"eterni-TEA" : a Re-brew

 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13, NIV)

How does one "stamp eternity on my eyeballs" as Jonathan Edwards was purported to have asked the Lord?

Start your morning with a verse of eternal significance to accompany your cuppa eterni-TEA!

"res-TEA-tution"

My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. (Psalm 55:21-22, ESV)

Have you ever stolen someone's joy? Their encouragement in life? Has someone ever robbed you of your joy as his/her action took life, as you had known it and turned it upside down? Was a relationship damaged?

What does it look like to say you're sorry and try, in as much as you're able, to do right and make up for it?

Memories stolen  or stained them. Stolen hope. Stolen encouragement. Stolen joy.

What does restitution require? 

Zacchaeus’s story in Luke 19 gives us a godly pattern for restitution. He admitted his sin and guilt of defrauding people, having cheated them out of what was rightfully theirs. He was truly remorseful over those past actions. Not just in admittance.....but in willingness to change. Such repentance led to restitution.

Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.'

As a tax collector, he had been 1) guilty of defrauding people, 2) remorseful over his past actions, and 3) committed to making restitution. 
Restitution that demonstrates repentance. (when possible)

We should do the same.

Repentance and restitution are two more tenets of the Christian faith. Fundamentals. Basic Truths.

Repentance + Restitution = Rejoicing.

Repentance served with a cuppa res-TEA-tution brings rejoicing. 

Nos-TEA-algia

A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: 
(Proverbs 13:22, KJV)

Memories can warm you from the inside out. Other memories hold the pain of loss or loneliness.
Today's arrival of my class of '64 group picture, had recent memories of that "fun" event flood my mind. But recalling those whose faces were missing from the picture, tugged at my heart.

Not only that, but the memories, from that place where so many of my yesteryears were spent, are buried deep......but not so deep that they don't surface. Family memories.

Those memories had started surfacing as we turned toward "home" at least 24 miles out. I felt them in the pit of my stomach. No longer was a family home available in "my hometown."
No longer would Daddy dance with me at my reunion as he had done just 5 years earlier. I would visit Riverside Cemetery, not 2211 South Virginia though I would drive by.

Yet, when I visited the Christian Village homes of my parents' friends, we shared memories of happy times with Mother and Daddy. Bittersweet, yet somewhat healing. I indeed had a rich inheritance and it was therapeutic as I shared and recalled special events and funny times with their friends. Sharing was a two-way street and I think each of us took a little edge off the loneliness we all felt.

Sometimes a cuppa nos-TEA-algia is easier to swallow than at other times. 

Sharing that cuppa with "old" friends helps.

Sereni-TEA : a BIG cuppa

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
(Philippians 2:3, NASB)

Do you know someone who sips from a cuppa humili-TEA everyday? I do.
The Henizes---who put others first---always. Their door is aways open. Their humility spills over into the lives of every one they know.

They practice Ephesians 4:32. Kindness to others! Marge and Larry Henize exude it!

They embody the gospel and live it every moment of every day---at least every moment I've ever been with them.

For us, visiting in their home is as close to heaven as one can be. It's like a retreat. Blessings abound! Open-eyed prayers so you can face the ones you love. Yummy food. Table talk. Stories. LAUGHTER! Sharing. Peace. Serenity.

Reading aloud caps off a day in the mountains---nothing like it!!!

No better place---to sip a cuppa sereni-TEA. For me, it's the BIGGEST cuppa sereni-TEA available this side of heaven. 

Selectivi-TEA : a re-brew

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:12, NIV)

"Listening to the Lord" has continued to be in my musings. Is His voice so gentle and soft that I need a hearing aid? Or....am I not being still enough to sense His words?

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (Psalm 37:7, NIV)

A chapter in book, Love Does, which Marge, my mountain hostess, shared with me, had a chapter dealing with this topic. Maybe, God speaks loud and clear through others.

Author, Bob Goff, definitely gave me some food for thought---or ear drops to clear my ears to aid my hearing. The intro to his "Hearing Aid" chapter said, "I used to think that God wouldn't talk to me but now I think I'm just selective with what I hear." (p. 137)

Other Goff gems:

• God doesn't speak in a voice into make audio needles move. 
• No cosmic whispers. No movie reels with subtitles.
• Sense something down deep like a tuning fork to "ping" my soul.
• God doesn't pass us messages, He passes us each other.

A great question is, "Am I just being lazy as I sip a cuppa selectivi-TEA while tuning out anything I don't want to hear?"

May I sit and "listen" just as Sarah Young did while writing Jesus Calling. She shared with me that it took lots of time sitting quietly and waiting.

Her cuppa selectivi-TEA provided impressions and scriptures on her heart and she jotted them down. A word. A phrase. a verse. A thought. She listened intentionally. Expectantly. Selectively. Blocking distractions. He filled her cuppa.

That's the best cuppa selectivi-TEA!

