I’m a saver. Not necessarily in the good money kind of way. Not in the hoarder way either. I’m the kind that buys a new outfit and saves it till I have somewhere important to wear it. I save my favorite scrapbook paper and stickers till the perfect project comes along. I save scripture verses for posts I haven’t written yet, but just know they’ll be exactly right someday. Good china – safely tucked away in the cabinet. Reserved for holiday use.
What in the world am I waiting for? Lately I have overwhelmingly been convicted of this little problem I have. It makes me feel better to think it is a common trait, but I’m not really sure it is. You’ll have to let me know if you suffer from the same affliction.
My Neena (grandmother) ate on good china everyday I can remember. I have asked my mom if she just pulled it out when we visited or if it really was an everyday occurance. She thinks it was everyday. My Neena is a beautiful British war bride. She came over to America after marrying my grandfather in England. They lived close to his family in Louisiana. His people were a pretty formal bunch. Lots of stunning antiques are still floating around our family from them. Maybe she got her tendancy from them. Or maybe growing up with food rations and bombs exploding around her daily lead Neena to throw caution to the wind in the china department. Or, it was just the way it was. Anyway you shake it that brightly colored, delicate china with the dainty gold trim seemed like sheer luxury to me growing up. Being British we never missed tea time at Neena’s. It was an all out event. From tea cozy covered china pot to paper thin teacups to one lump or two. Tea has never tasted better than when served up with special cookies at her house. She modeled gracious hospitality to me. Here she is giving me the dollhouse she made, just for me! (see the makeover of it here)
The thing is it made me feel special, worthy. The fact that she trusted me with her beautiful china meant she loved me more than that cup. Sounds silly doesn’t it? That we could love a cup more than our family. Really though – when we hold on to stuff for “special events”, “special occasions” or “special people” what does that say about those closest to us? Our nearest and dearest? Are they not special enough for our best? Shouldn’t I wear my new outfit on a Tuesday just to drop my kids off at school? Or look nice for my husband just because! What better event is going to come along to scrapbook than whatever is happening right now? Why would I let dinner guests enjoy our finest when I don’t even share them with my greatest treasures – my family.
I think a lot of the time our faith gets treated like our good china. It sits prettily tucked away. Only pulled out for “special occasions”. Those times when we need help, need to hear some good news or have a really important decision to make. We make it known when in the company of those we feel comfortable with. Or even worse, we pull it out when we are looking to impress. We don’t share it enough with those closest to us. And the tool of our trade, our bible, gets the same treatment. God trusts us with his word. He gave it to us to use and share, everyday. Faith wasn’t meant to be pulled out on Sundays, Easter and Christmas like we do with our good dishes. We don’t run the risk of our faith breaking by using it more, in fact it gets stronger the more it is put to use. Mark 16:15 tells us of the charge Jesus gave to us – the great commission. Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (side note – who do you think all of creation means?) We can’t do that if we pick and choose when to pull our faith off the shelf. So I am working on living more out loud with my faith. Not just sharing it at bible study or among those in my comfort zone, saving it for just the right time. It takes careful examination…what do I love more than sharing my faith? What am I fearful of?
As for our house…we are reslolved to eating off the fancy plates. Who cares if my kids break a plate. The world will not end. I really think our food tastes better, I’m not kidding. I’m doing my best to stop saving things for later. Who knows if later will ever even come? So come on – get crazy with me and get out the good stuff. You know your china hasn’t seen daylight since December. I won’t even ask about your bible 🙂
Kim, you make a very valid point here. I can be accused of the same thing, saving the best for later. I’ve also had that same thought process about how we shouldn’t be saving the best for later – after all there might not be later. I’ve found there are days when pulling out the fancy dishes is just the thing to bless the family. Other days, they would much rather a napkin or paper plates to have me free to sit and read with them instead of messing with the dishes.
I’ve thought of you several times this week while walking and seeing treasures on the curbside. We only picked up a few because most of the great finds I’ve found or just not for this season in my life. But I thought…”hmm…wonder if Kim would want this.”
I agree with the paper plates – you have to do what is a blessing and not a burden!!! and YES – I want your curbside finds. I love them and if I don’t have room for them I love to give them away!!
I loved this one. Why save things!! My favorite tea glasses are heavy goblets we used every meal at the old beach house with my grandma and grandpa. I love drinking from them. I also use her crocheted lace table cloths at times. Those were her material treasures. Her strong FAITH was the best treasure. Love you friend.
I love to SEE faith in worldly things, like those glasses of yours. That is my goal. We need reminders all the time of faithfulness or this world would just be to much sometimes! love you di
Love this! And love you!
miss you bunches
I was out to dinner with a few friends several months ago and when our plates were served I was not satisfied with mine. I called the server over and sent my back. My friends were not happy with me because I was just too picky… Shortly after I heard through the grapevine that there was much talk amongst my friends about how I acted… hum.. some friends. They “saved” their good thoughts for the total stranger and chose instead to have negative opinions about me – lets not even talk about the $60 meal.
A few weeks later these sames friends needed a helping hand and of course called on me. My hubby, whom understood my hurt on their disloyalty, told them to call the server and ask them for help. Since that time we have not spoken to them…
My point is that we save our kindness for others instead of showing it to those that matter most to us. Instead we should practice on those special people in our lives.
Our nice words, our good silver, our best towels and our most beloved treasures should be shared with those close to us every day and forget about the ones that occasionally show up or simply don’t matter.
I agree, we should give our best to all, but for sure those closest. Thank you for sharing and visiting!
Great word sister!! The Caffeys are eating off the china tonight!
Thank you for the reminder that our family needs our best. We live in such a “disposable” society it’s easy to get into the mindset even with those we love – just rushing through each event in our lives to get to the next one. Using your best slows you down and makes you enjoy what you’re doing.
Thank you Jennifer!! I agree, too much too easy
Kim, You hit very close to my thoughts with this beautiful, insightful post. I’m more like you than Neena when it comes to waiting for who knows what…and it has puzzled me as well, especially since she raised me! Thanks for helping us recognize how special it is to share our faith, gifts and hospitality with love and grace each day. Love you dearly! PS…Love the pictures!!
Love and miss you too
Love ???? it!! A great connection and reminder – thank you! And I can’t wait to see the one-room makeover. #intirgued 😉
Gah! Darn autocorrect…meant #intrigued
Thanks friend, Should be fun!
I agree. Use the nice dishes for a favorite dinner or lunch often. I think saving things came from the Great Depression generation. They didn’t have much and were used to saving everything.
I agree, but I do it too…china at the holidays, it’s such a waste!!!