Tea Time Talk

It’s no secret that Diana and I enjoy a good cup of tea. Usually that means brewing a pot of loose leaf and serving it in the Wicker Room during the afternoon. Tea time however, is more than just drinking a cup of tea, it is charm, atmosphere, and relaxation. As Henry James has said, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” For us it’s also a time to connect, talk about what’s on our heart and pray.

One topic of discussion that eventually became tea conversation was how we can have joy in the journey. Nowadays it seems as though there’s an unending “to do list” which dominates our lives. I don’t know about you but we tend to have the mindset that if we get the list done then we can relax, catch our breath and enjoy the remainder of the day. Unfortunately that perspective tends to leave us viewing every unpleasant job, every unfulfilled expectation and every inconvenience as a nuisance. Surely joy is not reduced to a few moments at the end of the day when the work is done.

For us the conclusion of the matter is that in Christ we can be content and at peace in all things. Living in the moment allows every experience to be an opportunity for joy, rest, worship, and contentedness. It’s much like the man who practiced the presence of God while washing dishes or the one who found joy working in a prison camp sewer where he could sing praises to God unhindered. Now for the next step, to submit to the Spirit’s work to make tea time talk a reality.