New Day.

Got loads done today.It felt like I was cleaning out my life. I wish it was that easy. Perhaps in it is at least some days. Taking a new look at where life is and trying to focus on the good rather than the bad, trying to do just one thing positive each day and maybe even laughing along the way. I painted the steps that needed, I looked at net curtains and remembered them as a child.

A new day is some what scary and some what daunting I guess we just have to take small steps and see where they lead us.

Here's to new days and new beginnings.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Nine years ago minus one day.

Well so my younger daughter does not feel left out. I am writing how I felt nine years ago. Katie has bought me such joy. Lots of people call her minnie me. She has gumption and is funny says what she thinks and is full of life. Loves her sister, loves the dogs and her friend Gracie. She completed my life in ways she will never know. Her little joy of loving the great out doors how brave she is with her braces and ear piercing and she always has a smile that chases the worst day away. I am so blessed to have her. She has been a little miracle in some dark years and I am blessed to say that she is my little girl, Thanks Katie.
I never knew how I could possibly love two children but I truly learnt I needed her more than she will ever know.
Many blessings to you all today.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Single Mum's

Looking back over the last four years I am amazed at how I have kept on going. God's grace has shown up in so many wonderful places, food been given to me, the A/C been checked for free, clothes and grass cut. It is very tough been a single mum in the States and truely in any country. Often we think of single motherhood as those who are divorced or widowed but many a mum is single even in a marriage. You hug with one hand and work out how you can fix the car with the next. You wonder little about how your hair looks like or if you have make up on. You carry a toothbrush and a screw drive. Hey as long as you have clean breath your good. If you have children the balancing act is like juggling ice cubes on a hot day. Yet there are moments when single mum's just cry. Last night was one when I just cried . I love my grief share group. I stood after the class in tears no one sends sympathy cards when you get divorced yet here I was crying inside and been honest that perhaps I was little angry about it all. The great thing is I got to cry with another single mom and we just sat hoping for a better day. Tears may roll down my eyes and while I carry a tea towl in the other, but one thing I know for sure. God has bought me this far.
I encourage you to reach out to single mum's it is a hard road, lonely at times. It is a place where in giving you see so many blessings.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Sieve on your head.

I often wonder when I look back at the photo of my daughters playing with my mum and a sieve on their head. If we aren't all walking around with sieve's on our heads. I mean we hear things yet we often allow the good to just strain through us like going through a sieve leaving us with just this yucky mess. Sieves come in many shapes and colours and have the ability to refine things. Yet so often we walk around with the sieve on our head waiting for it to some how magically turn the right way around and our minds process the things correctly. I wonder after all I have gone through if at times I indeed have had a sieve on my head. It is remembering that if we allow a sieve like God to be used correctly it refines and makes us new.

So no more putting sieves on your head.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

To be Honest or not Honest that is the question?

Many people say a white lie does not hurt. If someone dies and what you thought was the truth you find out to be a lie it surely hurts you then. It is like a child taking a cookie out of the cookies jar some may say no one saw you so why worry and others have said Honesty is over rated. It is amazing to what lengths someone will go to make others feel bad rather than being honest. The question then comes to my mind is how much is your integrity worth, who are you when no one is looking and what do you really want people to remember you by.

The Bible talks how lies will not prosper a man. Also what we think in our heart will spill out into our lives.

My answer to my question better to be honest and upright and live a life that is of value rather than go to your grief a poor miserable person who's lies are found out.

It might be a harder road but has so many wonderful rewards.

Please have a cup of Tea with me today.

Our Hiding Place

The "Hiding Place" is a book written by Corrie Ten Boom I have never read the book but I know of how it has reached and touched many lives. Corrie used her horrific trial to touch many for Christ. Hiding Places are what we all need in life. I loved walking in the woods as a child. If you ever get the chance to go to Roman Camp in Aylmerton in Noth Norfolk England go it is amazing. The trees all around you, I remember as a child walking through those woods as the dusk fell feeling quite scared yet safe as the wind child my whole body. I look back at those times with fond memories I loved those woods they were an escape from home. At times I have felt like my friends were an escape my hiding place so to speak. In truth though are hiding place should be God. When my brother died I felt very distant from God I had so hoped Scott would live now that dream had gone my hiding place of believing was no longer ,God had stepped in. Like with my marriage my hiding place of so believing for things to turn around has now moved to another chapter. In life we so often hide in other places or people looking for those to comfort it us. It is truely only in God that we find our Hiding Place.
My Hope for you is that you can find your Hiding place in God and learn to just be you in that place.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Wow so much in one month how does God do it?

