Tea With a Friend is the Best Kind of Tea

I had a friend stop by yesterday to drop off donations for an outreach which I am a part of (His Hands & Feet Ministry).  The outreach was low on dishes, so my friend was kind enough to donate some dishes she no longer was using.  Before she came, I looked in my cupboard to see what I could mix up that would be easy but tasty and found Beer Bread Mix from Tastefully Simple.  I invited her in for a cup of hot tea, and we sat at my kitchen table and chatted until the bread was baked.  Then we cut into the bread (which was very tasty, by the way--thanks Tastefully Simple for a yummy and easy treat).  The bread did need to bake for 50-55 minutes, but we had no problem chatting for that length of time.  Actually, we ended up sitting there and chatting about anything and everything for 3 hours!  It seemed like it had been only 15 minutes--time flies when you are having tea with a friend!  My husband teased me later when he saw a beer can sitting on the counter for the recycling bin.  He said, "I see you had a beer while I was at work."  He knows I hate the taste of beer! (Sorry beer lovers, but I'll take tea over beer any day, but it tasted great in the bread!)

The reason I write this is because I told my friend as she was leaving that I felt like it was an old-fashioned visit, that I could remember my mom inviting neighbors or family or friends in for a cup of hot tea and all of us sitting and chatting for a long time, and I remember loving that.  It is a very fond memory.  I don't feel that happens much any longer because we are all too busy.  It was really a treat, and I hope to be able to lighten my schedule whenever possible to enjoy an old-fashioned visit with a cup of hot tea with a good friend! My friend's and my visit yesterday is and will in the future be a fond memory!  Tea with a friend is surely the best kind of tea!

Faith is Like a Cup of Tea

Faith Is Like a Cup of Tea

I love tea!  I even love making tea!  Just the thought of the process of putting the water on to boil helps me to slow down and start to relax a bit.  When I need a break or just need to warm up a little on a cool day, I walk to the kitchen, fill the kettle with some water from the faucet filter, turn the burner up to high, and set the kettle on the burner.  Then I walk over to where I store my many varieties of tea and choose a flavor for this cup of tea.  Which do I want: black tea, green tea, loose tea or a bag, decaf or regular?  Somehow I always seem to know just which one I want.  I select the tea, put it in a pretty teacup (which I also had to select from amongst many different sizes and designs), and wait.  While I wait for the water to boil, I usually do some small chore that will only take me about as long as the water will take to boil; that way, I feel like I checked another box on my list of things to do today and helped make the time seem shorter until I could finish making my tea.  Once I hear the whistle on the kettle start to “scream,” I pour the water into my teacup and, again, I wait.  Now I can find another small chore that can be accomplished in a matter of 2 to 5 minutes while I allow the tea to flavor the hot water in my cup.  Yay!  Another small chore competed, and now my tea is just about ready.  I take the teabag or loose tea diffuser out of the cup.  I put a teaspoon or so of honey in my tea (although sometimes I will use a tsp. of sugar instead), sometimes add some soy milk (if I think this flavor of tea will be enhanced by it), stir, and then find a comfy chair in which to sit for a spell (a spell usually only being about 15 minutes or so, but a very nice 15 minutes).  Now, time to enjoy that delicious and relaxing cup of tea! 

I know you are probably wondering, “What does making a cup of tea have to do with faith?”  The next time you make a cup of tea, think of the symbolism involved with faith.  First there is the love of tea—symbolism here is our love for God and His love for us.  He is in love with us, and we should be in love with Him.  We should look forward to time with Him and look forward to stopping during our day to relax in the comfort that God is going through our day alongside us.  When we turn our thoughts to God, it helps us to slow down and breathe, just as we turn to making a cup of tea to help us slow down and breathe. 

God is like a teakettle.  It’s really not such a stretch to think of God when you look at your teakettle.  Just as we pour water into a teakettle, we pour our hearts out to God—our fears, our anxieties, our concerns, but also, hopefully, our praises and thanksgiving.  And just as our teakettle has a handle, God has a handle on our concerns and can handle every one of them perfectly!

Think of the water you get from the water filter, which you then pour into the kettle, and remember that you must filter what you allow your mind to think about.  Use your mind’s filter to filter out the world’s noise, confusion and negativity.  Focus instead on God and His love.  You can choose what you think about, but you do have to catch yourself as to what you are thinking about.  Focus!

Next, we set the teakettle on the burner and turn up the heat, expecting that the water will be heated to boiling.  We don’t second guess that the burner will get hot enough or that, for some other reason, the water won’t boil.  This is how strong our faith should be.  Just like we don’t second guess the burner will do its work, we should not second guess that God will work on our behalf if we go to Him and trust Him.  Trust is key here.  In Matthew 17:30 we read, "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." You don’t have to be a superhero saint to get God’s attention, but you must practice some faith (when we practice something, we keep trying over and over again until we get better).  So have faith that God hears your prayers and expect Him to help all things turn out just fine.

