“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Written by Rachel Baker
I felt very blessed at Thanksgiving this year because my entire family was able to gather and eat together. And like all good southern Americans, the main beverage option at our table was sweet tea. There was a (much smaller) pitcher of unsweet tea for those who provided a doctor's note restricting their sugar consumption (bless their hearts). Because we're hospitable like that here in the South.
There were a lot of people who wanted sweet tea, so the available amount decreased quickly. This is the point at which the hostess begins to stress because making more tea takes time. Sure, she could dip a few tea bags into cold water with sugar and serve that, but it would be a poor imitation of what she wanted to give everyone. Who would benefit from weak tea with grainy sugar? No one is happy with the results, and the hostess is left feeling like she could have done better.
So she took the time – the water boiled, the tea steeped, and the sugar dissolved. And there was much rejoicing.
As we move into this holiday season of giving, may we all remember the lesson of the sweet tea. It is easy to rush around from one event to the next, and there are always plenty of opportunities to give of our energy, money, and time. Are you also being intentional to replenish these resources? Just as no one likes a cup of cold, grainy, weak tea, it benefits no one if you are giving from a place of stress and exhaustion.
Set aside time to rest. Do things that bring you joy. Find a few minutes to be still with God, and let His peace surround you in the midst of a hectic schedule.
The Thanksgiving guests were grateful to have a hostess who took the time to make sweet tea, and the people in your life will be so thankful to receive the sweetest parts of you.
*Written by Rachel Baker for Iron Rose Sister Ministries blog, Dec. 2019