Well I was handed divorce papers before Christmas, I had an emergency root canal was allergic to two medicines, had pink eye. My daughter had her ears pierced, I mean how brave compared to me and my other daughter nearly passed out in Wal Mart gettting the ER out and is still feeling sick. Great job to all those who helped with my daughters at Wal Mart Garner they were awesome. As I sit here and reflect on just a month, less alone a year. I wonder how does God do this? I mean wow. It just amazes me that I am just one person yet God balances it all. He knows all what is going to happen and nothing suprises Him. He see's the good, bad and the ugly and He does not blink an eye. Wow what an amazing God. I mean yesterday there was a nurse there was an ER person in the store and there was little old me. If I look back at many things wow God is so amazing. Thank you for looking after me and my amazing girls I don't know how you do it but I am sure in AW. Thank you.

He is that Awesome for you every day.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

God's Family

Through a pebbly parking lot, there is a squeaky, old-englished gate. It leads into a lush garden beside an alluring house. To the side, the washing line flurries in the bitter wind; but inside, you find a searing kettle bubbling with warm tea. You are taken in by an affectionate women and handed the fervent tea along with a biscuit. The welcome enhancement of the old-englished house lures every enjoyment into a child's heart. This is what I wrote about my dear friends in England. They are so kind and love us. They always had welcome arms for whenever we came to England so that we could stay with them. Just like their open arms, God holds His arms wide open to you. He wants you to be in His family for Him to comfort you and protect you. Just like the Aspinall's warmth, God has room for you in His family, and whenever you are ready to come in, He will be there waiting with arms wide open.
So next time you pass the pebbly parking lot, will you go inside or will you stay in the bitter coldness?
Please have a cup of tea with me.
Emily

203 Posts and Em's Birthday.

Well I forgot to the other day to celebrate 200 blogs but I like the number 3 so I will celebrate 203 and my daughters Birthday. We made Penne from Jamie Oliver's cook book we love, super easy. Penne, parmesan, cream, bacon and egg yolks super yummy. My daughters and I love it. My mum sent wonderful necklaces and always sends UnBirthday gifts. The weather was nice too. As I reflect back on the years. I find myself remembering times of Emily pulling out clothes, pushing tiny specks off slides before she would go on them putting shoes together very carefully and folding up every piece of wrapping paper. Now this little girl plays the flute encourages others and is such a joy. The time has slipped through my fingers so to speak. Like the stirring of a good cup of tea Em has become an amazing young woman. Maybe we are like tea the more God stirs us the better we become. The more we become like Him and in His image a refreshing cup of British Tea.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Fifteen years ago minus one day.

Fifteen years ago minus one day I was not a mum. I was a woman who was 29 and was 7 days late. I did not know that in the next 24 hours I would be a Mum and that my dearest friend would come with me to the hospital and see an amazing young lady born. That young lady has inspired me, made me laugh and has been an amazing blessing to my life. But Emily's birth had it's moments she was delivered by forceps and for those moments we all gasped at the emergency of her delivery. Life is often like that we need an emergency operation from God, He comes down with his forceps and pulls out of the murky situation. My daughter has been a true blessing to me. I will never ever forget that day, nor how I felt nor the fact that she changed my life forever. In many ways Emily opened up my heart to see life very differently. Through all that these last years have thrown at me I am thankful that God is still with me still able to pull out the forceps and care for me. Finally weather you have children or not see the blessings around you there are many we often just don't see them. One final note night 14 year old.Love you Mum.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Wishing Days.

My mothers Birthday is April 16th and mine is April 18th. As a child I would wish my mothers Birthday away to get to mine. So much to the point, that we all were given unBirthday gifts on each others Birthdays. My children's Birthdays are 11 days a part. My younger daughter true to form of who I was as a child has counted down the days to her older sisters Birthday adding that then it is so many days to hers. I think this is rather funny bringing back memories of me as a child My brothers Birthday would come March 30th then lets get rid of mum's and then yeah mine.Isn't it funny how in life we wish days away to get to a certain day, missing little gems along the way. Today a child wanted to see me I was busy. But as soon as I could I looked to see if they were still there and went over and hugged her picking her up and making her feel important. To some a small thing but to her everything.
I don't wish for My mum's Birthday to go any more in fact I am thankful each year that she is alive. But I often wish other days to go and some times I just miss out. It is in those moments that we might find small gems like hugging a child making someone smile and even laughing or crying a tear. My youngest daughter is a true gem and her sister too. They may wish days away now but as they look back they may hold onto them for a life time.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Who are we?