The next time you choose which teabag you want, think about the Bible.  When we have difficulties and challenges or praises, we can choose particular Bible verses that speak to our particular needs.  Choose the Bible verses that help you, write them on index cards (or recipe cards—a recipe for how to make a solution with God’s help), or store the verses to memory.

What does the teacup symbolize?  Without the teacup, where would you put the hot water and teabag?  It acts as a receptacle for our tea.  It is open and ready to hold what we pour into it.  Likewise, without open and ready hearts, we would have nowhere to receive God’s love.  And just as we choose a beautiful teacup, we can choose beautiful words and thoughts, God’s words and thoughts, to pour into our hearts.  Why not choose one of your favorite teacups and begin the practice of filling it with your favorite Bible verses, written on small slips of paper.  Keep your teacup someplace special.  Then, when you need a reminder that God is with you, go to your special teacup and read through some of the Bible verses.  In this way, you refresh your mind and strengthen your trust in God. 

What does all of the waiting for the water to boil and waiting for the tea to steep symbolize about faith?  Waiting is part of life—a lot of waiting. Remember, when you set a kettle of water on to boil, you must wait!  The water doesn’t boil in the blink of an eye.  But while I wait, I like to accomplish a small task.  Similarly, while I wait on God to work, I don’t sit idly by and do nothing.  I pray, I worship, I do what I can to work towards a solution, but I try to wait patiently.  That’s the hard part, but one of the fruits the Spirit gives us is patience.  Trust that God knows all about your concerns, pray for his continual guidance, and have faith that He loves you and is working all things together for your good.  You have to trust that He knows what He’s doing!  If I didn’t wait for the water to boil, I would have lukewarm water and the flavor of the tea would be lost!  If you move ahead without praying and waiting on God’s timing, you will get lukewarm, if not bad, results to your problems, and life can lose a little bit of its flavor!

When I hear the teakettle “scream,” I know the water is boiling hot!  We often hear that God can speak to us in “a still small voice.”  But I believe God sometimes has to scream to get us to hear Him.  When someone treats you unkindly, how loud does God have to speak to you to get you to forgive?  When I hear my teakettle, I will try to think about whether there is someone with whom I am angry,  Matthew 5:23-24: “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”  I’ll try not to make God have to scream in order to get me to hear Him.

Can even a used-up teabag cause us to think of God?  Sure!  When you are ready to throw out the used tea, think about throwing away your negative thoughts and doubts!  Dump them in the trash and be rid of them.  And just like our teabags, we need to get rid of negativity on a daily basis; it’s a continual process and something that needs to be done on a daily basis!  It gets rid of the stink!

Even the teaspoon with which we measure out our honey is symbolic of faith. Jesus talked about having a measure of faith. Jesus told us we did not have to have an abundance of faith to move mountains.  He said we need to have “…faith as small as a mustard seed, and you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20.  Likewise, it sounds like Jesus is saying that we only need a teaspoon of faith to get God to act on our behalf.  Imagine what might happen, however, if you PRACTICE FAITH, and you end up with lots more than just a teaspoon.  I bet God would love that!  Practice, practice, practice, and without trials, we would not get any practice!

If you use honey or sugar in your tea, let this remind you of God’s sweet Spirit.  Pray that He will allow you to have that same sweet spirit toward whomever you encounter that day, even if the people you meet don’t deserve it!  God is sweet towards us, and Jesus died on the cross for us, and we didn’t and don’t deserve it!  Thank God for his grace and mercy!

Now your tea is made and you sit down in that comfy chair for a few minutes of relaxation.  Think of that chair as God’s lap!  He is ready to hold you, comfort you, and you are special to Him.  When you sit, take a few minutes to notice all your blessings!  It puts a whole new perspective on your mood! 

Enjoy your tea!  Enjoy God for He enjoys you!  He loves when you spend time with Him, think about Him, pray to Him, and worship Him!  He is so worthy!  The next time you make a cup of tea, think about faith, and may your “cup runneth over” with it! 

Locker Hooking

I discovered this old craft at a quilting/cross stitch store in Grantsville, MD.  I decided to purchase the materials necessary to try it, and have just begun a rug.  So far so good, but all I have done so far is started working on binding the edges of the rug.  Seems like it will not be difficult and will be fun!  Loved the look of this art work the minute I saw it.  Photo from:  www.2catsonastone.com.  I hope my rug turns out this nice!

