tea party.

last saturday my friends dorina and kelsey hosted a tea party for all the girls. there was a great turnout- probably around 15 showed up! i went over to dorina's house early to help bake cinnamon scones. the dough was so delightful and i like it better than the scones themselves! that's typical though. i think batter is always better.

the tea party relates to something that mark said in a sermon a few weeks ago. in a matter of weeks, mars hill will be hosting it's biggest service ever, inviting all the mars hill campuses to come together for the first time since the 90's for a huge easter celebration at quest field. the point? essentially, to practice what it will be like in heaven! mark preached on the parable of the great feast, pointing out how the host prepared an exquisite banquet, but those who said they would come made up excuses instead. so he sent the word out to the poor and homeless, the broken and the dirty, inviting them in to the decadence. the host wasn't stingy, and he celebrated lavishly, in the same way that there will be feasting in heaven, with the best of meats and the finest of wines (is. 25:6)- our God is generous. and we will be dressed in fine linen, white, representing that we are clean, righteous, redeemed in Christ (rev. 19:8). the invitation is extended to all. in the same way, we here should be practicing such hospitality! we should be celebrating the fact that our God is great, and that he redeems. so mark challenged us all to throw a party, to invite people from all walks of life, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and when they ask what the occasion is, to tell them that we are practicing for heaven, celebrating because our God is worth it. he gives generously and we want to as well.

so here's to a tea party with cinnamon scones, all done in the name of a gracious God!