Replenishing....Tea and Tuesdays Edition

Replenish means: to make full or complete again, as supplying what is lacking; to supply with fresh fuel; to fill again or anew.

Ruminate on the definition for a minute….  Let’s do an exercise together….

Read the definition three more times.  Each time you read it a different word or phrase may jump out at you.  Write those words or phases down. 

As I read it this is what I see:

First time reading it, I saw “to make full or complete again”.

The second time I read it the phrase “to fill again or anew”.

The third time the word “anew” stuck out.

The last time (since I read it four times) the phrase “as supplying what is lacking” and the phrase “fresh fuel” both jumped out at me.

It is interesting and of note that something we may see the first time we may not see the second time around, but in fact see something totally different.  It is this way with sentences we read, people we meet, books we read, etc.  We can observe something in a new way even though we have encountered it before.  It is the same way with scripture – try reading a familiar passage of scripture multiple times.  You may see something new about what the scripture is saying each time you read it.

Jesus was speaking to the woman at the well when He said in John 4:13-14, “…Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jesus was teaching about something that was lacking in the life of this woman who found herself alone with Jesus at the well.  She was in search of, in many ways, something to satisfy the lack in her life.  Jesus said everyone who drinks just regular water from the well would have to come back for more water, meaning they would still be lacking for water.  He then promised the water He would give would be a permanent solution to the problem of lack in her life (and in our life).

As stated earlier “replenish” means supplying what is lacking, bringing fresh fuel to a depleted place.  Jesus promises to replenish us so lack no longer exists!  Imagine – never thirty again; Never hungry again!  Wow!

I want you to sit with this for a while and consider your life today.  Are you still thirsty?  Are you hungry for something food or snacks cannot satisfy?  I’ve got just the thing – Jesus!  Only He can fulfill those deeper hungers and longings inside.  Allow Him to help you today.  It does not matter whether you don't know Him or have known Him all your life - He is still able to satisfy.  

I look forward to hearing your story if you will share with me.

Thank you – have a great week!  More “Re-“ words and stories to come….

Another Tea and Tuesday Edition - Musings and Variations on a Word

Tea is becoming a great friend to me.  There are so many blends, flavors, variations and colors.  Tea can be very colorful.  Tea can bring variety to one’s life.  Today’s tea is called Oprah Chai.  Yes, the same Oprah that we know – she partnered with a tea manufacturer to create her own tea and as far as I can tell it is a hit.  Oprah Chai is a black tea with a good blend of flavors that I believe remind me of a comfortable chair, a blanket and a cool day in the fall.  Drinking it brings me a certain amount of comfort and I appreciate this.  

In this moment a word comes to mind – this word is renewal.  Renewal generally means to begin again or start again, as in beginning a conversation that has already started at an earlier time.  Renewing involves restoring, replenishing or recovering something.  I have to put a pin here and share a personal note:  I absolutely love words!  I used to read the dictionary because I was so intrigued with words, what they mean and how they are used.  The words used in the definition of renewal are words that I love for various reasons: Restore, Replenish, and Recover.

I am sure this word “Renewal” has come to my mind for various reasons.  I am also sure that God is saying something to me in the midst of bringing this word to mind.  What do you believe God is saying to you in this moment?  How does “renewal” or “restoration” or “recovery” speak to where you are right now?  Are these words relevant to your current experience in any way?  Please share with me.

I will have more to say about renewal, recovering and replenishing next week.  This post is short but I believe thought provoking.  I want to give you some time to think about these words more.  Allow them to roll around in your mind a bit; ruminate on the meaning and possible implications for your life in general and in specific.  I look forward to seeing what you have to say.

Have a great night and a wonderful week – see you next time.

Checking on our talk with God

For the past few weeks we have been talking about God – specifically we have been talking about the relationship you can have with God and learning the ways in which we can connect to God through friends or just setting aside time for Him.

For those of you who have read some of my blogs you know the ways I have encouraged you to connect with God.  Some of us are looking for guidance and seeking wisdom.  We want to know the next step to take.  We want clarity for the road ahead.  We need to hear His voice, feel His presence or know that He is there even if (or especially when) things are going crazy.

There is a scripture passage I love which I believe to be appropriate at this point:  “I am the vine and you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

The context of this passage is Christ speaking to His disciples and in many ways giving His last pieces of encouragement before the real deal begins (that being the journey to the hill and Jesus’ death on the cross).  Jesus spends some quality time teaching and praying for the disciples (and us who will be the followers of the message the disciples will bring to the world).  He begins with the statement given above and in many ways sets the stage for what will be said later – He says, in essence, “You must be connected to me.  If you are not connected to me, you will not accomplish all that I desire for you”.  The connection has to be secure, has to be aligned properly, has to be intact, has to be sure….(Hopefully you get my drift). 

