Sunday Afternoon Tea - A good word fitly spoken

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  (Proverbs 25:11)

There was a day last week when I stayed in my red flannel housecoat from morning to the time I returned to bed.  Something I never do!  It was the first day in about a month that I had no good disruptions (like family visiting), no antibiotics, no doctor's appointments, and I had been to the dentist the day before. 

I felt wrung out, discouraged, much like Elijah after the incident with the prophets of Baal except I had not just called down fire to consume water-soaked wood and taken out the prophets of a false God.  

While his great victory is written in I Kings 18 (along with one of the most amusing incidents in the Bible), it is the aftermath of that victory in I Kings 19 that I love to read... and learn from.  I think we all can empathize with Elijah, after using so much of our physical and spiritual energy, we become fatigued and the enemy can whisper falsehoods we tend to believe.

Honestly, I was ready to just sit in the recliner the rest of my days.  I was physically tired.  I was spiritually weary, the election seemed to cast a shadow over everything.  I was ready to give up blogging because my mind was mush.  I was way behind in answering blog related emails. My old iPad, which I used to take photos and share them on Instagram, had finally died so I was not looking for pretty items to put on Instagram.

 Life was too... hard.  It feels that way when one is physically exhausted, doesn't it? 

That same day, God encouraged me with a gift from a long time blog friend who sends a favorite Holiday tea every year.  As much as I know I will enjoy the tea, it felt so good to hear from a friend I only communicate with once or twice a year.  I have a few blog friends like that, we don't communicate often but they are still dear to me.

It was that same day... or the one after... that I had a Facebook Message from a dear friend who now lives in England with her husband, they retired to his home country after completing work on various mission fields.  They became friends when her husband came to the University for further education (already in middle age!) to help the work they did with missions and we attended the same church.

We haven't talked in many years but she was reminded of us as Autumn leaves fell at her home in England and she remembered my husband's allergy to leaf mold.  God had to bring that memory to her mind!  It was good to catch up with someone who had been an important part of our lives many years ago.

Both friends had no idea how much just hearing from people who cared would help overcome a worn out spirit.  Avoiding the news had not helped.  Watching a cute Hallmark Christmas movie or two had not helped.  Honestly, while the Psalms brought peace even they did not lift my spirit.

Talking to family and receiving my daily email correspondence from a dear friend helped a little but I guess God knew I needed a booster shot of encouragement at that time.  He also reminded me of what I have been reminded of recently... our words and our actions have an affect on people around us.

With the Holiday season approaching, we need to especially guard our words this year.  I decided long ago that agreeing with my political opinion cannot be a litmus test for those receiving my affection, whether friend or family.  Election seasons come and go but people are most important to me and to God.

Friends come from various backgrounds and even those who grew up in our home will see things differently because they are of a different generation.  We view life a certain way depending on our background and someone born in the 1950s has far different experiences than one born in the year 2000.  

When we are all believers in Christ, you would think that would cause us to see things the same but it never has and it never will until that day that we go to be with the Lord and we finally are not looking through a glass darkly.  The Word say we will some day see all things as they are and this side of Eternity... we do not.

It is the Holy Spirit at work in the world that is bringing everything together for the return of Christ and neither you nor I have the entire picture.  We do not have a small smidgen of it compared to the Lord's viewpoint.  Whatever the outcome of an election in our country or any other place in the world, God can and will use it as He prepares the world for His second advent.

Only Jesus is our Savior.  Not our favorite politicians.

Just as hearing from my friends renewed my spirit last week, I want to be an encouragement to others.  So, this next week... let us speak good words to those around us.  Words that bring peace.  Words that bring joy.  

Remembering that that while we can continue to pray that His will be done in our nations and in the world, what the world really needs most right now is a person who knows the joy of the Lord. 

Note:  Just in case you wonder, I do guard my social media, especially Instagram.  It is my happy place online. That is the one place I choose carefully who I follow and who I "un-follow".  It has to be a stress free environment and I do tend to follow more like minded people there.  We all need a place online where we know we will not cringe when we read a post.