TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #29

Tea lovers and ones that should be, let's talk about one of my favorite kinds of tea this week...MATCHA!! I love it!! Now I know I say that about all of my favorite teas, and yes, there are many, but matcha is so versatile. It enhances vanilla ice cream's flavor (and obviously changes its color to a beautiful mint or emerald green), it tastes great cold or hot, it tastes great lightly sprinkled on cold fruit, oh the possibilities are almost endless! At the end of this post, I'll give you a website to go to where you can order some of the best matcha (although there are many companies out there that probably sell a great product) and get great recipes for it. Google matcha recipes too. You'll find many great ideas that sound so delicious.

So, you want me to explain matcha a little more? Sure. I hope I give you reasons to try it. "Matcha, or powdered green tea, has a wonderful aroma, silky froth, and rich, mellow taste. High quality Matcha such as ours (the company Hibiki-An, where I get most of my Japanese green tea), is not bitter but smooth and mellow. As one moves up the scale toward the top grade of Matcha, the color becomes a more vivid green and the flavor becomes even more noble, smooth and mellow.Matcha is made from new tea leaves that have been carefully grown under diffused sunlight for 20 to 30 days before they are harvested, steamed and dried. Much Theanine, which is the source of its sweet mellow taste and noble aroma, is created in tea leaves by diffused sunlight. The dried leaves are then ground with a traditional stone mortar and pestle, called a Hikiusu.Unlike tea leaves, where one drinks an infusion made from the leaves, Matcha is consumed in its entirety, so you can directly ingest the whole beneficial constituents of Matcha."

I've mentioned this website before, but I will give you the link again here (I don't get any free tea, incentives, or anything for mentioning these people. I just love them and their tea is some of the best. I like to recommend quality products when I come across them. Their prices are reasonable too.). Go to http://www.hibiki-an.com/. Click on "matcha" in the list of tabs on the left side of the screen. Also click on "recipes" to find many delicious recipes for not only matcha, but other kinds of tea also. Tea isn't just great alone in the cup. It goes pretty far. You can get really creative.

If you've had matcha before, tell me how you like it and what other ways you've tried it, if any, besides just smooth and frothy from the cup. If you have never tried it, comment and tell me if you think you'd like to and in what way. I think that matcha is a neat way to start trying green tea, especially if you're one who has tried it from the bag or loose leaf and have decided that you really don't care much for it. Its powder form will allow you to make it as strong or mild as you'd like, it has a rich flavor, you can add milk and cinnamon and/or vanilla or whatever you'd like to make it appealing. Like I said before, the possibilities are almost endless.

Have a great rest of the week. Delight in your tea breaks or start having one!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Sorry this is up so late, wonderful readers. I've been really busy and not able to get on the internet. There is no Mommy Mondays post today, unfortunately. Hopefully, next week. But for now, join me as I let you in on my late Monday evening, in my Day Book. You can peek in on others at Peggy's place (http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/). Peggy created this precious meme. You can even do your own Day book. Join in.

For Today...September 29, 2008

Outside my Window...I'm at a friend's house doing my daybook, so I see a comfy swing on the porch calling my name (we don't have one at home). It's on a balcony, on a hill, and it looks so peaceful out, even though it's starting to get dark.

I am thinking...that I am glad to be here with my friend and her children. I'm at home when I'm here. We talk, eat, relax, and the reason I'm on the computer at her house is (and no, I'm not being rude and ignoring them while I do this) because mine is not working at home. Everybody here is watching TV right now, giving me time to work on this and other things I needed to do on my computer, but couldn't.

From the learning rooms...earlier today, our learning rooms were mobile, as we had things to do throughout the house today, so we kind of moved around. Thank God we're at home and can be mobile as needed.

I am thankful for...friends who have computers when mine isn't working (lol), Friends who love me enough to let me come to their house any time, Friends who are gracious, and loving, and kind.