A friend of mine who was married 26 years and then was divorced encouraged me. Find out who you are. I answered I am not sure who I am after all these years. So I got a book and I started writing things that I liked. I think at various times in our lives we need to do this. Find out what from our childhood we liked about ourselves what things we have added on the way. Then gather that information up and start redifining a new person. One thing is for sure we can never change someone else however we can start to see good in ourselves and use that energy to move forward positively one day at a time. Sometimes that is all we can do.

I encourage you to write a list and see who you are.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Life and Time.

They say that with time you heal. I am not sure if I believe that to be true. I use to see a counselor she would say that time does heal to a certain extent but you will always have those memories some will fade others will be triggered off by something. I was married on September 26th 1993, 17 years of my life and on February 18th 2011 my marriage in a court in the States will no longer exist. You plan for months this event and then in a fraction of time it is over. I do not believe in divorce. So as the hands of time tick on and like my British clock shows the guards marching on so does my life. Somethings change us forever like death or divorce or certain things in life. Sometimes they entrap us the hurt of all is just so over bearing our minds cannot process all that pain. These last few weeks I have been sick upon sick. Yet I still believe as the child who use to sit every Birthday wishing for everyone to be happiest and joyous now an adult saying similar words. We are yet mortals living in a world who like a mother going through labor pains you feel those pains every now and again. I tell myself every day there will be better days and I tell you that although life has seasons we must never forget those who's seasons last not days but years and they need such our loving compassion not harsh words but loving arms around them. Like the dog in my neighborhood who is not looked after and cries so is a person going through such trials. With love and compassion that person can smile again.
I encourage you to smile at the simplest of things and to hold on that indeed where ever you are in life to reach out to others. None of us need to ever forget that in a moment in time we too can be the beggar on the street.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

The Protection of God

Recently, it has been quite cold. I always have to go outside with at least one jacket, if not two, to just keep warm and protected from the cold winds coming at me. The jacket-so to speak-is like God's protection. Even in the cold howling winds, God keeps His arms around us, protecting us from the harsh torment of the devil. Even though there are the howling winds of trials coming at us, God keeps His hand steady to make sure we are safe. When we go outside without socks or a jacket, we definitely feel the cold air. I went out into our garage yesterday without any socks on, and the cement was so cold, it made my feet hurt. Just like when we go into life without the protection of God, we are crushed by the devil who delights that we are not trusting God. But why shouldn't we trust God? He wants the best for us. And is always there for us, even if we are not trusting Him. Maybe we should stop worrying about the unknown future because our protection is seconds away from an all-knowing God. All we have to do is ask Him to help us, and believe me, He will.
So lately, have you been stepping outside of your house without protection?
Please have a cup of tea with me today.
Emily

Is the Plastic Choking You?

Have you ever realized how when ice covers a substance, it looks like plastic is over it? It is like crystallized and frozen in time, not being able to move an inch. Sometimes like berries with ice covering it, the devil freezes us with the choking substance of lies. The devil makes everything seem okay by lieing to you, entrapping you to believe him. And in the next few minutes, he has taken over you and your life, choking you to obey him. The thing is that you don't have to stay choking and gasping for air. You have the power right in your hands to decide what your next step is. No one else can make it for you, and no one else can decide for you. It is your decision that will freeze or break the ice. God wants you to allow Him to work in your life and use everything to glorify Him. If you allow Him, He'll turn you into a beautiful piece of artwork. Just like when the ice starts to melt off the berries and begin to sparkle, you can let God use the bad "ice" in your life or the bad circumstances to make you shine and be able to accomplish anything. Have you ever realized how when the ice melts away, everything looks new? Well, God can do just that to you if you just let Him.
So are you going to let the devil freeze you in time, or are you going to let God melt you into a new and beautiful you.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.
Emily

women are priceless gems.

