CRACKED POT!

Beautiful Garden Pot. A pot with a history. It was given by sweet friend Julie, when she moved to DC & then on to Florida. A friend who joined with me in prayer for our terminal cancer friend, Claudia. It seems one of us was always with her even at the hospice center. That adds to the beauty of the pot.

Yet, there's another side....often hidden from view. A brokenness I've tried to keep hidden, since the Feb.'22 ice storm.....even though I know the beautiful story of its history.

Like me. A cracked pot. Rarely do I show my cracks. 

But God in his love and mercy....is close to me even when I am broken and crushed & choosing not to show my cracks.

He does not despise my brokenness. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

HALLELUJAH!

SIGN FROM THE LORD!

Sometimes when you're so down, disheartened, anxious and trust challenged... 

....one needs to look up.....to refocus.

Who would have thought that looking up from an exam table at the doc's office would give one an encouraging sign.....but it did!

What a sign....like a miracle to confirm one's continuance in faith.

For an avid reader and former librarian, even the wording was familiar. 

Just what I needed. A sign!

STREET CORNER SERMON

Sidewalk evangelist, pictured below, has it down to a straight forward message of the gospel. 

We are all sinners and all need to repent. That's why Jesus laid down His life for us. He died that we might have eternal life.

Believe it and live.

The street corner messenger might be sitting in a chair but he's putting himself out there to lay out the "good news."

We all need the Messiah! 

Gospel message in a nutshell......raised up on a street corner.

PETAL PEEPERS to LEAF SEEKERS!

Early last week TEMPS were sweltering in all caps. Folks made travel plans to go to the north east to be leaf peepers....as colors were at their peak. Now it's CHILLY in all caps. Yet, there are still a few garden gatherings to recall the lingering flowers of summer and to see all the new mums, pumpkins and fall foliage. 

Enjoy now because we know how quickly fall comes and goes. Soon first snows will be just around the corner followed quickly by spring. May we all be joyfully expectant for each season.

The beauty of each season is created by God. Those that realize this seem to enjoy each season all the more. (1 Corinthians 3:7)

GARDEN GUEST?

Garden Guest? Garden Pest?

Look closely to see the web.* 

To an arachnophobic, a spider would be a most unwelcome guest.

For a botanist or horticulturist, a spider could be a desired guest. 

I would welcome them, outside, because they eat mosquitos, fleas, cockroaches, flies and even earwigs, whatever they are. My Master Gardener neighbor, Lynda T. would probably love them as the earwigs' reputation of "janitor of the garden" precedes them. I would not know one if I saw it.

There is one spider I would not welcome......a black widow spider. A black widow, the most venomous spider in N. America with venom about 15 times stronger than the venom of a rattlesnake. Its venom attacks one's nerves.

The good news is, a black widow spider is very identifiable.

Note the red hour-glass mark on the abdomen. 

So grateful for the obvious identification that warns us to stay away.

Lately, I've needed clearly marked warnings of things I need to stay clear of to keep safe in today's world. I don't want to be cynical, but often one's naivety has them wandering into trouble. Preying on seniors comes to mind. We had to change our credit card #. Hacking into medical practices records has also happened recently.

But God..... in his love and mercy is always near. So...."when my anxious thoughts multiply within me, His consolations delight my soul." (Psalm 94:19) Then I go next door and sit in my neighbor's garden, a sanctuary in which to observe a spider that does me good, not harm.

*Photo by Lynda Terry. She must have learned the tricks of the trade from her late husband, Art, who was an amazing professional photographer! Think JFK's son, John-John, saluting his father's casket as it passed by him.Yep, that was Art's work!

A-MAZE-ING!

Memphis has received bad press lately---

going beyond the local and state level to national & world news.

But.....the September/October 2022 4MEMPHIS Memphis, delivered to my driveway, reminded me once again, 

"Seek the peace and prosperity of the city 

in which I have placed you. (Jeremiah 29:7)

The same day, the nightly news shared another reminder! The Halloween maze will open once again but without the planting of corn in a design. A robot will now do all the work!

That was not the best reminder. The best reminder.....

....to me was recalling Acts 17:26. It was God who made all the nations ....to inhabit the whole earth, marking out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their dwelling place. (paraphrase & emphasis, mine) ESV verse 27 states God's purpose for those boundaries, "so that they should seek, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet, he actually is not far from each one of us." (Though it might sound like me, even "actually" is ESV, not mine)

4MEMPHIS publisher Jim Walker's comment said it well, "....brokenness is their inspiration to bear fruit by loving their fellow Memphians. (p.26) 

The A-MAZE-ING truth is that God is near me right here in Memphis; He has me here for a purpose, regardless of scary reports from Nightly News. (Psalm 34:18)

UNITY!!

You. Me! We!! Thee!!!---the BEST UNITY!

Fellowship is fun! Fellowship is more than fun!

Fellowship is the blending of thoughts words and actions as we live together in the Truth w know!

Fellowship is a solidarity of like-minded, yet uniquely gifted, believers  as we align our hearts with God the Father through Jesus his son and his Spirit within each of us.

You. Me! We!! Thee!!!---the BEST UNITY!

TUESDAY'S TICKLES

We've all heard the old adage, laughter is good for the soul. Even in Scripture there is a time for laughter. 

Ecclesiastes 8:15 commends mirth. After weeks of both mourning and celebrating eternal rest of friends, I needed not only a smile to be a curve that sets things aright, but outright laughter. 

Much laughter was delivered right to my home on a previous Tuesday.

LANGUAGE OF GRACE!

Is the language of grace a foreign language to you? 

Regardless of the translation, it is a much needed language of life for a Christian.

Grace-based. Grace-laced. Full of Grace.

Sing with me now.

Grace, Grace, God's Grace. Grace that is greater than all our sins 

Speak grace. How? Christ's example---That answer is found in God's word..

*THOTS: three types of grace: prevenient grace, which is God's active presence in people's lives before they even sense the divine at work in their lives; justifying grace, through which all sins are forgiven by God; and sanctifying grace, which allows people to grow in their ability to live like Jesus.

His Grace Is Sufficient for Every Need! 

• 2 Corinthians 12:9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” ...
• 1 Corinthians 15:10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. ...
• 1 Peter 4:10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
• 1 Peter 5:10. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself r2 Timothyestore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

His Grace Is Sufficient for Every Need! 

"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.? (2 Timothy 1:2b)

*THOTS--Trusting Him On This Subject

FALL WALK-A BOUT!

Fall began for us last night at 9:04 pm CDT.

So grateful for God's creation of seasons,...."seedtime and harvest, cold and heat" especially in the area where I live. (Genesis 8:22) A move from petal peeping to leaf peeping.

Today is the first time temps have dropped in weeks enough to take a "cool" morning walk. A glorious time in" my" neighborhood. (Acts 17:26)

Without a doubt gingko fall foliage is my favorite.....

.....one on the left is beginning its magnificent brilliance while the one on the right is just beginning. A great motivator to keep me walking daily. BTW, yesterday's USA 9/22/22- 6A, gave a map w/ dates for leaf peepers in all states to plan peak times for their fall foliage peeks.

Sometimes yard signs show support of coming and goings in which neighbors participate. Ride for Education. LeBonheur Children's Hospital. St. Jude.

This one was so timely---a great reminder that this weekend is the Pink Palace Crafts Fair. Hooray for 50 years of art, food and fun!

So many eye blessings on my walk means I'll share more in the coming days.

I conclude with "changing" door wreaths. I love Mimi's! A great reason to always walk down her street. 

Door wreaths are a reminder of the good ole South......and why I so  love my fall "neighborhood walk-a-bout!"