Tea party of Life…

August 17, 2018August 16, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 2 Comments

Welcome to my abode, I have prepared a special tea just for the two of us today…I love having a special time around tea, it is so calming & refreshing…

Shall we begin our time together, for those of you who prefer coffee I do have some interesting coffee blends on hand…vanilla, salted caramel or white chocolate are your options. Our treat of deliciousness is a Gf lemon syrup cake made from our own home grown lemons shown in My neighborhood….

Things in Life can feel like a tea party at times don’t you think… it starts with a thought that grows into an idea, which before you know it has morphed into a plan & invitations have been sent out. Excited anticipation turns into pressure with a touch of anxiety for everything to fall into place…for a special time around tea & niceties…

In other words what starts out as a simple thought & pleasurable idea soon becomes an anxiety inducing & overwhelming pressure…

These thoughts & ideas may include…a new career move, a sea or tree change, new relationship, marriage, parenthood, renovating your home, writing a book or blogging…& the list could go on…

Just like the preparations for the tea party, if we don’t keep things simple…they can become unnecessarily complicated…

An example of this can be seen in the planning stage… if I have too many beverage & food choices…this not only creates an enormous amount of work for me but my guests will become overwhelmed with too many options…

This can happen in life too, we can take on too many commitments, which in turn leads to stress that leads to anxiety & ultimately depression…when in actual fact we need to be simplifying our lives not complicating them…Then life becomes doable & enjoyable… Life is too short to be taking on too many commitments that take us away from the important things in life…spending time with the Lord, spouses, family & friends…

We need to prioritize the following when making new plans for our lives;

Our present capacity in life…energy, finances, health, season etc..
Timing for these ideal plans to be fulfilled.
And present commitments that are already filling our capacity!
Have we prayed about the above, are these ideas actually God’s plan for us…

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare & not for calamity, to give you a future & a hope.” Refer

We can make our lives overly complicated & stressful when we take on too much or don’t weigh the wisdom of our thoughts & ideas for a new direction.

May we be mindful of God’s timing & direction for us, as in my experience in Flight delay, life delay… & may we be considerate of each individual’s capacity, as you enjoy Berry tea & expresso coffee….

Until next time dear friend…

Jennifer

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Flight delay, life delay…

August 11, 2018August 12, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 23 Comments

My eldest daughter & I had enjoyed morning tea with a delicious Gf caramel nut slice at the airport café… Having arrived early for my scheduled flight home, after visiting with family who live interstate…we walked to the boarding gate where I could see our aircraft through the windows, I had an uneasy feeling about this aircraft…mmmm…

photography of airplane during sunrise

We all boarded the aircraft efficiently & effectively having hugged our loved ones farewell at the boarding gate, we sat in our allocated seats, buckled up, happy the flight was on time to travel to our destination. Over the intercom came the call for certain named passengers to make themselves known to flight crew. I wondered the reason…

As passengers we smiled at each other, strangers & yet companions in travel…chit chatting together while pulling out puzzle books, magazines & crosswords to keep ourselves occupied on the flight. Another announcement issued over the intercom this time from the Pilot…two people had not boarded the aircraft but their checked baggage had already been loaded…which meant that with new security laws, the baggage now had to be located in the hold & unloaded before we could take off, a 40 minute delay would ensue. The lady next to me muttered about inconsiderate people as we sat in our seats on board doing our puzzles & crosswords. I wondered what may have happened to these people…who had already checked their baggage but had not boarded…

Then the following thought crossed my mind…there is always a reason for delays, interruptions to our schedules or a change in plan…especially when we have committed the day to the Lord (my daughter, grandsons & I had prayed together that morning)…Sometimes we get to know the reason & other times not…

As I sat in my seat & pulled out my Gf sushi lunch I had in my handbag, grateful for something to eat while I waited as it was now past lunchtime…the Pilot once again was announcing over the intercom…apparently while unloading the baggage from the hold, an issue with the outside of the aircraft had been spotted, which had been missed in preflight checks, that needed urgent rectification by the Engineers before we could fly!

Ahhh, there was the reason, the lady sitting next to me, commented that this changed the situation entirely & I replied,

“Praise God for people who don’t turn up with checked baggage already in the hold!” She nodded & smiled…

Our flight was uneventful once in the air with a perfect landing & while 70 minutes late, not one passenger complained…rather…all were grateful to be safe, alive & well at our destination & thankful for the delay!

