Life with Sally

For today's Tea Time Tuesday, I share all about our family's music, food, life, Christmas plans, inspiration. Let me know if you enjoy my ramblings. Hoping you have a wonderful week!

There was something so special about that first Shepherds' Meal that we couldn't wait to "do it again next year." And so we have. In the thirty-plus years since then, our family has enjoyed a Shepherds' Meal every Christmas Eve, no matter where we lived. Even the preparation has become a tradition—a family affair.

One of my biggest challenges in this very fraught and emotional storm was that as a young, naive believer, I didn't know some of the worst hurts in my life would come from others who called themselves Christians.

We can exist within the mundane moments of motherhood or marriage or work longer if we know that somehow it is meaningful to our over-arching life story, when we serve and patiently give of our energy to meet the needs of others.

Every single morning when we awaken, God's mercy sees our frailty and provides for a covering of grace through every moment we fall short of perfection. Every day, we can live in the freedom to know we are forgiven.

Learning to think clearly and Biblically, in order to be able to fight the formulas and ways of other men takes practice and investment of time---and it is the one way all children need to grow--to learn to think well, to learn to see the fallacies, false doctrine and rules that are man made and not in scripture--it requires thinking and being a steward of the word.

Tea is magical. Whatever you need, warmth, cooling down, cheer, calm, or peace — you can find it in a few moments where you take time to sit quietly and care for your soul.

Life will always hold difficulties beyond what we ever imagined; sadness, broken-heartedness, deep disappointments. Yet, our commitment to keeping a grid of joy will carry us through and allow us to get up, time after time, to live one more day worshipping Him right in the midst of our stories.

Education of morals, habits, character and faith determine the foundations upon which a life will be built. Strong foundations lend themselves to vast structures. Make a plan today about how you will build those foundations into your own life and that of your children!

I've found that the best way to cultivate a true, deep-rooted friendship is to commit to seeking them out, intentionally going out of our way to invite a new friend over for a cup of tea and a deep discussion.

Now is the time for us to kindle our hope, encourage one another and to stay fast as we live faithfully.

No matter how old your children become, you are the example for them. They will always be looking at you to see integrity, ideals, and how you interact with God. The longer you provide your children with wisdom based on truth, the more they will quickly consider your advice as they walk their own adult journey.

Accomplishing some great feat is no more important than living a quiet life if it is done in relationship with Jesus—who lived small, quiet, personal.

The older I am the more I see my inadequacies, selfishness, and propensity to behave in an immature way. It has led me to have more mercy, compassion, and patience with others, especially my children.

Learning to be righteous is a heart issue, not a rules-memorized issue. We cannot force righteousness on our children by legalism and harshness. This only makes them want to hide from us. But instead, we nurture and cultivate a love for goodness by cultivating it in our home each day.

Delight has been my ponder in several areas the past week. The definition of delight is: a high degree of gratification or pleasure -- joy

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays I so enjoy because it's all about gratitude in the context of relationships! It is always a treat when I can gather my ministry team for a chat, and today we're sharing a conversation about Thanksgiving traditions from our own homes.

We treat our children with respect, serve them in humility, choose to use honorable words to our husbands, to friends, because when they learn this attribute of God, they will become those who win the souls of others who are so longing for someone to validate their worth.

I wondered if it might be fun to have you join me with a cuppa something wonderful and warm, (tea, chai, coffee, cider) and sit for just a few minutes over calm, comfort, friendship and encouragement.

Love settles the heart, offering warmth and light that encourages giftings and talents to grow strong and straight.

Patience leads to all sorts of strength — spiritual, mental, physical, skill acquisition, musical accomplishment, athletic strength, academic prowess, financial security — so many blessings come through learning to be patient.

Too often, we compare ourselves to others we think have it more together. But the truth is we are all broken in some way, but family can be the healing place—the place where we see God's grace grow and flourish.

What if each of us determined to leave light to everyone we came across, to our children, to our friends and husband? But to do that, we must be in an intimate relationship to the true source of light, Christ.

Whether in the setting of marriage, friendship, family, with colleagues, or as parents, peacemaking—the act of choosing to reach out in the work of restoration—comes from a heart that worships God.

Today, sweet mama, you are building a gift of love for yourself that will bless you your whole life. Cherish this season with your precious ones and watch it grow into something beautiful.