New with Sweeteas

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

Sweetea Club

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

God's Will

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

We Are Where We Are Suppose To Be!

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

The Sweeteas Blog!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Sweeteas!!!

So I suppose a day of Thanksgiving is the perfect day to begin my blog....A Spoonful of Sugar!! I have been traveling the past few months visiting such great cities to share my "Sweetea Story," and hopefully spread a lil' Southern Grace, and I am truly grateful for the reception from Austin, Texas to Raleigh, North Carolina!! It is has truly been a blessing to meet so many fabulous Southern Women along the way. No matter where I go, I always meet someone that assures me that this is where I am suppose to be......Sweeteas!!!!

If you have read my story, you know that my path has been one with many mountains the last few years. I have read a ton!!! I have cried a ton!!! However, through it all, I have found joy!!! Maybe my theme in life is to help others find Joy through their suffering, as well. So while I write for children, this blog will be for the mothers, aunts, grandmothers and girlfriends that love them. I have found great power in leaning on scriptures and motivational quotes from the books that have strengthened me these last few years. I decorate my world with them...my bathroom mirror, my closet, my pantry, my back door, my car visor, my day timer etc... I know that this is a journey that can easily be swayed by the demands of playing the many roles of a woman today, so I shield myself with the positive words to keep me focused. There is great power in speaking them out loud too.My name, Rochelle, means from the Rock. Beth Moore says that sometimes we are more useful healed than we ever were well, so my journey is to the Rock. so that I too will be more useful healed. I hope you will check in with me and maybe find a Spoonful of Sugar that makes your day!!! I have found joy and I would love to share it with you!!!!

Today is a day for thankfulness, so let us count our blessings! I was listening to Martina McBride last night, Blessed!! If you have it, it's a great way to start your day!!

The quote that I loved that started this Sweetea Journey was from the book

Captivating by Stasi Eldredge (I highly recommend!!!!), so it is appropriate that I start here with you.

Then the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was far greater than it was to blossom!!!!

Change is sometimes necessary, but often it is surprisingly wonderful!!!

Blessings,
Ro