Many of us (including myself) have tried to do things on our own and failed, for many reasons.  Maybe the goal was too lofty, too high for you to get it done at this time.  You needed help, in some way.  Maybe you needed a ladder.  You might have needed more time to accomplish it but found yourself in a tight space when it comes to time.  Then there are things you just cannot do without help.  No matter how hard you try it becomes obvious the presence of another is key to getting the job done.  Period.  I have been there, have you?

Jesus is encouraging us today to know, first, He is there for us.  He has desires for you and me.  He has desires for you to accomplish wonderful things, things that look, on the outside, too big for you to do.  His response in those moments when you feel you can’t do it alone is this – “I am here, not just with My presence, but I am here in a REAL way to help you.  I am the solution to your problem but you must bring your needs to Me.  You must be connected to Me.”  (Never knew He was saying all this in that one verse, did you??)

Are you connected to God?  Is your connection secure?  Are there doubts within you now whether your connection to God is secure, safe or intact? 

Share with me your concerns – let me help!  Have a great day, and strive to feel good about who you are.  Accept who you are today – change can come once you first see value in who you are right now.  Have a blessed day!

Tea and Tuesdays - A Time to Talk with God

Hello and welcome to another installment of Tea and Tuesdays.  For those of you following me – thank you.  I appreciate your time.  It was not your imagination that there was not a post last week for July 21.  I have begun another journey of learning and enlightenment by beginning my studies to obtain a Doctor of Ministry.  This journey will be interesting, fun, intense and, well, exciting.  I am off to a good start and need prayers (for those of you willing to pray for me).  I am asking God to enliven my study time and make reading, comprehension and recall easy.  I will have a lot of writing to do but nothing that God can’t help me do – thank you in advance for your prayers.

I have been talking with you over the last month about a relationship with God, specifically how to talk with Him.  Some can’t decide if talking to God is effective and actually working in their life.  Does talking to God change anything?  Am I wasting my time?  Does He hear me?  Will He answer?  When will He answer and just how will the answer come?  Most importantly, how will I know that God has answered by prayers, other than the millions of dollars or the husband arriving at my front door? (Smile a little bit – that was a joke!)

All of these are good questions and ones which I hope to help with – in time.  I want to talk to you now about taking the time to talk with God.  I believe some of the things which make prayer hard are connected to barriers in our lives.  Barriers like busyness, multitasking and distractions can block our ability to spend time with God.

As I write this I have had to slow myself way down to get this blog done.  Blogging is something that is important to me, a dream I have kept for some time.  You would not believe how many distractions, interruptions and emergencies that occur when it’s time to write.  I am imagining these occurrences will not differ when I begin writing for my school assignments and ultimately my dissertation.  I am also enjoying a great cup of tea named “Calm” as I write.  I am not one to drink Chamomile often but it is helpful today.

I suggest this: maybe the reason you have not been able to connect with God is you have not made time for Him.  I recently met and have made friends with a woman who prays each morning with God.  She has to restrain herself from praying too long so she can get to work or do some of the other things her day would demand.  I love her devotion to this task – she does not stray often from this activity and believes talking with Him is the beginning of any day in which she is alive.  I have had my struggles with being consistent in my time with God but have found freedom and assurance in what appears to others as “randomness”.  To God and me, it is our “appointments” which make our time together special. 

I want to encourage you: make time for God on your agenda.  Block out a space (like an appointment) in your schedule for you and invite God into this appointment.  It might seem awkward at first but keep trying.  Start small – you can always adjust the time later.  Give yourself a 5 or 10-minute slot at first and see what happens.

Your barrier to hearing God might be rooted in not having time for Him.  Try the exercise I mentioned above.  Bring only a few things to this time with Him, such as a Bible and/or a notebook.  You don’t need a lot of things.  Try this out for one or two weeks and see how it goes.  To establish it as a habit, other authors have stated it takes 3 weeks (21 days) to create a habit.  If you are feeling brave, try your experiment for three weeks and see what happens.

Let me know how your experiment is working.  I want to hear whether you found my suggestions helpful or if you still struggle to pray and meet with God.  Next week I will talk about another barrier to hearing God and having conversations with Him.

