Seasonal news from the world of tea

Just what the religious tea-drinker needs: a TEA ADVENT CALENDAR! No, I am not making this up. Check it out:

The Tea Advent Calendar is back! The Tea Advent Calendar is numbered from 1 to 24 - a tea surprise for every day of Advent! 24 different, delicious infusion bags filled with organic tea.

As a child we were so excited when we had an advent calender to help us get through the long wait until Christmas Eve. The pleasant anticipation was wonderful, just like the excitement when we got to open a new door each day and fish out the mostly sticky contents!

Today it is healthier, easier and even more fun with the unique Tea Advent Calendar for all organic tea lovers. Each of the 24 bags are individually packaged and beautifully decorated.

The individual bags are numbered from 1 to 24 for each day with a wonderful Christmas illustration.

A great idea, beautifully packaged, perfect as a small present or souvenir for someone special!

All I have to say is...ummm...I can't think of anything to say, actually.

Thanks to TeaBoat on Twitter for bringing this to my attention. Her comment: "Make of this what you will." I'm with her.

Sunday funnies

Here's a phrase I'm sure you can use:



Found at the lovely website Oddly Specific, which I found through the blog Gleeful. How I found Gleeful, I do not know.

The ones that got away

 

I saw this flock of turkeys skulking around the hills of Crockett today after taking the dogs for a walk. I tried to tell them Thanksgiving was over, but they didn't believe me. They are no fools, those turkeys.

Advent shopping without guilt

I am very grateful to the Advent Conspiracy for not being Puritanically legalistic. I have found that it's not seeking to replace one rule (shop until you drop) with another (don't shop! Shopping is evil!). Instead, it is trying to be an instrument of grace for all. Go, Advent Conspiracy!

Yesterday on Buy Nothing Day, I checked on the Advent Conspiracy website and found their blog. And what was the entry for the day? Want to REALLY do Advent Conspiracy? Go shopping. It's an excellent read. I highly recommend it.

Key point:

I’m worried that people are being guilted into Advent Conspiracy. The last thing we want is for people to feel like they can’t shop because their church or family member or friend told them it’s not the [AC] way. Because that’s not true. So what is the [AC] way? Simply this: We want to encourage people to do Christmas differently by worshiping Jesus first before anything else....Here’s what’s not a beautiful thing: Getting all bent out of shape and stressed out because someone said “we” don’t want you to buy gifts. Kind of a silly thing, especially since one of [AC]’s intentions is to help people relax and enjoy the season. The point is, make it personal by making it about Jesus first. The rest is just details.

A blessed Advent to you. Relax and enjoy the season!

Petition regarding Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality bill

You can find it here.

Here's what it says.

We call on Christians around the world, and particularly Christian leaders, to oppose the extreme and violent “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” proposed in Uganda. We call on the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to end his silence on the matter, to condemn the bill in public and to urge Ugandan Christians to oppose it.

In addition to life imprisonment for consensual sexual activity between people of the same sex, the bill would introduce the death penalty for anyone whose same-sex partner is disabled. It would introduce imprisonment for anyone in authority – such as a priest or minister - who knew of homosexual activity but failed to report it.

Most Christians, who hold a range of views on sexual ethics, will be horrified by these measures. By speaking out, Christian leaders can expose the hollowness of the religious rhetoric used by the bill’s supporters. Given the place of Anglicanism in Uganda, it is important that Rowan Williams adds his voice to the opposition to the bill.

Please do pass it on.

Happy Buy Nothing Day

Christmas is coming. Maybe you don't have as much to do as you think.

New blog on blogroll: GayUganda

I've run across the blog GayUganda before, but with the anti-homosexuality legislation, I've run across it several times and finally added it to my own blog reader. I've added it to my blogroll on the left, there, but wanted to make sure you knew it was there.

This morning there was a very moving entry called Loving Hate which I encourage you to read. I was particularly heartbroken by the line, "They say they love me." Kind of reminds me of the joke Star Trek song in which Kirk says, "We come in peace (shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill)." Kind of reminds me of Elizabeth of Hungary too.