When I'm Retired

I have been thinking about things I want to remember when I retire, such as:

• I want to remember how busy life is for those still working and how hard it is to squeeze all the daily demands into those 24 hours---work, home life, kids, chores, remembering birthdays and to send cards, keeping up friendships, visiting family members, responding to church obligations, writing thank-you notes, etc., etc.  And I want to remember that I have more time than those still working and so should offer to help whenever possible.
• I want to remember that I think I'm still busy but that I'm not really; at least not as busy as those still trying to hold down jobs in order to take care of a family.  I'm the one with more time, so I need to be the one to take initiative and do more to help those busier than me; I need to go visit my kids, because I'm retired with more time, and it is much more difficult for them to come to me.
• I want to remember not to make my children feel guilty if they don't come to visit me as often as I think they should, because they are trying to hold everything together and raise families and work jobs.  I need to make the effort to go see them.
• I want to remember how much it would help my family members if I did things for them that they never would request, like go clean their house one day so they can come home to a clean-smelling house and less worry and guilt over the dirt they don't have time to clean, or cook a nice dinner and take it to them, so maybe they can get a little more rest for one evening.  Little things mean a lot.  I want to remember that.
• I want to remember that no matter how old my children get, they still need to feel accepted, loved and worthy by their parents.  They will still need my advice and my help.  I didn't retire from being their parent.  I will go visit them often, but I will let them know I'm coming and make sure it is convenient for them.  I won't get offended if "today is not a good day."  I will be happy if they are doing something fun, so they won't be home to see me today--I will celebrate that they have a chance to enjoy themselves.
• I want to remember how nice it is to have some time away from children, and I will offer to babysit often.  
• I want to remember not to judge and criticize my children's parenting styles, but to offer advice only when it is wanted and asked for.  
• I want to remember to spoil my grandchildren and to remember that, like my own children, they won't stay little for long, so I will take them for ice cream, take them on trips when possible, go see their plays and they ball games, etc.  I will make memories with them that they will have when I'm gone.  
• I want to remember to spoil my grandchildren but to remember that I, too, am a role model and a teacher to them.  I will talk to them about God.
• I want to remember that when I am older I have more time to volunteer, and as long as I am able, I should still be making a positive difference in the world.  If I'm still here and able, God has me here for a reason, and I shouldn't get lazy or complacent or feel entitled to laziness.  I'm retired, not dead.

Ready, Set, Slow

Ready, Set, Slow

One of the biggest mistakes I believe I made as a parent was frequently telling my children to “hurry up!”  The problem is, I’m still telling myself to “hurry up!”  Hurrying up is stressful.  Read this excerpt from http://www.newhopenow.org/. 

“Hurrying is a problem for us when we live our lives in a continual state of urgency, viewing daily stresses as emergencies.  Hurrying from one thing to the next, each more "imperative" than the last.  Doing two or three things at once to save time.  Jumpstarting ourselves with caffeine (an adrenaline stimulant) to get going in the morning, to stay alert in the afternoon, or to get psyched up before a meeting.  Passing cars on the freeway.  Counting people's items in the "short order" grocery line.  Thinking about what we else have to do when someone is talking to us. Then grinding our teeth at night as we worry about all that we didn't get done! 

Living under the pressure of urgency or being keyed up is costly.  In addition to experiencing the periodic unpleasant withdrawal symptoms of not being constantly hurried (a compulsion to get busy, be more productive, or be stimulated with noise or activity; emptiness, boredom, and depressed mood; feelings of guilt about being idle; irritability or loss of temper;  worrying about work that needs to be done; fidgetiness or restlessness (e.g., pacing, finger or foot tapping, fast gum chewing); utter exhaustion), people who live with adrenaline surging through their bodies regularly suffer from things like anxiety, rapid heartbeats, headaches, backaches, gastric distress, and sleep problems.  And they dramatically increase their risk of stress-related illnesses ranging from viruses and ulcers to heart disease and cancer.

I think that the most serious consequence of an adrenaline-driven lifestyle (one with eternal significance) is that it crowds out God and His blessings.  You become a "human-doing" instead of a human being.  Life is lacking in the things that are most enjoyable and meaningful: loving relationships, delightful experiences, creative expression, passionate pursuits, and spirituality.  God, when you do focus on Him, seems distant and unconcerned or like a harsh taskmaster.”

So what is the answer to all of this hurrying?  First, pray about your life, your schedule, and your priorities.  If you don’t spend time with God each day, you won’t be in balance (your desire to jump right in and tackle everything yourself will tip the scale toward frustration and stress because you didn’t involve God in your planning)—God helps us even with our day-to-day activities, but only if we ask Him and include Him in the planning of our activities.  Jesus felt led to pray.  Mark 1:35  “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”  Matthew 14:23 “After sending them home, Jesus went up into the hills by himself to pray.”  Matthew 26:36  “Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’  So praying is a great place to start slowing down.  

