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!

Tuesday Tea Time!!!

Good Morning from the MI Gathering 2015!!! Follow #MIgath15 for more awesome pieces from the gathering.

On day 3 of the gathering, I am treating myself to possibly the chai latte of the year! What makes it so great? They purposefully charged me the price of a coffee refill. If you know your coffee shops, you know black coffee or a simple hot tea is the cheapest drink available & lattes are a few dollars more.

If you've ever been to a youth event you know there are late nights & early mornings & days filled with lots of different activities. By day 3, as a tea drinker, I need my tea to taste like tea. So while I always pack my tea bags & most often use the hotel room coffee maker for my morning tea, this morning a treat was in order for my jump start.

Today may your tea taste like tea & a treat to you!

Tuesday Tea a Time!

Happy week of celebration!

It's the most wonderful celebration to end the year. A king is being born, by a radical unmarried teen. She's barely even in her teen years & claims this is the Christ child brought to her womb by the Holy Spirit.

Sounds like a crazy wild & cool enough story to want to celebrate, no matter what you believe!

So may your celebrations be merry & filled with your favorites, fit for a king.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Oh hello Tuesday Tea Time friends!

That first warm sip of tea is a check-in. A check-in to the day. A check-in of the day. A self check.

Does anybody else experience this?

There are pieces that ground us. Pieces that remind us to breath deep, smile, & do your best.

These pieces are pretty powerful pieces of us. 

These pieces are us. These pieces remind us that we are alive & the world is buzzing with a few million other pieces.

Grab tight to the pieces that make you whole & check-in, smile at yourself & the world. Even when the world is weird, it needs your smile. Even when you are weird, you need your smile & so do the rest of us.

Ah, tea & your powerful pieces life. Enjoy!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya Tuesday Tea Time friends!

This past week has been filled with many a good travel mug or mug of tea on the go. I had a few good chances in the evening to truly enjoy a warm mug of relaxing mint or sleepy time teas.

The best tea time was a surprise tea party at work! While I didn't think the congregation could do more to welcome me, walking into the fellowship hall for the start of confirmation - we have lunch together first - a couple of youth (B & K) were asking me what my favorite teas are & then if I'm ready for my surprise.

I was totally surprised by a lovely tea party with scones, triangle sandwiches, cherry pie, & lots of fun tea to choose from. They even gifted me with a new tea cup & saucer for my office!

May your Tuesday Tea Time be as enjoyable as tea with new friends!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Holy Tuesday Tea Time!

I'm coming to you late today as it was my first day at my new job. It was a great day with many warm welcomes & unpacking & figuring out a few calendar items as December is a very busy month in the church worker's calendar.

As people continue to ask about our trip to Japan, the best part was simply being with family we hadn't seen in a very long time (aside from FaceTime). We got to see some really great things & admire God's creation. One of my favorite days really was the day we walked nearly 13 miles.

That particular day we took the train to walk to a temple, then took the train to walk around the imperial gardens, then took a train to walk around an area of Tokyo we had yet to adventure. Then we hit a wall & rested in a shopping mall because we were going on a food tour that night.

When you sign up for a food tour in Tokyo you may imagine things like raw fish. I know that's what we were prepared to have. Instead we walked through back alleys that we would've never gone down on our own to a fabulous little place were locals often go after work. Everything was grilled in front of us as we were seated "at the bar" & enjoyed skewers of vegetables & meat & seafood. Then we walked to get a traditional Japanese sweet. And then we went for more food. The last meal was a meal that we grilled at our tables. It was a mix of some form of lettuce, fish roe (though there were other combinations with other meats), a few other vegetables, & a broth. It essentially reminded us of a dish of hash. The best part was when Z awed the natives with his skills trying the dessert rolls. It was essentially a Japanese crepe with fruit & red bean.

Then we made our way back to our hotel. And that was the day we walked & walked & didn't loose our feet!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Tuesday Tea Time, a chance to slow down & breathe deep.

This sort of self-care is necessary when every time you turn on the tv, radio, smartphone, social media of any sort there is another massacre large or small somewhere in someone's life.

In the midst of the world-wide chaos, I choose peace & love. Panic is not worth my time, nor yours, & there is not much many of us can do other than sign petitions, speak out, & pray. If there are things like prayer vigils or peace acts to show up for, we can show up. We can show up in the name of love & peace.

Sure there are things & people I don't like in life, but it is not worth dwelling on those things or I quickly become those things. Often the things we don't like about somebody else & speak outwardly about is really just about ourselves. Life is short & each day is a blessing, so live it large with love & peace.

Some times love is tough love, but it can still be recognized as love. And before loving others we need to know how to love ourselves, so love yourself a little extra today with tea - a warm hug in a cup.