I would like to hear what your favorite teas are (if you have some).  I would be willing to try new ones.

Be blessed this week – take time to relax and enjoy the space you occupy.  See you next week! 

Conversation with God (Evening Edition) - God can use Friends as Answers to Prayers....

Hello and welcome to the conversation I am having with God.  Once I talk with God in the morning (or whenever) the conversation does not end there.  I may ask questions and inquire about things He and I have been talking about (well, more appropriately I have been talking about) for some time.  There are times when the answer to my question is immediate but not always.  Has this been your experience?  It surely has been mine.  I would love for each answer to be immediate.

I also have some amazing friends.  Currently I have friends I have known for a long time and friends that I just met.  These people are wonderful and often share special portions of their lives with me.  I appreciate that.  I appreciate the relationships I have.  I have had my share of bad ones.  I have encountered people who really did not want to be my friend.  That’s okay, because I have learned if a person is not interested in being my friend I do not need the relationship in my life.  I want the people that God sends to be in my life, supporting and loving me in ways God would approve.  It’s a blessing to have good people who surround you with love, seeking to know you.  These relationships matter most when times are hard or when facing challenges.  These relationships also matter because sometimes God uses them to bring the answers you are seeking.

I recently had an amazing experience which could only have been orchestrated by God.  My sister and I went to a place for breakfast.  This place was not one of our usual restaurants.  Upon entering to be seated we passed by a couple of ladies sitting in a group room talking.  The thing which first drew my attention was books displayed on a table at the front of the room.  Moments later the thing which kept my attention was the conversation with these wonderful ladies – conversations that encouraged, confirmed and will change my life forever.  God put in place a plan for us to meet these women.  One of the blessings is God used them to confirm His word to us and vice versa.  God has answered my prayer, not by speaking it to me in the midst of my time with Him, but through the voices of other sisters who were also seeking answers from Him.  God is amazing!

God answers prayers and has various ways to answer them.  I would love to shout this from a tall building, but writing in this blog will have to suffice.  I believe many of the misconceptions about answered prayer begin with doubt in God’s ability and/or willingness to answer our prayers.  You may also but unsure about how God will answer your prayer.  It will take faith to trust in God’s ways – that will be a topic for another day.  Please hear this – God is not tied to ways, means, persons, places or things.  He is a Creator – and as Creator He is creative! 

Do you pray?  Have you prayed for something and are still awaiting an answer?  How do you feel about waiting for your answer?  Personally, it is hard to wait at times.  I want to encourage you – don’t give up waiting.  God will answer your prayers.  You may need to be open to how He answers as well as when He answers.  He has His own timetable.  He has a plan.  He is willing.  He is able to answer.

Share with me your struggles with prayer – let’s talk about it.  Have a great evening and a wonderful rest of your week!  Oh yes, my tea – I had Echinacea tea today.  I am starting to feel run down and tired so I decided to drink a tea that would boost my immune system.  Echinacea usually does the trick.  Thank you for your time.  Don’t forget to let me know how your prayer time with God is going. 

Tea and Tuesdays - A Conversation with Jesus

The tea I am drinking today is called Bengal Spice.  It is a nice blend of cloves, cinnamon and other spices that give it a bold and smooth flavor.  I was introduced to this tea years ago but it has become a part of my regular collection of teas I try to always have on hand.  I added a little honey to the tea and it tastes great.  I have tried to drink tea without honey and for some teas it works (we will talk about one next week).  As a general rule I do need a small bit of honey to go with any cup of tea.

Our Tea and Tuesdays conversation is about a conversation – one with Jesus.  I often talk with Jesus, literally having an ongoing conversation with Him.  I ask Him questions about a myriad of things:  “what am I wearing today?”  “Why do people have a hard time driving in the rain?”  “Is this the end?”  I am sure He becomes quite amused with the randomness of what goes on in my mind and then comes out as a question to Him.  I have fun with it – spending time wondering how He would respond if He were sitting right across from me.  What would His facial expressions be?  Would He be tickled at some of the things that I think and say?  I am tickled at myself (many times) so wouldn’t it make sense that He would be tickled too?  Could we share a joke together and have a great laugh? 

Interesting notions, aren’t they? These notions may not be beyond the scope of possibility.  Yes, God is that serious God that made creation.  Yes, He is the same God that had to throw the devil from heaven along with his co-conspirators.  Yes, He is also the same God that created me, and He created you.  I have a sense of humor and love to laugh.  I don’t do it as often as I would like but I do laugh and love having fun.  Surely, if God created me (with my sense of humor) He has to have one too.  I believe He does.  The question here is – do you take the time to have fun with God as well as bring to Him the “heavy” things of life? 

