Tuesday Tea Time!

Good morning Tuesday Tea Time!

While sipping a thermos full of sweet plum green tea the other day, sitting by a fire, in a very busy ski lodge, I couldn't help but think about the water I had used to make my tea earlier that day.

If you haven't heard, there's a water crisis. Sure this has been a global issue for years, decades of fen, but most recently it's come close to home in Flint, MI. It seems rather timely & Sprit lead that one of the big movements with this last Summer's ELCA Youth Gathering was the 'Walk for Water' challenge.

Daily, around the world, there are hundreds of thousands of people that walk miles upon miles to get clean water. At the gathering there was a simulation that youth & adults could get an idea about what it's like to walk the miles with not just the empty containers, but the very heavy filled containers. Cool, right?

The question now is how can we help raise not simply awareness to our communities & government, but to help the people of Flint in their need? This is such a desperate need that it will take years to fix. And sadly some of the fall out of Flint's lead heavy, aged rusty pipes, & who knows what else, filled water has cost some people their lives. The city knew about this problem for some time before calling for help, which doesn't help the public frustration with it all.

If you'd like to help support the people of Flint through water filters that filter out all the yuck, or through funds to go to local churches who want to be safe water locations, but now need to have all their internal piping redone, please visit this link to learn how to help. And to cover our bases, write a note to MI government.

Change must happen internally so it can be shared externally. We can make a difference & we need to make a difference. So let the water flow & the tea be pure.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hello Tuesday Tea Time!

This week I get to share our exciting, yet surprising even to us, news of our expecting baby Nelson early this coming summer!

As one friend joked, 'that's what happens when ya have too much downtime!' 

We have been so on the go since we found out though it's hard to see straight some days! 

Now my collection of caffeine free tea comes in extra handy. Not to mention the inches of snow we've had lately that make a nice cup of hot tea extra nice at any point in the day, making good use of my tea collection. 

Surprise doesn't even quite wrap this experience up for us, but it's the best surprise we could've asked for to end an incredibly chaotic weird year. So today raise your cup to baby Nelson & ridiculous amazing God blessed surprises!

Tuesday Tea Time!

It's Tuesday Tea Time & Hot Tea month!

Hot tea always helps me to slow down, even if only for a moment. Many mornings I don't take my first sip of my hot tea till I'm on my way to work & some days not till I've gotten into my office & set things down. While I have no problem, especially as a young adult, fully living into the fast paced world that is 2016, I find it often stressful & anxiety provoking to stay in this fast pace 24/7.

Thankfully hot tea & snowy roads slow me down. In fact in lieu of this past weekends snow storm, I found it quite enjoyable driving slowly to work & sipping my tea. Now if only I were as skilled as the British Police in the Minions movie & could pour myself a nice tea cup full of tea from a pretty tea pot, while driving down the road!

This week while you speed through each day, stop for a half a day or more & let the day speed by you. Enjoy a hot cup of tea & breath deep, celebrating yourself right where you are.

Tuesday Tea Time! One Word 365!

Art By Britta Gene Art

Happy New Year! It's that time again for a new One Word 365. In 2015 my word was heart, to remind me to live with my heart out for the world. To live with my heart open to vulnerability to build community to live a life of Spirit led hospitality with the Sparkle of day to day happenings.

This year, after some playing around with words & a prayer or two, my word is 'create.' I chose create, or it chose me, so as to focus on creating space, time, & overall Life Spirit Sparkle. Space for God to be the light that has overcome all darkness, time for myself & others, and to live more fully a life led by the Spirit & filled with Sparkle.

The choosing one word instead of a big ol' resolution has become a trend, but a pretty great one in my story. As I've been reading about more & more friends, colleagues, & groups choosing one word, I'm inspired by the ways others are using their one word. Some are using it for a focus in their continuing education, others as a way to think up, in, & out, & others so they don't have to live through another big resolution gone awry & never finished.

I encourage you to live by one word that helps you be a better version of who you want to be & who you are. Choose a word that makes you smile & gives a skip in your step & a light challenge in your day - only light bc some days are challenge enough.

Share your word in the comments!