Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya Tuesday Tea Timers!

You knew I couldn't stay away for long, right? I love to write, especially on Tuesdays with Tea! Creative writing is one small piece of self care that I can give myself. My 6th grade teacher should be so proud!

Lately the question that seems to popping up is "What is going on?!"

In the moment, which is where I need to be, I'm drinking tea, enjoying a slow morning after doing some chores & yoga. I'm sitting in a rather empty house & mentally prepping for the chores of cleaning & organizing that need done today so that we may play tomorrow.

All of that seems pretty common except for one piece. If you don't know we're moving or any of the reasons why, I'm guessing you're wondering why I'm sitting in a fairly empty house.

The skinny....our time in Chebooboo has come to a close. There are many pieces that brought this time together much quicker than we ever anticipated. The main reasons being that Z needed to seek further medical attention to care for his depression & PTSD. Naturally people have wondered where we are headed next & the answer is into a time of transition & limbo as we discern our future. We are being taken care of by a combination of family, friends, & colleagues.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matt 6:34 The Message

Right now, the Spirit has been present in my life through granting peace that surpasses my understanding. Peace has been granted that gives me level thinking & communicating to get things done & remember how to take care of myself & my family in the midst of fairly chaotic times. Right now God keeps showing up in #heartfinds everywhere I go, reminding me that I'm not alone.

Right now I'm enjoying my Wonderland Tea & the lovely photo of BgEG's hoosier honey!

One Word 365: heart

My heart, a fragile strength inside me.

My heart, sometimes, though not often, on my sleeve.

My heart, faded in pieces, yet beaming all together.

My heart, always room to grow into new tomorrows.

My heart, the pieces of my heart.

Some times typing or saying the same word so many times makes me second guess my spelling or pronunciation. Heart is not only my One Word 365 word for 2015, it is part of my motto. Though, living with my "heart out" has not been much of a challenge. I've come to find I may be a bit of a bleeding heart sort of person. I give life all my heart as it is too precious of a gift to treat it any other way.

My heart has been made happy by the genuine person asking "how are you?" & patiently waiting for a reply. While they may have already jumped to conclusions of how they think I should be, it is only fair to give me my voice & let me answer - as is everybody's right for their own heart story. So thank you to those who ask & patiently wait for my heart story.

My heart has been made loopy, heavy, & relieved by my recent story. The loopy is no wonder when things have been heavy yet relieving all at the same time as of late. Ah, breathe in the pieces of life transitions!

We move forward day by day with our "Head Up. Heart out. Move to the Beat." motto helping to shape each day.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Do you ever need a reminder to take a break?

I do!

Tuesday Tea Time is just that time, but even then I have to remember to stop & breath a  little deeper.

In all of life's unexpected pieces, the way we remain true to ourselves is remembering to breathe.

A few years back at a church service at Jacob's Well there was a speaker who talked about focusing on our breath & the difference that can make in a day. I remember the importance of sitting in a chair that you are comfortable in, but can also set both of your feet flat on the floor & have something behind your back. This is more of a challenge for some than others. In fact as I sit here I realize my computer should be raised quite a bit & I need a pillow behind my back to comfortably place both of my feet on the floor. The presenter also had us place both hands palm down on our legs & close our eyes.

I don't remember how long or how often it was recommended to do this, but it is a form of bringing oneself back to oneself. Being centered as many do in yoga. Taking one's eyes away from a screen & taking care of oneself so that one may take care of others (as we are always called to do in one way or another).

Life in the coming weeks is going to call for a break here & there. So no worries if I do not post, but know that things will resume as normal come Fall. In the meantime I'll be focusing on my breath.

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: That I have loyal followers that read because they care & are okay when life has so many twists & turns I don't post until later in the day. This hoosier sunrise photo just omits the humidity of the day & the day had only just begun. Yes, a hoosier sunrise means a trip to my dear hoosierland. And a trip to hoosierland means pieces of self care with lunch, tea, & catch-up dates with long time friends. A trip to hoosierland also meant a meet & greet with new babies in the family! A trip to hoosierland also meant being woken up at the crack of dawn by an excited MG, always ready to greet the day & wake everybody else up. Thanks to MG's energy & an early morning walk I got this great no-filter used photo of the hoosier sun rising above the trees.

BAD: In the last week I have felt emotions that left me feeling numb, as if the wind had been knocked out of me, & plain dumbfounded. Mix a little bit of anger & hope in there & you have grief! Anybody else remember learning DABDA in health class way back when? This past week I was gifted a couple different things that I wanted eventually, but I didn't know how I wanted them. I do know I didn't want them to go down as they did. However, that's that & tomorrow is a new day. We each believe the pieces we choose to believe to get by & take care of ourselves & that's the best we can do.

AWESOME: The peace that passes all understanding & the way in envelopes one when you most need it. I have prayed for this peace for others on so many occasions & hope they have been overwhelmed with it as I have in the last week. Last week I was pleading with God for this peace at one point & by the end of the day there it was. I stood in the hallway wondering how I could be so calm & the only explanation was an answered prayer & a gift of the presence of the Spirit within me.

