How did you celebrate the Royal Wedding?

The question today is how did you spend this Friday the day of the royal wedding?
On Friday, in pajamas and all, we got up at 5am and watched the royal wedding on the television. Later, we changed to British shirts, waved the British flag around while wearing England flag ribbons. We even put a British flag outside of our house for the world to see how great of a day it truly was.
In England, some celebrated the wedding by going to street parties like Prime Minister David Cameron, while others dressed up in the colors of the British flag to represent how proud they were to be British or just to be apart of the very memoral day. Prince William and Princess Catherine celebrated with a royal kiss and then went to after parties.

So whether you were in England to see the royal wedding or were stuck somewhere else in the world, how did you celebrate this date that will go down in history?

Please have a cup of tea with me today.
"There is always room for one more."

Street Parties for Will and Kate

As many street parties are being hosted around England, let's look into the history of the "street party."
Street parties date back to 1860s.
The first one, that we can trace, was in Glamorgan, Wales.
In 1863, there were street parties to celebrate the marriage of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.
In 1897, on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, schools had a week off in celebration.

Perhaps the best street parties that will go down in history will be the ones that celebrated the end of World War II, VE Day, which my mother/Nana remembers. The pictures themselves depict the happy spirit of the ending of a war.
Tomorrow, there will be 5,500 street parties held across Britian and even more in Southern England. Eighty-five street parties have been applied for to take place in the Richmond Borough of London. This amount probably does not even include village or home gatherings.
Let's not forget us Brits who live in other countries who will be up bright and early, watching this royal occassion. "Yes, Mum, the kettle will be on."

Wishing Will and Kate all the best.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Who's battlefield will win?

Douglas MacArthur said"It is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it" I think this is an amazing quote, to me it does not just talk of facing a battle in a war type situation but also a battle in our minds and spiritual battles. I think in life one has to come to terms with trying to win in whatever battle you are fighting that by no means, means you always have to be right and you always have to have the last word. To me it is winning on the right battlefield in some peoples eyes it may not be winning ,saying sorry when no one else is, offering a hand or a kind word to a crying person that may well be winning. Depression is a huge battlefield one I know little about but one that i have seen hurt people and even kill them. I do believe it is finding the will to win that allows us to see glimpses of Hope. In this world that is simply not enough unless we turn to God and make sure that we are winning on the right battlefield.
So today whatever you are going through make sure you are fighting on the right battlefield make sure that in it you can deep down say with conviction that no matter what others think you can stand before God and know in your heart you did what is right. Not easy but surely a better life to live than never to have tried at all.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Happy Easter 2011

As churches pack and children gobble chocolates take a moment to think of something you can do for someone else. Call someone, cut their grass, offer them a cup of tea. Today is about Christ raising from the dead but let us take that rememberance and raise a standard of going beyond our own four walls and living out what we say we are.
From my family to yours and you have a wonderful Easter.

Please have a cup of tea today with us.

There is always room for one more.

Amazing Art Amazing Sharon

I am a person who believes strongly in making sure that people who deserve the praise get it. You will see me after buying food in a grocery store asking to talk to the manager, if the cashier has been polite. To me it is simply the right thing to do.

So let me introduce to you Sharon, my friend for many many years. Sharon is an amazing wonderful woman with a huge heart she studied art at Cambridge University.

She draws for a card company and also on commission. Her art work to me depicts England and just her love for friends and life itself.

She is very down to earth and perhaps in truth that is what draws me to her.

If you know of anyone interested in buying her art work or commissioning her please contact her at

sckulea@hotmail.com

To me praising and helping people is not a task it is doing what is right and I truely wish my friend all the best. I am sure she will one day be as famous as Beatrix Potter.

Please see some more of her artwork on my other blog http://englishdelights.blogspot.com

Happy Easter

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Two organizations, one mission to change lives how about you?

William Booth and Clara Barton two people, two different countries yet one common thing to make a difference and change lives. In 1881 Clara Barton founded The Red cross in 1865 William Booth founded the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army and The Red Cross has made a huge difference in the worlds we live in from floods, famine and relocating families and friends these organizations today stand like no others. William Booth a minister and Clara Barton a nurse. Maybe ordinary people to some but today their societies go into devastating area's and help the common person to rebuild and move on in their lives.
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf on this site you can see how much this one organization does. Also http://www.redcross.org/ on this site see how the red cross makes a difference. Today as I asked for money to raise for my local area which has been devastated by many tornadoes I knew that these two societies would be there to make a difference even when the media is gone.
The question asked is how will we make a difference a simple thank you a simple leaving a package on a step or sending money to someone not wanting the praise. I doubt if Clara or William truly understood how their organizations would change so many peoples lives. In truth a man who died on a cross and spread out his arms and impacted generations I wonder if those people that day ever even fathomed how many lives would be changed by a man called Jesus Christ.
I hope I make a difference. How about you?
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Nothing nice to say then Shut up.

