Tea Talk -- And This I Pray

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...organic Rishi blueberry rooibos tea.  I found this tea at Whole Foods, and it is one of my favorites.  Every time I open my cabinet, I can smell its fruity fragrance, even though it's sealed with both an inner seal and a lid!  Mmm.

Rooibos in my Pfaltzgraff tea cup and saucer

I'm feeling...okay!  My back is a little sore; I think it's from bowling a few days ago.  We sure had fun with myself, three guys, and their Grandpa and Grandma.  We also ate ribs for dinner, with my homemade barbecue sauce (I'm still perfecting the recipe and should have a revised one to post soon).

On my mind...for this week, I'm thinking about a possible "internship" for Danny with an orthopedic surgeon.  We had been given the name of a surgeon a few months ago, and then that name popped up again in conversation at our homeschool convention.  We'll see where that goes.  I also have several items on my to-do list that NEED to get done.  Plus, I'm seriously itching to de-clutter and clean, but I have to do everything else first!

I leave you with...a prayer that Paul and Timothy prayed for the Christians in Philippi.  Today it is my prayer for you.  :)

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11 NASB

Threadleaf coreopsis in my new front garden

Back to life,
Christine

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Danny

Well, it's done.  Danny has graduated our homeschool high school.  It has been an amazing journey, filled with prayer, love, giggles, prayer, terror (he "ran away" from home when he was three), surprises, laughter, prayer.  It has been pure joy to see my little boy growing up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

June 12 was the official ceremony and celebration.  I'm waiting for my brother to get our "official" graduation images (both Fernando and I were on stage with Danny to present his diploma); however, I will share below some special images of the day.

Mr. Storm, one of our church elders, gave the commencement speech

Six of the eleven homeschool graduates

Beautiful and delicious, too!  (made by homeschool graduate Keren N.)

A quick side visit to several kiddos--yep, I'm drawn to them like a magnet!!

And finally, Danny's graduation display, reflecting his years growing up in our family.  We wanted to include photos of not only him, but of his brothers and family.  After all, he did not grow up alone!

Thank You, Lord, for the amazing, incredible blessing of DANNY.  :)

Back to life,
Christine

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It Takes Work

We had some beautiful days last week, and on one in particular, we I decided to transplant the overgrown flowers into a new garden.  The guys had dug it out, piled up the dirt and compost, and re-placed the rocks on top of the dirt.

They worked hard to get all of the plants into the new garden.  Well, almost all.  The flowers had multiplied so much over the last few years that I had a lot of clumps with nowhere to plant them.  I'm glad I saved all those plastic flower pots from the store!!  A lady stopped by a few hours after we had placed all the flowers at the curb with a sign.  She happily took them all.

The flowers look a bit wilted, but most of them have survived--they're even blooming!  There are two or three clumps of heliopsis that are still wilted and may die.  But they will come back next year!

My pretty beard tongue blooms in purple and pink.  It loves this garden and I love it!

Like me, Danny enjoys playing with the hose.  :)

Isn't water such fun?  :)

Garden is planted, tools are clean, guys did a ton of work.  Happy day!


Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- Whom Have I in Heaven?

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...my usual morning drink, Trader Joe's Irish breakfast tea in my Vero Beach cup from Portmeirion.  What a fun website to browse and dream through!

I'm feeling...just fine and dandy!

On my mind..is a to-do list a mile long.  I wanted to be able to relax this week, but I've been GOING every day with no chance to cross things off my list, or even to do laundry!  My goal is to post this post, do laundry, then tackle that list.

I leave you with...Scripture that my husband read out loud the other morning.  We used to sing a chorus in our former church with these lyrics, and it has been lilting through my head the past few days.

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,

That I may tell of all Your works.

Psalm 73:25-28 NASB

Daisies in my back yard

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Christine

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Treasures from the Conference

I haven't had time to reflect on last week's state homeschool conference yet.  That will come next week as I unwind from life's events and busy-ness over the last six weeks.  I have always loved watching out for God's hand of providence as He leads me, and as He orchestrates each events for His purposes, to bring Him glory.

Fernando and I spoke in one of the workshops

I'm so blessed to be able to serve our state as ICHE's Coordinator for Special & Struggling Learners.  I love being able to encourage people via email and phone calls throughout the year.  Though I'm not too keen on making cold calls (to potential conference speakers), and actually finding and securing speakers, I absolutely love planning all the other aspects of the "special needs/struggling learners" portion of our state homeschool conference!  And the actual conference with the workshops and speakers I've planned is incredible, just the fact that people come, and are encouraged, and also the fact that I have the opportunity to meet and talk to so many homeschool parents!  I'll take those four days of hard work, running around, talking, and praying any day!  I view it as "exhausted for Christ."  It's a good tired, knowing that I worked hard, that the Lord used me, and that (hopefully) people were blessed.