WORD: Today the Good News was that Jesus doesn't put us in boxes & he doesn't call us to be box monitors. Jesus pulls us out of our boxes & together we disassemble the boxes we put others in & therefore there is no need for box monitors. Jesus has it all in control folks!

coming up: One foot in front of the other with Life, Spirit, & Sparkle! Head Up. Heart Out. Move to the Beat!

Friday Favorites!

Yesterday was a day filled with some of life's favorite memories & all those who celebrated with Z & I. I love that I married my best friend & that he has a name that gives us a funny couple nick-name.

We were in a local antique shop last week & spotted this odd wooden couple & both immediately joked that it clearly represented us on our wedding day.

Ridiculous & kind funny, right?!

Partnered or not, may you find this sort of goofy filled with tough love companionship in your life.

Tuesday Tea Time!

I come to you late today due to life on the fly & living day to day due to the realities of Life Spirit & Sparkle.

It seems to be that time of year where the humidity is so great, even in Northern MI, that we have to consume food items quicker than we're accustomed to our they spoil. So in order to use up some milk today's tea was an iced chai.

This time of year an iced chai is not only a treat, but also that taste that takes me to a place of peace for just a few seconds with that first taste.

Here's hoping you had that peace today, even for a second.

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: Oh what a week! That doesn't even capture the cray cray, but such is life as of late. One of the good things is the amazing news about same sex marriage rights. Not only am I in favor of this, I also know that the world has so many other things worth worrying about that aren't anti-love rights. Another great piece of this last week that totally worth sharing with all who love a feel-good movie is Paddington. Check it out!

BAD: Feelings of disbelief & people saying the world is coming to an end because of recent governmental & other happenings. Really people? I believe there'll be other happenings that'll be the end of the world. But do we really want to go there?

AWESOME: All the heart finds that have popped up out of everything amidst the chaos.

WORD: Lamentations 3:22-33 is one of my favorite pieces of scripture. Everything about it is poignant. As the commentator says, this is not the end of the laments for this poet & it isn't the end of our laments. But have hope that Easter comes & comes again.

coming up: work & meetings & gorgeous Pure MI summer weather & a celebration of 4 years as JZ. Love, Life, Spirit, & Sparkle to all!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Oh Tuesday Tea Time, you are my favorite!

Aren't these bird feeders great?!

I'm not a big fan of birds, as y'all may know, but I'm a big fan of the out of doors & think this is such a fun way to repurpose old tea kettles. In fact, many of these tea kettles might not even be that old. The maker of these bird feeders said it gets harder each year to find tea kettles with lids that are tight enough to secure everything. I imagine if the lid was too lose, animals might try to get inside & potentially be trapped.

In the hullabaloo of life I did not make it to the art festival during the second day to purchase one of these bird feeders, but that is more than alright.

Some times life is so silly & crazy we have to just enjoy things in the moment. And the art of capturing the moment through photos makes that moment last for as long as we need or want.

Enjoy this moment for the sake of it being a moment making up the pieces of your day & of course don't forget that touch of tea that'll make it even sweeter!

Sunday Snippits: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: The best part of this past week was brunch on the back patio. It was the start of a sunshine day that eventually turned rather gray. The food & company were great & that's all I needed. There were lots of other great moments in the week too, but this was that moment that continue to bring peace in to life. A start with a flu bug, a continuing education event, meetings, & VBS made for a very VERY full week.

BAD: The challenges of 2015 continue, both personally & out in our communities. To be totally honest, I haven't been certain what to say about the murders in SC. This shooting was a little too close to home for my liking. And yes, it is a race issue. An issue that is SO much more than words can put around that the silence many of us have kept for so long is screaming out as inappropriate & not fair. I firmly believe that we are truly better together, no matter our skin color, our family background, or our religion. So we struggle forward to know how to act so that we can all live better together.

AWESOME: The support of life long friends & friends we've only known for a while in hard times. One colleague reminded me that while we are in the storm, the scripture is clear that Jesus is in the storm with us. We are not alone. It is one thing to know this & another to hear it from those who know you need it.

WORD: Mark 4:35-41 on this day. It's been done & the calm will come.

coming up: The calm after the storm of VBS & as always a touch of Life, Spirit, & Sparkle.

Friday Favorites!

MG went to her first baseball games this week & as usual drew attention from people of all ages. She only arrived in the backpack - & as usual crawled out the window for her head - & went back in for the last few minutes we were there. Love me a good adventure with MG!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Check out this great pillow that I could've bought the other week when shopping with AJO, but didn't think I needed to in the time. I know I still don't need to own this, but really what was I thinking?

I could have Tuesday Tea Time with my tea pillow!

Totally not necessary, but also totally fun & random.

Also, not necessary is a tea subscription - signed up by accident - that sends you 6 boxes of the same kind of tea each month. The 6 boxes of Yogi Kava Stress Relief Tea that Z gifted me for my b-day was the start of all this silliness. While I would still like some Kombucha - what the company was supposed to send rather than Kava - I do not need 6 new boxes of tea each month. I especially do not need 6 new boxes of the exact same kind of tea each month. Thus said subscription has been canceled & I have a LOT of Kava tea to enjoy & offer to guests.