Yes there are few times I am ticked off. But to me in life if you have nothing nice to say then as the old saying goes don't say anything at all. We all have flaws and faults I have at times a big mouth. Not proud of it, but throughout the years I have tried to tame my big mouth which some of my family members like to point out, sometimes on a daily basis. I never have had acne nor had an issue with weight well one time i was over 10 stone my mum bought me big clothes which immediately made me go on a diet. As children we were quick to point out weight issues with my sister and if she had acne to point it out as well. How absolutely nasty and cruel this all was. Yet to this day old and young a like seam to like to point out the flaws in others instead of just shutting up and been a friend. It is almost like been polite and strong values no longer exists. So yes my words today are a little strong but did Christ ever go up to the leper man and say or email him and say you know you really looked bad today I am sending you some helpful hints of what to do. No Christ made the man feel like he was a king he thought of him no less and he healed him. Oh if we were more like that.
See the good around us and simply if you have nothing nice to say yes simply shut up.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Count your Blessings

Count your blessings name them one by one and see what God has done. How many times have we heard that one. Yet through my life I have chosen to do that. When my parents divorced for years I always looked at the bad yet now I see that there were good memories in it all as well and I am thankful for them. Today my children had some of my friends come over sure I would of loved to have had tea with Eunice, Sharon and Marina in England or visited my sister and my mum. But here were some amazing friends who truly loved and cared about me and my children truly blessed little old me. In all my mess a group of women cared. Women together can do amazing things. We go through labor and trials yet still we stand. My Birthday was a blessing in the midst of my tornado's in my life there were many things to be thankful for. Look around and you will see the good God that has done even in adversities. Happy Birthday to me and thank you to my wonderful friends and children. For I am blessed even in my adversities. Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Heroes in the eye of the storm.

Yesterday as many may know we were hit but a bunch of tornadoes the deadliest for the state of North Carolina in one-hundred twenty-five years. My children's dad came over and drove while the winds and storm were literally behind him some may of called him a fool others a person who wanted to be with his children if something was going to happen. Today as we drove and saw trees, homes and power lines down one couldn't help but be thankful. For the many organizations that are involved in these clean ups that life brings, Police, hospitals, Red Cross, Progress energy and many many others. From a simple friend, neighbor or relative caring or like my Pastor praying or my friend Kellie Fowler writing on her blog of how thankful she is. These are all hero's. So as a tornado comes and goes in our lives I say reach out to one another no one is an island on their own. We all need each other.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Tornado's in our lives.

Today there was tornado watches all over where I live. Isn't it interesting how these our forcasted and it flashes across television programs to warn people.Yet in our lives nothing prepares us for the tornadoes there is no warning ,nothing. All of a sudden a person can be picked up and swirled for a moment, days even years and eventually the tornado drops you down and stops like nothing has ever happened. Yet you are now changed. How do we as humans survive such pressure and such power. I think for me I have found a good church to be honest I have been blessed to know a few. I have a couple of good friends and an amazing God. But even those are not enough at times,it seems. One has to be very strong keep crying out to God. I do not know how a person can do it otherwise. Whatever your tornado is I truly hope it does not last for long and that you find a few good friends and an amazing God and when the tornado is gone that you are a better person. Happy Birthday Mum/Nana. Please have a cup of tea with me today.

The Berlin Wall in our lives.

The Berlin wall went up in 1965 and was built to keep East Berliners away from Soviet controlled East Germany States. Although to begin with the wall did not really exist with the vast attempts to escape a wall eventually did go up in 1965. It had 300 watch towers and had 45,000 separate sections each 3.6 meters high and 1.5 meters wide and was over a hundred miles long. The collapse of this wall came in 1989. I do remember seeing the wall fall and people crying. It was probably one of the few times that I was choked with tears. That wall I had heard of many times just like the IRA bombings in Ireland. With all this information said I cannot but think of how many Berlin Walls we build my dad was one of these. About 5 years ago I decided to seek a counselor and move on from the Berlin Wall of hurt and anguish that I had to this man that had called me Little Lee. I did it to save my own life and then to save my children. I had built up such a wall and although on Fathers Day I would cry a tear or two, I still could not get over the pain I felt against this man and how abandoned i felt by him. Berlin Walls live all around us a divorce, a death a tragedy can allow us to build one. The watch towers are as numerous as those on the actual Berlin Wall. It took guts for that day to come and officials to make it possible for this great wall to fall. God is not into Berlin Walls yet through human nature we build them for self preservation. The day I let go of my hurt from my Dad was a Berlin Wall been crumbled. Like the balloons been let go on My Brothers Birthday I felt freedom. My wall lasted approximately 24 years. To this day I am thankful I choose to move on. Don't let your Berlin Wall hold you back nor let it hold you captive the day The Berlin Wall fell was one that will go down in history and the day yours goes down will be one you will never forget. You can do it. Don't let time hold you captive. Or as my daughter Emily says "Don't let the Berlin Wall crush you, but you crush the Berlin wall."

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Great walls of China in our lives.

