Today we are journeying down memory lane to share some special times together…
I have brewed strawberry tea & today’s treat is my own homemade Gf banana muffin (Recipes), warmed & spread with lashings of Lf butter which is slowly melting upon its deliciousness…
On sipping the tea it is a refreshingly sweet peppery blend which is mellowed by a mouthful of the banana muffin, a very satisfying combination! A ‘mmmmm’ is heard as it involuntary leaves my lips…shall we walk down memory lane together…
Several years ago my youngest daughter invited me over to her home for afternoon tea, it was Mother’s day. When I arrived my grandchildren met me at the door very excited. As I walked into the house I could see why…a beautiful setting was set before me, my daughter had prepared a delicious High Tea, there were two double tiered servers laden with delicious treats! Mini quiches, petite triangle sandwiches, mini cupcakes, cookies & picklets with homemade strawberry jam. There were several choices of tea, beautiful antique cups & saucers, teapots, sugar bowl & milk jug & bunches of my favorite flowers placed on the table. She had gone to a great deal of effort freshly baking all the treats herself, bought & borrowed serving items & planned this special surprise gift for weeks…
We enjoyed the delicious treats, tea & special time of love together as we chatted & laughed over silly family things. I felt so blessed that she had planned this out & had done all this work to specially honor me on Mothers day. When I left to travel home later that afternoon, my heart was full of joy & gladness…
I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do the same for my dear friend….You may like to meet her in Heart matters!.. as a gift for her 60th birthday. I prepared all her favorite treats…I set the table in our front garden under our pergola with my best linen, antique crockery & silverware…All was set & looked amazing! I was so excited to finally have all the planning & preparation done!
She arrived &….we started this special birthday luncheon…but things didn’t go as planned…it was a really hot February’s day & our neighbors had decided to locate their compost bin right beside our front outdoor seating area, on their side of the fence & place very smelly kitchen scraps in there just before we sat down to enjoy all our goodies!
We ended up having to transfer everything indoors because of the offensive odor & the plague of flies that were attracted to it…but it actually ended up being cooler indoors & we continued our time together feeling less harassed by the heat & the flies…
After she left I sat….feeling rather disappointed at the chain of events that had unfolded that morning, feeling that it had not been the special gift I had envisaged & planned to give to my dear friend on her birthday…
While I was sitting there reflecting, I heard a message come in on my phone, it was from my friend…thanking me for the time spent in creating the High Tea luncheon, stating that she felt so honored that I had made her birthday special & how much she had enjoyed it!
Sometimes things don’t go as planned…do they…no matter how much planning, organization, effort, desire, passion or prayer we have put into it…Life just doesn’t go as we had hoped…We can get understandably disappointed in the outcome or we can choose to see it through different eyes…You see, my friend had not known what plans I had had for the experience…apart from the smelly compost…she didn’t know it had not gone as I had envisaged! But viewing it through her eyes it had been an absolutely enjoyable success!
What are we viewing through our own clouded perceptions that have become burdensome…Just like the hot sweltering day & smelly scraps….We can’t control the world around us, but we can control our actions, reactions, attitudes & behaviors to every & any situation in our lives…it’s all in the way we view it!
I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened, so you may know the hope of His calling… Refer
Until next time….
Jennifer
Copyright: teawithjennifer.blog
Jennifer, thank you for these beautiful reflections that are so true. When our plans don’t work out as we had hoped, we make the choice of how we will respond or view the circumstances. I want my heart eyes to view as God sees! Many blessings~
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Thank you Pam, yes that is my prayer too…
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Just like the old saying, man plans and God laughs. I learned a while ago to laugh along and if I cannot laugh I remember the other saying, this too shall pass.
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Oh I haven’t heard that old saying about God laughing, but I like it! Thank you Bernadette…
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This is so beautiful Jennifer! I love that you were able to adapt to your circumstances and enjoy your time with your friend. It’s a wonderful reminder also that when things are done with love, even if they feel like a failure to us, that love shines through and blesses those around us. Blessings to you!
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That is true Terri, love triumphs over many things that don’t go quite to plan, thank you for highlighting that important aspect!
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I bet 90% of my life hasn’t gone according to my plans, Thank God for being God. Again and again the plans for me have been to make me prosper as the verse says.
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Yes, I agree with you in my life too!