From the kitchen...my friend made spaghetti and meatballs for her family and invited me to eat. If I hadn't been full from what I had already made and eaten from my kitchen (seasoned pinto beans in the crock pot spooned over a bed of rice with seasoned green beans on the side), I would have gladly joined them.

I am wearing...navy blue capris, white, leather tennis shoes, and a white t-shirt with my husband's name on it.

I am reading...the book of John and a study on the women in the Bible.

I am hoping...to get everything done on the computer tonight that I need to, not knowing when mine will be working again.

I am creating...crafts, notes, and other things to go with our study on Ancient Greece. We are loving this history lesson. We're even making clothes to model that the women wore back then.

I am hearing...the TV in the background. My friend's family members are watching shows together.

Around the house...things have a soft glow cast on them. My friend has a lovely, well-maintained home. Right now, she has lamps that are casting a soft glow on things here in the living room. It makes the room feel comfy.

One of my favorite things...is doing this daybook. I really enjoy slowing the pace of my life down and doing this every week. It helps me stop, look around, and appreciate things around me. It helps me to remain content. It helps me think of God, friends, nature, work to be done, my schedule, etc.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Help my 9 yr. old with projects, Wednesday morning classes, a few errands, and finally finishing laundry tomorrow. I'm also hoping to finish writing a "talk" I'm doing in Oct./Nov. and finish my Greek lessons.

I don't have a picture thought to share today, but I pray that each and every one of you has a very blessed and wonderful rest of the week.

Pensieve's Poetic License w/ a Cinquain-Autumn theme

Robin at http://pensieve.typepad.com/ has given us another license to wax poetically. I love it when she gets a chance to offer this challenge. Poetry, although I'm not nearly the best at it, is passion to me. I also love reading the other entries that are listed with Mr. Linky at her site for the PPL opportunity. You should click on her link and check them out.

Robin offers PPL to anyone, whether they consider themselves seasoned poets or brave first-timers. You'd be surprised how easy some forms of poetry are to write. Anyone can do it. Everyone should try their hand at it at least once. Below are my feeble attempts at a cinquain. Go to Robin's place for more details on PPL and how to write a cinquain. This offering, the theme is Autumn.

Autumn

dry, crackly

cooling, ending, coloring

excited about the hues, but the blues sets in

Seasons

Autumn

Summer's tail end

fast approaching--Wait! Wait!

Less light, shorter days sadden me.

Fall's here.

Who can tell I'm a late Spring/full Summer person?! I know. I'm in a small minority. Don't be surprised. I've always been the "different" one. ;)

THANKFUL THURSDAY

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”~ Romans 6:4 (ESV ~ emphasis Iris')

Iris, at Sting My Heart (http://www.eph2810.com/), has come up with a wonderful thankful theme and list today. She talks about "change." Oh, sometimes, to some of us, this can be a dreadful word! Who likes change? But think about it. If the caterpillar never underwent change, how would we be able to cast our eyes upon the beautiful butterfly? Aren't our lives as Christians similar? For all of you who have already given your lives to Christ for eternity, let's imagine the caterpillar was our pre-saved state. Let's imagine that we gained the knowledge that our life was spotted, tarnished, ugly, sinful, we were unable to change it, out of control, etc., whether we appeared to be moral caterpillars or not. Something should tell us that we were in need of a major change. So we agree that change needs to happen. Like the caterpillar goes into a cocoon, we go into prayer, asking the God of second chances to do what only He can do--change the old creature into a new one. We go into prayer one way, and like the metamorphosized (changed) caterpillar now turned butterfly, we come out another way, something beautiful, something that will never be the same as it was before, our chains of bondage from sin are gone. We've been set free. We've been rescued from death to life. We've been ransomed. Our tarnished surface is polished. Our inward stains have been washed by the blood of the Lamb.