God delights in His creation.  He delights in you and in me.  He loves every single thing about you and knows what makes you cry and what makes you laugh.  He wants you to experience joy and peace in the knowledge of Him and how He takes care of you.  Surely He also wants that joy to be expressed in laughter, taking note of the little things that happen in your life.  The Bible says that God knows the very number of hairs on your head.  If He is that intimately interested in you He delights in who you are.  He knows the good and the bad about you and remains madly in love with you.

This discussion speaks of one possible aspect of our relationship with God.  Some of us will never see God this way – and that’s okay, to a certain extent.  I want to introduce you to a relationship with God that you can enjoy.  I want you to feel free to bring Him the serious things and share the joys of living the life you live today and each day of your life.  I don’t want your time with God to become trivial or boring.  So just consider this – share with God something that makes you smile.  Allow Him to hear from you when tears don’t lead the conversation.  Let me hear what your experience was as you shared good news with God – we will talk about another type of conversation with God later.  Have a great week and let me hear from you. 

Did you notice that I used "God" and "Jesus" to describe the same person - observant, aren't you?  We will talk...

Be blessed!

A "Tea and Tuesdays" Word about Choices

One of my first choices today was what tea to drink.  I am a coffee and tea drinker.  I have used tea and continue to use it for medicinal purposes and for pleasure, because I love the taste of it.  Some of the flavors I love are passion fruit, hot cinnamon spice and Russian tea.  My choice today is Russian tea.

Russian tea is a combination of sugar, tang and cloves (to name of few of the ingredients).  I create this tea from a recipe each year and give it away as gifts for the holiday.  This year I have continued to drink the tea because of its flavor and because it is packed with vitamin C.  I sometimes add ginger which can help to settle an upset stomach.  As I write this blog I sip on a nice hot cup of Russian tea.

I am wondering about the choices we make.  Are we bound by our choices?  Can our choices define us?  Is there a way to make the wisest choices at all times?  Or does that matter to you (that you make wise decisions)?  It matters to me.

The answers to those questions vary as much as there are people on the earth.  We are asked to make choices all the time – what will I wear today?  How will I respond to an irritating co-worker (or family member)?  What will I choose to do?

Joshua 24:15b “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”

The scripture above is famous for topics such as this, where choices are involved.  Joshua was leader of the nation of Israel.  He was next in line to lead after Moses retired his position.  Through Joshua’s leadership the people of Israel claimed some of the Promised Land and conquered many of the peoples who had inhabited these lands previously.  The people had a choice, all along the way to victory, to either do as God directed or go their own way.  At this point in the journey the choice is still the same – God’s way or their way.  Joshua preempted their decision with a declaration of what he planned to do.  In his declaration he makes it clear that as for him and those that belong to him, he will choose God’s way.

Some of our choices are so small we don’t realize we have made a choice, we just do it.  Brushing my teeth, taking a shower and combing my hair – those are all choices, because I could choose differently.  The results might be shocking but again it is a choice I can make. 

Other choices are bigger: Whom do I marry?  Do I quit my job, even though I don’t have another job to go to?  You get the picture and understand the difference.  We can make some pretty big choices in life that change where we can end up.  Sometimes we make permanent decisions based on temporary situations.  Sometimes we choose and it ends well, other times not so well. 

   

I recognize the need for choices, I just don’t always like the choices I have to make.  It might be easy to say “pray and wait for God to show you the way” but there are those times when the answer I need from God does not appear to come as soon as I need it, so I have to choose, all the time hoping I have made the right choice.

I am in the midst of making a major choice, and asking God to show me the way.  The most important thing to me now is that I do as God would want me to do.  I wait, I try to hear His voice or observe what is going on around me that may lead me or give me clues.  I pray more.  And I wait.  Wait for what?  I wait for God to show me more so that the decision becomes clearer.  It is not a cut-and-dry process.  It is not as precise as I would like it to be.  The thing I know is even if I choose wrong I have attempted to do all that I know to do.  The desired outcome is getting me to the right place.  The right place, for me, is a choice that demonstrates my allegiance to God in all I do.

How do you go about making your decisions?  How do you choose? 

I would love to hear from you, sharing with me how you make the choices you make in your life. 

Thank you for listening and in advance for sharing!  Enjoy your holiday week and weekend!