As I get older, it's so interesting to meet younger parents who are just beginning their homeschool journey.  We met one sweet mom with four little ones, ages four through infant.  She and her husband chatted with us at different times throughout the convention, and I finally asked her if she was older than 17!  She grinned, apparently used to that reaction from people.  After she told me she was 27, her husband chuckled and said, "I'm waiting for the day when someone asks me if she's my daughter!"  I thanked the Lord for His timing as we chatted with this vibrant couple, encouraging them on their journey.

That's just one of the tiny little treasures from the homeschool conference.  We serve an amazingly big God!

Who is the King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

The LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O gates,

And lift them up, O ancient doors,

That the King of glory may come in!

Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

He is the King of glory.

Psalm 24:8-10 NASB

Back to life,
Christine

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Remembering

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm having...black tea, wild berry, in my floral china mug from Florida.

I'm feeling...okay, here's a change from my usual "fine."  I've had a stomachache all morning.  Must have been something I ate for dinner last night, though everything tasted wonderful (chicken tacos!).  I was awake throughout the night, too, listening to the constant thunder and the pouring-down rain.  I'm trying to take it easy, doing things when I can.  There is a lot to do, but I think the Lord is telling me to rest, and to rest in Him.

On my mind...more preparations!  I'm still on a "high" from last week's state convention, but I'm also now focused on Danny's graduation celebration this Sunday.  I have been coordinating this celebration for 11 homeschool graduates (all families within our church), and I have several emails and phone calls yet to make.  However, Danny's graduation display is coming along, and we have had fun traveling down Memory Lane together all morning (when my tummy allowed me to!) as we browsed through baby pictures and images from throughout his life.

Putting Danny's display together

I leave you with...a short Scripture I read today as I take things easy and think about my Danny as he prepares for his graduation ceremony this Sunday.  I pray that he continues to seek after the Lord, acknowledge Him in all his ways, delight in His law, and remember His Word.

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,

As much as in all riches.

I will meditate on Your precepts

And regard Your ways.

I shall delight in Your statutes;

I shall not forget Your word.

Psalm 119:14-16 NASB

My back yard garden bench on a hot June day

Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- A God Who Sees

Welcome to my home!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

I'm at our state homeschool convention right now!  It's close to home, but since I coordinate the portion of the convention dedicated to families homeschooling their special and struggling learners, Fernando and I are staying at the hotel with all the speakers.  So I've written this post early so I don't miss Tea Talk (one of my favorite blog times of the week!).

I'm having...Irish Breakfast tea in my new cup that Fernando let me purchase on our vacation in Vero Beach!  Lori took me to a little kitchen shop and we spent a happy time browsing, drooling, and ooh-ing and aah-ing over the (mostly) expensive items.  I don't normally "window shop," but this was a lot of fun!  The cup comes with a tea steeper that sits on top, and a lid that doubles as a coaster.  I have drunk my tea in this cup every morning since we got back home.

Detail of the flowers which are on each side

I'm feeling...Since I'm typing this up early, I'm going to guess that I'm tired but filled with adrenaline, running around making sure everything is in order.  Our first workshop starts at around 2:00pm this afternoon.

On my mind...you guessed it!  Are my speakers here?  Is everything set up properly?  Are my volunteers ready?  I could go on...

I leave you with...the devotion that I wrote for ICHE's "30 Days of Devotions and Prayer," which they emailed to their subscriber list each day in May to lead up to the convention.  Don't worry, it's not too long, and you don't have to read it if you don't want to!  My devotion was emailed on Day 17.

God who Sees

[Hagar] called the name of the LORD who spoke to her,

"You are a God who sees"

Genesis 16:13a NASB

The five-year-old schoolgirl peered into the shoebox diorama that she had painted blue to mirror the ocean. She fingered the little shells on her desk, then glanced around. No glue. She sat for a minute, then another, and another, frozen. Too timid to raise her hand, she desperately thought, “Someone please notice! Help me!” An eternity passed, then—a hand touched her shoulder, and the kind words floated down, “Oh, honey, you need glue! I have some right here for you.” She was saved.

Even today, I can recall both the terror of that childhood memory, and the sweet relief that washed over me when the teacher noticed my plight. I have remembered that seemingly minor incident throughout my life—when our son was diagnosed with autism (what do we do now?), when we began homeschooling (can I really do this?), through years of painful health issues (will I ever feel better?), and as our children have grown into adulthood (did we do a good job?). I have often wondered, “Does the Lord notice my troubles? Does He care?”

Hagar must have asked these same questions. Given to Abraham by Sarah, Hagar conceived. But Sarah treated her harshly, and she fled into the wilderness. She was pregnant, feeling abandoned, and alone. But the Lord saw her—not simply glancing and turning away. His seeing implies compassionate watching and caring. It is filled with mercy and love. He took heed of Hagar in her distress, and poured out His lovingkindness upon her. He also sees me, throughout each season of life, and graciously guides my steps with His hand. He truly is the God Who Sees.

Columbine in my front porch garden

God bless you on this wonderful Thursday!!


Back to life,
Christine

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