Elevenses - a British term that was unfamiliar in the U.S. until the delightful scene in The Lord of the Rings in which Pippin laments that there would be no stopping for Hobbit snacking. Elevenses is known in Great Britain as a short pause at 11:00 for a cup of tea and a biscuit (aka as a cookie!). Akin to an American coffee break.
In our busy homes, elevenses can be a sweet call to drop what we’re doing and share a couple moments of refreshment together. As I spend a last school year with my youngest two children, I’m trying to make elevenses a habit. I’ve stocked treats they like - healthy or not - and set an alarm on my phone to remind me to pause. Some days it’s at 2:00 - some days it’s 3:00 - rarely it’s 11:00. Nothing fancy - just a simple treat - maybe watch a funny video - maybe do a little reading aloud - maybe a portion of a group lesson. Maybe sneak in a little poetry!
If you have no kids - grab a friend - or grab a colleague - or grab your Bible - and pause for a little refreshment.
Elevenses:
a pause to take time
for a treat
together…
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If you'd like to make your own collection of Sage Sayings, I'm posting printable versions on my Resources page. You may print them out and post them on a clipboard, or slap them into your journal, or stick them in a card, or frame them to display.
Note: for more info about the Sage Sayings series, see the blog post from February 6, 2017.