Some of my best memories are those that surrounded the holidays. For an only child, I was blessed to have a large family that gathered every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins. I didn’t realize what a blessing I was experiencing until it was over, for the most part, after the passing of my grandparents.
We must grasp the power of showing our gratitude towards others while we can.
A few years back, Brian and I took time to brainstorm specific ways we’re thankful for those who would sit around our Thanksgiving table that night. We wrote both serious and funny reasons on slips of paper and put them in tiny Thanksgiving-themed bags. I printed off simple tags that read Why We’re Thankful for You, tied them to the bag, added their name, and used them as place cards.
After we finished eating that night, each person took a turn drawing a slip of paper from their bag and reading it aloud. It added a little more meaning (and laughter!) to our time together, and for this I am grateful.
{If I do it again, I may get everyone involved by writing down one reason for each person before the meal.}
Practically any place card can become a personal opportunity to show our gratitude. The tent-type works especially well. I’ve used these for tea parties before.
Thankfully, it’s not about our level of craftiness—it’s about finding simple, meaningful ways to show our gratitude towards another person—and there’s no better season to put our feelings into action.
I pray that you and those you love will have a very blessed Thanksgiving.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
Today’s date with your artist within includes a trip to your local coffee or tea shoppe. Now, this is my kind of date!
“Write out your ideal day. Take yourself out to a coffee shop or cafe. Settle in with a notepad and give yourself permission to dream. Imagine, in vivid detail, your ideal day. Where are you? What are you doing? Who shared the day with you? When did you wake up? What did you eat? What activity did you engage in? Fill in the details of your day. Be specific.” -Julia Cameron, The Miracle of the Artist Date
Save the Date:
Play time comes easy for some. For others, like myself, not so much. Don’t get me wrong. Spending time with my grandchildren, hanging out with friends (especially during “lobby time” at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference!), and mountain trips with my hubster makes me downright giddy. But sometimes the seriousness of intentionality tempers my more playful side. For instance, instead of writing about my ideal day I’d be more likely to write out my current to-do’s and details for future projects. It just seems like a better use of time. (wink wink)
Sometimes the best use of time is releasing the need to find the best use of time.
You’re Invited:
Pick a day. Pack up your notebook and head to your favorite cafe. Your date awaits. If you want to go on a double date, let me know!
So where are you and your artist within headed for your day-dreamy date? If you’re at the conference with me this week, I have a feeling the cafe of choice will be The Clouds. 🙂
[As
always, I welcome any comments you would like to share! I’m at Blue
Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference this week so it will be a
few days before I can respond.]
Writing about the whispers of God this month has been both a joy and well, a challenge. I learned His whispers rarely tended to speak above a hush, and certainly didn’t try to contend with the clatter of my cluttered days.
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
As we close out this series and begin a new one in April, {Whee!} I would like to offer a tea cup and saucer from my own collection to help someone settle in to their stillness time with God.
There’s something about preparing a cup of tea (especially when using loose leaves) that brings a bustling day to its knees. Bringing the tea kettle to a whistle, allowing the tea to steep, and slowly sipping the warm beverage. By the time you’re settled in your comfy chair, with tea in hand, you’re ready to revel in God-infused stillness.
Marked: Gold in China, Made in Japan
If you’d like the opportunity to win this beautiful cup and saucer (my picture doesn’t do the vivid fuchsia flush of the flower or the light green rims justice), you need only leave a comment on the blog sharing which post in our March series you resonated with the most. (US participants only)
Click the purple shaded area at the bottom of this post to leave the comment. (If you have any problems, please email me via the envelope icon on the sidebar.)
Contest will end Monday, April 6th. I’ll use random.org to draw a name and the winner will be announced that day via Facebook. (Good luck!)
Beginning this Wednesday, April 1st, we’ll begin a NEW series:
I LOVE anything with the hint of pencil shavings except, of course, jelly beans. (Yes, this exists.)
The office supply section at Target has a gravitational force that sucks in nerdy lovers of all things paper with little resistance. And when that paper item just happens to be paired with anything tea related? Bye bye necessities!
Today, I’d like to share last week’s Target find with you. Literally. But first, the specifics. I love the size. It fits in a pocket or purse. The kraft paper is the perfect backdrop for the steaming cups of tea. Pages are lined and ready for pen in hand!
Here’s the fun part:
If you (or your wife) would like the opportunity to receive this find (along with a cup of tea!) in your mailbox this week, simply leave a comment letting me know how you might use it — journaling, jotting down noticed quirks for your next novel, poetic ideas, grocery list, etc.
I’d love to share this with you! Enjoy!
“If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered.”
Thanks for stopping by. Pull up a chair, make yourself comfy, and I’ll pour us a cuppa tea.
I wish
we could physically sit across such a table together, but since most of
us cannot, I created a summer tea time on Tuesday’s just for us.
We’ll begin by asking God to stir us, awakening us to today’s takeaway. My prayer is that He will take today’s scripture and steep it deeply into our souls as we take a moment to ponder on, sip on, one word from the verse throughout out the week, moving us toward one particular action.
Today’s tea time is all about friendships. You know…the friend who quietly alerts you to the grits wedged tightly between your teeth (two guesses as to my favorite time to meet!) Most importantly, the kind of friend who boldly but lovingly speaks truth. These are the friendships I want surrounding me, and I’m thankful many of them do. One such friend for me is Becky. When I spend time with her, my spirit hits a “reset” button of sorts. I leave with a clearer understanding of God, of my role in the big scheme of things and perhaps more importantly, what my role is not. Thank you, Beck.
So, how about you? Does someone come to mind? Who are those friends for you?
Heavenly Father,
You created meaningful connections with us in mind, knowing how desperately we’d need one another.
And on those days when truth pierces like a sword, leaving us breathless, we can choose to trust. For the wounds of a true friend is motivated by their love for us, by truth, and for Your ultimate glorification. (Prov. 27:6) May our friendships cast a clear reflection of your grace and mercy to those around us. Thank You for our friends, Father.
Amen.
This week’s verse we pray will steep richly and deeply
into our hearts and minds:
A friend loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17
Let’s choose one word from the above verse to “sip” on throughout this week, asking the Lord to show us why this word or
phrase stands out to us at this particular time.
———————————–
I choose the word “all.” Come misspoken words, unintentional neglect, grit-laden teeth, misunderstandings or miles between us, I am to love—at all times—and I fail miserably. Please forgive me.
Before we bring our time to a close, let’s consider one tangible way to “pour” out His truth in response to the word(s) we’ve chosen above.
Thank you for sharing a tea table with me today at Sharing Life Together…One Sip At A Time.
Would you consider joining in the conversation by leaving your “word” or in the comment box? Blessings to you, my friend!
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.comand affiliated sites.
Are you a member of the Creative Pauses community?
Sign up for Cathy's monthly newsletter to join our community and receive the latest seasonal gifts, posts, behind-the-scenes information, creative resources, and giveaways!
Unsubscribe at any time.
Welcome to the Creative Pauses community! Make yourself right at home.