Peace & Love.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya Tuesday Tea Timers!

I'm back from all my really big adventures & now just onto another new big adventure or two.

A HUGE thank you to those who filled in while I was gone. If you haven't checked them out, do so! Timothy Siburg blogs weekly - on valuable topics such as stewardship, leadership, & vocation - Britta Gene is an active artist with a heart for poetry (this month's photo - look at todays photo - is her photography work), & Lacey is a doula with a passion for living fully.

I'm so thankful for these friends in my life that live literally from one side of the country to the next. My heart is full by their sharing of their stories & by the amazing things that I got to add to my story while having these friends fill in on Tuesday Tea Time.

I hope you all found it refreshing to have some different voices present!

Coming up on Tuesday Tea Times will be some sharing of my adventures - like the day we walked nearly 13 miles in one day - & I'm sure some new things too.

We saw & experienced some really wonderful things while traveling the world, but mostly it was a time to visit family & hang out & rest. The biggest piece for me was officially being offered a new call & accepting it. So we're in a time of moving yet again.

May you warm drink - because the days have been quite chilly - warm your hands & your soul & keep you breathing deep with me as we go one day at a time.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hello everyone! Lacey Bauer here, filling in for Julia!  I'm an old friend, hard working entrepreneur, doula extraordinaire, passionate memory maker, and tea lover to the extreme.

For those that don't know me, I have a pure fascination with books & literature. I have a degree in English literature and find that when I get my hands on those bound pages, I get deeply lost in the story woven in front of me. It's not often these days that I have the time to sink deep into my favorite chair, cuddle up with my favorite mug and sip on that delicious tea, absorbing the words that lay before me.  But today, I made time to wander to a book store and add to my collection. I took home a variety of books; entrepreneurial, inspirational, and fictional.  Some are practical for growing my business, and some for pure enjoyment.

It was hard to make that time; to dedicate a morning to the things I love outside of my career. Sometimes I beat myself up over indulging in these outings.  "But you have more important things to do, Lacey." This time, I looked inward and remembered self care.  I remembered what it means to find the things I love most and to breathe them in and simply enjoy. So I made the time, wandered the aisles of that book store, and came home to my favorite chair, my beautiful teal hand made mug from a dear friend, and sipped on that smooth cup of chamomile lemon tea.

My encouragement for you this week is to think about the things you love(d) most and whether or not you're making the time in your busy life to do them. But always do them with that warm cup of tea.

My recommendation this week? A cherry almond black tea.  It always hits the spot.

Tuesday Tea Time!

Greetings, and Happy Tuesday Tea Time!

I’m happy to be sharing this tea time with you, filling in for my friend Julia again. To reintroduce myself, I’m Timothy, and I most often blog here. Last week I introduced myself with a bit more detail to you and told you a little about my wife Allison's and my story. I also told you about how I love questions. 

This week in the spirit of Tuesday Tea Time, as a place to take a few moments to sit and reflect while sipping on your favorite tea or hot beverage of choice, here’s your question:

Where do you dream about traveling and visiting?

I love to travel. I also love to take some time to dream and imagine. Maybe there's no better time to do this than when taking a moment to be still and relax with your favorite hot beverage. 

In thinking about traveling, Allison and I have been married just over five years and have not yet gone on a honeymoon. That's probably what I have been dreaming and imagining most about lately, at least when it comes to travel. 

I imagine there would probably be a nice warm beach, lots of sunshine (something there's less and less around this time of year with the end of daylight saving's time and the shorter days of fall), and just a good chance for Allison and I to explore a new place, to experience some new culture and cuisine, and to be on a new and exciting adventure together. 

Where are you dreaming about today? 

Thanks again to Britta Gene's art for the beautiful picture, and to Julia for letting me fill in for her on the blog. 

Tuesday Tea Time!

Greetings, and Happy Tuesday Tea Time!

 

I’m happy to be sharing this tea time with you, filling in for my friend Julia the next couple weeks. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Timothy, and I most often blog here. I’m also a: husband, son, brother, mission developer, hot chocolate and chocolate milkshake connoisseur, a sports fan crazy about the Mariners and Seahawks especially, and grateful to be asked to share this Tuesday Tea Time with you. 

 

In the spirit of Tuesday Tea Time, as a place to take a few moments to sit and reflect while sipping on your favorite tea or hot beverage of choice, here’s a question for you:

 

What big question are you wrestling with right now?

 

If you’re like me, you may well have more than one. Some of the questions I’m pondering are:

• What am I most excited about right now in this awesome role of being a mission developer?

