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Accidental Traditions...

As I was thinking over what light God has been showing me lately I realized there is one thing that has always been in my family and never ceases to bring joy. It is the wonderful tradition of tea before bed.

Now I mean hot tea; not iced. Yep, you heard that right; a cup of hot tea on a night when it's 90+ degrees outside and there is only window air conditioning. We are hard core! :) Of course, hot tea on a cold Minnesota winter night is perfect.

Growing up in Canada (or it may just be my family) my sisters and I were considered "Polly" and one of us would 'put the kettle on' around 8 pm and all 7 of us would share a pot of tea. Early in our marriage Nate started sharing a pot of tea with me in the evenings.  The tradition continues to this day - 11 years later. While he prefers the green teas, I am sold on black teas (Earl Gray by Twinings can't be beat). It is our way of calming down before bed and it always helps start conversations.

Rarely a night goes by without Nate asking if I want a cup of tea. So after the kids are in bed the kettle gets filled and turned on and the rest is history.

I see this tradtion as a light or gift from God because it always has a calming effect on our minds and bodies. But it also has been the means that God used to help keep communication strong between us. We want to sit down and talk about the day or schedules or just about anything when we have a cup of tea in our hands.

And this is a means of grace that I am truly thankful for and want to pass on to my kids...

A giving heart...



The kids set the table and picked the flowers.



One thing my husband has instilled in my kids is a desire to give; especially when it is to someone they love or think mom and dad love.

To celebrate our 11th anniversary we had a special meal with our kids. When I told them that we were making a special meal to suprise daddy they all pitched in and helped for the whole day!



Yum!



We made cream puffs, chicken pot pie and garlic bread. We also had balsamic vinegar and olive oil to dip the bread in and sparkling grape juice to drink.



Cream Puffs



The kids helped with food prep and setting the table. Then we all waited  anxiously for daddy to come home. (It is amazing how long 10 minutes can be) :)

I am so thankful that God is working in my kids hearts and giving them the joy of serving others with love. I pray that it continues to grow and spread to everyone they meet...



A wonderful family celebration!



A Poem...

I just read this poem and wanted to share it. It is taken out of The Old Testament and the Fine Arts by Cynthia Pearl Maus.

HERE'S A THOUGHT TO TUNE YOUR HARP TO

by William L. Stidger (from I Saw God Wash the World)

Here's a thought to tune your harp to,

Here's a song that you can sing;
Here's a dream to play your pipe to:

There is God in everything!

There is God in every dawning;

God in every noon and night;

God in every roll of thunder,

God in every flash of light.

There is God in every rose-bud,

God in grass, and grain, and tree;

God in every planet, wheeling

Through the dusky midnight sea.

There is God in song and laughter,

God in loving hope and dream;

God in every dear child's sweetness;

God in every silver stream.

God in growth and evolution,

God in history and hope;

God in dim and distant mornings

Where the poets dream and grope.

Here's a hope to tune your harp to,

Here's a bell to boom and ring;

Here's a faith that will requite you

There is God in everything!

This was so neat...

Around the cities you will quite often find someone standing on the corner of an intersection with a cardboard sign. They usually say "Homeless: anything helps. God bless!" I don't always know the proper response to them as I don't usually have anything to give - money or practical - and I don't always know if they are honestly needy.

However, 2 days ago as we were driving home from school we passed an intersection where one older gentleman normally sits in his walker. There were 2  young men talking with him. They had given him a hot dog, water bottle and a bag of chips. As we waited for a green light we saw these men reach out and touch the older man on the shoulders and start praying for him.

I am not sure what the response of the older man was, as we had a green light and needed to move on. But seeing the heart and generosity of those young men to this older man was encouraging. I now know that he has been helped in a practical way and I know God heard the prayers of those men. I pray they will hold fast and that older man would see the answers to those prayers and his heart (and circumstances) would be changed.