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The House That God Built
May Those Who Enter Our Home As Strangers, Leave Our Home As Friends…..
Welcome friends and family to Tea On Tuesday. Please pour yourself a cup of tea before we visit today. I’ll be having a cup of Empress Blend from Silver Leaf Tea. It is a lovely black tea, slightly sweet, made with peach and mango bits. It’s a very refreshing summer tea, and tastes great iced as well.
It’s been a little quiet around “Selah Inn” lately. As most of my acquaintances know, my dear husband has been on a mission in Zambia this past month. When I first walked in the door after dropping him off at the airport in Portland, I was shocked and a little uneasy with the sounds of silence that greeted me. But not to worry…..I had many things planned for the month he was away. Tea parties, and shopping, visits with girlfriends, lunch with my daughter, gardening, painting, and business planning, not to mention my job. I even considered flying down to S. California to meet up with the rest of my family for our yearly ritual of gathering at the beach to catch up with one another. But God had some different plans for me. He has called me to a season of respite for my own soul. He knew how much I needed it. Yes, even Tea Lady Darla gets overwhelmed. Just ask my kids, and I’m sure they’d be happy to fill in on how uptight I can be. A ”selah moment” was definetly overdue in this gal’s life.
What is a “Selah moment”? Well, when Dan and I built this house, we had envisioned the possibility of running a Bed and Breakfast here. But things turned out a wee bit different than the lofty dreams we had of running a posh, amenity filled business here. Instead of taking in tourists with thick wallets, we wound up taking in a foreign exchange student from Spain, a Master’s commission student, and foster children. What a sense of humor God has, doesn’t He? Still the vision we had for this home was intact for the most part, and that was that every person who stepped through our front door would be refreshed by God’s Spirit while they were here. We scribbled scriptures, prayers and blessings in every room of the house while the home was being constucted. Our dining room faces the majestic Cascade Mountain range in all it’s glory, and over the double doors you will read this inscription, “We give thanks to you O God, we give thanks. For your wonderous works declare that Your Name is near.” Psalm 75:1. What we’ve sought to create here is a place that restores and refreshes. Our home was always meant to be a sancutary. A place that summoned you to take a deep breath and feel God’s presence. A place of spiritual re-alignment.
The view from our dining room. Selah!
(I apologize for not knowing how to place my photos any better than this. I’m still learning how to use a computer, and hoping my husband will be able to help some when he returns).
The book of Psalms is full of Selah moments. They are prompts calling for a pause to meditate and reflect. So , while Dan has been galavanting all over Zambia, the Lord has purposefully drawn me closer to Him through the peacefulness and quiet of this season. There have been no tea parties, no girlfriend visits, no short excursions to exotic locations, minimal shopping. And further more, I haven’t been watching TV or reading the newspaper! Horrors! How will I ever be able to catch up on the latest polls? It’s been so quiet. And oh, what a blessing that has been to me! With so many unnecessary distractions removed from my daily routine, I am sensing deeper connection and communication with My Lord. I am moved that He wants to be with me so much. When I find myself ready to sit and relax by picking up the remote mindlessly channel surfing, He has summoned me to sit in the quiet with Him instead. While I was making preparations to have guests over and pamper them with fancy china, baked goodies and good teas, The Lord invited me to take a vacation from fussing over everyone else, and sit at His banquet table for a change.
Why would The Lord love me so much? Why does He want to be alone with me and speak things into my life? Why does He care, when I give Him so little of myself?
In the gospel of Luke chapter 10, you will find a story of 2 women who loved Jesus very much. And Jesus loved both of these women. Martha knew how to express her love by serving her Lord. And that was good, until she became exhausted, frustrated, and even prideful. Mary knew how to sit still in the presence of her Lord and find refreshment. Shouldn’t the woman who works the hardest be worthy of the higher honors? That’s not how this story goes. Jesus says to Martha, “Why are you worried and troubled over so many things, Martha, when only one thing is needed right now? Mary has chosen that good part, and it will not be taken from her.” Truly, Mary understood exactly how to take a Selah moment with Jesus. And she was blessed in that. By the world’s standards we look at that story, and it seems pretty unfair. Mary was the one who deserved a scolding, not Martha. But God’s standards are different than those of the world. God looks at the heart, not the service.
I will confess to you that it is harder for me to sit still in God’s presence, than it is for me to serve Him by doing good deeds. I love to cook and bake and serve. I am thrilled to be able to sign up for every possible ministry opportunity that comes along. I figure I am blessed with good health and a nice home. Why shouldn’t I be serving God with every ounce of my strength until the point of utter exhaustion? God would speak to me, “Darla, I love you. Let me give you a Selah moment.” (Translation- chill out!) . For those of you who disagree with me on this, I would ask you to re-read Luke 10, particulary the last verse in the chapter. Only ”one thing is needed”, Jesus said. Have you found that one thing in your life today? Are you in need of your own Selah moment? Let me encourage you to make a space in your life that you can be alone with Jesus. Turn off the cell phone, the TV, the computer, the phone, the stereo. Goodness there are a lot of distractions that drown out His voice! This will make you uneasy at first, no doubt. It’s probably been a long time since you’ve had your guard down this much. Not many people are even capable of giving God this much room. But just sit still and make yourself available to spend the afternoon alone with the lover of your soul. Keep a Bible, a pen, and a journal handy to document what God speaks into your life. The Maker Of The Universe desires to spend His undivided attention doting over you! It may be hard to let yourself become that vulnerable in His presence, to give Him the gift of our silence when we’d rather jump and hollar, serve, and basically dance around anything He would ever want to speak into our lives. But trust me on this…He wants to refresh you. He wants to grant you His peace, Ephesians 4:7. The question is are you willing to meet Him there? I pray that this very day, you too might find a “Selah moment” wherever you live.
Blessings,
Tea Lady Darla Read the rest of this entry »
