A Victorian Tea Party
I have always loved Victorian Tea parties. It sort of reminded me of those years when the girls were still crazy about American Girls and tea parties. So, the date was set. September23, a Sunday afternoon at the Bautista's home. It was a perfect sunny and cool first day of autumn. While I was still busy setting up the table and putting finishing touches to the table setting, I saw the girls come down with their pretty handmade hats and lovely dresses. I knew then, that this party would be a success. The pictures herein will tell a great story.

As I looked at the array of tea selection, I was reminded of a devotional written by Julia Bettencourt entitled "Drop in for tea".

There are so many tea flavors these days. Many blends are good for us and today we are going to share in some cups of tea that are good for our us as Christians.

Royal-TEA (Galatians 4:7) This source for this tea is straight from the well of Living Water. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become part of His royal family so we should be living like we are one of His children. Personali-TEA (John 13:35) As Christians, we represent the person of Christ, so He should be part of our persona. When we talk, we ask, "What would Jesus say?" Would He be happy with how we act?

Hones-TEA (Ephesians 4:25) In today's world, a cup of honesty sure is refreshing. As a Christian, honesty is something we should be filled with. Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."

Accountabili-TEA (Romans 14:12) We all have to drink this one. We are all responsible for how we live this life on earth and what we do or don't do for Christ.

Adversi-TEA (2 Corinthians 12:9,10) Watch out! It's hot and may be a hard one to swallow, but sometimes the Lord knows we need a good strong drink of it. What I love is that this blend of tea always comes served with grace. Sufficient grace. Our cup's never filled with more than we can drink at one time.

Generosi-TEA (Luke 6:38) Notice how a cup of this will keep refilling itself? When we give, the Lord blesses us all the more. other Teresa once said, "“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

Availabili-TEA (Isaiah 6:8) We all should be willing and ready to drink this blend. Neal Maxwell said, "God does not begin by asking our ability, only our availability, and if we prove our dependability, He will increase our capability."

Laughabili-TEA (Proverbs 17:22) Be sure to get a full cup. This blend of tea has medicinal purposes and I sure feel good when I drink this one. May I have a refill, please? Laughter is always music to the soul.

Uni-TEA (Psalm 133:1) When you are drinking this blend, it causes a sweet spirit which can benefit those around you. Even Plato, the philosopher said, "“As the builders say, the larger stones do not lie well without the lesser.”

Humili-TEA (Acts 20:19) Before we can pick up this cup, sometimes we have to swallow a little of our own pride first. As a Christian, humility should be part of our character. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "“A great man is always willing to be little.”

Hospitali-TEA (1 Peter 4:9) This blend is for sharing. Be sure to serve it up to others. Romans 12:10-13, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”

I hope we are drinking in -all the things we need to drink in order to live our Christian lives to the fullest. These will all add up to our Spirituali-TEA. How we live reflects Who we serve and when we begin sipping on those "teas" in our lives and concentrating on those areas, we begin reflecting Christ more. I don't know about you, but each time I sit down and have a cup of tea in the morning, it puts me in the right mindset for the day. These "teas" will help put us in the right frame of mind too. Reflecting on these areas of our lives will give us a boost in our spiritually. So, how's your tea?

And to those of you who did not drop in for tea, I hope you will join us next time. We really did have a great time!

Summertime fun and travel is done. Sorry for the long absence. Now that the children are back to school, we can also plan for more exciting things this fall and in the months to come. If you want to contribute something to our weekly blog - I would really appreciate that. You can write about anything: your thoughts, ideas and feelings. This blog is meant for us to grow together in the love and grace of our Lord.

We have been having so much rain the last two days. I cannot even go out to the backyard for fear of mosquito bites. My once-beautiful flowers are all looking scraggly. But I know as soon as cooler Autumn weather sets in, I will have more lovely blooms before winter comes.

As all of you know, I am just fascinated with flowers. They are one of the most beautiful things I think God created. Sometimes I think He created them just for me. They give me this happy feeling. When I see how simple but yet how fantastic flowers are, I can't help thinking that God is still in control and all is right with the world.

"And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:29

People have loved flowers back from the beginning of time and there are different meanings that have been associated with specific ones over the years. Many flowers have come to have several different meanings. We will take a look at just four of them to see what we can learn.

Aster - Contentment Asters are those pretty little dainty white flowers that have a yellow center. I think they look like wild daisies. We have them growing along the roads here in California where I live and I always think I'd like to just stop the car and get out and pick some to take home.

One of the meanings associated with the aster flower is contentment. I kind of like that. They are simple yet pretty flowers and they do give me that sense of contentment. Those words in Philippians come to mind.

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content". Philippians 4:11

Contentment sure is a nice place to be in our lives. Isn't it? No matter what the circumstances we have that ease of satisfaction. The problem I think that people have with contentment is that they get it confused with being complacent. Complacent means we don't care about things or are unconcerned, but being content is not that. When we are content, we end up caring more because we don't allow things around us to get us off track. It's being able to push forward and have that peace no matter what the circumstances.

