Opportuni-TEAs

Each "day the good Lord gives us" (Daddy) is full of opportunities to be salt and light in this world.

As beloved "sheep" of the Great Shepherd, believers need to rise and shine and serve Him and others.

How does one know God's will in this time of much trouble, tragedies and  unrest in our world? Our country? Our state? Our city?

God's word holds the answer. (1Peter 2:13-17)

• Do good. (v. 15)
• Live as servants of God. (v. 16)
• Honor everyone.  (v. 16) "Honoring others involves maintaining respectful consideration." (Cole Huffman, 7/10/2016) 
• Love the brotherhood. (v. 17) 
• Fear God. (v. 17)

"Rise and Shine" and sip and savor a cuppa opportuni-TEA to glorify God and serve others----remembering that "Righteousness exalts a nation!" (Proverbs 14:34)

Cer-TEA-tude

Certitude (aka cer-TEA-tude in my "Tea with Thee" times) is a condition of certainty that provides complete assurance. Think "Blessed Assurance."
So...this morning a BIG, strong cuppa certain-TEA is steeping.

Blaise Paschal wrote, "Certitude. Certitude. Feeling Joy. Peace......Forgetfulness of the world and of everything, except God." (Love Aflame, p.3)

I know, that I know, that I know....nothing is more important than knowing God.
God is sovereign!
Thus, there is nothing more important than knowing Him, being His and accepting His sovereignty!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!

Happy 240th birthday, USA!

Friend, Gayle, created this "masterpiece"---an America's birthday cake for her family's Pickwick 4th of July weekend celebration! I can't begin to imagine how she did that!

FREEDOM: A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION....for both our country and one's own soul.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

CANADA DAY!

What fun to celebrate a "cuppa" on Canada Day with "new" Canadian friends and sing their anthem "O Canada" together!.

Sweet Charlotte sharing her Scottish recipe oat cakes---which I love.

Allison from Ottawa read John 4:21-24,  our morning scripture, from 2 languages, no less?

How good and how peasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. (Psalm 133:1)

JUNE JAUNTS---a pictorial review

Coming soon---I have to review pix first!

Quo-TEA-ble

Ubiquitous Quotes. 
A-men. Quotes are every where! On license pates. In my chocolate. 
In my throat lozenges. 
Yes---even Halls™wants to leave me a message.
Their "well-being/well-meaning" messages  are a little self-centered for me. It's hard enough to get my focus off of self when I'm having a "sore throat pity party."

It's NOT all about me----but I did try to remember how to do the "soul strut" the 1968 Capleville cheerleaders taught me  when I read the "Put a little strut in it" message.

The BEST quotes for me are straight from scripture.
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of my head. (Psalm 3:3) 
Calming quotes---best ingested with a cuppa chamomile.

Heart of a Friend

Ah-h-h friendship---the best bouquet of all.
Character traits of good friends are highlighted in scripture.
"A friend loves at all times"----even when I don't make sense or repeat myself, she listens. (Proverbs 17:17)
"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person"---she's one of the the calmest gals I know. (Proverbs 22:24)
"Walk with the wise and become wise"---accepting a job at Houston High was a wise decision because I walked the halls there with Drenda. (Proverbs 13:20)
The flowers are still there. 1456 is still on the mail box.

But......the heart of the home now resides in Kansas City and she took a bit of my heart with her.

Prayer Protocol

Prayer Protocol. There isn't really one! Not a "serves all, every time" method.

Prayer prods. Prayer prompts. Prayer walks. Prayer circles.

Desperate prayers. Fasting prayers. Arrow prayers. Breath prayers. Silent prayers. Loud prayers.

For me prayer can be journaling. Even blogging becomes my praying with a keyboard.

