I have brewed my all time favorite tea blend, Earl Grey. A black tea with bergamot added, a leafy herb that was used as a tea by the early American Indians for sore throats, stomach ailments & colds. My tasty treat is a chocolate covered organic bite with coconut & candied citrus pieces.
Earl Grey tea is the one blend I keep coming back to, I enjoy it everyday with breakfast. It's like an old friend, you know exactly what to expect & it never disappoints. Especially in that early part of the day when you need that true & trusted cup that is part of a comforting routine, as you prepare for the day.
I must admit I do find routines very comforting, I particularly realized this after my late husband passed away from brain cancer in 2002. I was living & working on our farm as a wool grower & also as the region's clinical counselor when he died.
After a while though I realized, although these routines were comforting & my intentions honorable, they had also started to be emotionally draining. As I was living another's dream, my late husband's, not my own.
I had to ask myself was I living that abundant life?
After much prayer & soul searching, for this was not an easy decision to make, I made preparations to hand the farm over & to head for my dream with God's clear direction for my life…to the mountains by the seacoast!
A short time later I found myself living in the most beautiful seaside paradise, that has been so very healing & restorative for my soul.
So, while I still enjoy comforting cups of Earl Grey tea as part of my morning routine. I no longer try & keep someone else's dream or life's work alive but live my own life, abundantly.
Trying new tea blends & new little experiences that are healthy for my soul…like starting this blog!
Very touching reflections on living one's own dream. Earl Grey is my go to black tea also.
Thank you Elizabeth for your encouraging words. So lovely to have you here.
Yes, there is something special, calming & comforting about Earl Grey, I think it may be the bergamot…what do you think?
I am sure it is the bergamot.
Please accept my condolences on the passing of your dear husband! I have begun to ask myself this question almost every day – am I living my life abundantly? It is a great question to start my day with and to end it with. Thank you for your gentle post.
Thank you for your kind words Patricia.
Yes, we need to step into the special life that we were created to live. And when we do, it is so abundant in every area even in the harder times!
I know you will find your abundance.
Thanks so much for inspiring us and for sharing your dreams, past and present. As our lives change, so much our dreams and goals. Earl Grey, Lady Grey and English Breakfast Tea are among my favorites for getting the day off to a great start. This afternoon I'm sipping on a cup of Irish Breakfast tea and munching on home baked cranberry, walnut, chocolate chip cookies as I reflect upon changes in my own life, present, past and future as I follow my dreams. Years ago when our daughters were growing up, we raised Shropshire sheep and grew vegetables on our 40 acre farm in Southern Maine. It was a wonderful place and time filled with so many memories. Since then, we've traveled and worked in several places across USA, now retired and back to Maine, but this time the central part of the state. Dan, my husband of 50 years still enjoyed his gardens and cutting firewood; but, for me, I most enjoy those comforting day trips to the coast, where the sea and air always seem to open their peaceful arms to me.
It is lovely to get to know more of your life, which sounds a full one.
We had Merino sheep, wheat & oat crops on the property, my husband was a farmer when we got married…I had a veggie patch in our homestead paddock, granny smith & crab apple trees, huge 100 year old sweet naval orange tree (made beautiful sweet marmalade).
I do agree, the sea & the breeze across it is just so intoxicating. I love it too…I loved my time in the country on our farm (6 hrs road trip from here) but the coast makes my heart sing!
Visiting from Faith 'n Friends. This is such a beautiful post. And Earl Grey a favorite tea of mine as well. The abundant life to me is about coming to know more of the fullness of the Lord's love for us even in the hard times and being willing to follow Him beyond the darkness. Sometimes we can be blinded to His abundance for our lives by our pain or striving. I am so glad that you recognized the abundant life you were created for and are choosing to live it. Thank you for sharing this. Sweet Blessings to you!
Sweet blessings to you too!
It was fortunate you realised in time that you weren't living the life you should have been. Now you can take comfort in knowing that you are.
Thank you for sharing your past with us Jennifer. I am so sorry you lost your dear husband. It sounds like you have found the perfect place for you and your new dreams.
Yes, the coast & the sea make my heart sing.
Thank you for gently calling us to examine the dreams (ours or another's) we're living out. I'm sorry you had such a terrible season of loss, but I'm inspired by your brave pursuit of moving toward your own dreams. I love what you're doing here! Oh–and I love Earl Grey!
Thank you, what a lovely compliment, so glad you dropped by.
I haven't tried Matcha yet, something to look forward too.
Thank you for sharing your dream. You have a sweet blogging home here. Blessed to meet you over at God-Sized Dreams.
You're welcome Mary, it's a pleasure to share my journey, so many blessings have come from the different legs of it to encourage others on theirs.
Jennifer, yes o yes I had to come over and read about the transition and the sea! My husband & I just moved from our country/farm home of 30 years – it was both of our dreams to live there, rurally and we did so happily. My husband is now retired and I am still working but I do work from home which is quite lovely actually. We will be picking up our travel trailer in November and begin living another dream – traveling with our sweet "Gracee" hitched to our new cayenne red truck. We have already named our travel trailer. Since moving from the country we have experienced great sadness in the loss of our faithful companion, Sam, a 14-lb furry doggie. Oh such sadness. But, we will go on and be grateful for the 14 years we had with Sam at our side. I cry as I type.