So come for a visit & you can enjoy some tea with me!

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: Check out this orange fuzz!?!?! This is the lint from my dryer after drying the ELCA Youth Gathering Proclaim Justice Day t-shirts. It's the little things folks, the little things that bring good in each week. This week we celebrated birthdays again - as talked about in Friday Favorites - & the new birth of my cousin BH becoming a grandma to LEO. She was a good sized baby verging on being large, but just right for her mama & papa. I may have to make a road trip to IN sooner than anticipated to meet this little one. Bah! Also fun in the last week was conversations had while out & about for Z's birthday with church members & total strangers. There's a lot goin' on around here in Chebooboo!

BAD: A few weeks ago it came up that Chebooboo wasn't appreciated by all. This complaint didn't ask for the story of where the term comes from. It is not meant to be derogatory to the town or any people or person, it is simply a 'you had to be there' sorta endearing term I use. This is the struggle with inside jokes. Though, it is not an inside joke. It just isn't as funny for people not familiar with my home area & the seriousness that was behind the person who asked if I had said Chebooboo when I clearly had not. Each of us have some sort of little name we may use to refer to our home & this is mine. Take it or leave it. I do love this place.

AWESOME: Mt. Everest for VBS is awesome! I'm so excited in the assurance the Holy Spirit has provided for how great this week is going to be from VBS to continuing ed. opportunities to appointments.

WORD: Mark 4:26-34 Is this weeks Gospel lesson. I was originally slotted to preach, but with recent transitions I willingly gave this one to Z. What stands out to me is how simple it seems it is to grow mustard seeds, despite their size, & their perseverance. This stands out because no matter what I try, I don't seem to have much of a green thumb. So what sort of good news is this parable for me? Maybe if we stick to the basics & trust that God has already taken care of it - which God has & does - then there not much else for us to do other than try & try again. And to grant & show yourself much grace in this trying & trying again. Grace is a beautiful thing!

coming up: VBS! You Matter event! VBS! and LIFE SPIRIT SPARKLE!

Friday Favorites!

Helloooooooooooooo Friday Favorites!!!

Today my favorites are shared with the birthday boy & our birthday friends! While in seminary we quickly learned that Z shared a birthday with BMG & TM & so we always celebrated big.

The first year we celebrated with all Summer birthday from my birthday over Memorial day weekend through Labor day weekend. The second year we had a great celebration for the June 12th birthdays at the 'alley house.' The 3rd year we were all out on internships or in different places & the 4th year was right after graduation.

Now a days we are lucky to have social media to wish each other all the best from wherever we are.

Happy Birthday my friends! I'm so thankful & honored & blessed & amazed to have you all in my life & I'm overall better for it. I love each & every one of you. Even you LB, who I've known longer than any of these other birthday kids! 

AND a BIG HAPPY DAY OF BIRTH to LEO (your initials still spell your future bro's name!!!). Cousin Z & I are SO excited to meet you & hang out next time we're in IN or your're MI. It's a great day to be born!

SO MUCH LOVE!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Two weeks later & I'm remembering to share about my birthday treat that of course included tea!

We've seen it all in recent years! Sparkling teas to spiked teas!

This drink is a strawberry chamomile spiked tea. The best part of this drink was the robust taste of chamomile.

I asked ours server if she could tell me the ingredients/type of tea & she was funny as she said it was a very fancy tea. When somebody says fancy tea, I think to the expensive loose leafs & brands that I've only ever been gifted or looked at on the shelf in a store. This however was one of my favorite brands that while  it is a bit of a splurge, I can afford on occasion. 

Harney & Sons Egyptian Chamomile is the most delicious chamomile I have ever had! Even with a touch of vodka, it ruled the flavors of this drink & was accompanied lightly with fresh strawberry sugar juice. Essentially the strawberries were sauteed with sugar to create a syrup & added to the tea. Overall a very calming & soothing tea time indeed!

May today's tea time be the same!

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: A start to a new week is much welcomed this week. This past week was filled with LOTS of hard conversations & surrounded by LOTS of Holy Spirit presence. If it weren't for the obvious presence of the Spirit with us, it would've been an ugly week. AND we finally got around to making the freezer breakfast burritos that we had when we visited friends last month. They are a tad time consuming to put together, but well worth it for a heartier breakfast on the fly. We were also blessed to have lunch with colleagues who couldn't have been much more complimentary of our crock-pot cooking. AND it's still chilly at night, but pleasantly up North sorta warm during the day which makes for good grillin', fire-pit hanging around, & outside adventures. We had our first Friday Fire-Pit time of the summer & it was as pleasantly laid back & chill as we had hoped it would be.

BAD: Coming from a time in our culture where we want a quick fix & we want what we want when we want it, does anything but make waiting for something easy. My greatest great Uncle D always said that God wouldn't grant us patience, but he would grant us experiences to teach us patience. *sigh* Isn't that the truth? Currently as JZ Nelson we are waiting for a new normal as 2015 has been quite rocky on many levels. A season of change...

