SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: GOD'S HANDIWORK

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

Daddy's memorial tree is beginning........

.......to bloom!

My cherry tree, a fluff of white froth.......

......whose cotton candyish petals dust the ground as if a bride had just passed by!

"Zoo-erific"

3/17/12 It's been a zoo around here this past week----no phone, no internet. But God.....showered us with 5 kids everyday, 6 kids most days, plus 8 kids somedays and 2 extra cousins at the zoo one day----and that's just family. Throw in a few neighborhood kids and 3 visiting grands of neighbors and one really does have a zoo. Who would have even had time to "talk" on a phone or shoot out an e-mail!

 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for "brothers" to dwell together in unity. (Psalm 133:1)

Our "zoo" went to the zoo.

A slippery slope-----1 girl among 7 boys, total.

Rough & Tumble

When God sends rain, have boat races in the gutter. 

Day is done, gone the sun----but we "party on" with Pop-Pop around the fire!

Meditation Monday, simply

3/12/12 Today's "God Calling" reminds me that "Simplicity is the keynote of the Kingdom. Choose simple things always." In this entry, one is even advised to always choose simple things and to love the simple. Is that why I have no phone or internet access at home. Should I "thank" Comcast instead of berating them.
What are the simple things I should choose. This week it's a houseful of grandboys.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all else will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

Now there's a Bible promise for today that is well worth considering.

Sabbath Snapshots: Looking up

3/11/12 What a view-----always "looking up"to see what His hands hath wrought.

"Praise the Lord! 

Praise God in His sanctuary; 

Praise Him in His mighty expanse."

(Psalm 150:1)

A Texas sunrise that keeps growing......

....and glowing

A cloudy Arkansas (Hwy 70) sky anchored by goldenrod and bare trees.

A waxing moon-----can you see it on the right???

Pink Blooms and Blue Skies

A Tennessee sunset---Longreen view.

BEAUCOUPS OF BLESSINGS

3/8/12
I’ve written mine down for the day----You might want to do the same. Result could be a thankful heart which could result in a grateful spirit. Which could make your entire day one of blessing. Beaucoups of them.
1.     Time with precious Mary Flo, who picked me up at the airport. She certainly knows her way around Love Field. Plus lunch at Celebrity Café & Bakery in Highland Park village---what great memories came flooding back.
2.    My favorite “little" Texans awaiting my arrival.
3.    Buddy and Day
4.    Travel mercies with turbulence induced prayer time on plane
5.    So much to look forward to---book fairs for the boys, (be still my heart) lunch dates at an elementary school and reading aloud to my favorite age groups.

Simplici-TEA

3/7/12 Sometimes it’s good to ease up on the accelerator in life. (1,000 words, Commercial Appeal 2/26/12)

Hearkening to those words, after my “retreating” has me hankering to do just that.

It’s the “cuppa” I hope to drink great draughts from this month, especially in my blog. May it be good medicine for my soul and yours as well.

Saying more with fewer words. Slowing down to consider big ideas from small portions of passages, etc.

Simply tea---though a stronger tea for energy

Flying to Texas today. The next 10 days will be spent with all my Texans in Allen, TX and then driving with them back to Memphis on Saturday. They will be here for Spring Break so-o-o today is probably a great time to start. I also hope to plan more moments of solitude and to find a quiet place where I can focus on God. In the past, sitting with one of the little Texans in my lap during my quiet time has given me a great focus and understanding of the simplici-TEA of His love. A love, that when fully accepted, overlows to others.

TEA WITH THEE.....

3/6/12….in Psalm ninety. (nine-TEA) Nothing much better than a morning with the psalms and a cuppa---both tend to soothe the soul.

Psalm 90 is where I found myself as I am trying to “steep” myself in the Psalms this year. Reading through it the first time, the “tea” elements jumped off the page. There was much to “sip-on”---eterni-TEA, (v.1-2) frail-TEA, (v. 3) gravi-TEA (v.7-8 ) of our iniqui-TEAs, etc.  When I got to brevi-TEA, (v.10-22)I thought what a hard cuppa to swallow for those who don’t know the Lord. Perfect "cuppa" (v.17) is a believer's cup of tea.....favor of the Lord our God, resting upon us and establishing the work of our hands.

