Time for Tea

TEA IS NOT A DRINK~ IT’S AN EXPERIENCEThe Tea Maker~ Steeped in His Word. Infused with His Love. Sweetened by His Spirit. Stirred from above. ~ Patsy Clairmont  What an incredible gift. I was reading recently in Emilie Barnes’ book, If Teacups Could Talk, about a time she and her granddaughter had tea. Emilie thought about the fact that when her granddaughter had asked her for a tea party, what she was really asking for was time with her. Asking for tea was her way of saying, “I need to talk to you.” I began to learn this lesson when I lived in England. Partly as a way to stay warm and mostly as a way to experience the culture, I embarked on my quest for a knowledge and appreciation of one of the finer things in life~ a good cup of tea.  My first taste of real tea was at a PWOC Tea in a “lovely” garden on the High Street in St. Ives. The tea was good, the scones and finger sandwiches a real treat, and the gardens so Britishly overgrown and beautiful. I fell in love.  I enjoyed tea with my dear British friend, Carol. Lindsey and I shared many cups of tea whilst we solved the neighborhood problems in our little village of Brampton. The true meaning of tea became more evident during these times and I now more fully understand my neighbor in South Carolina, who many years ago invited me to coffee at her house. As excited as I was to visit with her and get to know her, I was anxious as I did not drink coffee! I worried the whole week and on Friday morning sheepishly walked over to her house. She had a lovely, simple spread on a backyard table and guess what? She served lemonade! Her invitation was not for coffee; it was for my company. In Tucson, Cynthia and I shared MANY cups of tea together. In other words, I needed to talk to her almost every week!  We drank tea at my house and at hers. Her patio became a refuge for me; her company and words of wisdom became my rays of Hope. I remember like yesterday sitting at her bar watching her boil the water and set two tea cups on the tray. While watching her tend to the process was special in itself, the end result of just the two of us sipping tea and sharing was incredibly healing and so very special. I often imagine Mary and Elizabeth sharing tea together waiting for their baby boys to be born. Dreaming out loud together, yet never fully grasping how God would use their little boys in such big and mighty ways.I got a FB message the other day that went like this…Kathy writes “I bought two new teas today. Wondering if I have a neighbor who would like to share a cup with me this week.” I replied, “I’m a neighbor and would love to share a cup of tea with you. Wednesday at 11?”I wasn’t fooled.  The “new tea” was just a ploy for the two of us to get together and catch up. She really wanted my company… and I wanted hers. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some do, but encourage one another… Heb. 10.25