Camellia - Graciousness

I have a lot of favorite flowers and Camellias are right there towards the top of my list. I have a large Camellia bush beside my front porch. Right now they are in full bloom and are so breathtakingly beautiful. They make me smile every time I pass them.

The meaning associated with the camellia is graciousness. I think that's a word we don't hear used much anymore and we certainly don't see it displayed much. It means excellence of manners or social conduct. Shouldn't we as Christian women embody that? The world sure doesn't. You don't have to turn on the television for more than a few seconds and you'll see ads for those reality shows that have these type of women (if you can call them women) that are anything but gracious. It sickens my stomach at how proud they are of being hateful, mean, cruel, and distasteful in every sense of the word.

As Christian women, those definitely are not our role models. I think if we want to be in full bloom as Christian women we really need to concentrate on being gracious. I have known a few very gracious Christian women in my life and to me that makes them quite breathtakingly beautiful.

"A gracious woman retaineth honour..". Proverbs 11:16

Larkspur - Beautiful Spirit

The Larkspur is a pretty flower. I've mostly seen them in purple but they can be other colors as well. I have always wanted to plant these but they can be toxic to my dog Tiffany. They are one of the most beautiful flowers for any flower arrangement. One of the meanings associated with the Larkspur is a "beautiful spirit". Wow. That's something to strive for. I've always loved that verse in 1 Peter where it is talking about a "meek and quiet spirit". Now that is a "beautiful" spirit for a Christian lady.

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4

One thing I read about the Larkspur is that some of them have become endangered and that you don't find as many anymore except for those grown specifically for flower arranging. Kind of like those "meek and quiet spirit" ladies. There doesn't seem to be an abundance of them either.

Black Eyed Susan - Encouragement

These are the most reliable flowers in my garden. I've always admired the Black Eyed Susan. They are so bright and striking that I think they normally contrast everything around them. If I need some cheering up - I go outside and spend time with my black-eyed-susans. They seem to smile all the time no matter what the weather. The meaning of the Black Eyed Susan is encouragement.

I sure love to be around encouraging people. Don't you? People that give you that special word you need just at that moment or are there to cheer you on in whatever you are doing at the time. Those bright people definitely contrast with those around them.

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers". Ephesians 4:29

Conclusion:

I think there are things in our Christian lives that we have to have like pretty flowers all lined up in a row. Things like these four- contentment, graciousness, beautiful spirits, and encouragement. There are other things too all involved in our Christian living such as love, compassion, and all those other things Christ taught us. When we have these things in order, we have a tendency to live our Christian lives in a more beautiful way.

So, are your flowers all in a row?

All About Fathers

All About Fathers

How can we make the men in our lives feel special on Father's Day? As my kids were growing up, we always celebrated Father's Day in style. We started with making him a very special breakfast...each kid made her own special recipe and presented it to her Papa. Then we would all go to a park of his choice. Now that they are grown up - the tradition continues. You too, can start making a tradition or continue doing what you have always done, but add a twist to it.

Here are some themes I found that are so simple, yet fun!

To those who love to play golf or other sports, decorating with grass and other natural elements can be fun. You'll never have to buy these decorative accents- you can just go to your backyard or park and collect various twigs, grass and sticks.

And for those who love gadgets....

Make a Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Tart!

Crust
2 cups organic chocolate cookie crumbs (see recipe below for how to make raw ones, or use store bought conventional ones) 1/4 cup coconut oil

Filling
1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked in water from one to three hours, then drained 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons agave syrup 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract

Make the Crust
Mix coconut oil into cookie crumbs until crumbs hold together. Press in a very thin layer in tart pan and chill in freezer before filling.

Make the Filling
Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or food processor until very smooth. Fill cookie crumb crust and chill in freezer overnight. Remove tart from pan and serve. Store leftovers in freezer.

For Raw Vegan Cookie Crumbs
To keep this recipe raw, you’ll need to make these raw cookie crumbs which require the use of a dehydrator. Otherwise, just use store bought organic cookies to crumb. 2 cups cocoa powder 2 cups oat flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup agave syrup 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
1. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well with hands.
2. Crumble into small pieces (no bigger that 1/2 inch) onto dehydrator screens. Dehydrate for three days.
3. After dehydrating, process in food processor until small crumb consistency is reached.
4. Sift crumbs from flour, use flour for another recipe.

Have fun with your fathers next weekend!

LOOK BETTER, FEEL GOOD!

This was the theme we chose for our afternoon of beauty, rest and relaxation. As a woman, I firmly believe that if one makes the effort to look good for the day, she will feel good. The good feeling radiates out to ones countenance. To those who did not make it, I am sharing our devotional and pictures of that fun afternoon at Marie's beautiful home.

"Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.' Proverbs 31:30 Some may have heard about the little boy who asked his mother why she was putting on cold cream. She replied that she was making herself beautiful. When she went to take off the cold cream, the little boy wanted to know what was the matter. Was she giving up? That little boy misunderstood the concept of the art of becoming beautiful. Sometimes, we as Christian women misunderstand God's concept of becoming beautiful in Christ.

There is nothing wrong with working on our outward beauty in itself. We are children of the King, so why not look the part? We should always do our best and look our best but many times we forget about the inside and the way we project ourselves. Perhaps, sometimes we just concentrate only on one feature or area of our Christian life but not the whole and our beauty in Christ becomes skewed.

Being beautiful in Christ involves more than just the outside or just one part of us. Our verse says, "..a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." That is the beauty that transcends time and doesn't fade away.

One thing about beauty that we all know as women is that it is a daily thing. In other words we have to keep ourselves up. If we let ourselves go, what happens? We're not quite so beautiful anymore, are we? It is the same with being beautiful in Christ. We have to constantly work at it. Here are some things to help us improve our beauty in Christ.

CLEANSER. In order to make ourselves beautiful, we have to first cleanse ourselves from all unwanted impurities. Our cleansing agent works through our confession and God's forgiveness.(1 John 1:9)

MOISTURIZER. Having compassion can be a good moisturizer. When we start seeing others and their needs instead of our own it can really soften us.

WRINKLE CREAM. If we want to smooth out those wrinkles, how about applying a meek and quiet spirit? (1 Peter 3:4) FOUNDATION. We need to start with a good foundation and what is better than the Word of God? If we have the Word of God in our hearts daily, the rest of our spiritual make-up can be easily applied. (Psalms 119:11)

EYE MAKEUP. To keeep our eyes shining the brightest we need to guard then from seeing things that are not fitting of a beautiful woman in Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

LIPSTICK. To make the face complete, don't forget your lips. Apply lipstick in the shade of "Pleasantness' daily for best results. (Proverbs 16:24 says, 'Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

BLUSH. The blush we apply should be God's love radiating through us. (Romans 5:5) HAND LOTION. We don't want our hands to become dry, ugly and brittle so we need to apply some generosity and good deeds. "Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:31 FOOT THERAPY. Sometimes when we overlook our feet they get calloused and rough so we need to get them going in the right direction. Take your feet only to places that Christ would approve. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Thank you Marie, for letting us use your lovely home for this afternoon of beauty, rest and relaxation. So, ladies, DON'T FORGET YOUR UPKEEP! (From A Beautiful Woman in Christ by Julia Bettencourt)

Sisters-in-Christ Cookie Recipe

Sisters-in-Christ Friendship Recipe. I have often asked myself why fellowship and friendship with our sisters in Christ is so important? Let's check out the ingredients of the best chocolate chip cookie in the world and see.

Shortening - Provides texture. Our fellowship and friendship with our sisters in the Lord can add much depth and texture to our lives. We blend together in unity as part of the body of Christ.

Sugar - Adds sweetness. Our fellowship with our sisters adds such a sweet taste to our lives. If we didn't have suger in our cookies, we'd sure miss it. The same is with our fellowship with our sisters. We can't leave it out of our lives.

Eggs - Holds ingredients together. Sisters in the Lord are someone to lean on. We are help together by the fellowship with them. We are stronger because of them, their prayers and their love in the Lord. We have a special bond in Christ.

Vanilla - Adds flavor. Sisters add flavors we need. They give us that extra sensation. Without friends and fellowship we become kind of bland. Flour - Adds substance. We need the substance a sister in the Lord can add. They give us many things by way of mentoring us when we don't even know it. Their shared testimonies and way they live their lives has an impact on us.

Baking soda - Leavens. Leavening agents in baking helps to lighten the dough. Friendship with our sisters lightens our burdens through their prayer and encouragement.

Salt - Enhances flavor. We know that friendships add flavor and just when we need it, they help improve the tastefulness and quality of our lives. Friends are the type of people that know just what we are going through and are there when we need them.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips - The kind of chocolate chips we normally add to our cookies is semi-sweet. Our sisters in Christ tell us what they feel and think and that's okay. They can be honest and truthful to us.

Nuts - optional - Just a little craziness in a sister friend is great! Sometimes a little zaniness in our friends can be just the ingredient we need.

CONCLUSION: Friendships take a lot of time and effort to bake up but they are worth it when we sense that sweet aroma and special bond that they bring. Friends that have Jesus in common will have lasting relationships. Friends are one of the ways God takes care of us. An old saying goes, "In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips." Friends are that sweeter extra in life and even sweeter is friends among believers in Christ. This coming Sunday, May 20, we are having an afternoon of BEAUTY, REST and RELAXATION! Why don't you come and join us for a moment of fun with your friends from church. You will not regret it. It will be at Marie Macris' home, 300 Eglantine, Circle. Richmond. SEE YOU THERE!