Welcome, today is a special day of reflection, I am so glad you dropped by for our time of sharing together…
I have been given a beautiful gift, by my daughter, personally carried all the way from the Palace of Versailles in France. It is a tea dedicated & blended in Marie Antoinette’s honor, Queen of France 1755 – 1793. It is a black Ceylon tea flavored with apples & roses picked from the King’s Kitchen Gardens in Versailles!
As I open the pretty pink & gold box, I am meet with the beautiful sweet fragrance of freshly cut roses. I brew the tea, I have my regal setting ready, used for special occasions, a treat of Gf double choc brownie with fresh strawberries awaits.
I lift the cup to have the first taste of this royal blend, the brewed fragrance is now a mixture of sweet apples & roses, melding with the aromas of chocolate & strawberries. This is a delightful sensory experience, the tea is very delicate & tasty, a very smooth blend, the combination is so pleasing… I pour a second cup, while I enjoy my treat in purposeful reflection…
This special occasion is my son Benjamin’s birthday, however he won’t be joining me to celebrate today, as it is also the anniversary of his promotion into eternity. You see he was born sleeping (stillborn) many years ago.
I no longer grieve a life not lived, though I do find myself quiet & thoughtful at this time, each year…I like to remember him in contemplative reflection, with a special cup of tea & a tasty treat…it is healing. You never get ‘over’ the loss of a child or loved one but rather you come to a place of acceptance in processing your grief & live in that acceptance…accepting that he lived within, he died & I am absolutely assured of seeing him again through the promises of being born anew of the Spirit.
Over the ensuing years, I have had the privilege of sharing my story many times, to many people, in many different places both as a guest speaker & personally. However, I had not written about my experience for publishing… in 2017 I launched my second book;
I go to prepare a place for you….John 14 :2*
This is the story of Benjamin & my daughter Candy who were both born sleeping within a year of each other & my near death experience in giving birth to Benjamin.
The book was written in their memory to honor them. Just as The Marie Antoinette tea has been specifically blended in her honor…& is a delicate blend for a delicious tea experience. This too was very therapeutic, being able to put these important experiences in my life & the lives of my family into a book that blended writing, publishing & hand compilation was a very pleasant healing experience.
It is healthy to grieve a life lost & acknowledge that they are gone from your life, it is okay to honor & remember them, you may like to visit the grave with fresh flowers or be in quiet reflection in the time you set aside for this. You may find writing your story to share with others or just for yourself therapeutic, all this is totally healthy & a normal part of processing grief. These activities remember & honor those who have gone before us & help our own healing.
However, being stuck in any particular area of grief ~ eg. anger, deep sadness, fear of the future without your loved one, blame, denial, regret, or an overwhelming feeling of loneliness, for a prolonged period of time, not processing your grief, isn’t healthy. If you find that this has happened to you, please seek professional help…so you can live the abundant life you were created for & your loved one desired you to live…Tea by the sea…
Well my brownie & strawberries were delicious, our time of reflection together has now come to its end…until next time…
Jennifer
Copyright; teawithjennifer.blog
* copies will be available when stocks are replenished.
What a lovely post and beautiful tribute to your babies Jennifer. Although it doesn’t take away the pain, it does help to know we’ll see our loved ones again in Heaven. Blessings to you sweet friend.
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Thank you & sending blessings to you too Terri, yes very comforting to know where they are & that I will definitely get to see them again!
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What a precious way to honor your children who are waiting for you in eternity. It made me wonder if you have ever looked at the lyrics or listened to the song, “Glory Baby” records by Watermark that speaks of their own loss of children before they ever had a chance to grow up. When my daughter miscarried, it was a song that spoke to her heart. Blessings on your day!
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No, I dont know that song but will look it up shortly. Thank you…
I’m saddened to hear of your loss, a miscarriage is just as traumatizing to all the family members involved.
I had a beautiful experience of the hope we have, but I won’t share that just yet as I have included the full amazing experience in my little book.
Sending God’s blessings of love & peace,
Jennifer
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What a beautifully worded song, thank you for sharing that with me!
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We have a one day retreat at our church each year for people who have lost a child whether before birth, at birth, or after birth. I was privileged to provide hospitality at one of these and treasured how those with long ago losses could accompany those with more recent ones. I’m glad that you are able to provide hope for others.
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What a beautiful idea & ministry Elizabeth…it is so very helpful to have loving people show both their compassion & empathetic experience…it is a difficult path to travel…but we have hope!
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I’m sorry about your losses and what you went through. Glad you were able to have a great moment thinking back to your babies. Hugs!
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Thank you.
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I’m a tea lover! So I appreciate this post. And yes, we sometimes make ourselves weak and sick because of all the negative emotions we are harboring.
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Thank you, tea is always a great idea, isn’t it!
Yes, this can be true, if we don’t process our emotions & come to a healthy place within them then they will have a huge impact upon the whole body…
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Such a lovely tribute to your dear babies, Jennifer…I’m sending lots of love, hugs and prayers. My youngest daughter lost two babies too. Elizabeth and Jennifer are their names. I keep a little basket of potpourri, a palm leaf cross and two angels on my china closet in their memory. One day, we shall all meet again. xo
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Thank you Bette, your wishes & prayers are greatly appreciated.
That is a lovely way to remember your granddaughter’s. That would be very special for your daughter to know you have remembered them in that way too.
Blessings to you,
Jennifer
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This is so moving and I am glad to have read this today. Beautiful…thank you. (Hugs)
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Thank you Meg, so lovely to have you drop by for a time together!
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a lovely and healing tribute.
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Thank you, lovely to have you drop by, we have been crossing paths on the link ups for a little while. So nice you were able to make it…
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Sorry about your loss, Jennifer. One day you’d see your babies again because of Jesus; that’s hope that cannot fail. Blessings to you.
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Lovely to have you drop by Boma…thank you.
Absolutely, I am excited about that hope!
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Beautiful tribute and the Marie Antoinette tea sounds divine.
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Thank you Carol, it was very nice.
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What a lovely way to remember and what a day of rejoicing there will be in heaven one day when you’re reunited with your precious little ones!
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Thank you Donna, yes definitely a heavenly tea party to come!
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As a fellow tea drinker, I love the concept of your blog! The writing is great and i love the pix! We mix our own blends of loose teas to create our specialties here at my house and all six of us love a warm cup on a cold day. You ought to share recipes and links to tea sites. that’d be wonderful
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Thank you Karen, lovely of you top drop by & for your kind words & suggestions… our weather is cooling here so comfy cups of tea that warm us up are a delight.
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Hi Jennifer, Thank you for inviting me to come visit your blog. I’ve never been before and I love it! The Lord has gifted you with a lovely writing style. And what a gift your daughter brought back for you!
And now you are turning your profound grief into a gift for others by sharing your heart and offering encouragement.
It was such a blessing to visit your sweet your blog.
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Lovely to have you drop by Karen, I appreciate your encouraging words & glad that you were blessed.
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