Good morning Mums & Sweeteas,
I hope many of you started the morning as I did, seeing a beautiful rainbow that covered the sky. It seems that in the last year I have seen so many rainbows that stretch the sky where you can see it in it's completeness. It gives me such peace.....God Promises Rainbows:)
We are anxiously awaiting our new book, God's Promises to His Lil' Sweeteas. It is a little different from the other books, but surely the most special to me. It is most certainly Sweetea in voice, but unlike the others we encourage you to journal in it things you are grateful for. This is a wonderful habit to form with your Sweetea!!! For those that I have met while traveling with Sweeteas, you know that I am very passionate about my story and sharing how God has truly transformed me, and I hope it encourages others to seek Him and all the joy and love and peace that comes with Him.
I spent last week in the Colorado Mountains. It was beautiful and the weather was amazing. I went with one purpose and that was to hear God's direction for my ministry and for Sweeteas. I learned so much while in the Mountains and I am journalling profusely to capture it all to share with you in my own personal story, but most importantly I learned that you really need to be STILL and listen, because He will speak to you. Most people that know me well would venture not to believe that I could be STILL, but yes, a miracle did happen on that mountain and it was not the only one:) One verse that really spoke to me on the mountain was John 10:10. His Word says "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 He really impressed upon my heart these words, and knowing that He comes with LIFE.....He comes with fruits of the spirit....joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control.... you probably know them well and wished you knew them intimately. What greater gift could you give your Sweetea than raising them in the fullness of God surrounded by the "fruits of His Spirit."
God's Promises to His Lil' Sweeteas is just a first step, but it is most certainly a "precious" way to introduce learning and loving God to your Sweeteas. I pray he gives me much more to share with you in the year to come.
You can start pre-ordering now by going to our shopping cart under the Book Shop and you will see the new cover. We should be shipping by November 1st in plenty of time for your Christmas Gifts.
Blessings to All,
Rochelle
Hello, Sweeteas and Mums:) It's Sunday night, and I am working late as I tend to do once my babies get to sleep. I actually enjoy working late when our home is finally quiet. I have four year old twin boys, Houston & Jackson, so my house is rarely quiet!! My poor daughter Holland is quite an angel, unless they hit her buttons too, and then her nine year old hormones kick in, and we have a nice dose of twin boys on top of hormones....can you imagine:) Some days it's comical and others.....Calgon!!!! I had such a great day last Thursday in Hattiesburg, and I have been meaning to share it with you since. As you may know by now, we are launching the Sweetea Club in Hattiesburg on September 12th, so I spent Thursday there doing some press and promotion with the Spirit of Women. I have to say that the women there are so amazing that I wish everyone could just share a day with them. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by so many fabulous Southern Women all in one town in Mississippi. I grew up an hour from Hattiesburg, and it seemed a small town to me then. It has grown tremendously since, but I had no idea the people that call it home now. I really don't know how to describe them except for they are driven to the point they could together pull off anything I am confident, yet they are all so charmingly Southern with such great energy, spirit, and very strong in Faith. Exactly what we want for our Sweeteas!!! I first did an interview with Jo McDivitt from Mississippi Women's Magazine, and though she was suppose to be interviewing me, I was certainly more interested in her:) She wears a hat everyday, and not just any hat, but those that have found homes in museums and come from all over the world. You can look at them and tell that there is a story to each, I am sure. I asked her if we could display them for the Sweetea Launch, and she seemed delighted, so if you are there you will get to view a few of her 300 hats. You should google her, because I found several stories of her myself that I really enjoyed. She exudes the "Southern Lady!" I think she will be a great resource for the club, because she has a wealth of knowledge from her tea library to crushing sugar in rose geranium leaves so that when you take sugar you smell the rose. How charming??? The Sweetea Club isn't exactly about having tea, but it does have to do with sharing traditions which I love!!! Also, there is Catherine Strange who writes Fearless Entertaining, and is just amazing at pulling events together. She even met me at Channel 7 for the noonday show Thursday, and decorated a little table for my interview. So precious!!! I am so delighted that she is helping with