AWESOME: The most wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit was brought to me through colleagues & camp counselors & other camp staff in conversation this past week. I lead my colleagues in a session of Practice Discipleship titled 'Story of Faith Community.' We all are striving for a greater open to all wherever we come from & wherever we are sorta church. Then I had the privilege of leading 'Story of Adolescence' & 'Story of Self & Other' with camp staff at Stony Lake Lutheran Camp & was blown away with how the Spirit moved people to share & speak up & speak out for the good of each other. This all entwined with other great conversations with long-time friends & lengthy walks through the beauty of MI fill my heart with peace.

WORD: Mark 3:20-35 is a text that makes many uncomfortable to preach on. We do not want to acknowledge the ways in which we, the church, have been divided amongst our own people. However, this happens all the time. We put our trust in our leaders & while we trust them, we have to be careful to remember that they are human & fully sinner & saint. While all of our sins have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus' death & resurrection, this does not take away the seriously heavy matters that lie on some congregations. In this scripture we learn that no matter how painful it might be we have to cut ourselves free from anything or anyone who is against us being about anything other than the Good News of Jesus Christ. We have to let Jesus lead the way & not any one human.

coming up: The calm before the storm of VBS!

Friday Favorites!

Paul didn't speak to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:14-19) with doubt that they are rooted & grounded in love, but clearly stated that they are rooted & grounded in love because of a generous Spirit who dwells in our hearts.

This generous Spirit throughout the decades reminds us of our our roots & where we learned about love.

One of many favorites this week was the reminder of freedom that comes from dirty feet. Dirty feet are the signs of an adventure worth being part of & making that adventure a piece of life (filled with the Spirit & naturally a touch of Sparkle).

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hello taste of Tea on Tuesday!

Today's Tea Time brought to you by another quaint set up in BGeg's place.

This week I tried a vanilla chai tea bag with two dollops of Bees Knees Spiced Honey & some Agave Nectar. Wowza!

One thing I'm wondering is if my brother - who gifted me the Bees Knees - got cheated because my honey is solid & impossible to get much out of the container. The link that I have above shows it clear.

Good or bad honey, I don't think I'll be making that mix of drink again anytime soon. If you are a fan of a spicy kick in your morning tea, then I highly suggest it!

Sunday Snippits: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: While May is generally my favorite month of the year for all it's celebrations, I'm alright with a start to June being just a day away. May has come to a peaceful nice close. Another year older, more fabulous people graduated from all sorts of different education programs, at least one (though I'm sure there are more) friends was ordained, & amidst any struggle there was always a touch of laughter & love each day.

BAD: The ugly face of mental illness. And society's failed attempts to normalize mental illness. The exhaustion mental illness causes those living with the illness & those they live with. I have seen this play itself out in my life through friends & family for years.

AWESOME: Knowing that I am rooted & grounded in love & so are you. While I took this photo the other day in attempts to capture my great new leggings & just the fun color splash of my newish sandals against the very green grass, it represents this groundedness - literally & figuratively - we have with the world around us. I've been reassured of this through conversations the caring words of jibberish when we have no actual words to share with one another.

WORD: Romans 8:12-17 I am so very glad that is not by my own doing, but by the acts of God in Christ Jesus & through the Spirit that we know of this redeeming power for all people through adoption.

coming up: June! and so much fun!

Friday Favorite!

It's my birthday!!! Call me narcissistic, vain, or whatever, but it's one of my favorite days of the year. 

It's always filled with lots of love & well wishes & a touch of adventure. Today's adventure is exploring more of Pure Michigan with my partner who never fails to lead an adventure or two while jumping in full energy to the adventures I provide.

Life together is beautifully crazily overflowing with Life, Spirit, & Sparkle thanks to Z & all of you!

A giant donut to help with the morning birthday shenanigans!

Tuesday Tea Time!

One of the beauties of living in Pure Michigan - especially up North - is there isn't a single day that isn't good for a campfire. There also isn't a single day that isn't good for a warm cup of tea & we all know that's like a hug in a cup!

Some days are more suited for outside fire-pit fires & others for indoors fireplace fires. The chillier temps & rain on Memorial Day meant an indoor fireplace fire was in order.

Cuddled up by the fire with MG - who's a tad bruised this week recovering from playing with her big dog friends - & my Bubba tumbler of Topsy Turvy Tea Party Tea, I bring you this Tuesday Tea Time!

Today's image brings a smile to my heart knowing the conversations & moments that happen around the table that this little teapot decorates. It's owner proudly stated this past week the "He's (referring to her husband) not a tea snob, but I AM!" We come by this honestly. Though, as much as my mom loves buying me tea & all the accessories, she herself is not much of a tea drinker. BGeG, her mom, & I all are though! Our days start with a good cup of tea, are refreshed in the early afternoon with a second - possibly a third by this point depending on the day - cup, & often end with a final cup. We know the steeping times we prefer for each kind of tea & to some degree the temperature the water needs to be to best suit the different types of tea. BGeG & I even shared our tea bags making two cups of good tea - one for each of us - this past week.

It's a heart smile, heart find, heart warming kinda connection to be able to share a tea bag!

So who wants to come for tea on the porch - after the roof is redone - & share a Tuesday Tea Time?