• What would it be like to serve on staff and in ministry with my wife Allison beyond this one year of internship for her and me serving as a mission developer?

• What’s Thanksgiving and Christmas going to look like this year?

• When will the Mariners make the playoffs? Will the Seahawks get on a hot streak? 

 

Whatever your question or questions are, take a few minutes during today’s tea time while you sip to ponder about the questions. Jot them down, and if you don’t mind, share them in the comments. I believe life is about conversations, questions, and relationships. If there’s no wrestling or curiosity, I know at least for me, I would be very bored. What about you? 

 

On a different note, I’m so excited for Julia’s news, and invite you all to send her great thoughts and hold her in your prayers. 

 

Until next time, thanks for sharing this moment with me, and Happy Tea Time!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya! This week Tuesday Tea Time is brought to you by Britta Gene from Britta Gene Art!!!

hello tuesday tea time readers. let me introduce myself. i am britta gene e. glass. artist, mother to the cutest little pixie, chai tea junkie (i have a serous love for it), picture book collector, lover of anything that sparkles, and dreamer of becoming a picture book illustrator. i feel very blessed to have been asked to help out with tuesday tea time and partner up in bringing you tea related art.

i am hoping this will help get my bum in gear to start writing again for my own blog. so lets begin with one of my favorite topics to talk about... children's picture books!

every night with my little pixie, before bed, we read a few books.  among our vast picture book collection is one perfect tea cup shaped board book about tea time and bunnies.

"Bunnies for Tea" by kate stone tells a story of three bunnies who dress in fancy hats, pearls, and gloves for their tea time.
events start off as they should, pouring tea and adding sugar.  as one little bunny takes a sip out of her tea cup she topples in fancy hat and all. but all is well when her bunny friends bring out cookies and scones for everyone to snack on.

with her watercolor illustration and a little added sparkle, kate stone creates a perfect book to read with your little ones at bedtime or tea time!

thank you again for letting my into your tea time world. happy tea time!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Be sure to check out Britta Gene Art


Heya, it's Tuesday Tea Time!

It's Tuesday Tea Time!

Lately the weeks seem to be flying by at a slow pace & therefore all becomes a blur. Do you know what I mean?

This seems like more reason to stop & breath in Tuesday Tea Time if ya ask me. I finally got around this week to reading an article that I'd been saving in my inbox for several weeks.

Tea With Ninjas is a wonderfully written article with words that help the imagination go go go to a far away place. 

One of my favorite take-aways is the quote, "Tea is culturally significant in Japan - it marks a time of quiet contemplation, reflection, & rest." That is what I hope for Tuesday Tea Times too. That it is a means of breathing in your day & finding your center with where you are in the moment. Not that my words may do this, though that's cool if they do, but that stopping to remember to take tea time & actually taking tea time nurtures you in this way.

If you're not curious to know more about Tea With Ninjas, that's a shame because the article also talks about martial arts & tea drinking coming from the same philosophies. Seriously, check it out!

And before I forget, heaps of thanks & love to some up coming guest bloggers while I'm off having tea with ninjas (not really, but I'll be close!).

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hey! It's Tuesday! Let's have some Tea Time!

I'm uber excited this Tuesday Tea Time to bring you something new!

If you're an avid follower you've possibly seen these tea cups before. These aren't just any tea cups, but they are now the tea cups for the month of October. Not only that, they are the tea cups created by my sister BGeG at Britta Gene Art.

Britta & I have been friends since birth. We can blame our mothers who have the same story for this wonderful piece of our lives. I've shared with you on here how Britta's family used to have mother - daughter teas & how much fun we all had growing up with tea. The tea fun is still true to this day!

Just recently Britta called to tell me she had an idea for my blog & her artwork. While I had hit a bit of a lull in my blogging & her wanting some motivation to do one new piece a month - if not more - she thought up the idea that if she did a piece of Tuesday Tea Time art for me once a month, that could be my art for my entries that month. She told me to think about it, so I did & I fell in love with the idea. 

When you visit Britta Gene's website you'll see that she's a mum of her little ladybug Ella Scott. That's where her blogging adventure ended. Britta's art includes words, but not in the same way mine has always included them. She adds the color & I add the words & voila, we have a Tuesday Tea Time entry with a lot of character!

Britta doesn't have an Etsy shop just yet, but she does keep an active Instagram account & contact information is on her website, so if you're interested in more of her work she'd be glad to hear from you. She's got more tea cups & coffee cups & tutu girls & spoons & fish & & &. Her work adds a touch of whimsy into reality & always exudes her love for the imagination to soar freely.

