Girlfriends, I’m not always as smart as I look. Ok…a little snickering from the crowd is
alright…but whoever is belly laughing in the back of the audience may be going
a bit too far…maybe…
I know. I know. Sometimes I just don’t have it together…at all. One time comes to mind. I remember being a newlywed…keeping house for
my hubby…enjoying my domestic duties. I was
slowly and meticulously cutting each tea bag and letting the tea fall into my
storage container when I felt a presence over my right shoulder. Yep…there was Clay. As newlyweds, this was a welcome
presence. I just knew we were in for
some cuddle time…when instead…he just intently watched my activity. I explained I was cutting the bags and
collecting the tea so I could scoop and measure it out later to make sweet
tea. He stood silently looking on as if
he had more to say, but wasn’t sure where to begin. I continued cutting and collecting. Finally, he put the words together and they
came out something like this, “Why in the world wouldn’t you just use the tea
bags to make tea?!!” I rolled my
eyes. Men! They have no clue. Of course, I had to have loose tea,
silly. I couldn’t use tea bags. I had to measure it out. How else would I know how much to use???!!! Besides, this is how my mom had done it for
years and years and years. If she did
it, it was right. He snickered and moved
on as if to say “whatever”.
Mom came by the house a few days later and I chuckled as I
related Clay’s newlywed blunder. I was
surprised when she out and out belly laughed.
Ok…I knew it was funny, but THAT funny?
As we giggled together, she decided to let me in on what made it so terribly,
terribly funny to her. She bought LOOSE
LEAF tea...which meant she didn’t cut tea bags…or collect in a container…or
anything I had been doing. It came that
way. Had she bought the little bags…she
would have simply used the bags.
Huh. Well, howdy
do. Use the tea bags. Hold that thought. I think I need to go apologize to my
hubby. To which his reply was, “You’re
cute.” Meaning…there’s a cute face
hiding that empty space behind it. And
at that moment, I couldn’t have agreed more.
Girlfriends, instances like that make me wonder…how many
things do I do every day just because that’s how I saw it done or said or
lived? What do I totally,
whole-heartedly believe in simply because of mama or someone else? Um…a LOT ! So, is that good or bad? In the case of the cut tea bags, bad.
Possibly that’s why the Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:15 :
Study to show thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashasmed, rightly dividing the word
of truth.
In matters of the kitchen, it’s funny when I follow someone
else down a path and figure out I traveled that road for no apparent
purpose. But, in matters of life, it
could mean everything. So, that means I
have to study…the Scriptures…for myself.
I can’t listen to anyone…even those nearest and dearest. Scriptures have only one meaning. And I have to find that meaning. If I don’t do this for myself, I could follow
someone else’s interpretation down a road that seems right, but is totally
wrong.
I have to figure out how to make tea…and
life…correctly. And I challenge you as
well…don’t cut the tea bags…and study your Bible for yourself.
Quietly gentled,
Carrie.