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: This past week was a blur, but a good one at that. After a business trip I got to spend some quality time with some of my favorites (including little miss E & her owl). It's a blessing to have people who take you in, shower you with love, & let you decompress from the every day chaos on only a few days notice. I am forever grateful for the friendship of miss E & her parents (& our parents!). I could've never dreamed of having such rich relationship that started at birth & carries on. Speaking of carrying on, it's the end of the month, it's graduation day for many in the area, & it's my birthday week! There's so much good in that sentence it's crazy. There's many reasons to celebrate!

BAD: Realizing at the end of the day, when all steam was gone, that I had not kept my rhythm of blogging this last week. It made it more real & y'all got to travel with me a bit more that way. In the news this week we continue to hear about murder, sex offenders, victims, hunger, & other illness. You don't have to look far.

AWESOME: Spending a few days decompressing from life's recent happenings that are out of my control & being met where I was with good company, baby snuggles & laughter (& snot & poo), & sunshine & food & a quick lunch with family for my bday is all pretty fabulous in my book.

WORD: Commentary on Acts 2:1-21 because it's Pentecost & the Holy Spirit is here.

coming up: so much Life, Spirit, Sparkle, I don't even know which end is up!

Friday Favorites!

Tuesday Tea Time!

A good Tuesday Tea Time from a fellow tea reviewer Oolong Owl!

Pardon the layout & lack of links as I type from my phone while on the go.

While my oolong will have to wait, I'm enjoying a nice London Fog Latte.

No matter your drink, enjoy your Tuesday Tea Time & say hello to the Oolong Owl!

Friday Favorites!

Hello Friday! While quite damp & Scotland like, you have been good today. Alright, most anything that reminds me of Scotland is good.

This week has been filled with little adventures. The photo of MG captures just that. God only knows what she had her nose in near this old building on our friend's property!

She was so incredibly smitten though to be out in the country running free with her friends. And that's what matters. Adventures of all sizes are good for the soul!

The funniest piece of our country adventures was not captured on film, but just imagine this fur baby bounding towards you across a field after losing sight of one another for a minute or two with complete joy to see you again.

Tuesday Tea Time!

This Tuesday Tea Time I don't have any recent funnies to share unfortunately. Last week was truly a unique week with one funny & crazy happening for the first three or four days. How often in life does that happen?!

The last couple of days have been chillier so still no sun-tea has been made. Not only has the chilly weather prevented making sun-tea, but the space in our fridge, or lack thereof has as well.

One thing Z & I do, when the rest of life seems totally chaotic, is eat well. This Mothering Day my family treated me with dark chocolate brownies with walnuts in them (my favorite simple dessert) & homemade pizza - using one friend's family dough recipe, another friend's marinara sauce recipe, & our own toppings of cheese, artichoke hearts, kale, & sun-dried tomatoes. SO tasty!

It was a great day with good reflection on what mother's day means. One friend - who has a baby that'll be 1.5 next month already - shared her idea of mother's day is not about her, but rather "My job is to recognize anyone who has shown mothering love reminiscent of the selfless sacrificial love of God."

What a beautiful spin on a "holiday" we have made so normalized & commercialized!

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: It's Sunday & if I choose to spend it well than clearly my week will be filled with content! The quote says so, but it doesn't say who said it. So it's Sunday, start the week off right! Start the week off with what is right for you & benefits others around you. A week of content is not a week all about you, but you in the midst of others. No matter how isolated we may feel at times or like to think we are - due to introversion, space, or other factors - we are anything but unconnected from all of humanity or creation. This last week was a week well spent with a touch of content. We laughed a lot this past week - about the shopping cart that was ditched on our property, the chocolate display that we knocked over & tried to pick up, & the fact that I tried to make an appointment I've been putting off making, but turned out the number I had dialed was for an organization in FL. We started out the week with crazy & ended with a little less crazy thankfully, but nonetheless crazy.

BAD: There is no one way to rightly pursue life. While we want that right way & we want to figure it out & have a quick fix for every bug & bother, it doesn't exist. Just as my friend & colleague TS wrote in an article titled Spinning Round & Round I think many of us find ourselves in these places. The more we read & educate ourselves, the more the world spins & the more our heads float & the more we become aware of how small we truly are. Small isn't always bad, we can do mighty things no matter our size - literal or figurative - & persevere through the spinning & spinning. The slightly bad is that the spinning will always be because of the endless possibilities we bring to the table. We have to work with a balance.

AWESOME: Friends having funny dreams, involving you, that spark great conversation & might be true, but only time will tell. Also ending the week with the chance to hike, explore, sit around a blazing fire, dig into scripture, & wake up to a good rain storm.

WORD: If you find your Sunday being the start of your week or any other day, muster up what you have to make it well spent & the rest will be content.

coming up: A touch of excitement & preparation as we gear up for this coming weekend's Celebration Weekend with Jonathan Rundman & continuing to figure out & live with #LifeSpiritSparkle

Friday Favorites!

Hello Friday!

When I took this picture the other day I didn't think it held much significance for that day other than my #heartfind, but the Spirit has a way of bringing us back to words we need to hear or believe or see or all of the above again & again.