Next, realize that God doesn’t hurry, and He accomplishes what needs to be accomplished in His timing.  I believe that hurrying can actually be counterproductive.  If we take rest breaks throughout the day, we tend to feel more motivated once we get back to tasks.  When you are on your death bed, what will you regret taking time to do?  Will it be cleaning, organizing, working?  No, you know the answer!  You will probable regret slowing down to take time for loved ones and to enjoy the many blessings God gave you!  So Get Ready, Get Set, Slow Down, and I’ll practice doing the same myself!

Our children

I wonder if perhaps one reason why our young people find themselves caught up with problems with drugs, alcohol and violence is because they lack a sense of hope. Perhaps this has been OUR unfortunate legacy to them...
...teach them to take responsibility for the choices they make. If we structure opportunities for children to experience success in taking such responsibility, we also create opportunities to affirm them at every turn. The children grow in self-respect and develop positive self-concepts. They begin to feel confident and hopeful.
I wonder what our lives would be like if we used this approach, not only with our children, but with everyone in our lives. If instead of giving into our NATURAL inclination to judge, we made the choice to affirm others whenever we can. If instead of CHOOSING to see the glass half-empty, we choose to look at it half-full. Perhaps if we lived like this, we'd find our community built up and our children happy.  ~Philip M. Kanfush, O.S.B.

Scattered Like Leaves

SCATTERED LIKE LEAVES

Finally, I was able to take my preschool students outdoors yesterday to play.  It was even warm enough to shed our coats.   However, it was rather windy.  At one point during their play, the children noticed a large gust of wind blowing dead leaves through the air—here, there, and everywhere.  The leaves went where the wind took them.  One little boy, enjoying the frequent gusts of wind, spread his arms wide and yelled, “This is a great day to learn how to fly!”

Our thoughts, worries and concerns can be like those dead leaves—negative, unfocused, scattered here, there and everywhere—going wherever our current emotional state takes them.  The alternative is to try to deal with our troubles and find a way to rise above them.  But how is this achieved?  Let’s visit our Great Counselor and see what He has to say about worry:

·         Matthew 6:25-34  “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food or drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds.  They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your Heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  And why worry about your clothing?  Look at the lilies in the field and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.  Why do you have so little faith?  So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat?  What will we drink?  What will we wear today?  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.

·         Matthew 8:26  “Why are you afraid?  You have so little faith.”

·         Luke 24:34  “Don’t let your hearts be dulled…by the worries of this life.  Pray that you might remain strong.”

·         1Peter 5:7  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”

·         Proverbs 12:25  Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

·         Philippians 4:6  Don’t worry about ANYTHING; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

Like shedding our coats on a warm day, we must learn to shed the weight of our worries.  The world cannot help us do this.  The only One capable and truly willing to help is Jesus.  Instead of going through your day with your thoughts scattered, learn to focus—to focus on Christ and His promises to us, His teachings, His desires for us.  This takes practice.  If it takes posting STOP signs around your house, in your car, at your workplace (although you might be considered strange by your coworkers-hee!), do it!  Post STOP signs to remind you to STOP; now refocus your thoughts!  Stop your worries, and focus on Jesus.  Memorize Scripture verses about worry.  Post them on your refrigerator, on your car’s dashboard, and on your work desk. 

Think about those leaves scattering outdoors, and make a conscious decision to “rake” your concerns together and put them in a pile before God.  He will help you get rid of them, but you must ask Him.  If you ask and continue to worry, you lack faith.  Ask God even for this – more faith and trust.  He made us, he understands our weaknesses, and He knows we are like babies who grow in baby steps.  He’ll help you and guide you.  Stay focused on Him, not your troubles!  Now, take time to notice.  Notice what?  All God has done for you in the past and all He is doing for you now.  Did you wake up today?  God did that!  Look diligently for all the beauty and good things happening all around you every day-even a flower blooming!  The world focuses on the negative, so Christians have to diligently look for and focus on positive things.  Be aware of what you are reading, watching on television, listening to music-wise.  In order to be positive, you must focus on the positive—Philippians 4:8 tells us, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  

Like the little boy who spread his arms in the wind so he could practice “flying,” Jesus spread His arms for us on the cross.  Like children who spread their arms out to show a parent how much they love them, Jesus did so for us to show us how much He loves us.  When you see a picture of Jesus’s arms spread wide open and nailed to the cross, be reminded of how much He loves you.  Then, like the little boy in the wind, consider it a” great day to learn how to fly”—to fly above your worries—by depending on Christ’s love for you!