This is my daughters jewelery box it is filled with gems from my mum's house. Little does my mum know that we cherish them like fine china. The jewelery box was from Monsoon a store filled with dainty and girly clothes for women and girls.
As delicately as the little ballerina dances so are women and little girlies. Last time I was at my sister's house I saw her old jewelery box placed to the side no longer in the middle of her dressing table no longer on display. It brought back many memories of sharing a room. If you look at the delicateness of the jewlery handed down to us you will see all need love. Some need love and care to bring it back to life. Often I have found women have to be Mr. Tough Guy and so the ballerina or the box becomes a boxer with a tutu so to speak and also a juggler juggling life and all it's pressures add a whirlwind and a tornado and there you have a woman who has been left to be a single mum by herself or a widow. Both trying to get back to be the dancing ballerina. It is true we must find our significance in God otherwise the boxing tutu juggler with a tornado swirling around takes over and all that is left is a broken jewelery box. Perhaps in that God takes off our gloves stops the winds places the juggling balls away and says and now I am going to make you new again.
It is those days I long for. I love music boxes I don't have one but as a child I had this wind up music box it had no lid I got it in Maidstone when I saw my aunt and I loved playing it. Now just a distant memory. But in reality as I think back to my sisters jewelery box maybe not that long ago. I think God see's it all. I may not be the ballerina today and maybe you aren't but what we don't see in ourselves I believe God see's us as indeed a precious and priceless ballerina and no longer alone in a distant dark room but in the light of a room dancing for him.
So as I end ladies listen don't let anyone convince you otherwise you are a priceless gem tell yourself every day. Because I have had too. Hope you shine like the biggest sun.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Unconditional love.

Have you ever had someone say hey we will love you but you need to wear what we wear to be in our group or you feel so left out because you don't live in a certain neighborhood.
Recently I was told by someone if only I would change in a certain way then they would love me. How similar this saying is to the Pharisees who wanted Jesus to do what they expected him to yet missed out in the biggest blessing of their lives. What they expected was nothing but expectations that no one could live up to. Instead of seeing miracles they saw faults. Love is unconditional God has no conditions around it. None. He loves the birds and yes the bugs just as much as He does me. Yet we as humans miss out on love putting expectations and limits. Perhaps in those limits we are really revealing how much we need help.
As I write this blog I hope you who read it are encourage my goal of writing a blog was to really encourage me and help me through my difficult times. I love writing. I love to make up stories and if I could get paid for it I would write and encourage people and write children's books every day of my life. It is my way of giving something back to this world. Sharing a part of me and hoping i make a difference I encourage you to join my blog it surely would encourage me.
I encourage you not to view love with conditions but as a child loves their mum unconditionally and a dog it's master we should look for love not to hold conditions it is those conditions that kill us.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Are you handing out Poisonous Apples?

As you know, in nearly every fairly tale, somethings goes wrong. In Snow White, a poisonous apple is given to her, and though the apple looks good at first, it destroyed the person who had it. This is like life. Some people put up a front and look all good and charming, but then later you realize they weren't as good as they appeared. They actually destroyed you with their poisonous apples. Their words seemed true until you really got to know them and you realized they were just a bunch of lies covered with sugar. Sometimes we hand out poisonous apples with our words. Just like the queen in Snow White who looked nice on the outside, really was quite wicked when she was by herself without anyone to impress. But lies always find their way out, some how, they always do. So you might seem all sugar coated and impressive right now, but when the truth comes out, will it show that your words have been a precious, real jewel or a poisonous, rotten apple?
So have you been handing out poisonous apples?
Please have a cup of tea with me today.
Emily

Rings of time.

I no longer have my engagement ring nor my wedding ring that was given to me on my wedding day. I have a band that I wore all the time it is in my jewelry box. I use to wear it as a reminder of how important my marriage is to me. Like the identy marks that our finger prints leave and the rings around a tree they all say something about us. Rings on a tree can tell you if it was a good summer or a dry summer. The marks on our faces show weather life has been cruel or kind. Like the erosion of the sea on a cliff so the rings of time leave marks in our lives. Some people cannot handle it and others muddle through. I love walking in forests there is a presence of sheer peace of knowing that that forest made it through many differant seasons and that beauty has left a mark for us all to see. Take a walk along the North Norfolk coast or down Roman camp forest that forest is years old yet the beauty is there for us all to behold. Romans stood there and yet I can go back there and feel the same peace as perhaps as they did.
So I may not wear a ring on my finger any more. It does not mean that marriage is no longer important to me it means actually I value it far more. It just means that the season in my life has left an Autumn and I await the Spring. So when others see my life in years to come they see beauty after the storm.
I hope you see that beauty in yourself at times because each of us have that own identy.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Long Road.

