Ceremony

Sharing today's reading.

A Little Ceremony Please.

Afternoon tea at London's Ritz Hotel is described as the last delicious morsel of Edwardian London.  Helen Simpson offers this description in The London Ritz Book of Afternoon tea:

"In the elegantly columned Palm Court, the light is kind, the cakes are frivolous, and the tempo is calm, confident and leisurely. Takers of tea perch on rose coloured Louis XVI chairs at marble tables, sipping their steaming cups of tea.....There are no clocks, and although it is just possible to glimpse the flash of Piccadilly's taxis and buses if you look hard in the direction of the doors, a strange sense of taking a holiday from time heightens the pleasure of taking tea here.  People look more beautiful than they do in real life due to the flattering lighting.  Here is one of the few places outside the church..... where a woman may wear a hat and feel entirely at ease.....Those approaching the Palm Court clad in such garments as jeans, shorts or sneakers will be reluctantly turned away----- and no one is admitted without a reservation.  The dark tea leaves are steeping in boiling water when brought to the table with a selection of tiny finger sandwiches, scones and cakes."

Why all that fuss over a cup of tea and a snack?  Because the "ceremony" of drinking afternoon tea provides more refreshment than the food and drink alone can deliver. It requires the participants to cease all other activities for a short period, take in a little sustenance, and give attention to others who are sharing the repast. It is an opportunity for one to put down whatever severe problems have been occupying the day thus far and take up lighter issues for a few minutes.  The body gets refreshment and rest (no one stands for tea), and the mind gets a little vacation.

Tea time also provides a natural opportunity for the spirit to be refreshed.  Taking tea alone gives on the chance to reflect on the ups and downs of the day in quiet prayer, receiving fuel to move confidently through the rest of the day.

If you are "taking tea" with a friend or friends, why not share one thing that God has done for each of you.  Praise a tea time gives a new meaning to the phrase "high tea!"
(From the book: Tea Time with God, Christian Art 1996 by Honor Book.Inc)

It is so true, stop and think, to have a cuppa, to refresh, to understand, to celebrate, and moving forward with calmness.

Thanks For Visiting

Until Next Post

Susy