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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Cup and Saucer (08/28/14)
When I was growing up Mother had several sets of porcelain dishes – complete with dinner plates, salad plates, bread and butter plates, soup bowls, platters, vegetable dishes and of course cups and saucers. The utensils at our house were placed in categories which reminds me of those we see in 2 Timothy 2:20. Some were for regular every day use and were stored in the kitchen cabinets. Then there were those for special occasions which were for ‘important’ guests only; they had their separate cabinet in the dining room. Then there was a locked hutch where Mom would display her prettier, finer and more delicate looking pieces.

During one of my visits several years later after I had long moved out, Mother served me tea. I couldn’t help but notice that we were now ‘allowed’ to use the special guests’ dishes! However, they were mismatched. When I was younger, it was almost taboo to set a table with crockery from different sets.

“Mom, what happened to your special china?” I asked, looking inquiringly at the cup and saucer before me. “Not those over there in the hutch.” I said pointing to the display that was very much undisturbed. It still looked as I knew it thirty years earlier. “You know the ones you kept for visitors and they had to go with each other?”

She smiled lovingly. The fine lines on her face had increased over time but she was still beautiful. “Don’t you remember, dear?”

Sipping at the freshly brewed tea, I posed, “Remember what?”

Mother is left handed. With her own different cup in her hand, she sat across from me and said, “Each of you broke several pieces from every set over the years and it was too costly to replace them.”

Honestly I couldn’t remember shattering that many pieces. Nonetheless, in a house with eight children the probability of valuables breaking was very high. Truly we must have done it. There was an awkward silence for a moment then she said something I’ll never forget.

“Although I could not afford to replace my fine china, God gave me a new perspective. Whenever I serve, everyone gets a different cup and saucer because everyone is different yet fine and special before the Lord.”

After that day, I saw Mother’s special china in a new light and a set of mismatched cup and saucer doesn’t bother any more.
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This article has been read 750 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
09/05/14
You nailed the topic. I really enjoyed this. The message is perfect and one we can all relate to.
C D Swanson 
09/05/14
Sweet, on topic and totally enjoyable read.

Well done.

God bless~
Ellen Carr 
09/07/14
I really enjoyed your entry. The too-good-to-use crockery brings back memories. I love the ending where 'Mother' has begun to use the mismatched china. (I'm going to ask your permission, via a PM, to use your article as a devotional for a group in which I am involved.)
Allison Egley 
09/07/14
Oh, I like this. A nice reminder.

I would have maybe gone into a story or two about how one of the pieces were broken, rather than just given the over all "they were broken," but you make your point well either way.

I loved the ending on this one.
Judith Gayle Smith-Owens Vitouswykegardinerclark
09/08/14
You can go all the way to China, but a mother's love surpasses all. (pun intended) I love this dear story . . .
Dee Kyalo
09/08/14
Glad you enjoyed this piece. Much appreciation for all your comments.
Brenda Rice
09/08/14
Every comment I would make has already been stated so well.

I won't bore you with saying them all again, but I will say I expect good ratings with this one.

One of my favorites.
Rachel Barrett
09/08/14
That was lovely and touching. And a very good thing for us all to remember...it is far too easy to get in a rut and insist that everything has to be just so.
Diane M. Bowman
09/10/14
A lesson about value, with value far beyond the price of a teacup.

Good story.
Brenda Rice
09/11/14
I expected this to rank well with the judges. Congrats.
Ellen Carr 
09/13/14
Congratulations, Dee! I thought you'd do well with this. (And I did use it for that devotional talk, with your kind permission.)