Does etiquette ever interfere with your spiritual mind and growth? It does mine big time. Sometimes I feel the need to focus on spirituality, feelings, and soul care development? About the time I read a few  great popular books  and  get the freedom to  be me, so they tell me, I stumble across a passage of  Bible Scripture that I read many times but now it  starts to interfere with my new self help books. My new modern etiquette gets a little test.

Here is an example that muddles my mind taken right from the Bible:

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” Luke 14:13, NRSV

Why, if I might ask?   “He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid… 14 ) And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

No, something is really wrong here. I want to be invited back. I believe that is owed to me. I want to enjoy  the sharing and rewards of gathering. Don’t you? Or, is this just me?

 

 

Thanks to all my new Lilly friends for making me a center piece of your vision and mission, HOPE PEACE JOY! This is day three of my journal entry. I will not post daily. As you know a girl needs a few secrets. I wanted you to see my photo trek journal of rags to riches which I think shows a dimension of your mission, HOPE PEACE JOY. 

“Sheba” aka as Tilly Pearl,  and her last two kittens, Oreo and Dusty…This was the abandoned house where she lived …under the porch….doing everything a loving, caring feral does to protect her kittens. Look a kitty peaking from under the steps. They are safe. Wanda, my BFF has found them loving forever homes.

Sheba seems like a trillion years ago. I was told Sheba did a lot of good things under duress and danger for her babies which gave her a new life and name, Tilly Pearl! My MOMMIE, Patti, tells me I am a back Pearl that worked through many obstacles to become her black pearl. Don’t you just love my MOMMIE, Pattie? Always remember my BFF, Wanda!  I love her!

My new friend, Sara, spends all her time telling Bible stories and wants us to know the BIble has lots of things to say about pearls:

”Matthew 7:6 ; 13:46 ; Revelation 21:21. The pearl oyster is found in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Its shell is the “mother of pearl,” which is of great value for ornamental purposes ( 1 Timothy 2:9 ; Revelation 17:4 ). Each shell contains eight or ten pearls of various sizes…”

I hope my new MOMMIE reads these stories to me. My new friend, Sara, wants her to.

Love to all,  your friend, Tilly Pearl 

 

 

Day 2… (See day 1 in blog below) I looked in the mirror and saw a scissor clip on my ear. I rested on my back and realized my body had been altered for life. Yet, I felt a joy and peace packed in a package of pink that gave me a comfort beyond a feral cat’s purr diary. Can you see?

I’m healing well, says my MOMMIE, PATTIE  She talks to me a lot. She feeds me on time. I know soon I will meet my three new fur brothers. I have learned one human word well, love! I want to thank my first responders that first rescued me. https://www.facebook.com/Peggys-Purrpose-the-TNR-Group-of-Grifton-1499135613736020/?pnref=story

I’m from eastern NC and hope to be your friend as we work together to bring love to humans and animals alike. Until next purr diary.  💕 Tilly Pearl

 

My name was Sheba or that was my street ID! I gave birth to three beautiful sets of kittens. Good meaning thoughtful rescue humans captured my babies and found them forever homes. They tried so hard to capture me but I was scared and untamed. A lady named Wanda and team one day finally captured me. They took me to a Vet to neuter me only to find out I was with kittens again. They gave me anesthesia to take care of me. My ear also was clipped so I could be id’d as having been neutered and would be returned to busy streets.

A good lady  named Patti heard my story and wanted to adopt me.  But, most of us know that is almost impossible with a feral like me. But, remember I am a  “Black Cat” and some believe we have intuition beyond our means. When I awoke from my surgery I was calm, loving and accepting of humans and love.

Patti agreed to give me a forever home. It was a little difficult decision in that she has three other kittens as well as two big doggies. She had to financially squeeze to fit me in. She has faith that all will be well and has turned me into Princess Tilly Pearl!

I am hoping some will feel to support others like me.

Love, Tilly Pearl

My Sunday School class  is ready for Fall 2016! Two of my gifted, artistic, giving friends, Ellen and Donna, joined me in painting a 6ft x 8ft wall to welcome  my new class back to SS. And, Ms. Hospitality, Mary, showed up to save the day for us. At our point of shaking  from needing food for strength Mary arrives with food and conversation to encourage us on. Team work WORKS!

Just as we were finishing  our wall painting in Alabama and dedicating our work to the Lord I received this from  a friend, Dot Marie Ruiz” in Charlotte, NC area.
‘Hi there. Wanted to give you a quick update on the ministry that will be starting in my own front yd this month. My Pastor wife has worked to get the Refuge Students from church to come and do drama and plays and a Ice cream and food truck for free will serve the kids every other Friday starting first Friday that school starts. The bus stop is right at my drive way so its a perfect target and all the kids already know me they live in apts across us and we been kinda feeding them anyway most of their parents are dads who are deported dead or either in their live but dont care. Kids the age of 3 yrs old roaming at night that have walked outta the house and on to the road that people call the police about they come but only talk to the parents nothing legally done. Also a prayer walk and watch will be held that Im Involved In. Thk you for prayers

This Is just a start to show love and Jesus hands and feet out here to be the church not just do church then hoping to expand this a little down the line and have our Refuge Students from the church school to carry a little sermon all in my yd …”

THANKS TO ALL THAT JOIN US IN PRAYERS FOR BACK TO SCHOOL CHURCH for children everywhere and every age. And, if you participate in children’s church ministry share with us your creative ideas for 2016.

Love Rena Oynes

 

AN OLD SWEDISH PROVERB says “Worry gives small things a big shadow.”

Paul writes; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

Matthew quotes words of Jesus; ”Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ” Matthew 6:27 NLT

When I read quotes by another the first thing I want to know, who said it? Why? And, what have they experienced to make me want to swim in their words?  You see when I get in my worry boat building my shadows I don’t need a party downer I just need one to justify my worries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEBI

Ada Patrick Craddock (10-26-1904-5-16-1971) wrote the words of this song and had it put to music. This is one among many along with much poetry. She was published. She wrote this song in 1937. Much of her writings were expressed through years of economic sufferings which were felt throughout the world. The Great Depression was coming to an end and WW11 was looming on the minds and hearts of young and old alike. It was the year her son James was born and he being her 8th child. She would have four more of which I was one. She had lost her first born son to childhood disease. And would lose her beloved namesake a year later in the same way.
She remained peaceful and joyful by her strong faith which became even stronger when she became a young widow with 5 of those 12 children yet to rear.
Sara, her daughter reading the words as friend MG plays piano hoping to show what was in the heart of Ada on that day.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.…” Philippians 2:1-3 Berean Study Bible

Seems  a little strange to me that in the above passage we are finding a man, an apostle of Christ asking the church to make his joy complete by virtually being nice people. I must say it’s worded a little odd to me.  Yet, as I continue to work on a new habit I hopefully have now formulated of ‘talking to scripture’ it’s not so odd.

You might ask? What about my conversation with the Apostle Paul changed my thinking? Paul was speaking to the church as an authoritative parent. I often find myself speaking to my two grown sons, just as I did when they were young children, in much the same way. When my sons play nice in life my joy is complete. I feel the same about being connected to the church. I need to play nice as well.

It just seems like our hearts intone like a harp when all the conditions Paul speaks of are embedded in our sheet music. If we are as skilled as little David aka King David on the harp while singing and dancing like Miriam, the art sister of Moses, our inward person would overflow with being a part of the music written by St. Paul.

I hear, Sara, “…in humility consider others more important than yourselves.…” Thank you, Paul for inviting me to be a part of your symphony. I’m just a coffee carafe with a single rose as my staff!