The Tea Party Tradition

Tea parties are something that every girl should enjoy. Over the past six years my sister and I have made a tea party tradition with our Idaho cousins, each time that we get together with them, we have a tea party.

Each year's tea party has been very different. We've held dress up tea parties and come as you are tea parties, picnic tea parties and elegant dining tea parties. But there are several parts of our tea parties that have never changed, there are always the same four girls, and we always serve 'angeled' eggs, cucumber sandwhiches, and tea. And there is always more food than the four of us can eat.

This year as our families were together over the Christmas holidays, we held a Christmas tea party, complete with pumpkin pie, cheesecake, and an assorted box of Christmas cookies, which we had baked in the days proceeding the Tea Party. We brought all of our treats to the upstairs bedroom where we had previously set up our tea table, and proceded to enjoy hearty laughs, more food than we needed and an absolutely splendid time together.

The Message of the Season

Since moving, we have visited two churches in the area, and found both of them to be quite nice. Both churches were very different, one being a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church and the other being a First Baptist Church, there was however a common bond which we found between these two Churches. Both of the messages preached were, in their own manner focused on Peace. Not on the peace that we occasionally find in our circumstances but on a peace that we are to find in our savior. Both pastors entreated their congregations to look for peace in the one who came to earth at Christmas time to save us, not in our circumstances not in our ability to calm our souls, but in the one who is willing to bring peace to each individual if they will seek it through him.

This Christmas hasn't been a very peaceful Christmas for our family, it hasn't even felt much like Christmas, except for the music and the gifts that have been wrapped or are waiting to be wrapped. Perhaps this is God's way of reminding us that even when life isn't peaceful, when there are many small details to be figured out and all of a sudden everything that was familiar seems to be swept away, we can still find peace in him.

Eternity in their Hearts

I had the pleasure of hearing missionary Don Richardson speak at Discovery Hills Evangelical Free Church, earlier this year which in itself was a treat, but what really made it meaningful was that I had already read one book by him (Peace Child), and looking forward to reading another of his works this year for school. At the time I knew that I would be reading the book he wrote, Eternity in Their Hearts, and just a few weeks back I pulled it off the shelf to begin devouring its pages.

One of the first things I noticed about this book was how quickly he jumped into the stories which make up the whole point of the book. At first I was a little stunned and confused by the speed with which he jumped right into the middle of things, but after getting used to his style I’ve found the book fascinating, not to mention informative.

This book has given me a greater appreciation for a being that was already awe inspiring to me. Don Richardson’s book was written to prove that all people groups already have some basic idea of God, that they have already in some way come to know certain aspects and parts of him. The stories he tells about these peoples are enough to send shivers down my spine, it truly amazes me what our God has done, and the many ways he reveals himself to all peoples. Eternity in Their Hearts does an amazing job acquainting the readers to the awesome things that our God does. There are so many small facts that aren’t commonly known to your average Christian and somehow Mr. Richardson has sought out these morsels of information and compiled them into a book for anyone to read.

Each one of these stories on their own really helps you to appreciate what God has done, but when you have a book filled to the brim with them it is enough to inspire awe in the hearts of everyone.

Sunshine, Beautiful Sunshine!

We woke up to a clear sky this morning, though at 6:45 a.m. it was still dark out side. I can't tell you how happy I was to see the blue sky, and have the sun shining in through my window. I've spent a considerable amount of time sitting in the chair by the window staring out at the pond and soaking in the sunlight. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed the sun until suddenly it had disappeared behind a wall of grey clouds for four consecutive days.

Music Filled with Hope

It hasn't seemed very much like Christmas around this hotel, the one remnant that we still have with us is our Christmas music collection, which has kept me going through the days. This morning as I listened to John Tesh Christmas Worship I was encouraged by the words I heard. They went like this:

If a star can be a sign

That the light is breaking through

And a child in your arms

Makes the whole world seem brand new

We can embrace all the grace We've been given

Stand in the light

Of the wonder we live in

This is your gift

This brand new day

So take it to heart, take it on Faith

Open your eyes and don't be afraid to learn how to live

Cause this is your gift

This brand new day

This is your gift

When it's hard to say a prayer

When you're overcome by fear

And you see each day

Through a thousand falling tears

Hope takes your hand, and it picks up the pieces

Love comes to life

As we live and believe it

This is your gift

This brand new day

So take it to heart, take it on Faith

Open your eyes and don't be afraid to learn how to live

Cause this is your gift

This brand new day

This it your gift

This is a new beginning, this is where we start

We'll take what God has given, and live it from the heart

This is your gift

This brand new day

So take it to heart, take it on faith

Open your eyes and don't be afraid to learn how to live

Cause this is your gift

This brand new day

This is your gift.

This song stirred something in me as I sat in our hotel suite with a cup of tea in one hand and a school book in the others. I had felt like crying all morning, and though the music didn't stop the tears from filling my eyes, it reminded me that it is possible to pick up the pieces and start again. It told me to remember that this world is indeed a wonder to behold even if you are beholding it through 'a thousand falling tears,' it's worth noticing because it is God's gift to us. In short it was a good reminder to be happy and look for the good things in life.

We have arrived

Amidst the tearstained cheeks and downcast faces, we arrived Saturday night at the Residence Inn. It was a rather bittersweet arrival, one that for all the world I wish I could undo. But alas, what must be, must be, and I am determined to find as much pleasure as is possible in this new experience (I'm finding it rather difficult). I know that our Heavenly Father has a reason for bringing us here, I know that he has something for us to do here, and I will seek with all my heart to understand what job it is that he has for us.

One of the bright spots of color in my day is knowing that at the end of the day Daddy will be home to spend the evening with us. It has been a long 12 weeks with Daddy working here and us living in California, but now that has come to an end. I love to spend the evening with all eight of us in one place, we are whole again!

Another thing to be thankful for is the rain, though we just found out the Oregon is having a dry spell. Our family loves the rain, there is something very comforting about raindrops bounding agianst the window panes. And the fog looks amazing, even in this place there is beauty. It is not a beauty that I am familiar with, but I'm sure as time passes I will learn to love it every bit as much as I loved the California beauty. Then I can enjoy both of them, and have twice as much beauty to revel in.

As a whole living in Oregon does have some benefits. I'm sure that the longer I spend here the more benefits I will find, as I find them, I will share them with you.