We often get impatient for the delays that are in our lives…Don’t we…We think things should happen in our timing or according to our schedule rather than God’s perfect timing in the situation…

We can’t see the beginning or the end but God can…He is not restricted by our timing…Just as delays may be necessary for safe travel, life delays may be necessary for the timing, circumstances, attitudes or Others to align for the journey to be fruitful…

Let us not be so focused on our timing…rather… May we focus on faith, trust & hope that God is working on whatever we have committed to Him…though we may not be able to see it…The Great Engineer is rectifying the issues before we can fly!

You may also enjoy Blueberry tea time… (click on the green text)…Until next time dear friend…

Jennifer

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My neighborhood…

August 3, 2018August 2, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 31 Comments

G’day from wintery Australia! Today we are going to stop & smell the roses…meaning we are going to take time out from the busyness of life with all its tensions, expectations & anxiety of performance…to enjoy a time of stillness, quietness & refreshing of the soul within the beauty that surrounds us…

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Let us begin our walk…but first let me show you some exciting things in my garden that my husband has been cultivating…the Azalea (above) is magnificent this year…

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Our lemons are ripe & ready for harvest on our dwarf lots of lemons tree & in the background are strawberry plants loaded with strawberries, not yet ready for harvest…

As we stroll down the road & turn the corner, a view of coastal bliss greets us…

teaw

Reaching the waterfront we observe the wind skimming across the surface of the water creating distinct smooth & choppy effects, steering the anchored boats in the same direction…

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We observe the Pied Oystercatchers as they scour the rocks for oyster delicacies…with their striking colors…of black & white with bright orange legs & beaks…as we trudge through the sand…

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We come to a timber seat, we sit….enjoying the wind upon our face, the warmth of the sun upon our backs…the sound of the waves lapping the shore entwined with the melodious song of the native birds above our heads & as the tide recedes….our soul quietens, the tension ebbs & peace flows, we sense His Holy presence…we savor the moment…for He, the Spirit of God is with us…

We eventually amble back to enjoy a hot cup of Hibiscus & Cranberry tea (you can enjoy your cup by clicking on the green text)…as we sip our tea we focus on the following truth observed by the ancients…

“…since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through that which has been created…” Refer

It was so lovely to have you drop by, I hope you enjoyed our walk around my neighborhood & our Hibiscus & Cranberry tea time together dear friend…until next time…

Jennifer

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Little Miss L

July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 20 Comments

Hi, today we are passing through a door to a world of wonder, delight & amazement, come on in, I have been waiting for you to join us…

I have prepared a mini Gf Apple cake with a dollop of Lf cream on the side, accompanied with an Australian afternoon tea which is a strong black tea that contrasts the taste of the Apple & the cream perfectly…this is such a delicious combination…I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am…shall we begin our time of reflection together…

Have you ever looked through the eyes of a child…the world looks so amazingly different compared to our jaded adult eyes…don’t you think…But what about seeing the world through the eyes of a child with unique & special abilities (also known as special needs & disabilities)…

My seven year old granddaughter little Miss L has just such unique & special abilities, from a wee babe she has shown unique ways of communicating with the world around her & with those of us whom are a part of her world.

Little Miss L has such an amazing love for life & for all around her. She enjoys gathering us together for group hugs & lavishing kisses upon us.

I took her on a little Miss L & Nani date a few weeks ago for a school holiday treat. I had planned a Teddy Bear’s picnic in the park but because of the freezing temperatures here it was far too cold for that plan.

So we went to plan B, to the Art Gallery where they had a Sensory Exhibition for children. It was a lovely warm fun time together, the exhibition was interactive & they had an area set up in the exhibition as a lounge room for a “reading experience”. Little Miss L loves sitting snuggled into my side when reading story books together…we read 7 such books…sitting together with little Miss L’s arm around this little Nani (I am tiny too). Sooo cute…

woman reading a book Then we decided to have a picnic lunch in the warmth of the car…out of the icy blasts of the wind…

Where we had parked the car…there was a group of our tall Australian Eucalyptus trees, a sports oval & passing traffic…Little Miss L pointed out the wonder of the wind blowing through the leaves in the Eucalyptus’ & the low flying aircraft overhead….then winding down the window of the car door, hung out as far as she could to wave to the pilot (with Nani holding onto her!). She saw a bus & told me her big sister & brother go on a bus like that to their school. A sportsman walked past & little Miss L was fascinated by his brightly colored sports shoes. Everything was such wonder, amazement & delight to our little Miss L…she had opened the door of wonder & awe of the little things around us & it was delightfully infectious!