"Thank You Jesus for change!! If it had not been so for me, I'd be destined for an eternal hell, permanent separation from You. I would be useless for the Kingdom, even now as I live on earth. Good morals or not, I could never see You face to face, as these character traits can't get me to heaven (good character is just the outward manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit because of salvation). I would have no eternal rewards. You would never be able to say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Even as a moral human being, all of my good works would be counted as filthy rags. But oh faithful and good God, not so for me. Because of the miraculous change that I underwent in my prayerful cocoon, because of your loving me and pursuing me first, because I answered, because I realized that I'm nothing without You and You're everything to me and for me, some day, I will go from this life to eternal life with You. I will, like the butterfly, get to try out my new body and live eternally sinless. I will behold the beauty that is You, Lord. Thank You Abba Father." Well now, CHANGE is good!

For the sake of Iris's theme, I used change, because we are new (or changed) creatures when we are redeemed by the blood, but let's look a little deeper. Are our lives changed or EXCHANGED? In all actuality, our lives are exchanged with Christ's. We exchange our lives for His. We willingly give ourselves over. Jesus paid it all and in return, we give it all--our lives for the paid ransom. It's like an exchange done at the agreed upon meeting spot in a kidnapping--the person for the money. Picture the kidnapper shoving the person toward the person with the suitcase full of money, and at the same time or simultaneously, the person with the suitcase shoves it over to the kidnapper. "I'll give you what I have in exchange for what you have." Jesus went from life as a man to death on the Cross in exchange for our sins. He took our sins upon Himself. In exchange, we earned freedom. In salvation, we give our lives to Christ, He gives us eternity and life with Him. "Thank You Lord, for the EXCHANGE! What a gift!!"

These are the things that I'm thankful for today. What about you? Click on Iris' link above and see what others are thankful for as well.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #28

Did you know that British tea merchants, seeking a trade route that would bypass the battlefields of the Crimean War, introduced Morocco to tea drinking in the mid-nineteenth century? Moroccans traditionally drink green tea (usually Gunpowder) flavored with mint (Mmmm!!!). Boiling water is poured over the leaves and immediately discarded (this will greatly reduce or even eliminate the amount of caffeine). Mint leaves and sugar hammered from a large loaf are added to the tea leaves, and water is again poured in. The tea steeps and is tasted; more sugar and mint may be added. Men--at home, either the father or the eldest son--always pour and serve the tea (alright! I'll let my husband do that!), pouring it in a stream from high above the small glasses--a spectacle in itself and a way for guests to savor the color and aroma before they drink.

What's the most exotic tea you've ever sipped and where? How was it presented and served? Did you enjoy it? Comment and let me know.

If you're new to To the Tune of Tea Tuesdays, come check in with us every week. Sometimes it's just an article (or post) that I think you'll find interesting, but sometimes I have Mr. Linky up and running because we've got something tea-themed going around, and everyone wants to share. It gives you a chance to read other tea enthusiasts' (or ones who might simply be curious about all things tea, but haven't taken the plunge yet!) blogs and comments. Grab a cup of tea or a tisane and join us! Also, go to my "labels" column and look at archived posts under this label.

All thanks be to God--Another blog award--I humbly accept

Oh my word!! Goodness gracious!! My, My My!! Someone else likes my stuff!! My stinkin' little stuff on my blog! Woohoo!! Go God!! You're the one who let me and enables me, and gives me anything good and worthy to say! I just pray that I get better and better at this blogging thing and that I use it to point someone in Your direction, God, as well as have a little fun and drink a little tea!!

e-Mom at Chrysalis (www.chrysaliscom.blogspot.com) has awarded me with the Sharing the Love Award. I LOVE HER BLOG, and I visit her as often as possible. If you haven't already visited her, YOU SHOULD ASAP. She is a very good blogger, so obviously I'm so humbled by her even thinking of me to award this to. THANK YOU E-MOM!!!

Award Rules
This award is created by Crystal at Memoirs of a Mommy in honor of Noah and the donor of this sweet little heart who ENCOURAGES us to SHARE THE LOVE. The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you. Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone know where this award originated.