Tea with the Lord and my cuppa satisfied.  The simplici-TEA of it all---God’s unfailing love, as shown in His word, satisfies. (Psalm 90:14)

MEDITATION MONDAY: A STERLING IDEA

3/5/12 Having been up to my elbows in silver polish for the last week, I readily understood our BSF leader, Cathy’s, analogy about our spiritual lives being like silver. When company comes, our moms always got out the silver and polished it carefully as a way of welcoming and esteeming our guests. Polished silver reflected the best we had to offer

As part of her teaching on Ephesians 1, Cathy reminded us that as God's children, we are chosen by Him for the "praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:12) Our lives should clearly reflect Him---just like my piece of recently polished silver reflected me, the polisher.

Cathy Crowe's BSF principle, 
“God’s children are chosen to bring Him glory.”

But…..the hard part of the lesson came in the realization that, just like the silver, we can easily tarnish. We too often let circumstances or listening to gossip of others, have us reflecting the world and NOT the glory of God. “Polishing” by God is required. In order for “polishing to take place, we must be in His word. Daily exposure to God’s truth can give us such a shine that once again we reflect Him and His glory.

 “Meditation Monday”  = Time for reflection in His word.

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe..... (Ephesians 1:16-19a)

Her question, “Are there any tarnished places in your life?” Her suggestion, “Ask God to use His word to polish them. What a sterling idea!!

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: CONVEYANCES OF GOD'S MESSAGES IN CREATION

3/4/12 "A lily, or a tree, or a servant of God, may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things." (My Utmost for His Highest, 2/13 entry) During my first weekend in March walk, I listened to the Lord with my eyes. What a conversation we had!!!

Tulip Poplar, I think?

Forsythia, unfettered and splashing everywhere---the way Mother said they were meant to grow---not clipped like a formal hedge.

Hyacinth---none sweeter
(Berries in background---just another plus for me.)

Bark and berries----I so-o-o love both.

Lenten Roses Smiling---it is Lent.

Lenten Roses Bowing---an appropriate gesture for the season.

Bradford Pears in abundance

New addition to the Dinkelspeil's landscape

Camellia with more blooms than usual it seems. 

Building a “Sweet” Spiritual Life

Good read with a slice and a cuppa.

3/3/12 Some people are cake people. I’m a pie person.  I “side” with the characters in Mamet’s play, “Boston Marriage”, who say, “We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.” (NYTimes, 2/16) At my house, “Pie it is!” Even the book I’m finishing is Bradley’s, Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Last Monday, I went to learn basic piecrust-making at a King Arthur flour demonstration. Not only could pies be in my future but scone making would be demonstrated as well. Scones and a cuppa---a favorite of mine.

Informative, funny and enlightening.  

Yet, I began to see a great analogy between pie prep and spiritual growth for believers.

Start with clean hands and plan to use your hands a lot. (Confession is a good way to start our days, “clean.”)

Susan, our pastry chef’s, 1^st ingredient was “pure” flour. Oh how she stressed the importance of purity. (If we want our lives to “rise” to the level of perfection in Him, we too should desire purity first & foremost & "set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (I Timothy 4:2) 



She continued talking about accurate measurement and following the recipe. (Our standard of measurement is always the Lord and His directions/recipe for our lives are written in His word.) 

• However, she also reminded us how easy it was for a pastry to get a little dry---she would just “spritz” with a little mister of water and continue toward her goal. (Good directions for God’s people to follow---feeling a little dry---go to the always available Source of living water and get a little “spritz” or more if necessary.) 
• As she was winding up her demonstration, she cut off all unnecessary dough from her pan before she sealed and pinched her edges. (Is there unnecessary stuff in my life, that could easily be discarded so that my spiritual life is one that others can “taste and see” that the Lord is good?) 

Her final touch was a wash of cream and a topping of luster sugar---the perfect finish that draws others to “try” her pie. (Shouldn’t believers’ lives have a luster about them. A luster that draws others to the true “sweetness” in their lives?)

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;


Just from Jesus simply taking


Life and rest, and joy and peace.

 (http://nethymnal.org/htm/t/i/tissweet.htm)