As we drove along we sang at the top of our voices a family song that I sang with my parents, my daughter’s sang & now my grandchildren sing with me….Little Miss L especially loves the yeh, yeh, yehs (that her voice has mastered)!

This all sounds like a fun & simple day out…it was absolutely a fun & enjoyable day with my amazing little granddaughter…. But nothing has been simple for our little Miss L…just a few of her unique & special abilities are (shared with the permission of her Mama);

Apraxia of Speech means she has not yet mastered verbal language, but is mastering sign language beyond my knowledge of signing. She has her voice!

Low muscle tone means muscle control for differing functions we may take for granted, are difficult for her but Little Miss L keeps on trying. She has tenacity!

Hearing loss means that sounds to our little Miss L, are as we hear underwater but Little Miss L constantly keeps listening & pointing out the sounds she can hear like they are beautiful gifts to her. She has a beautiful appreciative spirit!

The world for our little Miss L may be more challenging than for those of us who may not have her unique & special abilities….but to our Little Miss L, she takes these in her stride because to her, her world is full of wonder, awe, love & affection for others…& the pure joy in the ordinary that she sees as absolutely extraordinary!

Just as the ancients wrote,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has done and prepared for those who love Him.” Refer

Let us be mindful dear friend, of the wondrous joys that the Creator of the universe has for us…as through the eyes of a child who sees the extraordinary in our ordinary…may we all come to see the blessings that are being bestowed upon us…Until next time…

Jennifer

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The princess & the pea…

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 26 Comments

Welcome, lovely to have you drop by, please enjoy your choice cuppa & a treat of deliciousness as you linger while joining me in a time of sweet reflection today…

The Princess & the Pea...My daughters had this endearing name for me between themselves from childhood….as I have always had muscle, scalp & skin tenderness & sensitivity over the years, where I literally could feel a tiny lump through a mattress while sleeping upon it, long before I was diagnosed with Autoimmune conditions…introduced in my reflection Vanilla Rooibos Tea. One of these conditions, Fibromyalgia, has interestingly been nicknamed, The princess & the pea condition!

Today is such a day, when the tenderness & sensitivity of muscle & skin is amplified…as I have caught a cold virus & thus because my immune system has gone to war against the virus, the casualties of this war are being measured in the amplification of the symptoms of the autoimmune conditions I already have…to the point, that even wearing my softest clothes is causing pain…

So diverting my focus from the pain to the blessings I can see in this heightened cloud of symptoms…I have an amazing sweet relationship with the Creator of the universe & His Son Jesus…I am very grateful for a warm home & a warm bed as it is freezing outside & for a hot cup of Maple tea… this morning. And a husband who is loving, gentle, caring, supportive & such a blessing… You can meet him by clicking on the following green highlighted text in Relationships or in Chai tea …(or read any of the other reflections by also clicking the green texts).

So while you linger & enjoy a Vanilla Rooibos Tea, Chai tea or maybe a cup of Maple tea… while reflecting on Relationships today…

I will be resting with my feet up, in the warmth, with my cuppa…Until next time dear friend…

Jennifer

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A new lens needed!

July 13, 2018July 12, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 34 Comments

Welcome! It’s so lovely that you dropped by, I look so forward to your visit each week…I have the kettle boiling & a selection of teas, coffee & hot chocolate to choose from today…

Our treat is a Gf Raspberry & Coconut slice & I have chosen an Australian afternoon tea blend for my cuppa. Which is a black tea grown here, it has a lighter taste, I take mine with Lf milk & raw sugar. What is your choice…tea…hot or iced, coffee or maybe a hot chocolate?

We are sitting in my lounge room which is warm & cozy, as once again it is freezing, windy & far too unpleasant outdoors. Now we are both settled with our cuppa & treat of deliciousness, we can begin our time of reflection together…

I have had some problems with my eyes lately, which have been causing some concern…

After noticing that I needed my prescription eye glasses more & more when out & about, as well as when doing close up work…I thought my prescription may need adjusting so I went to the Optometrist for an eye check. After a full range of tests, apparently my prescription didn’t need changing! Rather I was referred to the eye specialist instead!

The verdict, I need surgery in both eyes, this came as a bit of surprise to me. I had had real concerns for the vision in my right eye which had become increasingly blurry, extra sensitive to bright light & was harder to focus at night. But needing surgery in my left eye as well was definitely surprising! Because I find if I close my right eye, I can see perfectly well long distances with my left eye, without prescription eye glasses! The diagnosis is that I have cataracts in both eyes!