The great wall of China is 5,500 miles and was built over a period of three hundred years. It is disappearing due to erosion and the many people who visit it. I myself have never seen it maybe one day I will. But the great wall of China is like our lives each year miles are put onto it. Parts are eroded by hurtful things said to us, parts are left derelict by simply not keeping our lives in check whether it is by been bitter or not saying sorry those all erode our lives. It is amazing looking at pictures of this amazing wall ,we will never know all who were involved, never know their families yet there stands a wall that is known throughout the world. Our lives are similar no one will know the full impact that certain people have on our lives no one will know the many roads we have traveled to get to a place or the broken parts we had to cross walking closely to the edge trying not to fall in. The great wall of China is a magnificent fete of architecture and so are our lives. If you are walking along the edge like I so often do make sure you take someone with you and remember through the erosion and through the decayed wall you are amazing. Please have a cup of tea with me today.

The Bridge

Last night I went to an event called The Bridge at Hope community church. Dr.Greg Belcher preached on The in-laws, brave man to even look at this subject. Today I googled and found out that the longest bridge is in China The Qingdoa Haiwan is 26.4 miles and took four years to build at a cost of $8.5 million. Dr. Greg Belcher preached and shared how we can set boundaries with in-laws and gave us handouts,I couldn't help but realize that England and America are not so differant on this subject. It does not matter what country you are from the in- law issue is still the same just talked about in differant places at pubs in England and at a gatherings in the States still the same talk The inlaws against us.

I think Dr. Greg Belcher was brave to go down this road of discussion. But like the Bridge and it's length I know for myself the road has seen more than 26.4 miles. The cost of many tears beyond $8.5 million and I am not alone.

In hindsight the best thing anyone can do is look for the best in someone we can only change ourselves and often huge expectations are put out onto others who have no idea that these expectations even live.

There are many Bridges so to speak in our lives and as I sit here no inlaws in my life, so to speak, I do reflect at how I handled that Bridge in my life. I was not the best. But I surely have learnt a lot through it.

The Bridge I love the best is Tower Bridge in London. If we could all think of a Bridge that we just love and try one small step at a time to cross that Bridge instead of making it like the Bridge in China so long maybe the journey would be just a little easier and the cost more rewarding. Instead of this cold frosted little bridge in England that is in the photo. The sun can shine it is all in just taking one step at a time.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Grieving takes time to heal.

Grieving multiple loses I think is very hard. I was married eighteen years and dated about nine months. My brother died and so did his wife.My parents divorced after twenty seven years of marriage when I was fifteen. So in all that there has been many loses. I went to a singles ministry at Hope community church in Cary there was praise and worship and a message. Dr. Greg Belcher is a man who obviously has been lead to minister to singles of all ages. A man well educated yet has gone down a road least traveled and ministers now to singles, some hurting some just needing guidance. It is like taking a fish out of a pond and telling that fish to swim in the Atlantic ocean. It is different not impossible just different. http://www.gethope.net/adults/communities My advice is take little steps, know that a situation does not define you, it is what you become through that situation and who you will be at the end of it. I may never stand on the top of mount Everest but at least I will take one step to climb my own mountains. You can do this too just one step is a huge beginning. Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Skype

Skype is this video connection that hooks you up with family and friends so that you can video chat over the Internet. After not seeing my sister and her family for years we got to see them all on Skype. I will have to say my adorable niece was as wonderful and as lovely as four years ago her laugh infectious and her spirit just a joy to see and hear. She is an amazing young lady who I hope stays in my life and my children's lives for a long time.

My daughter Emily said "I wished there was skype for Heaven".

As amazing as skype is I think God holds the best to the end and so I am kind of glad that there is no skype for heaven.

For now I will Cherish the moments of seeing Dear Jude via the Internet and Cherish that God allowed us to glimpse into her life.

Where ever you live hold onto the wonderful memories make new ones where ever it is on skype, facebook or in a written letter.

Remember the best is yet to come.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Happy mothers Day to Me 2011

As a single mum one does not get much praise you balance everything kind of like a fork balancing everything on it and the kitchen sink as well. It is not an easy road. My girls make the sunshine even when I am terribly homesick with British things and smiles that brighten up the worst shower. So to all you Mum's out there go have a bubble bath, have a cup of tea laugh and read a book the fork with all it's balancing act will still be there tommorrow, but for one day just make it yours. Love you Mum Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Little Andrew.

I will have to say that there are few little boys that make me smile. On March 30th when we let go of fourty nine balloons for my brother a little boy Andrew smiled and laughed as we let them go into the sky. His smiling little face was to be cherished. As I reflect on us letting go of these balloons how sweet of God that a little boy was there, to smile and laugh. Perhaps in it all God made sure a little boy was there to see it all. I am so glad that his little smiling face is forever in the pictures of that day. Thank you God. In all those old photos perhaps God has reasons for the sneaky little smiles in the photo's. Laugh a little smile a little and even in the blues there is a little sunshine. Please have a cup of tea with me today.