Now I have to pass this award along. Well, there are many great bloggers out there, so this shouldn't be hard. BTW, if anyone is interested, I have listed 100 Jesus, Bible, Christianity-related things, and quotes in honor of my 200th post celebration post. It took me a couple of days to get it all completed, but it's done. I think you'll be interested in some of the facts, some you'll know already, some you may want to follow up on with more study of your own, and some you may just be fascinated or surprised by. If you have a while to sit down and read through some of them, check it out!

Blessings to you!

MOMMY (or caregiver/mentor) MONDAYS #27

When you pray for your children, do you pray for the friends that they hang around too? Should that be a regular part of your prayer life when it comes to your kids? After all, they're not around you 24/7, and it matters about the influence they're under.


My husband and I were talking this weekend about the fact that as humans, we want to be in control of everything, our lives, the kids' lives, our situations, etc. We know that we shoud relinquish full and total control to God, but somehow, in our human-ness, we take back control and make decisions apart from God before we know it. Well, we CAN'T always control who our children are around, or who they will encounter when we just can't have that watchful eye over them every moment. Even when we are around, there can be subtle things that happen, that we may miss, but the children surely won't miss, that happened before we were aware of what was really going on. What to do? Well for starters, realize that we can't be in control of every situation that our kids are involved in, and we can't always control whom they will encounter.


But, we can pray for the people that they will surely come in contact with, whether we're there or not. My husband and I discussed how people in the church have the misguided notion that if they only expose their children to church kids, they don't have to worry about the problem of having their children exposed to "the wrong kind." Wrong notion! The enemy and his influence is everywhere, yes, including the church. The building of the church holds no special "aura" around the doors that once inside, you're safe, and the enemy can't penetrate the walls or the doors. Children who have worldly influence do come to church. And what's wrong with that? After all, that's where they need to be. If they have any chance of right influence and coming to know Christ (if they don't know Him already), this is the place to be. Christ didn't go around seeking the saved and the near-perfect, He sought the lost and sick. He hung out with ALL kinds.


It is best, we've learned, that we focus less on whom our children may encounter (though we do talk to them about their choices and we do try and steer them in the right directions or away from obvious negative influence) and focus more on modeling Christ in our home, teaching the love of Christ and His Word, teaching right from wrong then talking about and giving our children choices in life (knowing that there is a benefit or consequence to all of their choices--even what friends they choose to hang around), etc. We feel if they focus more on these things and practice them, they will be prone to make better choices when they're out. They get the opportunity, every time they leave us, to put into practice what they've learned. They also get the opportunity, if they choose wisely, to model Christ before the unsaved.


Sometimes I say, "Too bad I can't protect them fully from everything." But that shouldn't be "too bad." I should be glad to commit the Savior and Protector, the very Creator of the children who loves their very souls, to have complete charge of and parent my children through me. I always say, He can do a much better job controlling the things that He creates, than I can. I'm just the vessel He chose to use to parent them in human form and love them. I must stay prayerful, consulting the Creator, and ask for His protection on them. I must listen to His Words on how to raise them and obey those words. This is really all that we can do. We must fully trust God with them. That is hard isn't it? It's right, and it must be done, but in all honesty, it's hard sometimes. Yes, we must relinquish what we realistically have no control of to the one who is in ultimate control.


Pray then, for your children's encounters. Pray protection around your children (their hearts, minds, bodies) when they're out and about. Pray for their decisions when you're in their presence in public places or not in their presence. Pray for their classmates and/or church mates. Some are going to be saved. Some won't. You'd have to lock your kid up in the basement to protect them from potentially bad influences, but that bad influence NEEDS your prayers. What are the goals after all, in life, or what should they be? To glorify God and bring someone else to the saving knowledge of Christ.


NOTE: If you have been reading my celebration post (for my 200th), check back today and pick up where you left off. I'm going to try and finish this post today, but if I cannot, there will be new things to read, I'll get as far as I can get, and we'll be that much closer to 100!! I think doing the post ended up being a larger endeavor than I thought, but I don't regret taking it on. I hope you learned something you may not have known about God or the Bible.