Which means the lens of the eye has become cloudy, restricting & scattering the amount of light through the lens…thus images are not properly focused on the retina at the back of the eye. Resulting in increasingly poor & blurry vision. Thus, I need to have the lens in each eye replaced with new artificial lenses!

bokeh photography effect

This gave me much food for thought for our reflection…

How often do we have clouded lenses with relationships, circumstances or even ourselves that restricts & scatters the true Light. Which leads to an unfocused & blurry image of the heart, resulting in a skewed & distorted perception & attitude!

I find the following fascinating; because my right eye is affected by an advanced cataract my entire vision for both eyes is completely distorted! Though my left eye definitely has the beginning of a cataract…it still possess’ clear vision as the cloudiness hasn’t reached the Centre of the lens yet…but the right eye so influences my total sight that it gives a scattered & unfocused view for both eyes….without my corrective prescription glasses on that is!

Have you noticed how our attitudes & perceptions can do this… because our heart was hurt & wounded in the past…our entire viewpoint changes when present circumstances remind us of that hurt…we start to view it through past lenses which lead to a blurry & clouded opinion!

I do need to have surgery in both eyes but my right eye will be done first & once healing is completed, my left eye will have its corrective surgical procedure… Our hearts too need to have a process of Mending brokenness to have a new & clear heart lens, allowing the true Light to be correctly focused (don’t forget to click on the blue highlighted text & read Mending brokenness).

Well, once again we have come to the end of our time together…Until next time dear friend…

Jennifer

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Only one earth life…

July 6, 2018July 7, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 26 Comments

Hello & welcome, I have been waiting with excitement to share our time together today…

I have made Gf carrot cup cakes with cream cheese frosting & brewed a new Morning black tea blend, grown & refined here in Australia. The cup cakes are so moist & delicious, with the frosting so creamy & tasty! I haven’t made these for years, as they are so morish you can’t stop at one!

We are seated today looking out over the bay, protected from the cold wind, in the lovely warm sunshine with the sound of the waves lapping the shoreline. Now we are enjoying our tea & treat, shall we begin our reflection….

I watched a movie length documentary the other day with my dear friend, we don’t often watch documentaries together but on this occasion we did. It was about the lives of four very accomplished women in the same profession but whom had led very unique lives while continuing a life long friendship, apparently they often get together to catch up but on this occasion a film team was present filming…

My friend & I roared with laughter at many of the funny things said & unsaid by these women, obviously close friends, while chatting around the table with each other…but in the last 30 minutes of this documentary, the mood completely changed.

It had been a day of fond reminiscing, friendly teasing, inside friendly banter & a discussion on more serious memories of their first husbands (whom had since passed)…there had been both endearing & surprising behavior from these four octogenarian friends during the filming.

But what changed the mood was the mention of another friend whom had made their own preplanned funeral arrangements. All those around the table became very solemn & somber, a few feisty about how dare this friend ask if they too had made plans for their funerals….But the mood had definitely changed…

I clearly observed real fear take up residence in each one of their faces on this subject. Then the matriarch of the group ended the filming…

While eating our sandwiches & drinking our cups of tea, after watching this documentary, my friend & I discussed how interesting it had been to watch & learn more about these women…

Though later that night, I found myself rather pensive…& deep in reflection for these ladies. These women had all reached the absolute pinnacle of their profession, each had been honored & awarded the highest title of the land for their work… But none of them had any future eternal hope…Each one of them had shown a real & palatable fear of death & dying…this is not a judgment but an observation…

earth space cosmos

A quote kept coming to mind as I reflected upon this observation, it was a quote from a poem by C.T Studd, that was hanging in the main lecture hall at the Bible college I graduated from;

“Only one earth life,

Soon it will pass,

Only what’s done for Jesus will last.”

I thought of my own personal journey of death & dying (shared in Excerpt ). And the promised future hope that I have come to know intimately & have committed my life to…

Death for me does not hold fear or terror, for I know whom I believe & what awaits those whom believe in Him…Do you fear death my friend…there is One who can take that fear & turn it into a joyful promised hope…if you allow Him…as I shared in My story…

Well I have been good today, though morishly tempting, I only had one cup cake with my mug of tea, both very enjoyable! Until next time…dear friend…

Jennifer

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Dreams….