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : gra-TEA-fyingly wholesome

Jan Karon's latest in her "Mitford series," Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good is indeed gratifyingly wholesome. Since it's been a while since a Father Tim book was set in Mitfor, Karon provides some flashback moments to jog our memories and give us insight, as we recall characters and situations of old.

Possibly, Father Tim's "station of life" as a retiree speaks to me. He desires to serve others but sometimes takes on too much, trying to do it all. Many retirees can relate to that. His friend Hoppy reminds him, "To do it all and deprive others of doing---is a misguided notion." (p. 163)

Few writers can weave a prayer into a well crafted book without it looking like an afterthought, as well as Karon. So many tenets of  faith are the fabric of the "less than perfect town" of Mitford---but Father Tim offers hope to many.

Yet, even he has to learn that, "Love is an act of endless forgiveness." (p. 511)

Dooley was their hope---a door opening to all that could be healing and genuine.

'Take it from here, buddy,' he said. 'Take it from here.' (p. 511)

Sounds like a sequel or a new series in the making----for which I am gra-TEA-fyingly excited!

selectivi-TEA

....and the sheep listen to his voice...(John 10:3, NIV)

As I prepare to teach from 2 Timothy, I'm trying to come up with an intro which will grab the attention of my audience. Nowadays in our techy culture just getting anyone’s attention can be virtually (pun intended) impossible.  
Just as Paul was trying to get Timothy’s attention---or as a preacher teacher tries to get attention of his audience---iPhone vibrates---even if it is on mute and that little "tink" that indicates a text seems LOUD.
  
So many distractions it’s hard to tune in to God’s word. Hubby has lots of trouble hearing me--but has no trouble hearing that little “tinging” when he’s getting a text message on his cell phone ---now, at least he has it turned off between 10 and 7.

Do I tune out the Lord? Do I "listen" for Him only when it is convenient for me---not interrupting my schedules or distrubing my sleep?

One comes to know Him by tuning in at all times---by listening to Him through His word. Listening that penetrates the heart!

 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me," John 10:14

As John 10:27 states, we, who are His sheep, listen as to obey.
If we're choosing (selecting) NOT to listen, is that disobedience, in and of itself?

Is selectivity a euphemism for disobedience?

May I pour my self a cuppa selectivi-TEA today. A cuppa sweetened with obedience to His Word and accompanied by prayer, as Mother Teresa prayed.

Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts. ~ Mother Teresa

Sweet Divini-TEA

 Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (Titus 2:13)

The most heavenly candy for me is divinity! Put a few pecans in it and I like it even better. Now I know that divinity candy has absolutely nothing to do with the Christian faith---though it tastes divine. But....this morning as I saw it right next to my Jesus Calling "Daybrightner" which I can conveniently flip to each day's entry...as it's right by my kitchen table, I set my cuppa down to get out a piece and some how saw the entire tableau as spiritual.

A three-fold draw to a sweet time in the Presence of the Divine One.
Even my cuppa was a Fortnum&Mason  royal blend that reminded me that I was a child of the King!

Divinity of Christ is like the skeleton key that opens the door to this foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. This tenet of the faith is non-negotiable and is sweet truth to every believer.

All believers should continually sip from a BIG cup of divini-TEA, served by the Lord Jesus Himself.

Communi-TEA TEA-ableau TEA-reat!

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16, NIV)

A tableau is defined as a striking or artistic grouping representing a period of time. Like a picture.

In our neighborhood, it's more than that. It's a charming way of extending blessings.

TEA-ableau TEA-reat for the entire communi-TEA

I was so "taken" by it that I had to set down my cuppa.....

   ......and take a picture of this community TEA-reat!

Thanks to these London Dr. neighbors for sharing their harvest tableau with us.

God's Word : His tes-TEA-monies

Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season.
(2 Timothy 4:2, NASB)

How can one preach or teach God's Word if they don't know it?

Maybe a BIG cuppa of commitment (commi-TEA-ment) to unearth truth (tea-ruth) by beginning to study the Bible is the first step. A desire to seek the treasures (tea-reasures) within. God's Word is his tes-TEA-mony cuppa. A cuppa purity. (puri-TEA) (Psalm 119:140)

In Psalm 119 one can discover many aspects of God's word, whether it's called the commandments, law, precepts, statutes, truth, or testimony----foundational for understanding the importance of knowing and keeping God's word. Knowing His word can enable one to "teach" or share with others.

In season and out of season is the "readiness" aspect of one's sharing of truth---occurring in God's timing.
Readiness is an offensive maneuver. As Katherine A. reminded me that in the description of "the full armor of God" in Ephesians 6:13-17---all are defensive weapons,  EXCEPT for God's Word. It is the sword of the Spirit and it is our tactical (Tac-TEA-cal) gear for offense.

God's word is the whole counsel of God. It is needed in its entire-TEA---not taken out of context.

God's tes-TEA-mony, a cuppa shared fully with others in His timing.