. Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen.

Many of my quirky choses are books with love and appreciation of books as an underlying theme.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore. The Book Thief. 84 Charing Cross Road.

Last month I added a new one to the list.

A warm cuppa and The Reader on the 6.27. 

I had died and gone to heaven! 

Ooops, I hope I chose hyperbole...because I want to finish that book.