A cup of tea doesn't fix everything!

This revelation may come as a bitter pill to some hardened Brits, but it is true, hard for me to say as a tea lover and an ethnocentric!!!
Much as we love our tea, we have had to change our approach to offering refreshments when guests turn up, fresh coffee is the order of the day, and it is to be presented in small cups, preferably with it's saucer, thank goodness for Ikea!
You can imagine the surprise when we gave the workmen fresh coffee (got that bit right) in this pictured mug, caused bit of a laugh... seems we do that bit well at least...

What did we learn from this?
Everyone has their own way of showing hospitality, no one way is right. I have had to learn a new way as a cuppa and a piece of cake does not make the visitor feel welcomed (unless they are from UK!)
Often when someone has a problem, or is feeling down, we can sit them down with a cuppa, for a chat, and sort things out. A cup of tea can assist in fixing things. Not anymore!
Firstly there is no chatting in this camp if the problem is in French, then the cup of tea causes more problems that it's worth!!! What can fix things?
Not what, Who?
Taking the problems to our Father is what we are to do, he can ease the problem, heal the hurt, mend the broken hearts... This can be done in any language with any beverage and snack. He can bridge the cultures and barriers and He can use us if we are willing to be used.
I see myself as the cup for the tea, an empty vessel! I am willing to be used but unable to do it on my own. I need to be filled with compassion, gentleness, understanding, self-control... (the list goes) on to be effective,on my own I am incapable!

This is my prayer, that I will be emptied of myself and full of the Spirit, so that I will be used by God in the work he has prepared for me to do.
Ephesians 2: 10.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Word muddles
dent and don (pronounced the same)= tooth and gift or talent (in a sentence beginning'God gives us all d....' I didn't know the latter, so was on the tooth theme!!!)
Vis and vis = 'je vis' means I live, I lived in Holland for 3 years before coming to Belgium, and 'vis' is Dutch for fish... I am so easily confused...
Attendre and entendre = To wait and To listen. I am still learning that you don't attend venues here you have to go to them When I was little I went to Moulsham school I didn't attend it any more coz' that only means I waited it and that is nonsense wouldn't you agree? Although we have to do both before God :-)

Talk soon