Some THOTS (Trusting Him On This Subject) that "work for me" are:

• SEEK HIM who is the Answer not just an "answer" to a request/petition.
• There is NO one size fits all prayer method---it's not a "magic" approach.
• Revival begins one heart--one prayer at a time. Start with self!
• Sometimes when discouraged just "keep on keeping on" as Kay Arthur says. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
• Prayer is communication with God---anytime, any place..........Though sometimes a designated space can help.
• My visible prayer chair calls to me. 
• Praying friend, Bernie's visual prayer closet calls to her. (Matthew 6:6) 

My favorite prayer story is about DTS. In 1929, Dallas Theological was near closing due to lack of funds. On commencement day the faculty gathered in President Lewis Sperry Chafer's office in a prayer circle. When it was Harry Ironside's turn, he simply prayed from Psalm 50:10---Lord, we know you own the cattle on a thousand hills. Please sell some of them, and send us money." A knock at the door interrupted the prayer meeting and the president's sec'y handed him a $10,000 note. After reading it, he turned to his colleague, Dr. Ironside and said, "Harry, God sold the cattle." 

High school English teachers remind us that commas are for pauses, but in the spiritual realm they are providential. "My" Wednesday Wordsmith's always love a grammarian type quote so here's one for their own unique "prayer protocol."

Never put a comma where God puts a period, and never put a period where God puts a comma. (unknown)

circling, Circling, CIRCLING!!!

I think in circles.

I talk in circles.

I walk in circles trying to figure out why I have entered a certain room.

So....I've decided to try to do some positive circling.

I'm using this little book, Praying Circles around your Children by Mark Batterson to guide me as I "pray circles" around my children and grands.

Is it a "perfect" book for prayer? NO. No "method" is perfect. Prayer is about one's own communication with God.
 Did I follow all of his suggestions? NO. No, but I was prompted by some of his ideas and affirmed by others as I agree with the importance of praying for one's children and grandchildren.

Some of the "brilliant cut" gems are:

• Diaper spelled backwards is repaid. (What fun it has been to watch this happen to my kids as they entered parenthood!) 
• You will never be a "perfect" parent but you can be a praying parent. 
• Regardless of childrearing philosophies, we can all teach 3 words----please, sorry, and thanks. 
• Pray for favor for your children. (Luke 2:52)

My goal is to keep "circling my prayer wagons" around my kids and "grands" until the Lord calls me home.

**Am now reading Batterson's, The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Greatest Dreams and Biggest Fears. Two encouraging points were, "God's answers are NOT limited by our requests and we pray out of our ignorance but God answers out of His omniscience." (p.19)

Life is short---

Life is short----it is indeed! That's scriptural. "A mere handbreath." (Psalm 39:5)

Mother, who had such a sweet tooth, always finished that adage, "Life is short".....with the wise words of...."so eat dessert first." Which was fine for her because she was 5'8" and weighed 108 at her heaviest.

Maybe that's scriptural, to an extent, as well, according to King Solomon. (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

For the last few days I've tried to "live out" my mother's "sweet tooth rules/dessert first" wisdom. 

Making a hospital "run" Thursday with a friend, I sought butter rolls at "Miss Peggy's Homecooking (on Cleveland) and when those were unavailable, I made a bee-line for the Trolley Stop Market (on Madison) for the "cake lady's" caramel cake from Westside Bar-B-Que, located in New Albany, MS.

The next day, friend Beth served an unbelievably delicious amaretto freeze, topped with REAL whipped cream. I could eat REAL whipped cream by the spoonfuls. I blame that on Mother as well---it's all she served. Of course, back then, we didn't have Reddi-whip or Cool Whip---only dream whip in a box that never graced our pantry shelf.

 Saturday lunch with hubby at Stoney River (Saddle Creek in Germantown) ended with key lime pie. That was his fault---key lime is his fave and even the crust was delicious in their version. However, I commandeered the REAL whipped cream that topped it off!

Yesterday, the sweet tooth saga continued with bread pudding at Second Line in Overton Square, their only dessert. Though it didn't offer whipped cream, fake or otherwise, this warm pudding with caramel sauce and sugared pecans was topped with homemade ice cream. Oh my!

Can one OD on sweets? This morning I decided to "come off" my sugar streak as I savored a Dove dark chocolate morsel---which is "healthy."

Looking at the wrapper, I saw this message, Quote your Daddy!"

So....here it is......

"I thank the good Lord for everyday He gives me." (Clifton T. Adams, 1922-2011)

That's oh so scriptural (1 Thessalonians 5:18)----regardless of the number of days we are given or the circumstances we are in, we can always say, "Thank you, Lord." 

Thank you Daddy, a man of few words,  for that memorable quote!