Each day is made new in Christ Jesus.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Tea on Tuesday is always a good time! So take a minute to join this time with your tea (or other drink that is like a hug in a cup for you).

As the weather has gotten warmer so the desire for iced tea has grown stronger. We're really only 3 days into sandal weather - if you ask me anyway - so the chance to make sun tea has not been taken just yet.

That's because this week is off the charts cray cray!

Sunday I was simply supposed to assist in worship, instead I led both services & made up my sermon in about 5 minutes prior to the first service. I knew as long as I preached the GOOD NEWS all was good!

The day of course didn't end there for work or outside life. I was also set up to help create a brand new to this site fundraiser with the youth & families. SO I got a good 7 hour work day in to kick off the week!

And the really silly piece was while out running errands in the late afternoon or early evening, Z bumped the shopping cart into a display of Brookside Chocolates & down it went. First i sorta stopped as I caught it with my side, but it was too unstable. Fits of laughter ensued for hours on & off about this ridiculousness.

Then yesterday I set up an appointment... in FLORIDA! It wasn't till the very end of the conversation to set up the appointment that I asked for the address of the meeting location & laughed when they said FL. I shared with them that I am in fact in Michigan & would not be able to make it there by 2:30 that same day. Fits of laughter yet again!

So whaddya think it'll be today?

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: It's May! The Lusty Month of May! I wait all year to share this music & the time is finally here. As much as I love a good piece of music - I've never seen the full musical it comes from - I love getting lost in the woods too. That is, I love getting lost in the woods when there is a clear path to follow. This past week during a few days away we got to spend some time getting lost in the woods of Pokagon State Park not too far away from where I grew up. I absolutely loved finding these old tree stumps & finding the new pieces of life making their way through the forest with Spring warmth in the air. It was even warm enough to wear sandals!

BAD: Do I need to point it out? The country of Nepal is picking up the pieces they're able to recover after earthquake. Baltimore is trying to pick up the pieces after complete riots. And the world is full of broken people. At this past week's retreat we heard about a study regarding Flourishing in Ministry & it was quite evident what a true challenge this was for many people.

AWESOME: Maybe the challenge of flourishing isn't all bad, but simply real. We came home later in the week & I found a random chunk of sidewalk chalk on our back patio. It makes me wonder who was on our back patio & what they were going to draw before being scared off. I think this summer I will have to get some sidewalk chalk!

WORD: "The Bloom Comes From Abiding, From Letting the Root Do What It Does."

coming up: Lots of #LifeSpiritSparkle with the #LustyMonthofMay!!!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Happy Tuesday Tea Time!

Who knew these "Perfect Tea Timers" could be so great?!

A few weeks ago while we spent a few days away, the froyo coffee shop dessert place we stopped in for froyo had some locally grown tea as well. Naturally I decided to have some tea & choose one that was called Happy Spleen Green.

It was very refreshing & interesting that it needed to be timed not by the green timer, but the white timer. It seemed pretty helpful as I often guess with a touch of an idea of how long each kind of tea needs steeped. Though it's not as fun as this Penguin.

Generally I don't take too much consideration into timing my tea. I'm aware of the preferred amount of time for different kinds of tea - thus the help of these "perfect timers" - & try to go by that, but usually only be my own math rather than actually looking at a clock. Knowing there is a preferred temperature & time for different kinds of teas makes drinking tea through a kettle - this teaches one patience - & automated beverage machines such as a Keurig, unique it's own way. Thankfully I don't find myself too picky. The worst tea is that which has been steeped in water that came from a kettle that generally housed coffee.

How do you time your tea?

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: Finding new ways to do something creative every day & allowing that creativity to be as simple or as complex as the day calls for. While I have always loved being artsy, I've never spent too much time learning new techniques. After seeing a friend post her new purchase of an Adult Coloring Book, I decided to use some gift money to purchase my own. So while I'm eagerly waiting for that creative outlet to come in the mail, I've also been using my sketch pad & colored pencils to doodle & draw this or that to release some energy. This past week was apparently all about releasing said energy as I even woke up early one morning totally on my own & did a 30 Minute Yoga Flow. It's much safer to try some of these yoga routines at home than in front of other people some days, if ya know what I mean. There's a reason my middle name isn't "grace."

BAD: Realizing the dwindling of a family. At the recent death of my Uncle it has become more apparent to a few of us in the family who is left & who has gone before us. It's not so much bad, just sorta sad & weird. Life is weird. Death is real. Birth is better? *mer mer* Also, along the line of things outside of our control, prayers for those affected by the earthquake in Nepal. Many lives & landmarks have been taken at a moment's notice. Be on the lookout for ways you can help the efforts for Nepal to start to recover!

AWESOME: Keeping in touch & being able to use goofy means like Google Hangouts that allow you to wear cat masks & draw on your friends your in conversation with. Very entertaining!

WORD: This week, little by little, I've been reading pieces from Dr. Andrew Root's Children of Divorce. So far I've taken away that everybody has a secret & families take work (which I hope everybody knows).

coming up: A little work & a little play in the land of Hoosiers!

