About the Author

Robin is the author of For All Who Wander, her relatable memoir about wrestling with doubt that reads much like a conversation with a friend. She's as Southern as sugar-shocked tea, married to her college sweetheart, and has three children. An empty nester with a full life, she's determined to...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Robin,
    As always…love your writing! I was going through boxes in the attic and I came upon the box that kept the old fashioned tea cups that my aunt and I used to play tea party with. She was great at getting down on pint-sized level and enjoying her inner child. It brought tears to my eyes. She also played tea party with my daughter (now 26). Those wonder years of childhood pass oh so quickly… thanks for the reminder that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must become like a little child. May we take some lessons in love, trust, and devotion that our little ones teach us.
    Blessings,
    Bev

  2. So sweet:) This reminded me of when my son was a toddler. During the night, we’d hear the patter of his little feet coming down the hall to our room. That always made me smile. Now, those size 15 feet aren’t so little! Having a teenager definitely brings out my sentimental side. Time with them is so precious!

    • Kristine,

      My baby is going to be 18 next week; when he graduates, I’ll be living in a much roomier nest. So, I’m right there with ya sister, my sentimental side is ginormous!! 🙂

    • Debbie,

      It’s such a delight to see your involvement at the Consilium, but I felt your absence during Bloom this go ’round. So thankful for YOU and your many encouragements and giftings!! 🙂

      • I so wanted to participate in Bloom. I bought the book, started reading it and answering the questions, but I couldn’t manage the time online. I’m involved in a ministry called GriefShare at my church and just finished training to become a Stephen’s Minister and visit people who are sick and in the hospital. Thank you for thinking of me. I am always encouraged by you. Just seeing the Bloom emails and posts made me smile all day.

        • And you KNOW that was NOT to guilt you in any way, right?! 🙂 Only for you to know how much you added to our conversation last time, and I’m so happy to see you serving elsewhere! What an incredible ministry….you are PERFECT for that role. 🙂

          • No guilt, I promise. Just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what happened. Plus I’m on vacation from school this week and had extra time so I needed to talk to my dear friend. And the only reason I can serve in those ways is because God changed me so much. I promise any good is His, not me.

  3. Robin,

    I loved this! When we were sorting things for my mother to move into assisted living, we found her tea set when she was a little girl. We reminisced with such good memories, and we cried since this is a change that is hard.

    I know where my tea set is located when my sister and I were little girls. I played tea with my first round of kids, they remember it and loved it. I will have to play tea with my boys now, (it’s equal opportunity) and build memories. I’ve watched them play with their plastic tea set, but I need to bring out the my little girl china tea set, and use it in the living room as if they were grown-ups, (and it is also carpeted in the living room for boy antics) I know with some tea water, and cookies, they’ll love it like my first round of kids.

    This week is spring break, perfect opportunity to play with them since we are staying home. I am so glad you wrote this post on many levels. But one, is I had forgotten I had my tea set from it not being used since my other kids are grown. I will have to remedy that this week.

    Warmly,

    Joanne

    • Joanne,

      Please DO have a tea party!! There is such a sweetness to this form of “play,” to me, even important. What sweet memories you have, and I’m hopeful this has stirred some new ones to come :).

    • Joanne,
      Moving a loved one into assisted living is hard. I moved my dad last year. It was hard going through stuff and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of.
      I pray your mom enjoys her days at the assisted living!
      Blessings 🙂

      • Thank you so much Beth! It is hard to see her there. She decided it was time for her to move there. Still going through all the memories, and her going to her room, her new home instead of “home” was hard. Hard to grieve the next step of my mom getting older. She is adjusting, I think pretty well. The staff is more than super, and they work very hard to try to make it cozy, and more a family atmosphere. Your kind words mean a lot to me!
        Blessings to you as well! 🙂

  4. Robin,

    I’ve meant to say this for a while. You are so sweet in the way you encourage the women whenever you post. I’ve just finished reading for now the other reader’s comments and your fun and sweet responses. But I know you also have depth. Thank you for your encouragement, and your way of being yourself in the way you love on us women, and in the way you give us a little incentive to keep walking out our walk and to look for the enjoyment too during the hard times, and during the good times.

