At Home With Sally

Often, people ask what drew our family close, that built a common legacy of ideals, the foundation that made all of us writers, and cultivated the kind of faith that lives in all of us today. Our souls were shaped by the daily rhythms of gathering, eating meals together, sharing in deep fellowship as a regular habit.

We must not give in to the dark side, that creates the cacophony to blot out all of the alluring, heavenly music of His voice, words. May God grant us ears to hear, hearts to listen.

Today, I have so many fun subjects on Tea Time Tuesday. Of course music for this season of Lent, food from Mary Barry, who used to be on The Great British Bakeoff, and so much more.

No two families are alike. No two children are alike. They develop at different times, have different fingerprints, differing personalities, different looks and DNA—God made them to be unique. And He did not intend for us to worry if we were doing enough at every stage of life.

Every once in a while, I feel like God kisses me on my cheek and brings along an angel friend just when I need one. Leah and I have similar hearts—we love beauty, our families, education, art, eating and drinking tea, the Lord, writing, publishing and so much more.

Today’s Tea Time Tuesday is lots of fun. Be sure to share a cuppa something wonderful with someone in your life who would enjoy a few moments of pure pleasure, relaxation and with friendship and peace.

Do you ever feel like a child? Not knowing where you are going or what you are doing? This is how many have felt throughout history—lost, confused, not sure of what is ahead or if we are capable enough to live the life we have been called to. Throughout scripture, we see that some of the most faithful heroes of faith felt lost along the way.

If only you could come sit with me and sip a golden cup of tea. I would ask you questions and hope to be of encouragement to you. We would talk about everything in the world, share thoughts and dreams, fears and failures, and give one another joy in time well-spent.

As we seek to influence the thinking, faith, love of our children, it will be as we do the work of serving, over and over again, of exercising thoughtful, kind deeds, thousands of times, one moment at a time.

I have been one of the richest women in the world because of the sweet fellowship and deep friendships I have experienced. This is what my new book Teatime Discipleship is all about—creating a place where people can become friends, grow in faith, find support and encouragement.

Through teatime discipleship, repeated over many years, my children and I became the deepest of friends. It is a tool, a holding place for creating relationships, a hopeful expectation that, “Mama wants to spend time with me, we shall be friends.”

We were not a perfect family, we had conflict through seasons, but unchanging love was the holding foundation of our home culture.

Deep friendships and connected relationships happen best when intentional encouragement is planned and given on a regular basis.

Something that seems to be true of my own life, the longer I live: “Life is a long lesson in humility.” (JM Barrie) Oh, to be openhearted to be like Jesus—that is my prayer.

God is my hope when I am out of control. He is my prayer-answerer when I am beyond my own strength. I live practicing joy because He is my audience and I want to rest in Him because He wants to be my adequacy.

This week, I am on a quest for delight—for myself and my people. We all need some moments to put away darkness and to invest in beauty, fun, celebration. Determine that this will be a week when you bring joy, beauty, delight to yourself and your beloveds.

I had no idea what motherhood would cost me in time, heart, work, creativity, love, instruction and so much more. And yet, I am old enough, seasoned through the many years to be able to say it is the most profound work I have ever undertaken—to shape real human beings in faith, virtue and purpose in life over days, months, years and decades.

This is a marathon of a life for most of us, but with every step, I come to see the loving, gracious compassion and sympathy of God at work. Most issues take longer than I want them to take—God rarely seems in a hurry. Yet, He companions us each step. Sip your tea or coffee with me today and rest in His generous love.

In a study about gentleness recently, I found no less than 8 Biblical writers that place gentleness at the core of their call to righteousness. Today's podcast is about these leaders and what they wrote. God grant us gentleness.

Lots of fun on Tea Time Tuesday today!