Friday Favorites!

It's Friday & here's a Favorite!

Yes, rocks, big giant rocks. They're not just any big, giant rocks though. They're Michigan big, giant rocks.

Growing up going camping in MI you knew when you saw big, giant rocks - some may call them boulders - you were deeper into the mitten state & further away from home. According to my mom, it isn't vacation if it's closer than 4 hours to home.

I'm not sure she'd say that any longer, but that's what classified a family vacation for my childhood. We didn't often go too much further than 4 hours away either, which is why it was safe for my mom to say that made a vacation.

These rocks strike me today as one of the few things in life that seems to withstand time. While no doubt these rocks have changed season by season with the Northern Michigan weather & regular visitors climbing on them despite the neighboring signs that say "stay off the rocks." They still seem quite large & untouched.

I post these giant, untouchable, Michigan rocks in memory of my Uncle Ted. Uncle Ted was man who had a story for every adventure & had an adventure for every part of life. Uncle Ted loved Michigan, it's lakes, mushroom hunting, & miniature schnauzers. While there's so much more one could say about Uncle Ted, the stories are what keep the spirit alive, so we'll save the others for another day.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Welcome to Tuesday Tea Time in a piece of Wonderland!

Not only was this tea a fun find back on vacation in February, it has been a tasty delight to many a morning.

This week we're struggling to find that warmer Spring air in the tip of the mitt. I think the sea trolls are mad about the melting ice & trying to make it stick a little longer on their waters under the bridge! Or maybe it's just Spring North of the 45th parallel. You choose!

One of the slightly humorous recent pieces of life that goes with Wonderland Tea is that I sent a package to a dear friend recently intending to include a sampling of Wonderland tea. Naturally I included a card. In the card I am almost certain that I wrote something about the included tea bags - as I meant to share - but the time between writing the card, putting the package together & actually sticking it in the mail was so long that I forgot to include the tea bags. There's a good chance that I've made this all up & I never mentioned the tea bags in the card & the recipient doesn't know they're missing out. Now I've put it out there though, for all to read & I can almost assure you out of all the posts, my dear friend AJO will read this. Clearly my subconscious is saving the Wonderland Tea to enjoy with AJO in person!

That means she needs to visit soon as it is part of my morning tea at least a couple mornings a week. Despite this week's fight for warm Spring air, everything is turning & starting to sprout buds with promises of flowers & leaves in the air. It's the perfect time of year for visitors!

Sunday Snippets: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: A few days away with the sights of Northern MI in the Spring is good for the soul. The cherry trees have yet to blossom, but there's beauty in the promise of their blooms in the coming weeks. Here you see this beauty on the peninsula looking out onto the West Bay in Traverse City. The West Bay was far from being unfrozen, yet the East Bay seemed ice free to the eye & ear. It was also fun to hear & see the buzz of the locals preparing for the tourist season. There were many painting, repairing, & patching jobs going on around the city. As a former vacationer to the area, I highly appreciate all this work that goes to making the place a romantic piece of Northern MI. Here in Traverse City you can spend your days on the beach or shopping down town & evenings around the camp fire at the local state park. There's miles of trails to hike, ride bikes, roller skate or whatever you desire to do for fun or to equal out all the goodies that you're sure to try while you're shopping. A perfect place for a girl like me & I didn't even mention the dozens of delicious cherry delicacies that one can find here. I was given a taste of the award winning Moomers ice cream, but of course they have SO many options I don't remember which kind of cherry ice cream it actually was. I'm pretty sure you can't go too wrong with ice cream.

BAD: Taking a week off only to realize it's been almost a year, if not a year, since you last took a full week off. This is not good self care, but we're working on that.

AWESOME: Playing princess & king on a train to see Michi with our niece via FaceTime. 

WORD: Today we read that the risen Lord Jesus eats fish. What's that all about? See Luke 24:36-48

coming up: A little of this, that, & a whole lot of Life, Spirit, & Sparkle as we blaze into the end of April.

Friday Favorites!

Oh my goodness, it's Friday & I have lots of Favorites this week!

I narrowed it down to this one photo that captures a piece of this week's adventures.

This week Z & I enjoyed a bit of a staycation. Being so work oriented it was a challenge for us to take time to do the things that you always want to do, but end up doing some more work related things instead.

I'm really good at busying myself with cleaning projects as well. On today's list is a bit of financial awareness work. Fun, not so fun!

We didn't simply take the week to stay at home, but ventured out for just a 2 night stay a few hours away. And what a difference it makes in one's daily pattern to step out of the normal & away from the work & projects! We've been told time & time again that to make life happen living in a more rural part of the country, the best way to keep a piece of sanity, at times, is to go on adventures, big & small. No matter the size of the trip, count it as an adventure.

This week's piece of adventure was watching, listening, & taking in the sights, sounds, & smells of the cracking of the thin layers of ice coming into the bay in the morning. This was just a piece of life that is preparing the town for Summer visitors.

Happy adventures - big & small!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya Tuesday Tea Time!

It's so great to have tea with you all & especially this new Viking friend you see here. Isn't he just wonderful?!

