Monday, July 24, 2006

My Cup of Tea...

I have this favorite drink. I can’t sleep without having even just a cup of it. I have developed this passion for tea. The last time I remembered being hooked to it was during my college days. I would drink cups and cups of it thinking I’d get my tummy smaller. But my liking for it died away, because thesis time introduced the wonders of coffee to me. And just this year, before my brother got married, I did come back to the drink I realized I always loved. I am now avoiding coffee. And every night, I & my brother have this habit of drinking tea. His is with honey while I have it plain. When my mom was here, she would also ask me to make her tea with honey. My dad randomly drinks tea within the day…and yes, also with honey.

In Starbucks I always order one tall hot Tazo green tea, with or without honey. When surfing the net or doing my papers at night, I always have a hot tea beside me. We’ve been trying to convince my sister-in-law but no, she’d rather drink C2 tea. In time maybe she will love it too.

I don’t know why but I love tea. It soothes me in a different way and calms me. It gives me a sense of warmth and safety. It’s like I am secure. And I even love the fact that I know the tea will put out the unnecessary toxins out of my body. So I don’t mind having more trips in the toilet to put it out. Because I know it helps. I love the feeling when I hold my hot mug with two hands then sip it and feel refreshed.

The Lord is more than a hot green tea for me. He brings me peace and calmness despite the many storms of my life. I couldn’t sleep without thanking Him, praising Him, or talking to Him. He is the only name in my heart I wouldn’t want to forget. Sometimes I tend to lessen my time with Him when I have other sources of happiness or joy. But I was never happy doing it. I was never satisfied with a life without my deep conversations with the Lord.

The Lord rejuvenates me… day after day, each night after a day in this world, He is the one thing I look for. He is more than a cup of tea. He is the one thing I couldn’t live without. I’d rather miss the tea than not to be able to have the chance of asking Him to refresh my soul. His words and love has always made me survive.

Just last week I feel stressed out. Sleepy, tired and sad. Really sad that I drank 2 cups of coffee in just one day. I was trying to look for something that will jolt me up. That will keep me up. After which, I felt sorry for drinking coffee. I have avoided it for sometime and yet I came back. I was so down I felt like I added more to my worries.

For the past week, I’ve been contemplating on giving up something. I never told anyone. I started to think of the pros and cons. I tried to see if I was the one who has a problem why this certain part of my life isn’t functioning well.

One night, I decided to go back to my cup of tea. And that night, I decided to pour it out to my Lord. I told Him my fears, worries and questions. I wrestled with Him asking repeatedly to give me even just one tiny answer. I asked Him to flush out all the worries and fears that I have. I asked Him to detoxify me of all those that is haunting me just like my cup of tea.

And He did. He gave me a reason… one small reason for me to hold on. And that is enough. That is enough for me to realize that I still belong to Him. That my security is still in the Lord. That my days, and nights, are only for Him. That I have every reason to look forward to great things. That in due time He will answer my specific prayer. That He will hear me cry. Just as long as I surrender to His ways. Not do it my own way.

He is my cup of tea. I will always go back to my cup of hot tea no matter how inviting the aroma of the coffee in school may be or no matter how wonderful cappuccino is, I will always look for my tall hot Tazo green tea. With or without honey.

The Lord is the one and only one my heart will look for. He is the only one my body and soul will ever need. He is the only one that will remain when everything else fails. And I know, He will keep on sustaining me, refreshing me and upholding me.

He is more than my cup of tea… He is my world, and He is my everything.

1 comment:

Ken said...

Hi Ella,

That is a beautiful write up. Some real heart and soul food.

I also very much love the things you do:

(i)The Lord Jesus (my source of Life and all);
(ii) a cup of tea (I take mine either with milk and honey, boil it with spices (both Ceylon tea) or just plain green tea).

Amen to the joys of belonging to the Lord ... and His gift of tea.

God bless you.