Tea for Two by Trish Perry Book two of the Perfect Blend series doesn’t disappoint. I want to wander into Millicent’s tea shop. That appears to be the place where the magic starts for Perry’s characters. The tea shop is a character on it’s on, making you desperately want to hit the back of the book and hit the kitchen. The recipes sound amazing and if I weren’t allergic to gluten I’d be trying out a few of these. I may still try with some gluten free flour. The one I really want to try would be impossible, but it sounds amazing. Malted Chocolate Mousse Cake. Dreaming….. okay I’m back. No, malt for me I’m afraid.
So you want to know about the story?
Interesting take this time, Perry writes about characters who are divorced. I’m glad to see the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) freeing writers up to write about divorced characters: it’s realistic of our world.
I am not divorced but I have friends who are and reading Tea for Two had me smiling several times as I recalled those friends frustrations of looking for MR. or Mrs. Right in the new dating world.
Back Cover Copy
Counselor Tina Milano has been visiting Millicent’s Tea Shop regularly for the past several months. When Milly asks Tina if she can help a friend who needs a little advice with his children, she is eager to be of service. Tina feels God has blessed her in her career, and she loves serving the youth group at her church. But she has no idea the “friend” is the handsome farmer who provides Milly’s tea shop with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Zack Cooper is a single parent, doing his best to raise his teenage son and daughter on his own while taking care of a buys farm. When the kids get in minor scrapes with the law, Milly gently encourages Zack to give Tina a call before the teens land in even hotter water. At first Tina and Zack see the relationship in only a professional capacity, but soon everyone around them notices the luscious scent of romance in the air.
Spring has arrived or has it? Last weekend I mangaged to get sunburned, next weekend they say possible snow.
It’s know wonder my body and brain are confused. I am like the flowers starting to emerge and then wishing they could retreat.
It’s spring and I want to haul out my ladder and start painting or do I want to start writing on one of the 100 ideas that have blossomed in my mind this month, can’t do that. I must finish the book I’m currently contracted for. A Bride’s Dilemma In Friendship, Tennessee. It should be in full bloom next spring at your bookstore.
I’m at the part of the story that I love, the black moment the ending and I want to rush through it–get it on the page and be done. If I do then I can start all the other projects.
Don’t you love how like spring we are? Once a project nears completion so many more bloom. For me they are usually ones that I enjoy–Paverman not so much. I’ll be wanting to move furniture soon, maybe get some scaffolding so the high places needing paint can’t be reached, maybe I’ll tile the backsplash in the kitchen. “Oh Paverman! Where are you?” While I’m trying to get all of those projects in full bloom I will no doubt come up with 7 more ideas on what to write next.
This is book 3 in the Beldon Grove Series. It’s Luellen’s story. If you’ve read the others you know about her dream of someday becoming a small town teacher. Because there were so many things children needed to be taught she didn’t want to be ‘rote and rule’ teacher. She embarks upon this journey in The Dawn of a Dream.
Luellen must overcome ‘ defy the odds’ obstacles which during this time period seem impossible and will have you wondering through the end if she will graduate. Her perniciousness is to be admired and imitated in real life.
I enjoyed the descriptions of teacher training and military life during this time period.
Here’s the back cover.
Luellen O’Connell is stunned when her husband of just one month tells her he is leaving—and his reason devastates her. Deeply wounded by his betrayal, Luellen decides to follow her dream to become a teacher, a desire she had set aside when she married. But can she truly hide her past? Or will it destroy her ambitions forever?
…from the life of Diana Lesire Brandmeyer So many times I think I don’t have enough. I need more, I want to have that, could I please?
Then I go to a Bible study and hear Reinhild Niebuhr speak about Themba (pronounced Temba) and I am humbled.
I have so much, my children had more than they could imagine. Why are we so blessed? I don’t know, but I am thankful.
I wish I could tell you first hand what Themba is like the way Reinhild did, holding you captive wanting to know more, but I can’t. I can only offer a website and second hand information.
According to Reinhild Niebuhr these are the facts:
In Africa 50% of the population is under 15.
In Africa, 30% of the population is between 15-25.
The life expectancy is less than 42 years old.
In Africa, because there are so many children, it’s very difficult to run these countries. Orphaned children are raising children. Who will teach these children positive values and basic life knowledge usually handed down from generation to generation? In South Africa, at 16 children can stop going to school and so does government support for these children. So millions stay home, often because there’s no one else to take care of the younger children. Some of them have babies in order to have monetary help from the government.
Why does this matter to me? I’m pretty comfortable in my little world. But it does, this shouldn’t happen and I want to help.
Themba means ‘hope’ and has dormitory schools where children are taught skills and the gospel. The Themba Trust has a plan to help these children, most of who are orphans.
Another point Niebuhr raises is that worldwide, out of the almost 7 billion people alive today, 4.8 billion are children and youth, mostly in developing countries. She says, “As Christians, we believe that God does not place any child on earth without a purpose. So we need to ask the question: what is God’s Plan for all these billions of children and young children?
Youth are open for new information, more so than adults. Could it be that God is preparing for a major shift in the way the world works? As Christians, we need to make use of the opportunity to help share God’s Love with all these children in the absence of other adults. We are challenged to love all the world’s children and youth and to find ways of reaching them with our love.
Just imagine, if the estimated 300 million youth between the ages of 18-25 in Africa would be connected in faith to Christ! The whole continent would shift from a place of desperation to a place of inspiration.
There are some things you can do to help. The children of Themba love to sing. Erin Bode has joined with them to produce a CD. The proceeds go to the Themba Trust, the nonprofit foundation that operates the girls school and other education and youth development programs that server South Africa’s rural poor. Go and listen at The Temba Girls
Last summer I decided to repaint and redo our bedroom. I have the furniture I bought with my first teaching paycheck. I spent hours after school sanding and staining a lot of wood. The dresser was popular style back then, the one that had a hutch top complete with shelves and small drawers.
When it was time to put the room back together I realized I didn’t want the big bulky look any longer. So I stowed the hutch top in an extra room. Months had gone by and I still had it, what should be done with it? I loved the mirror. I decided I could keep it. So Paverman took it all apart for me. And still it sat. It was pretty cold here one day so I suggested we burn the parts I didn’t want. We did. One of the warmest fires we’ve had!
It was finally time to start re-purposing it, after all I’ve been watching HGTV and The Nate Show long enough to know how.
You can see the old dark stain and where the molding was removed. I used Rustoleum white spray paint. Even with the garage door open the fumes were strong.
Cutting the rope was super easy–for me. Paverman did the hard work.
Check out those hands. They can do anything!
The corners turned out nice and I like the mirror with the rope. We nailed–okay, I didn’t, Paverman used the nailgun to attach the rope.
But I did paint!
Now I need to get it hung. “Oh Paverman? What are you doing tonight?”
I know wordless Wednesday and I’ve been wordless but this I have to explain. I did buy the book 1000 Gifts and since I’ve been reading it I’ve been seeing the small gifts God has just for me. I’ve had the door that offered this beauty for several years and I’ve never seen this design. If you want to read the post about the book it’s here. For other wordless Wednesday photos go here.