the Sweetea Launch. She has an amazing vision, and I am honored that she is taking her time to make this day memorable!! Though I was only with her for a few moments, Miranda at Channel 7 was equally charming....sharp and infectious, as they all are. Of course, the Spirit of Women's Millie Swan is just the icing on the cake. She is without a doubt a marketing genius, but even more, she has a passion for helping others that I have never quite seen. My mother always says I give and do to much........well, she needs to meet Millie, because I pale in comparison. I can not forget sweet Kathy too, who hauled me here and there all day. A sweetheart,no doubt!!! Kathy is with Forrest General with Millie and a list of others who really devote themselves to helping women in the community from their health to Fearless Entertaining:) We should all be so lucky to have such support. It is truly remarkable what they offer their community. So tonight, I just say thanks to all of you wonderful women!!!! I pray that this business is blessed, and I get to spend my life working with more women like you Ladies of Hattiesburg together touching the world with our Southern Grace:) They say do what you love for a living and you will never work a day in your life.....we should all be so blessed. May God Bless You all this week, Rochelle
Good morning, Sunshine:) I guess I'm trying to ward off the tropical storm headed our way as I travel north to Shreveport this morning to sign books at Sprout & Company. I haven't written in awhile, and I wanted to just give you a little bit of an update. It is so busy here almost a little overwhelming I have found starting a company is more work than I imagined. We were in Atlanta at the International Gift & Home Show all last week, and we have had just an amazing response to the Sweetea Club. Everyone was so excited, which really shows the need for it. I will have to also say that the people of Atlanta where so welcoming and helpful. I honestly was shocked at how many people offered Doni and I help during our visit. We both continuously commented on it. Us both being small town girls, we had to get use to the Marta and the directions and the loops from 75 and 85 which if your familiar with Atlanta you probably know well, but everyone was so helpful!!!! Thanks Atlanta you sure showed your Sweetea Hospitality:) My favorite thing about shows is meeting new people, because I always meet the greatest people and it is so nice to be surrounded by others that are trying to live their dreams......(Christopher Pop-in-Kins, Glow Bears, Shi Shou Baby) I also was added to Miss Harriett's Showroom and her and her staff are precious, so if you get to Atlanta Children's World please stop by!! Yesterday, I spent a full day in Hattiesburg Mississippi at Cane Brake Country Club with Spirit of Women Leader Millie Swan and her team and Catherine Strange, author of Fearless Entertaining all planning together the Sweetea Club Launch on September 12. I have to say that these women are amazing!! There plans are nothing short of Sweetea, and if you can drive, it will be worth the trip!!!! I don't want to ruin the surprise, but we have lots in store and we are planning for 250 people. I am so grateful for these women to help us launch the club in perfect Sweetea fashion, and we hope to replicate this in other cities. Please let me know if you are interested. I will blog more about the club details, so you understand the concept on my return. I have a special friend who is dying of cancer as we speak, so I ask for prayers of comfort for the Elliott family over the weekend. Jim always said God is Good, and I truly believe that good comes from everything where God is involved. I know Jim's battle, while it has been very difficult for his family, has really touched a mass of people by sharing his faith through it all. Blessing, Rochelle
Hello Sweeteas,
I wanted to give you some very exciting news!!! We are making plans to launch the Sweetea Club Mum & Me on September 12th in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Spirit of Women headed by Millie Swan of Forrest General Hospital is sponsoring our launch at Canebrake Country Club. They have been extremely generous in making this a very special event that we hope to replicate all over the South. The Spirit of Women are found through out the country affiliated with hospitals that work to improve quality of lives and health for women. Hattiesburg is very fortunate to have such a strong group, and we are delighted to be working with Millie and her team. I spoke to this group of women in May about my journey to Sweeteas where I mentioned the work in progress on the Sweetea Club. We found that our goals were very similar, and it made a perfect fit to help reach as many Sweeteas as possible by launching this together. I am so thankful and very excited for their participation.
So what is the Sweetea Club?? The Sweetea Club will follow the mission of the Sweeteas: To inspire creativity. To promote the search for a passion. To instill Faith, Hope & Charity. To strengthen the bond of generations of Southern Women.
