My Favorite Things - Yerba Mate

In college I was first introduced to this South American "tea". When I spent a season in Argentina, it was winter there and Yerba Mate was a warm, comforting way to start the day or spend a cozy afternoon in the mountains with friends.

So, what is mate (pronounced ma-tay)? Mate is similar to an herb tea but it's not really tea. It grows on a bush. It was first brewed by the Guaranies Indians as a pick me up when they were hungry. Research into the components of mate is controversial with South Americans claiming it does not contain caffeine, but what the folks in Argentina call "matine" instead. Some scientists claim that this is just another way to say caffeine or another type of caffeine different than that found in coffee.

How do you drink it? A gourd (some of these are incredibly beautiful) is packed with dried green leaves. My American friends always tell me these leaves resemble marijuana. Once the gourd is packed, a pretty silver "straw" called a bombilla is placed inside.

A thermos or pitcher of boiling water is then passed around among the friends. Germaphobes beware... you SHARE mate. Everyone drinks from the same bombilla and gourd. You pour in your water, sip your mate, then pass it to the next person who pours in water, sips, then passes on.

Traditionally, mate is consumed without sugar or any other additives, but you can definitely add sugar. I have even added peppermint and other flavorings like zest of orange or lemon, but most of the time, I just drink it as is. In America, you can buy it now in tea bags and I have done this, but it just doesn't feel right and this may be psychological, but it doesn't seem to have the same energy boost from a tea bag.

There are many great benefits to drinking yerba mate. From increased energy to sharper mental focus, yerba mate is a very healthy drink. Check out this site for more on health benefits: Be Brain Fit. It is important to note... some registered dietitians have suggested that mate is filled with antioxidants and vitamins B1, B2 and C, and iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium and that it is good for digestion. However, over consumption (drinking more than 4 cups per day) can cause harm, including increased risk of head and neck cancers. Remember, moderation is essential for everything you consume!

Where can you buy Yerba Mate? If you want to order a gourd, bombilla and leaves online, there are many sites. Here is one I like: Go Yerba Mate. In the Houston area, you can buy it at Fiesta groceries and Whole Foods.

The Pope enjoying Yerba Mate

Friends enjoying mate

My Favorite Things - My Bible

True story about this Bible...

I was on the beach in Manzanillo, Mexico. This was during the time I was living in Guadalajara and a group of us had traveled to the beach for a couple of weeks. The resort there is absolutely beautiful. One morning I woke up early to catch the cool crispness of the breeze and the crashing of the waves into the shore. I was wrapped in a blanket and sipping coffee while reading my Bible.

This Bible is my favorite since 1985 when I was 15 years old. My parents bought it for me to celebrate the fact that I had finished reading my entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation. My name was printed on it (although you can no longer see it). I used this Bible in college and later years and when I lived in Mexico, I carried it with me wherever I traveled. I also had a Spanish Bible, but this one reminded me of home.

Well, I was on the beach. It was a windy morning and the waves were growing. I looked up and noticed a really big wave coming and wondered if I was far enough from the water to be safe. I was not. That big wave grabbed my coffee, my blanket and my Bible and took them all away into the sea. I could not believe how upset I was. I cried out, "God, please bring me back my Bible!"

Suddenly another big wave came in and brought my Bible straight to my arms. It was drenched and filled with sand, but it had come back to me in a wave just like it had left me in a wave. Over the years, most of the sand has gone. That was 1992. Some of the pages are a total mess and once in a while, I will find a small grain of sand stuck in there. Most days when I read the Bible, I read it on my app or online. But nothing brings me more comfort than reading from this Bible, my precious gift given to me by my mom and dad in 1985, taken from me by a wave in 1992, but graciously returned by my Father in Heaven when I cried out for it.

In my most difficult times in life, this Bible is my constant companion. Over these last few weeks, it has given me the strength I need to breathe. Thank God for my Bible, the SWORD that fights for me every moment.

My Favorite Things - Boots

This post will be a series. Today I'll start with the boots. I took this photo of my feet Saturday afternoon after we had been volunteering at a swim meet all day. Our plan was to head to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo BBQ Cook Off. A friend and former co-worker of Bill's invites us every year and he really does make some seriously amazing BBQ. Especially his spicy homemade sauce.

But turns out, Bill and I were just plum tuckered. I did get all dressed up for it, but in the end, we stayed home and made fish tacos. And we needed to be home to work out some of our woes.

The boots, though. Ah, Texas. Deep in my heart, I'm a Texas girl. I would rather be a Colorado girl, but no matter what happens in my life, I was raised in the heart of Texas. Deep East Texas was my childhood home with red dirt, rolling hills and thick Pine trees. In my home town of Nacogdoches we had brick roads in the town square. As a child, I got to go hay baling and horseback riding in the woods. In high school, our parties happened at deer leases. I learned the Texas Two Step when I was a little girl (in fact, it was a requirement for P.E. credit in my school). I grew up on Tex Mex (it's funny that so many people think Texans are consumed with BBQ when in fact, Tex Mex is our "National Cuisine"). I say the word "y'all" with great pride. I know that you are supposed to say "m'am and sir" after the words "yes" and "no".

When I'm wearing my boots, I feel like the girl I used to be. I'm reminded of the decent country folk I grew up around and I feel thankful. From this 7th generation Texan, here's wishing y'all a happy Tuesday.