Saturday Sadness comes ......

11/26/11...like a deep, dense morning fog over our Pickwick dock. It settles. It envelopes. it smothers the good times. Recollection of those intensifies the "hurt." Even the weather reflects my gloom. Dark. Dreary. Rainy.

Things are the same underneath but shrouded and buried deep under that proverbial "heavy blanket." It usually takes a few days for these emotions of melancholy to ease up.

It happens every time family leaves. The grands ask, "Shug, why do you always cry when we leave?" I don't know the exact answer. Love is most of it.

I do know that light dispels darkness. I open all the shutters. Pull up all the blinds. The dreariness of the day doesn't help but I need to do something to dispel my lingering sadness.

I try to remind myself that tomorrow will be better. Acute, raw sadness of separation from family is hardest the first day. As I age it seems to be taking longer to still this emotion. But.....like Frost's poem, "It sits....on silent haunches and then moves on."

Move on, Saturday sadness.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011!!

11/24/11
Plan R in action---redo all mistakes from time-saving ideas and relishing having a daughter-in-law alongside doing my "dirty" work, a daughter reconstituting gravy from about 3 different parts and a hubby recreating slicing the turkey bird b/c haven't a clue where the rest of the electric knife is. Really grateful because "invited" folks arriving in 45 min. Welcome to our world!Reciting Psalm 100---KJV, of course (assigned by my favorite teacher, Mrs. Alice Munday, in 4th grade at Morningside Elementary, a public school in Hopkinsville, Ky)

1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Thanks be to God

11/21/11 "Thanks be to God" is a response to God's goodness that I have heard from denominational congregations throughout the years. Though it can be just a rote incantation of sorts, those meaningful words should prompt meditation. As an expression from the heart, it represents an overflow of the gratitude that comes from the realization that all that we have is from Him.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (II Corinthians 9:15)

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: ENJOYING THE DAY!

11/20/11

GRANOLA....left at my backdoor......now, I can share with family without making it....I love Aunt Marge's recipe.....what a gift......from JoLynn, who would never "overtoasts" anything she cooks!
WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START MY DAY!

SUNDAY TREAT---eating out at Formosa.....Fun & somewhat ironic fortune cookie comment for one who lives in a modify mode---Today alone I'm already to Plan Q----meaning I've quit even trying to plan---just trusting Him to cover all my preparation bases.

PTL for an audio cord----now all 13 versions of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" can ring out from my iPod through my car radio, much to my delight.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER FOR THE NEXT 6 NIGHTS????

Pillow prizes (animal flashlights) for all who will "dwell" here this week.

"Fix-it" MentaliTEA

11/19/11 "Fix-it" mentaliTEA is a cuppa that I consume far too frequently. Frankly, it wears me out. Basically others, more often than not, don't seem to fully appreciate this "helping" aspect of my personality. Lately my cuppa has been filled to capacity with my "make it all better" philosophy... spilling over and making a mess. Is this really just an ailment, a disease to please and take away pain of others?
I grieve over things I can not fix, especially for loved ones....feeling like I should be able to at least help in some way, more prayer, more $, more time.
This morning as I sipped my cuppa,* I read, "I call on You, O God for You will answer me and hear my prayer." PTL (Praise the Lord) who can take care of everyone and all situations w/o my help/interference. I just need to pray. (my marginalia) A reminder to stop "overhelping" and begin accepting and enjoying.
I need to acknowledge each situation or need without immediately jumping in to "fix-it."

(Conversation with self) Pour out that cuppa of "fix-it" tea. Brew a fresh cup of a milder, decaffienated sensitiviTEA. Stir in a little godly discernment. Step back and allow God to work.
Leave the results to God, Dotsy!

*BTW my morning cuppa (pictured) was pretty good---a St. Dalfour (France) organic darjeeling.

PRAISE PRECEDES........

11/18/11 God desires praise not perfection. Written in the frontispiece of my old NAS Bible---long forgotten by me, until the reminder this morning from Ann V.'s blog. "Praise, not Perfection . He wants my praise not my perfection..." is how she puts it.
This week has been one of falling back into old habits---the "perfection pursuit" mode. This malady usually occurs when company is coming or an event is planned at 1152. I know things won't be perfect but it seems like I want to make it just right---as right as I can make it---so all my bases are covered. My goal is "a good time had by all." Hm-m-m. If I'm in a dither, I know of one person who won't be having a good time.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss's "Power and Practice of Praise" teaches about the process of praise and the preparation of our hearts as we praise. He inhabits the praises of His people. (Israel) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. "Praise is God's address."

Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness....
6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD. (Psalm 150:1, 2 & 6)

PREPARATION (for any event in my life) SHOULD FOLLOW PRAISE--NOT PRECEDE IT!

"Don’tcha" just love ___________?

11/16/11 "Don’tcha" just love___________?
A rainy day. If you thought I had a spiritual answer for the "fill in the blank" you would be somewhat correct---though at first thought, my answer didn't seem very spiritual. You see, I do love a rainy day. I love to hear the rain---especially on a tin roof---like at 2211, my childhood home. I even like to hear it whooshing out the downspout of our gutters. I love to feel the rain. As a child I would lean my head back with mouth wide open to catch the drops as I played in the rain. To this day I love to walk in the rain and more often than not, I don't "fiddle" with an umbrella---which I'd probably lose anyway. I love the smell of rain soaked leaves and sometimes I feel like I can even smell rain coming.

Rain doesn't sound spiritual and many folks would see it as one of life's interruptions as it hampers their errands or other endeavors on their "list." The reason I love a rainy day isn't spiritual in and of itself---it's mostly self serving---a good excuse to take a break with a "cuppa" and a daily crossword and to hunker down. But even that enjoyment can be spiritual---another manifestation of the truth that "God has given us all things to richly enjoy."

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (I Timothy 6:17)

Our Prayer for Revival group meditated on Psalm 147 yesterday, reminding us to praise and then providing the reasons for that praise---

Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain.....(Psalm 147:7-8a)

Today I'm praising Him for that rain just because I like it. Thankful, too, that my recently transplanted snowball bushes are drinking it in.

As the "Preacher" in Ecclesiastes, I see more and more aspects of life as gifts from Him---even a chilly, rainy day. "This too, I see, is from the hand of God."

The rain has somewhat diminished and the wind has blown wet leaves all over the patio. This could be a signal that I need to rake up the wet mess---but, I don't "do" leaves, especially wet ones. I just like to smell them, not clean them up. Don'tcha just love the way I pick and choose the elements of rain that are "useful" to me?
Don'tcha just love the way God loves us (me) regardless of our (my) propensity toward spiritual rationalization?

Meditative Moments

11/14/11 Our Lord had times of meditation alone and times of quiet conversations with His disciples. He knew the importance of pulling apart from the whirlwind of life for them and for Himself as well. It would behoove us to follow that example.
In our busyness there is often little time amid all the turmoil of daily responsibilities to pull apart for reading and reflection. How does one "work in" a quiet thought or the opening of God's word's for prayer and meditation? That's what Monday's are all about. That's why I always blog on Monday. Even if it's just a taste of scripture for us to chew on all week, it's essential to our spiritual well-being. In your secret/quiet place for communing with the Lord, look to Him for refuge and strength. Trust Him. Remember His love.

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:20-22)

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Around UM & the East End of Town

11/13/11 Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! (I Chronicles 16:9)

"To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all!"

INTERNATIONAL MARKET ---Providing a way for women and children to sustain their freedom through learning a skill and supporting themselves financially.
Products hand-crafted by the poor...
the vulnerable....
&......survivors of human trafficking
Micro-loans for India---rumor has it that one of last year's donors to India named his water buffalo "WAR EAGLE"!!

Buying clean water.

A little help goes a long way.
Remembering sacrifice is honorable.
Greentrees Assoc. flags line Kirby parkway.

Ginkgos on Goodlett---
Ginkgos on Grandview---

Grateful Heart

11/12/11 Grateful heart. My daddy had one. For as long as Daddy could make coherent speech, he would say, "I'm thank the good Lord for each day He gives me." He saw His days as a gift-- proof of all that the Lord had done for him, just by giving him breath for one more day. What a model for me!

"Gratitude. . .that heart-attitude that turned my "mourning into dancing" when I received the "C" diagnosis. The attitude of gratitude that I need more of in my life, now that I'm on the other side of that suffering. "A grateful person is God-centered and others-conscious." (Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Revive your Heart conference notes) A realization that God is at the heart of every aspect of my life will realign me with Him. God-centered = more gratitude. More gratitude = God-centered.

It's seeing more of God's hand of goodness in my life----eyes to see last night's full and glorious moon, the brisk temps that allowed me to wear my old comfy warm-up and the sound of Daddy's voice on a CD.

It's that praise tune that is whirring in my head. "Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son."

If that were all He had done, that would be enough!