We have called it Mum & Me, so that it can be shared with mother/daughter or grandmother/ granddaughter, but the idea is that it is to be shared together just as our Sweetea books were designed. We hope that both mothers or grandmothers will take from the club just as much as the Sweeteas. We will touch on exploring gifts and passions, we will work to instill good southern values and etiquette that today seem to be fading away. We will build resilience, self confidence, good health and FAITH. We will expose them to charity, and virtues of kindness, goodness and self control. Each Sweetea will earn their very own Club Member Only Pearls by completing monthly task, and attending their meetings. We hope it will be something special you can share together for many years.
We are finalizing details of the Sweetea Club, and we are looking to start clubs in all of the Southern States. If you are interested, you may email me at rochelle@thesweeteas.com, and I will notify you as soon as we are ready. Church groups and local clubs such as the Junior Leagues and Garden Clubs would make great sponsors of Sweetea Clubs, and we welcome mothers who just love and appreciate the Southern Charm to be our Sweetea Host, as well.
Blessings to You All,
Rochelle
Last night, I met with a group of Christian women who have decided to share their journeys together....it is always uplifting to share your journey with others. Upon leaving, I thought how we all strive to do God's will but we get overwhelmed by our daily roles and rituals, so this lead me to a book that I have entitled "Beyond the Broken Lights" that I recalled reading in the a few years ago. I loved how it simply put God's will for us which I would guess is very far from our own "To Do" list??? God's will is for us tocast ourselves to his Grace, To trust in his love, To share ourselves with his whole world, and To give ourselves to his work of healing, lifting up and loving his people. May today we share God's will and not our own!!! Blessings, Ro
Since the New Year bells have rang, I have found myself on several occasions saying with much conviction, "Thank God 2009 is over!!!!" It was definitely a year of mountains for me personally, and I have eagerly awaited the beginning of something new....a chance to start over, as many of us do. I have a great feeling about this year!!! I hear many predict it will be a year of spiritual outpouring and a shift toward people finding their higher purpose. I pray they are right!!! However, I have to admit that it wasn't until today that I was able to clearly see how each little event from the past year has shaped my journey, especially many that I would have liked to forgotten. A friend sent me a New Years Prayer from Father Rohr that in one part said...... We now hand over to you the blessed year, 2009, with all that it gave us and all that it took from us, knowing that both are necessary, just like our breath. I was thinking about this so much today.... the idea that all are necessary, and everything started fitting together for me. Just to touch the surface on a few things that come to mind........One thing I don't like about traveling for work is having to leave my kids for days at a time, and honestly at times is is very distressful for both me and my children. Thinking back I realized that the two trips that I had the hardest time dealing with last year both brought me life changing relationships that I would not have had had I not traveled. I met one person on a plane and the other on a balcony, and even today I look to them both for inspiration and spiritual guidance and there is no question God put them in my life and I am so very grateful for them both!!!!! Secondly, without going in to too much detail, I had one of if not my toughest battle this year personally. It has been something that I have struggled with for almost the entire year, and I could not understand how or why I would have to experience so much hurt or anyone should. However, over the holidays I met someone who was experiencing the same "battle" and needed support and hope and understanding, and I knew at that moment that it was no coincidence we had met. I knew then that I had to experience what I did to be there for her and for the many others that shared our hurt. Beth Moore echoes again with ....you are more useful healed than you ever were well!!!! One last example.... I have had the misfortune of dealing with Chinese Drywall this year which has caused a tremendous amount of financial burden for our family, but it has taught us all to be content with less and ultimately more grateful! This also changed many of my plans for this year with Sweeteas and my children, and so I have had to practice patience and divine timing. I guess after looking back today, I felt this great peace that we are where we are suppose to be and God truly has a plan and purpose and there is always some good that will come even if at that moment we can't see it. I have always been one of great faith in knowing that God is who he says he is, but I think a huge part of faith is knowing God can do what he says he can do (again taken from Beth Moore), and that requires letting go and allowing him to work in our lives......this I am not so good at, but I do have good intention. So today I turn everything over to God........my journey, my home, my finances, Sweeteas, my relationships, and my career. I entrust him with the safety and health of myself and my children. This year will be an amazing year......one of great JOY!!!!!! "No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor human heart conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Corinthians 2:9 Blessings, Ro
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