When I lived in Aylmerton we walked every where it was always a long road to get home. So it was with life back then my parents divorced when I was fifteen and life just seamed a long road. Although in my mind that house would always remain home. This week I have had allergic reaction after allergic reaction and now I have a ragging sore throat feeling excessively sick. The road I have travelled has seen so long from so wanting to be married to where I am today. We all often think that the long road will end or take us to where we wish we could go. Perhaps it takes us right back to where we came from with us having to face ourselves. Aylmerton was a long time ago and one day I will look back and say where I live was a long time ago the differance is that I hope I have learnt a few things along the way.
Guess in it all the long road should make us look back and think.
So take a few moments to think and a few moments to remember just who you were once and where you are going.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Talking to your ornaments!!

A friend posted on facebook how her mum had talked to the Fairy as she took it down from the Christmas tree. I thought this was kind of funny. My daughter has a lovely ornament and I have in truth talked to that at times saying how pretty it is. As I thought about this concept of talking to our ornaments even our dogs,plants whatever you might talk too. How often do we spend more time talking to others and objects than God I know I do. I look at the ice skating ornament and think how beautiful it is and yet often I spend little time talking to God and thinking how great He is.
I often put God in a box only to be bought out at Christmas so to speak.
So as I joked about talking to ornaments throughout the year on facebook I am drawn to be convicted and talk to God far more throughout the year. Thanks Marina for your conviction.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Talking to your ornaments!!

A friend posted on facebook how her mum had talked to the Fairy as she took it down from the Christmas tree. I thought this was kind of funny. My daughter has a lovely ornament and I have in truth talked to that at times saying how pretty it is. As I thought about this concept of talking to our ornaments even our dogs,plants whatever you might talk too. How often do we spend more time talking to others and objects than God I know I do. I look at the ice skating ornament and think how beautiful it is and yet often I spend little time talking to God and thinking how great He is.
I often put God in a box only to be bought out at Christmas so to speak.
So as I joked about talking to ornaments throughout the year on facebook I am drawn to be convicted and talk to God far more throughout the year. Thanks Marina for your conviction.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Allergic reaction or what?

I was unfortunately blessed with having a root canal done yesterday the night before i had an allergic reaction to some medicine followed by last night having another allergic reaction this time I became beetroot red. Yes days of working at a pickle factory flooded back the bright red beet going down our gloves and aprons. As I watched all this happening, I couldn't help but think how Christians often have a dose of an allergic reaction for a moment in time they are convicted rush to the altar or rush to courses thinking that that moment in time will change them. But once the course is done and no one is there is high fiving you there is you your allergic reaction either cleared up and you became a better person or you simply never had anything you did it all for your own attention.
It's interesting how become bright red and one's mouth swelling can bring me to see Christians and even others this way.
I like to think my allergic reactions when positive stay forever the penicillin fighting the bad and me a better person for having that allergic reaction because it changed me for good.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Questions?

As we enter the new Year there are all so many questions. Especially for me what job will I get, why was my marriage not saved. I so had wanted to be one of the one's that made it. Why did my brother die. Guess there is what will happen to the house and how come so many wonderful people go through hard times. The Bible says that hard times produce perseverance and character. I think I must have quite a bit now. It just seams that so many wonderful people have struggles after struggles. I mean I was nervous enough about facing 2011 then my teeth have ached and ached since then now I have to find out if I have medical coverage and I am looking at a root canal I mean come on. People write on Facebook such cool things can I be one of them PLEASE. Yet in all this it is true a person does change they realize what is important what meant a lot and they some how survive. I have always said I did not want to be bitter and indeed it is one thing I have tried to keep to. All I can say to all you wonderful people wow we must shine through all this.
We may always have questions but we are true blue survivors here's to us.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

New year 2011

So we saw London come into the New Year from here in the USA called my mum my daughter was told that the church bells were ringing in the background. We sang Auld Lang syne and laughed and cheered. Now for American New Year my tooth was aching so much and my younger daughter was asleep.
This is the first year without my brother Scott.
Who knows what this year will bring. We worked hard today taking all the decorations down.
I never liked Christmas until I got married and now it is a holiday I absolutely love. With or without a husband I am thankful for the gift that Tim gave me.
So here we a laugh is how we saw London in from our little part of America.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.