I can tell he's ready for the weather to do a bit more warming up!

Let's call him Ned.

Do you ever name things that don't need names? I do it all the time! Of course people don't typically know what I'm talking about then when I refer to an inanimate object by a name rather than it's title.

This past weekend we said g'bye to Horton & now have Barry. While that name might not stick, it's all I've got right now because Barry is blue.

Enjoy your tea, Ned!

Sunday Snippits: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: This past week was filled with great conversations & genuine check-ins with good friends. The best part is that none of it was planned except for maybe one check-in & that was due to a significant time difference. I read somewhere recently that one way to better your day is to simply call a friend. You may not get a hold of them, but the practice of calling a friend let's that friend know you're thinking about them & shares the day with them & with you. This past week was also very busy with lots of little this & thats work related as I realized if I'm ever going to take time off I need to over work to get ahead a touch. That's just how life roles some times.

BAD: Barometric pressure changes that mess with headaches & attitudes.

AWESOME: A random Easter card from seminary friends that have an adorable daughter & another little one on the way soon. Thank you Guthridges! A return letter will be written soon! Speaking of letters I refreshed my ribbon board the other day 7 recycled some old cards so that I could put new up. The fun part was reading the progression throughout the year from a few friends of where life has taken them.

WORD: Working ahead leads me to next week's Gospel at the end of Luke.

coming up: no screen time!

Friday Favorites!

There was so much to highlight this week that a simple prayer card goes in for the win of Friday Favorites!

I was so excited to find these resources of coloring books & stickers for free through ELCA Good Gifts that I love how this upper elementary youth put them to use.

Yes sir, we will pray for the cows & the bees & the chickies (as one youth was calling them) & the pigs & the goats & the sheep & ALL of God's creatures!

We will pray for those working with & for ELCA Good Gifts & to end hunger & all those receiving ELCA Good Gifts.

In the midst of all the good of the week worth noting as a favorite a simple prayer is my favorite.

What's yours?

Tuesday Tea Time!

It's Tuesday Tea Time?!

How do we transition into our next season of teas, when Mother Nature won't transition with us?

So you know that goal that you never really hashed out so therefore it never really became a goal & then you still try to include them in your weekly schedule? Yeah, that one.

Get over it! Either make it happen or accept that it's not a piece of who you are. Or it is a piece of who you are that you say you do this thing & never get around to making it a part of your day.

It is OKAY!

You can't do it all. Wonder Woman & Super Man are fictitious!

In the article 10 Simple Things to Make You Happier at Home it challenges people to do a one line a day gratitude journal. While one line is great, especially if that's all you can stay awake for, I challenge 5 pieces of your day to be listed. Maybe that only will take 1 line!

Take the challenge & join me in an attitude of gratitude! 

Sunday Snippits: good, bad, & awesome!

GOOD: It's Easter Sunday! My favorite holiday that represents so much promise for tomorrow. Weather you celebrate Easter as a Christian & the fact that Jesus has defeated death once & for all, or because it's Easter & that's what you do this time of year, it is Easter! Easter is so much more than any one thing. This is me being church nerdy on you & a little unchurchy too. Easter means warmer days ahead & flowers & green grass & leaves on the trees & gardens & fresh produce & new life! What is good is I believe that we are a both and sorta people. We are both sinner & saint. We are sinner & saint together, & sinner & saint on their own. I sit comfortably & yet uneasy in this paradox that I believe in - thank you Lutheran theology! Knowing all this, this past week has been a blessing to walk through the steps of Holy Week as I've been more than ready for Lent to be over for a few weeks. I was tired of sitting in the despair of Good Friday.

BAD: Comparisons. To be fully present in mind, body, & spirit it is best to avoid comparing oneself or others. At the same time it seems only natural to do certain comparisons in life. Many times comparisons are not fair to oneself as it is not sitting well with who one is & allowing oneself to be simply their own self. So as bgeg says, "just LOVE."

AWESOME: In the last week 2 colleagues & friends have shared that we were in their dreams. Both people, who as far as I know have never met one another, took it as they must've had us on their mind lately & just wanted to say hello. However, then we saw this quote, "Did you know that when someone appears in your dreams, it's because that person misses you?" While it is nice to know that both friends had us on their mind, I guess it really means that they have been on my mind. Crazy how that works!

WORD: Jesus' Radical Politics

coming up: A day of rest after a busy busy week. Then onward full steam ahead into the middle of the month! Jesus Christ is Risen Today! Alleluia!

Friday Favorites!

Today being Good Friday & barely warm enough to wear shoes that I could show off the tp of my foot & therefore tattoo, I gladly did just that. But today my tattoo struck my story a bit different.

After studying a semester in Scotland I felt drawn to my second tattoo, but it would be three years before I entered that tattoo parlor in WI. I had decided even before leaving Scotland that this Celtic knot would be a symbol of my faith carrying me through the most freeing experience of my life up to that point. The dots, that represent the nails placed into Jesus' at his crucifixion, were a last minute decision.

Why would I want such a reminder? Because the promise of life, symbolized within the knot, is what is lived out by the cross & the nails that carry us to the empty tomb.

Good Friday it is!