June 29, 2018June 28, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 38 Comments

Hi, it is so lovely to have you drop by today, welcome, I have a cozy place for us to sit, relax & chat with a cuppa as its our winter here in Australia & it’s particularly freezing at the moment…

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Pexels.com

I have prepared some gluten free mini cinnamon rolls with glacé dipping sauce for our treat & a pot of Chai tea made with almond milk & a touch of honey (because one cup is never enough of this delicious blend!). We are sitting together at my dining table overlooking Gum trees, shrubs & wild grasses we call “the bush” here, which at times has wildlife guests such as Koalas, Goannas, a variety of birds including our resident Kookaburras & possums.

Now we are comfortable & enjoying our cuppa & treat, shall we begin our time of reflection together…

I had a really strange dream last night, when I woke this morning, I could still remember the finer details of it! I told my husband how weird it was & then I described the overall subject, he too thought it very strange…my dream was that I was in a “holiday factory”, I was visiting my dear friend (introduced in Heart matters!) & she was trying to renovate this holiday factory by introducing joy into it, creating a garden where a barren scrub land existed! I told you it was weird…a holiday factory of all things!

Dreams…Are fascinating aren’t they…we can dream while we sleep or we can day dream while wake. We use the word to describe a goal for the future; as in a dream or dreams we have. We may describe someone we find attractive as dreamy or a dreamboat….or the concept of day dreaming can be used as a condescending remark,

“get on with it, you’re just a dreamer!”…

Medical Science & neuropsychology has many theories as to why we dream & what the purpose of dreaming does for us during our sleep cycles.

Some people remember their dreams while others don’t, some dream in color while others in back & white. Daydreams are mostly being totally absorbed in our thoughts & imaginings while very much awake. The dreams we have for the future, are our hopes & aspirations we have for our lives.

scenic view of mountains against sky at sunset

The Bible also mentions dreams…in many incidences where dreams were warnings, instructions or prophetic in nature. Refer

My dream last night, though rather strange can be simply explained, the last time I saw my friend we met at a holiday unit she was staying in, the last time we chatted she was telling me about the joy she had had at a family gathering she attended & my friend always tries to bring joy into barren places. The holiday factory in my dream was also manufacturing chocolate, my friend loves chocolate & my husband had been talking about making some chocolate & ginger fudge last night…simply a subconscious interpretation & filing of information…as well as, my friend had been in my thoughts…

But there are dreams that defy simple interpretation & explanation needing wisdom, discernment & prayer to understand…we are told in the Word that dreams will play a significant part in coming events here on earth in the coming day of the Lord…as they did in the first coming of Jesus…so they will in His second coming…

“…And it will come about after this that I will pour My Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions…” Joel 2:28

With recent & current world events, world leaders & their seemingly reckless political maneuvering that have many a hidden agenda, we need to continue to be watchful & alert for the coming of the King…with great discernment…

We also need to ask ourselves, are we ready & prepared for His coming… that Jesus Himself, while on earth, said will happen quickly…

You’re welcome to read how I began my preparation when I was on an archeological adventure in Digging for treasure…

Dreams are so interesting, don’t you think, thank you for joining me, dear friend, I enjoyed our time of sharing a cuppa together…Until next time…

Jennifer

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Storms & life…

June 22, 2018June 21, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 22 Comments

Welcome, we are having a different tea & reflection time together today, it has been raining here for three weeks now with some powerful storms, only three days in between of sunshine.

I have our Gf Apple Strudel cake with homemade lemon butter ready…. with a cup of Lemon Grass Tea or if you would prefer, I do have coffee.

Apple & lemon are great companions for each other & these don’t disappoint, the cake is particularly moist & delicious, my lemon grass tea is both home grown & made (told in the blue link above). I thought we would have a simple time of reflection with…a poetry reading…

black and white hand raining

Rain by Jennifer

Rain, rain, rain & more rain!

Wind blowing strong,

Chilling cold creeping into bones,

Chattering teeth,

Muscles tense & shivering,

Increasing cold, cold & freezing!

Warmth introduced,

Spreading through,

Muscles relax,

Cold decreasing,

Warm, warmer, warmest…

On a cold, windy & rainy day we seek a warm sheltered place & a hot cuppa…Don’t we…to bring warmth & comfort to our bodies…which brings a sense of wellbeing to us as we thaw from the exposure to bad weather.

big waves under cloudy sky

Let’s change the poem for when we are in a soul storm & exposed to life’s battering & heartache;

Stress by Jennifer

Stress, stress, stress & more stress,

Wrenching soul winds blowing,

Anxiety creeping into heart places,

Wrestling sleep,

Increasing worry, worry & more worry!

