London Confidential, a Must Read Series

Last summer, I read the series of London Confidential by Sandra Byrd. It is a series consisting of four books about a teenager girl moving from Seattle, Washington, to London, England. She has to learn how to be herself while living out her faith. London Confidential is inspiring with great advice and wisdom for teenagers. During her new adventure, she learns to not mistake temptation with opportunity, to tell the whole truth which pays off instead of just "half the truth," it's better to be yourself, secrets can be complicated, popularity comes with a high price tag, how to give advice-the right way, whether to follow the crowd or her own advice, what guys' actions show about their character, and of course, new British terms. While reading, I was fascinated by all the British terms and sayings that I learned throughout all of the four books. Sandra Byrd's writing intrigued me to keep reading more until I finished the whole series. It is now one of my all time favorites, but you are going to have to find out yourself just how enticing and good they really are.

Sandra Byrd also writes other books for tweens to adults with can be found on her website: http://www.sandrabyrd.com

Have fun reading!

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Emily

Pressing forward in the rain.

Yesterday I drove in teeming rain, I could hardly see the road it was awful I pulled over twice. As I stood in the house when I finally got home relieved to be out of the rain, I could not help but think how life is like the rain. When we go through trials we can barely see the road ahead and are often so scared we are holding on with all we can to the steering wheel of God to help us through. Then along the way we see glimpses, that the rain is stopping then it pours again. In the big picture of life it is just for a moment and then it is gone but in that moment it seems like forever.

It is truly holding on with all you have and pressing forward knowing that God indeed will stop the rain and allow the sun to shine.

Don't lose focus or give up hold onto that steering wheel. Take moments to regroup and press through you might feel battered and tired at the end but you will have made it.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Great things can be learnt from memories.

What can we learn from memories. I have not been home since May 2007, then I was married and also my brother and his was alive. One thing I have learnt since then is look back at the memories with a thankful for heart. We use to go home every two years, I probably took it for granted instead of being thankful for the sacrifices made to go home. The last time I saw Scott we all played cricket, we had not played the game since we were children.I got to show Tim my old school and ride on a steam train with my children. Tim got to take the girls on the London eye and we got to see the Peter Pan statue. I also got to spend some happy times with my mum.

Although life is very different now, I am glad that I can reflect and realize that I took many things for granted. Tim would always buy gifts for the plane ride and be brilliant at the airport. He navigated around the British countryside like he had lived there all his life, he put up with my family and for that I never said thank you hardly ever.

It is so easy as life tumbles out of control to never stop and see the good.

Today is Tim's Birthday and I am thankful that he is my children's dad.

I am thankful so much more for the amazing grace God gives me each day for amazing friends who steer me when I am making dumb mistakes and that they love me enough to have grace.

So to Tim I say Happy Birthday. To all of you look and see that great things that God has done.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Lessons for life.

If you have ever gone through a divorce or lost someone or even a job, you will understand that at times you look back and reflect. You see the good the bad and the ugly and you at some point learn to have some grace or at least I hope. My brother was a man who had much sorrow. I do believe that he truly loved his wife. Through his death it has truly shown that at times I had very little compassion for those who had lost someone and for that, I am truly sorry. I truly do believe that today I have more compassion, at least, I sure hope I do.

With single parents, I guess I just ignored that they even were there.I was married and though struggling, my level of understanding was not very great. I think looking back at it all,I wished I had walked a day with these people asking God to show me what they were going through.

I so wished I could of done that even in my marriage. God is a big God and so I am thankful he did not shove me in outer planet and say Lisa you did not get it, here you are.

Even with my children, my children are very different and that is alright seeing how they interact and the lessons that I can learn has been huge.

It is so easy to judge less to try to understand and have compassion.

So whatever you are going through job loss or grieve or even happiness we all can truly learn from one another.

Take the time just to have grace I know I try to.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Courts and rules.

Beware of advice and courts. It is so true when the Bible talks about sorting out issues outside of a court room. Courts in America are hard to get into and often things never turn out the way you want. Legal aid is non- existence making it hard for people on fixed income or low income to get any hearings. It appears that the courts are for the wealthy and the famous. It is total brutality and many people walk out of those doors discouraged and with broken hearts. I have heard case after case of people going through hard times and yet no money to find justice. Parent after parent wanting things changed yet no money to do it. You are left with aching hearts and people having to see counselors, then there are the children in many a divorce case. Broken pieces with no say at all. Pushed into the battle of a person/Judge that they have never meet and their lives thrown to the wolves. Their lives torn to shreds for a moment yet counselors will make a pretty penny to aid, to the help of fixing that.

What to do, if I could maybe I would be a lawyer, it seems like that there is a missing piece in this puzzle of life something where justice is not being done. I am not sure. You tell me.

I guess if you look back Christ died totally unfair, an innocent man.

But all was gained.

Christ sure saw injustice and it still goes on today.

I am truly thankful though that he died for me and though sad and unfair if it was not for his grace I would not be here.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Happy Fathers Day 2011

I will have to say I always find Fathers day a little tough. I do not know if my dad is alive and to be honest that was my choice not to keep in touch. He was not the best dad and by no means the worst, but as I have got older I do see clearly, in his own way he tried his best. I loved going for walks with him and my brother, I love the memories of him playing tennis and badminton with my brother. I love that when ever it snowed on New years day he would always say the world was wiped clean. He called me Little Lee and i danced on his feet as a child and he loved old songs and Elvis and for those memories I am very thankful.

I know a man called Mike who I have watched for many years, he always called me his fifth daughter, in truth he is the same age as my sister. However his kindness and ability to give advice and be loving and show compassion and also be an amazing, husband, father, grandfather and friend has been the thing that makes his testimony of faith stand out. To many Mike is just an ordinary man but to me he has the heart of gold and no hidden agenda. He walks the walk and lives a true testimony of Christ.

So both men very different. To all you reading it's alright if your real dad is not what you expected, in truth no one can live up to expectations. Just remember God can and will always send you a Godly man to look up to and for now on this earth I am blessed that Mike and his family came into my life and accepted me.

So to all of you dad's Happy Fathers Day.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Things in the legal system should change.

In England we have legal aid. But in America pro bono lawyers are a rare commodity. To seek legal advice from anyone is a hard cold fact that no one wants to say something in case they may get sued. The reality is many people men and women find themselves borrowing money to fight cases or get things through the legal system, and even then it never is really sorted out, there money gone to the wind so to speak. Recently a case was taken to the courts about a young girl wearing a nose ring to school, because of her religious beliefs.... now the schools dress code said that this was not allowed.... but you tell me who won??? Yes the school has now had to change their dress code mainly because it would cost the school thousands and thousands of tax payers money. You put this on a normal level to get an answer about separation or divorce it costs an average of $250 per hour to talk to a lawyer. Most people are already strapped for money. Then say if no one pays up for child support or alimony it costs you then to put it into the court system. You want something changed more money. Then the whole question arises with anyone who has no medical benefits you try your best but medical is very expensive and dental even more so.

The legal system is great for the privileged people who have money to throw around. But for the norm it is a harsh reality of suck it up. Now I am not saying that in all cases, it sure works in many a cases but as far as marital issues it is a harsh day in reality from what I have seen and heard for both sides.

What can we do instead of doing nothing I suggest we write a congress person, maybe one person at a time will change the system.

Maybe is the squeaky wheel that can help the norm.

I don't know I just hope things change.

Be the change is my suggestion to us all. You make the first step however small it is.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.