Good Morning, Monday! Lately I've been a little inspired by following a beloved professor's facebook profile. His name is Dr. Bartel, and although I was never privileged to take one of his classes, I've heard many things he taught from other students and I did get to hear him speak a time or two in chapel. I've noticed several days a week on facebook he shares a little insight from his "Coffee with the Lord" in the morning. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I do love hot apple cider. I got up this morning inspired to brew a little cider to realize I need to put that on my next grocery list, so I made tea instead.
I won these tea bags as a door prize at a ladies' meeting over a year ago!
Every bag has a scripture promise.
This is my tea, beloved Bible, and Bible study.
I will hang on to that little Bible FOREVER! There was a season when the girls were both "babies" and I was lugging tons of stuff at all times! Juice bottles for two, diapers for two, snacks for two, wipes for two... and the list goes on. Oh, and did I mention I was usually carrying them both? One in each arm. I know, I'm a sucker, but it's the way it was. I felt like adding that bulky study Bible to my pack on Sundays was overload, so I found a little cheap thinline Bible, which, much to my dismay, had no study notes whatsoever. About that time, however, ministry got tough and our lives seemed chaotic. I began to depend on God's Word like nobody's business, and now, that little Bible is FULL of better study notes than you'll ever find in one of those big, fat ones that just sits on the coffee table unstudied. It probably would look like chicken scratch to most, but it's a beautiful treasure to me.
I really must hurry here. I have so much to say, but the morning has gotten away already. In my "tea with the Lord" this morning, I read Exodus 25:23-30, which talks about the table which held the bread of the presence in the Old Testament tabernacle. The table represented a meal or spread that was designed for communion and fellowship with God and man. I thought it was so ironic to study that scripture as I sat at my kitchen table with a cup of tea to fellowship with my God. I had prepared my own table of fellowship with my Creator, Father, and Friend. The time spent was priceless, and worth being behind on the day's tasks already. Now I get why Dr. Bartel has "Coffee with the Lord" each morning. I feel I'm going to be buying lots more tea and cider in the weeks to come.
I also felt a little conviction reading about the table that represents acceptance and fellowship. At times it's tempting to keep the evening meal so simple at home we almost completely overlook it. With Monday evenings, Wednesday evenings, many weekend evenings, and Sunday evenings, and then others mixed in between, being spent at church or church activities, it's easy to give the kids something simple, and then skip dinner ourselves. Our kids are fed, but we miss that fellowship time at the table. So, I'm asking God to give me creative ways to incorporate the table daily as a family in a way that's not overbearing or sending us over the edge.
Proverbs 31:27 says, "She watches over the affairs of her household..."
Lord, help me today not to overlook the needs of my family for the sake of all the good things of your Kingdom. Bring balance to our lives and let us not overlook the significance of the table with our family and friends, but most importantly, with you! I loved tea today, and I'm looking forward to more tea! Love you so much.
~Josh and Jill
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