Jesus introduced,

Spreading His Spirit through,

Heart places relax,

Anxiety, stress & worry decreased,

Peace, peace, perfect peace…

We need to seek a sheltered place for our souls too & drink the continual cup of love that is available to all…to bring comfort to our souls…Which brings a sense of spiritual wellbeing as we restore from exposure to life’s weathering…

Let us ask ourselves, as we are in our time of poetic reflection…Where do we seek shelter for our souls in life’s storms….in things, people or in One who can truly bring peace for our weary souls…

Well I enjoyed sharing our poetry reading together, our delicious treat & cuppa are now finished…but you’re welcome to stay & linger awhile dear friend & enjoy my Home sweet home…

Jennifer

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Digging for treasure…

June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 / Tea With Jennifer / 21 Comments

It’s is cold here today, the breeze is particularly chilly, so we are having our time together in the warmth of my lounge room…

brown beside fireplace near brown wicker basket

I have a different blend for us today…Cranberry & Pomegranate tea, delicious served either hot or iced…our treat is a Gf fig & almond biscotti… Now we are seated in the warmth with our treats, I’d like to share an archeological adventure I began many years ago that I am still enjoying to this day…

As a child I loved stories of treasure hunts, especially treasure that had laid undiscovered throughout the ages. I also loved detective stories, who done its…those clever people who found clues to reveal the truth. When I heard stories or watched movies of discoveries of ancient treasure, I dreamt of being an Archeologist one day, going to far off places of the world, looking at the clues in the sands of time down through history to find the treasures of past civilisations for all to see. I loved all things ancient & historical.

When I finally had the opportunity to go to far off places it was not as an Archeologist however, but a wife & mother, raising a young family & caring for their needs. The bonus of living in a foreign country was being able to enjoy the surrounding cultural aspects of the exotic location… but I soon realized that the love of archeology had not left me but was burning deep within…a search for discovering treasures of spirituality had begun…my grandmother had asked me before I left Australia, what would I like as a Bon Voyage gift…my reply, a Bible please. I had never owned a Bible.

When I received the gift, I started reading Genesis, but then got to the begats & put it to one side. I had started to question many of the religious practices & their relevance that I had been taught throughout childhood…& had dutifully gone through for church membership as a child & young teen but had erred in my late teens…

Now as a young wife & Mama I wanted to look at the clues in the sands of time & dig down deep through the layers of traditions to reveal the truth behind the riddles of ritualized practices, that were beckoning to be revealed…so began a spiritual archeological dig…

shallow focus photography of hourglass

I asked the director of this dig, God, the Creator of the universe to reveal His truth to me, to strip away the layers of man made practices, rituals & traditions…to excavate & reveal His truth…revealing who He really is & what He wanted from us & specifically from me…

I observed the various local religions surrounding me while living in this exotic far off destination, their beliefs & practices… But all seemed to be even more steeped in burdensome traditions & rituals rather than the spiritual freedom I was searching for…

However, I kept coming back to the ancient script that I had requested from my grandparents…I started to dig into the differing texts within these scripts to broaden the excavation site of my spiritual archeological dig…both in the old testament section & the new testament section…rather than my dig stalling at the site of the begats.

I found so many on site discoveries as I reached each level, going deeper & deeper clearing away the sands of religious traditions…to the raw truth of God & His seemingly mysterious ways…

At the Isaiah 1:11 dig site in the old testament section I discovered that God too, had grown weary of ritualized practices in the past…

“What are your multiplied sacrifices to me?” says the Lord. I have had enough…”

And then I found a treasure in Jeremiah 29: 13…

“..you will seek Me & find Me, when you search for me with all your heart.”

I was so encouraged by these finds, they were tablets of solid script….almost directly answering my questions on this spiritual quest…

At the new testament section of the dig site in Matthew 13:44 I uncovered another site treasure….in the words of Jesus Himself;

“The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all he has, and buys the field.”

Then as I cleared away the sand at Matthew 13: 44 I found verse 45a…

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls…”

I didn’t quite understand the script & what it was saying but it was about finding rare & precious spiritual treasure…I asked the director of the dig to reveal the fine intricate detail of this find to me…

Then I met two amazing ladies whom you can meet in Penang, Pearl of the Orient (If you click on the blue highlighted words above you will be able to read an exciting & very inspiring part of this archeological journey that was a direct answer to my request above…)

Well our time has now come to an end, I hope you enjoyed visiting me on our first part of this exciting archeological dig site…Until next time dear friend,

Jennifer

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