Welcome to Grace for All, a daily devotional podcast written and produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

Today we are replaying an episode that we posted more than a year ago. Its title is "Sweet Tea," and it was written by Barbara Barton. In that episode she mentions that she has been in hospice for some time.

Sadly, Barbara passed away last week. Her life was a blessing to our church and our community. We believe that sharing her words again today will be a blessing to you. Thank you for joining us.

and,

I love iced tea! Put a slice of orange in it and I'm your friend forever!

But even though I'm from the South, I despise the locally preferred sweet tea. Many times, when I order unsweet tea at restaurants, the staff can't seem to help themselves, and I end up with a mouthful of liquid sugar. It's not what I ordered and not what I expected. Spitting it out isn't an option, so I reluctantly swallow that unpleasant nectar before asking the server for what I had originally ordered.

My life is a bit like sweet tea right now. I've been in Hospice care for more than a year. Why I'm still here and not with my Heavenly Father, I don't know. This situation is not what I ordered and not what I expected but I won't spit out these extra days. They've been filled with laughter, love, and amazing peace. God is in control, and all is well. I will look for beauty in my circumstances and joy in God's love.

Father, please forgive my impatience. Thank you for the peace that comes when I relinquish control to you. Help me to be mindful that you alone know the number of our days. Amen.

This devotion was written by Barbara Barton and read by Sally Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.