Feb
14
2023
Tea Time
Posted in Daily Living 2 Comments
I am very possessive about my tea time.
It is the one hour of every day that just belongs to me.
It is the one hour of every day when I can sit with my feet up for a bit.
I look forward to that time tremendously.
I have been having my tea time for many years.
I even had that special tea time when my children were young.
However, it was only for a half hour back then.
It was, and is, my way to relax and refresh my spirit.
I can be a bit of a tea snob.
I like Irish tea the best.
If I have to have other types of tea, like English Breakfast, I will.
My Irish tea is something I look forward to each day.
My husband is retired but does consulting from home a few days a week.
I love him dearly, but even he knows how much I love that time of day.
When I’m in my chair, with my cup of tea, I am “unavailable.”
I have felt selfish about that from time to time.
I know my limits.
I know when I need refreshment.
I know when I need quiet and stillness.
I do my best thinking then.
He laughs now, but I do remember a few times when he came in during my tea time.
I looked at him lovingly and asked, Do you need me for something?
No, I was just between phone calls, he answered, looking at the clock on the mantle.
He realized that there was about twenty minutes left to my tea time and left the room.
I thought of all this today when I was watching three of my grandchildren.
My daughter was talking about the benefits of naps for her two youngest ones.
Her oldest daughter, who is 4 1/2, has quiet time while her siblings nap.
She goes off to another room and plays, imagines, or looks at books.
We talked about having “quiet time” when we were sitting at the kitchen table.
I told this little lady that even Grandma has quiet time each day.
You do? She asked in surprise.
I do! Grandma needs that time to be still and to read and to think.
She seemed so delighted that even Grandma had quiet time.
She was in good company.
I told her that I have a cup of tea during my quiet time.
She smiled and I made a mental note to share a cup of tea with her on our next Grandma day.
I thought of a Michael Card song, In Stillness And Simplicity.
In stillness and simplicity
In the silence of the heart I see
The mystery of eternity
Who lives in side of me
In stillness and simplicityI hear the Spirit’s silent pleaThat You, oh Lord, are close to meIn stillness and simplicity
You’re the WordWho must be heardBy those who listen quietlyIs the reason we’re not still
To hear You speak because
We don’t believe You will
In stillness and simplicity
I lose myself in finding Thee
Oh Lord, You mean so much to me
In stillness and simplicity
So, seek the One who dwells in you
The kingdom that within is true
That innermost realityIn stillness and simplicity
Silence is not something people practice, because the silence says too much.
We go, go, go all day long and wonder why we are exhausted.
We keep a pace that was never expected for us to keep.
We never stop to rest and reflect.
Silence, stillness, and rest are disciplines we must practice.
God rested on the seventh day and gave the Sabbath to us as a gift.
How lovely to take a Sabbath rest each day.
The time to breathe, ponder, and refresh your spirit.
It matters.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. (Psalm 62:5)
These words speak to my heart. I feel guilty sometimes when I hope my grandchildren allow me to get one cup of coffee in before they wake up. If I get to enjoy two, that’s an added bonus
Bonnie,
I think that little bit of care and attention to our own need for quiet and rest actually makes us better Mamas and Grandmas. There is nothing wrong with taking the time to fill our cup (literally and metaphorically) before we serve others. Blessings.
Gina