Regularly scheduled tea times with teens or young adults can become a useful tool for mentoring and discipleship. I do it with my boys and girls, usually alone with them for deeper friendship. I pass on a legacy of faith and encouragement over tea and either cinnamon toast, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or a cinnamon roll, even a light meal. Great discussions have come from our planned tea times together.
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Godly Endurance is the key to a flourishing life, especially during times like today..
Sitting in the dark shadows of my small cozy library as the sun went behind the mountain, found me and one of my older children talking quietly of struggles, challenges, battles of life, and long term endurance. The deep friendship, shaped over years of shared life, had knit our souls quite together.
I wasn't expecting this moment to be a memorable one. Just a normal moment in the dusk of day, that shaped a soul-satisfying memory.
"Mama," my grown child tenderly whispered, "One of the greatest things you have ever accomplished is to keep our family together through love, faith, laying down your own life, and enduring with as much grace as Jesus could give you, so that our lives could be whole, healthy and strong.”
“I know that only God will know the ways you have chosen to give and serve and forgive, when you had to make the choices to do so. But all of us kids have benefitted because you were willing to weather the storms of life for us and hold us together. I want a spouse who knows how to be strong."
Sometimes, I think mamas hold the whole world together. Their work is that important. Much of our lives as a family has been a battle through raging storms. But, there are some amazing graces on this side of motherhood, when my fourchildren have reached adulthood---I don't have to go back through any of thestorms we barely weathered and much of my labor is behind me. And from all of it, I see four healthy, strong, vibrant adults who are also my beloved friends.
Join me at AthomewithSally for a new Tea Time Tuesday podcast: Summer salad, books, music, scripture to give you hope.