    And yes, Happy Birthday! If you are unable to celebrate today, still celebrate, there is the birthday zone you know.

    Warmly,

    Joanne

    • 🙂 THIS was a birthday gift to me, Joanne :). Kind words are always gifts. I saw it on my phone, unable to reply at the time…but blessed then AND now :). I’m grateful.

  5. Thank you, Robin for the reminder that “joy is found when we’re doing what we’re created to do.” And for sharing your “childlike wonder”. God’s joy is so different and so deep. I am grateful for the simple things. Today, I choose to seek the simple, meaningful things trusting that Jesus will lead my way.

  6. I’ve pulled out my tea set from when I was a little girl, and showed my boys all the pieces and put together a place setting and the serving pieces. Today we planned our menu, tiny tea sandwiches, grapes, tiny cookies, m&m’s and water tea. I will wash the set, and make the tiny tea sandwiches, and tea cookies so they fit on the serving pieces and on our plates, and we can have a party! They are so excited, and can hardly wait from bursting with anticipation, and now because they are excited, so am I. (I wasn’t expecting them to be so excited since they are all boys all 120% of them.) The occasion? just because it is Monday! Thank you so much for mentioning this…the wonder of them being children, and then the pleasure I have just from being with them and seeing this from their eyes.

    • DID YOU TAKE A PICCHA???? Please share it with me if you did!! (and if not, I know you can close your eyes and see their delight, no camera needed)

      • My 20 year old son did. He’s not available right now. But while we were still in the midst of having the party, they asked, “Can we do this again, tomorrow?” mouth full of cookie scarfing and guzzling water tea.

        They were little gentleman doing boy acrobatic antics on the carpet, (good thing I thought to have a party sitting on the floor.) My youngest kept saying “This is so beautiful!”

        My older son kept drinking the water tea, and decided that along with the pretend sugar and creamer, he had to use the pretend salt and pepper in his tea. It was a riot! I served them partially to serve them as you would a proper tea, partly to be able to keep the pieces intact to have another tea with them.

        Today they asked again if we could have a tea. I couldn’t but, I still served them tiny tea sandwiches on their dinner plates for lunch, and they begged for more tiny cookies for dessert. I gave them coffee cups that sort of look like full size tea cups for their beverage. Just this partial tea was enough to enchant them. I need to make it a priority to do the little things that are so much fun for them and for me.

        This is such a lovely gift you gave me with this post! Thank you Robin! And thank you also for getting excited with me! Joanne

  7. What a lovely post, Robin ~ I love tea and tea parties, though I don’t have them very often (think I’d better make having them a priority). And Happy Birthday (my “baby” is twenty today, though she’s ill with bronchitis so we had to postpone her birthday celebration)!
    In His grace, Grandma Kay

  8. I love the statement about simple pleasures. I am learning to live the empty nest phase of my life. As a single mom, I don’t like it too much. My house is very quiet now. I am a first grade teacher and this reminded me during the day to take time to enjoy the simple pleasures of my young students. At recess the girls love to braid my long hair, talk constantly with me. I used to tell them to go play but now, I am going to enjoy their time and use it to speak into their lives words or hugs that they need. It will bless them but also be a blessing to me.

    • {{hugs to you, Kathleen}}

      Empty nest as a single mom is different…I know. I sense this. I DO pray joy over you right now, that you find a sweetness in the quiet, that you see God revealed in precious new ways. I’m so thankful those 1st graders have YOU in their lives. I know yours is not an easy job, so I pray renewed strength and energy and the ability to love well. Even when they try your last nerve. 🙂

  9. Sometimes, I forget that God wants me to become like a child. I want to trust

    Him fully, letting Him remove fear & anger, as I live through each day. God bless you all.

  10. Happy Birthday Robin! 🙂
    I love spending time with family! Like you said my sisters live 5 hrs. away North or South. They have busy lives and can’t be with me. I so dearly miss them. My nephews and nieces live all over the world from China, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Virginia. I rarely if ever get to see them.
    We were made for community and to share our lives with each other! We need to use our “special” stuff all the time and not save it for that one day. That one day may never come!
    Blessings 🙂

  11. I am 2 days late. It has been late out here on the road. Happy Birthday and thanks for sharing your life and your stories. You bless us each time you do.