BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

5/31/12 Grackles, crows, jackdaws, whatever their regional common name, have a glossy black plumage. At our house, they eat all the pricey bird food that hubby buys for the flickers and jays. Very territorial, their raucous “threats” scare off other birds, namely our little songbirds. (Wish they would scare off the squirrels.)

On a more positive note, I do appreciate that blackbirds are a monogamous species, and the established pair will usually stay together as long as they both survive.

Plus, blackbirds preening in front of our breakfast room window, another daily activity, is actually kind of fun to watch as they display immense “self-satisfaction”.

 Blackbirds usually displayed in literature as destructive were given a new “light” by dear friend and author, Ashley Bryan’s, depiction in Beautiful Blackbird.” (2003)

Blackbird in Ashley’s book says, "Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside. You don’t act like me. You don’t eat like me. You don’t get down in the groove and move your feet like me. (my favorite line)….Just remember, whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you.”

Those lines spoke volumes to me of acceptance and are so easily lined up with scripture’s admonition to not just look on the “outside.”

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)

Remembering

5/28/12  Memorial Day---my first without my favorite vet, Daddy.

 Listening and Doing--- After we sit and listen during times of scripture meditation, we should rise and act accordingly.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20, NIV)

Interestingly enough, this morning's Commercial Appeal included James 1:20 in the King James version as it's "Today's Bible Verse". For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Scripture worth remembering on Memorial Day 2012.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: TEXAS

5/27/12

Summerfield Pond---older boys ride bikes there to fish each afternoon

Morning walks show drought conditions still prevail in Allen, TX

Morning chores---To "squirt" the cleaner is the best job of all

Perusal on the patio---a grandboy after Shug's own heart

Everything's bigger and TALLER in Texas

King of friendship---what an honor for a kindergartener

His yearly sports' schedule bears testimony to this award

I would have voted him "Creative Writer" but he does love to "invent" things and blow up liter bottles with soda and vinegar

What's your & ?

5/26/12 Saturday’s question for mulling is just that----“What’s your & ?” How do others really see you? How do you wish others saw you?

Example: Dotsy: Retired educator/librarian & __________________.

What nouns would be used to fill in the blank? Would my ampersand “eventually” include anything spiritual? 

What about an adjective? Diligent Dotsy & _________Dotsy.
Would any aspects of the fruit of the spirit come to mind to those who know me best?

I can already imagine ampersands my family would include----and that’s not music to my ears. I would like words like gentle and caring to immediately come to mind but fear those words would be “down the list.”

Consider your own ampersand. The first words that come to mind about a person usually identify them by position (mother) or profession. Yet, it’s the words that follow the ampersand that reveal character. Our essence as perceived by others follows the ampersand. It’s what we’re presenting to the world. The light of our soul. That’s why one’s ampersand is important and worthy of consideration.

What’s your & ?

Church Signs

5/25/12 Pithy with a Punch Church Sign

Bismarck, AR (5/24/12)---my camera was out of reach

Didn’t matter----words were lodged in my mind! Lodge them in yours!

NO GOD

NO PEACE

KNOW GOD

KNOW PEACE

LOST...........

5/23/12 Lost glasses---can’t  see tp blog.or read or dribe--feel -totallyat a  loss.

Meditations from the Psalter

5/21/12 Bonhoeffer calls Psalms, the prayer book of the Bible but the Hebrew title also means hymns. Either term, prayer or hymn, has a purpose in worship. Embedded within some of the psalms is another word which can aid one in meditation. Selah., when used in a psalm invites the reader to pause and to reflect. A synonym for meditation."Selah" 

Psalms teaches that “Selah” means we should pause to carefully examine, measure, and value what has been said. Harvestime Psalms/Selah Sounds like our “Meditation Monday” practice to me. Whether it’s a passage from the Psalms or another book in the Bible, it is good practice to measure the truth encountered. Read. Pause. Measure your thoughts with the whole truth of Scripture---for all truth from God has been given for our meditation, our reflection, and our application. So….one wants to get it right.

 Bonhoeffer quotes Luther on the advantage of a “Selah” interlude in the salms, “…for they demand  a quiet and restful soul, which can grasp and hold to that which the Holy Spirit there presents and offers” (Psalms the Prayer book of the Bible, p. 23) Practice meditating today under that guidance.

Today my meditation, from the psalter, turned to prayers for many on my "list" who are suffering from the calamaties caused by cancer---young and old alike.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Touch the Senses

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5/20/12 From a “scent from the past” that carried me down memory lane, to the present joy of time in Texas with family of “chlorinated” boys, sweaty boys, stinky fish and doting parents…. it’s been a great week.

Gardenias "sugar the air" all around just like Mama Davenport did.

Community pool time

Field Day Prep



Varying degrees of  field day "cool"



Daddy time

All Liles' boys are #1 in my book.

Carrying on Pop-Pop's catcher position, at least for one  game.



The next one was even larger---or so the story goes!



Pop-Pop helper







Swimming lessons---prep for "Big Water"



Father & Son Teamwork



WEEKEND QUESTIONS

5/19/12 Librarians’ rule of thumb for alphabetic index filing is “nothing comes before something”. Ex. Jake’s Radio would precede Jake’s Radio Repair. Empty spaces are important. They have a purpose.

In today’s western culture, our society tends toward busy-ness---as if we need to fill all the spaces in our llives. A full schedule is what’s important. Is one’s own importance truly measured by a busy schedule?

Certainly in the Christian realm, one needs to carefully choose how he/she fills his/her schedule. To the “outside” world, stillness and quietness in the Lord’s Presence might look like nothing or a waste of “something” called time. Yet, that “so called” nothing space should precede all our scheduled “somethings”.  They have purpose---keeping all the rest of life in order.

In Mary and Martha’s story in Luke 10: 38-42, Martha, who is busy with lots of “somethings”, sees her sister, Mary, sitting at the Lord’s feet. Martha views  this inactivity as a space that should be filled with helping her. A nothing/space with no importance.  In response, Jesus says, “ Mary has chosen that which is needful.” Time with Him might appear as an empty space but it’s an important preface for all of life’s “somethings” that will follow.

Questions:

• What is needful in life?
•  Is there something I can clear from my schedule to allow me more time to sit in His Presence?
• Does it matter what others think if I choose to pull back and fill more of my empty spaces with Him?

TEXAS BOUND

5/17/12  Ah-h-h the joys of retirement---Texas in May with 5 little boys----oops one is now double digits. He might not appreciate the “little” label…..but then, his daddy is still my “little” boy, if you know what I mean!