TEA PARTY
TEA PARTY
Recently, me and three of my Christian sisters, gave a tea party for the young ladies of our congregation. We had ages from 6-17. We had enough fancy hats for us and each of the girls. How fabulous we all looked! We used some china that was my grandmothers and a tea pot that was my mothers. They both would have been thrilled we could use them for this occasion. We had crustless sandwiches, fruit, salad, small cupcakes, cookies and of course, tea (cold tea that is). It was so much fun! We prayed, ate, played games and I gave a little interactive talk to the girls. That is what I want to take a few minutes to share with you.
I first talked about what the world shows us as beauty, by the magazine covers, TV and movies which try to tell us, beauty is on the outside. They each had a mirror and told them to look at themselves. (This is similar to how my published lady’s bible study book, “God’s Beauty Plan,” starts.) We looked at four features on our faces.
First, we looked at our eyes. We talked about that we can see good and bad in this world. We have to be careful what we let come into our eyes. The bad things can be like a piece of dust or an eyelash getting into our eyes and irritating it. Matthew 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.” We talked about the opposite of light and how what we let our eyes see, causes us to be in darkness or in God’s light.
Second, we looked at our noses. I talked about that God breathed life into us, just like He did Adam and Eve. We talked about icky (usually from their brothers) and good smells (when walking in door and smelling roast cooking). Used the verse in Genesis that says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being.” Our breath is our life!
Thirdly, we looked at our mouths. I talked about bad things can come out of our mouths and good things as well. I told them about a time I was bullied as a child. In 6th grade, I had to get up in front of the class and read a paper I had written. My hands were shaking so badly that the paper was rattling. As I was walking back to my desk, a boy hollered ‘that was stupid.’ Then the entire class erupted in laughter. I sat down and hung my head. I asked the girls how they thought that made me feel. Then, pointed out that we have to think before we speak, because once those words are out of our mouths, we can’t push them back in. We used the verse in Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in God’s sight.” Think before you speak!
Fourth, I talked to them about our ears. We talked about that this world is full of bad (cuss) words. I told them about the new doctor we had hired at the animal hospital who, the very first day, back in the doctor’s office, cussed the entire day. I sat in an office close by and could hear every bad word she said. I started thinking, what if I hear that all day, every day? Those words being said over and over again. Asked the girls, what would happen to me. The girls understood that could go into my brain, into my heart and then, I might start using those bad words. (Luckily, she was told by management, not to talk that way. I was so blessed that they were respectful of my feelings about bad language.) Asked them what they could do when someone talked like that on the TV or in the world. I told them it is so important to be careful of the type of friends we choose to be around. Also, we talked about who we need to listen to: parents, teachers, preacher, and friends when they need to talk to us. Pointing out to them, also, that God will listen to their prayers. 1Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayers.”
At this point, I had them put their mirrors down. I asked them to look around the table at the other girls, at the moms who stayed and at the four of us. Told them to look at our eyes, noses, mouths, ears and the color of our skin. We were all different! God made us all special when we were in our mother’s tummy. Reminded them that God doesn’t look at the outside but on the inside beauty of our hearts. Also, told them that it is good for us to look our best. Just look at us today, we looked fabulous! God wants us to be our best. 1Samuel 16:7 says, “God did not look at his appearance or his physical stature…for the Lord does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Told them that “Beauty and the Beast” is my favorite Disney movie. Told them to think about what the beast looked like on the outside. Scary! But by the end of the movie, he showed his loving, caring heart. Then, I asked them what that all meant. The girls got it! From the 6-year-old to the 17-year-old! They understood what that meant!
Told them to pick up their mirrors again and look at themselves and repeat after me. This is what I told them to repeat about themselves.
I AM-SPECIAL
I AM-BEAUTIFUL
I AM-ONE OF A KIND
I AM-STRONG
I AM-COURAGEOUS
I AM-CONFIDENT
I AM-A DAUGHTER OF GOD
For all the guys and ladies reading this, God does not look at our outer beauty but on the inside-our inner beauty! The image we portray on the outside should mirror the image we are on the inside.
Who knew we could get so much from a tea party? I know the four of us who planned it had so much fun getting it all planned out and enjoyed those 9 young ladies who attended!
Sit back and sip some tea (maybe not from your best china), but remember we were all made in God’s image. God looks at our heart, who we are when no one is looking! Our inner beauty!
Till next time!
Keela