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Thanks Jennifer for today. I remember that day and was honoured by your gift of love. The smelly distraction next door was not what I remembered a few years ago only a memory of a great time together and a gift that one cannot buy!
Judy
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Hi Judy!
It was a pleasure dear friend, it’s lovely to have you drop by & leave a comment on this adventure! Thank you! ♥
Jennifer
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I had someone throw me a surprise tea party for my birthday one year. It meant (means) so much to me even though it happened years ago. The act of love and kindness touches me and I am so very grateful for those memories!
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Kindness goes such a long way doesn’t it…even a small act ripples across time…
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My heart is always happy as I read your posts! You also make me crave tea and baked goods! 🙂
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I am so glad you enjoy our time together Amy!
Yes the tea & treats are very good…I do enjoy a good cuppa & treat!
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It’s funny how we often view things as failures just because they didn’t work out as we planned. You give us a helpful reminder that when we look at the situation through a new perspective rather than our own expectations, we can see that it turned out all right. Thanks for the post, Jennifer!
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Its all in the perception isn’t it Jen! We create scenarios in our minds but reality never quite works out to our scenarios…
Lovely to have you drop by!
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Ture friends always know that the thought and actions count more than the outcome!
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I agree Anita…Lovely to have you drop by.
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I just experienced a somewhat similar situation with my husband’s birthday. The morning didn’t go the way I had planned it to go, which upset me. But he loved everything regardless. It’s not about our plans, I realized, but about showing Christ’s love through all we do. Even if our plans don’t go the way we desired. 🙂
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Yes Emily, I agree, we do focus on the plan rather than the love that we are sharing, don’t we…
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What a beautiful treat your daughter prepared for you and you prepared for your friend! I’m sorry it didn’t all go according to plan but I’m glad she enjoyed it anyway! It’s so true that even when life doesn’t go according to our plans God can still work through what we do and use it to bless people!
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That is so very true Lesley…
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Hi Jennifer, What a lovely day your daughter provided for you, and what a lovely day your prepared for your friend.
For me, it’s all the thought that went into something, not the external circumstances that are out of one’s control.
Thank you for sharing your insights.
It’s always a treat to visit here. 🙂
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What a lovely gesture both you and your daughter made. To surprisingly be the guest of honor, what a delight. Life certainly does have its fair share of twists and turns but it’s those turns that make it exciting. Imagine if everything always went exactly to plan, I for one am very thankful that it doesn’t. Thank you for the gentle reminder.🌸
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Absolutely, I am too, its quite often the unexpected that brings exciting change.
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I find this happens regularly as I prepare bridal and baby showers for people at church and even special birthdays for my children. Never does everything I plan get done or everything I do go according to plan. But I remind myself, every time, that I’m the only one who knows what didn’t happen. 🙂 And no one ever knows. 🙂
God can take our best intentions (and sometimes our lack their of) and turn them into something special to bring him glory and bless others. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Blessings,
Babychaser
mamasabrush.wordpress.com
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This is very true, it’s realizing that reality can be very different to well thought out plans & going with the flow on the day of occasion is so much more pleasant & enjoyable!
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Glad you still had a great time with your friend even though it didn’t go quite as planned. Love your pictures!
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Thank you, yes Judy & I always have a lovely time together…
Lovely to have you here for a cuppa!
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Loved your beautiful pictures and reflections. Thank you for sharing with Grace and Truth.
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You’re welcome Maree,
It was great to have you drop by for a time together!
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To quote the famous “philosopher” John Lennon “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” You did a great job of making other plans. I think our perfectionism sometimes works to chip away at our happiness. You did a wonderful thing for your friend. I really enjoyed reading your post, so I followed you. So glad I found your corner of the internet!
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That is so true “life happens when we are busy making other plans!” Lol!
So glad you enjoyed your visit Laurie & that you will be dropping in again, how lovely, you will be welcome anytime!
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What a sweet gift of hospitality! It helps me to remember that when things don’t go as I have planned, they are still going as God has planned. Thank you for joining us at Encouraging Word Wednesday this week!
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Hi Charlie ,
That is so true! Lovely to have you drop by!
It’s a joy to be a part of such a creative group.
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As I plan a party for a friend, your point is much-needed! Thanks for freeing me from worry that it won’t be as grand as I envision, but can still be special for her!
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