This week enjoy your tea & check out Britta Gene Art!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Fall is here! While it is slowly starting to mean cooler days & evenings which is great for Fall pumpkin treats, it is not as cool as it needs to be if anybody wanted to dress like this animated figure around here.

Last week I splurged & had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. To be honest, I'm not a huge follower of everything pumpkin. I'm not part of that craze. But I was someplace new, ordering my chai, & they offered me pumpkin, so I took 'em up on it. It was a wonderful treat & from what I could tell from the place & their menu, it was all home brewed.

There's something special about homemade anything. Am I right? 

Here's to finding that favorite Fall treat with your Tuesday Tea Time!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Good morning Tea Time Tuesday followers!

This past weekend I had the joy to visit the annual Johnny Appleseed Festival for the first time since late elementary school. We ate lots of goodies, bartered for a new scarf/handkerchief with beavers all over it (it was stained), & caught up with a good friend & her mom (a new friend!).

Right before we were about to say g'bye we passed the honey stand. Tempting to buy new in their cool different bottles, but being honest with myself I didn't need any more honey at this time. Then there was the tea stand! Yet another tempting site to splurge at, but I simply took their info & said I'd feature their work in my next Tuesday Tea Time.

Teajutsu has a lovely message! They say they "are a company of good humor, of good will, of inclusion and innovation." Who wouldn't be intrigued by that self description?! It caught my attention right away. They even have a diet plan that I agree with & sounds smart & affordable. AND in good fashion, they believe that tea is for everyone. 

We all need to check them out a little bit closer & if you've tasted their teas, please let us know your thoughts in the comments! I plan to revisit the thought of purchasing a taste of Teajutsu once I get through my current supply in the coming weeks (or maybe months with my supply).

Happy Tuesday Tea Time to you all!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Lately I've been saving up in my e-mail the wonderful entries from the Tea Box blog Still Steeping. Almost all entries seem of some dreamy far off land that I can only hope to visit some day.

I save these entries with hope that I take time to read them some day & lucky for me I found the energy to read just the right one for today's Tuesday Tea Time!

The entry God in the Tea Gardens caught my attention recently. And I'm currently waiting to return to read Tea with Ninjas. God in the Tea Gardens makes me smile. The God talked about in this entry is a presence. The Tea Gardens are a place so high & lofty that the writer couldn't help but acknowledge the closeness to God.

Where was the last place you were that you couldn't help but acknowledge God's presence?

While I look for God in the every day, I was immediately taken to my one & only trip - thus far - to a tea garden high in the hills of Malaysia. The scent, the scenery, the company, & the tea were all wonderful. Another moment that in remembering I can't help but smile.

May your Tuesday Tea Time be filled with a piece of being close to God & smile on your heart.

Tuesday Tea Time!

While people all over are loving their pumpkin spice because it's "Fall," I'm still loving my iced teas & fruit teas (hot or cold). The weather around here has been balmy!

One friend said she had her first pumpkin chai latte of the season & it was awful. This sent her on a bit of an adventure! She went from Starbucks #1 where she got the bad drink, then to Starbucks in a Meijer where the Starbucks was closed, then to a local diner where the line was a mile or two long, & finally landed at Dairy Queen. While it wasn't what she was going for, it satisfied her sweet tooth.

Isn't it crazy how life does this to us on all different levels time & time again? If you're like me, you often don't realize the expectations you've set - though we have them for every experience - & this makes it easier to ride with the rhythm or be jolted in your seat. One thing I count on is for good to happen on some level in each situation & I take it upon myself to find this good & make note of it one way or another.

Amidst the stories in the news of the last week - Kim Davis, Syrian Refugees, another hate crime or two resulting in death - it is imperative to count the good, big or small. Count the good, do the good, be the good.

And if you need to see a piece of good, watch this!

Tuesday Tea Time!

Hiya Tuesday Tea Timers!

Whether you've had your morning tea or coffee or juice (or beverage of choice) or not, you're an honorary Tea Timer simply by being here. So welcome right where you are!

It's good to be back in this strange community. Being with yall for Tuesday Tea Time warms my heart a pinch. I find this community strange though because for the most part it is a silent community.

There is something to that though, right? There's support in the number of views & +1 google likes I get & yet just the joy of having tea on Tuesday is the lingering feature of this blog.

It dawned on my late last week that with the return of Tuesday Tea Times I could have brought back a few changes. However, it was late last week & I didn't want to make any sudden changes as my recess over the last month & a half has been quite full with other life. So in coming weeks you may see some new things like artwork or imagery & potentially a change of address.

The one reassuring thing is that we will gather here for Tuesday Tea Time each week unless noted otherwise. For now it'll simply be Tuesday Tea with the potential of pop-up posts, so enjoy!

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!