Tuesday, June 21, 2011

True Value


I failed to take a picture of the Honeysuckle pattern Shelley Teacup I purchased while in Cambria, California last week.  The above picture is the best I could find of the pattern off the internet.  Shelley teacups are easy to recognize by the scallop in the cup and the saucer as you see above.

Shelley cups and saucers are expensive, averaging about $85 for one in perfect condition .  My friend Dolores started my teacup collection with 5 Shelley cups and saucers many years ago, cups given her by her mother-in-law.  If you know anything about me you know I would never never spend that kind of money for a teacup.

But you did buy a Shelley you say.  Yes, I bought a Shelley and I did pay much more than I normally pay for my cups and saucers but I bought it for two reasons.  First of course it was a Shelley and not selling for $85.  It was not tagged $85 because it has a flaw.  It has a hairline crack running up the cup.  You can not feel the crack nor does it affect the use of the teacup but held to the light it is evident.

Flaws, not a pretty word.  Negative in context for sure.  To be flawed is to be thought less of.  To be priced and valued for much less.  Not a good thing to be flawed the world would say.

BUT God!  Our lives easily represent that flawed teacup.  God picks up the flawed from the rubble heap and lovingly fills it with Himself making it perfect and perfectly useful to bring glory to Himself.  The value is not in the object itself but in what the object now represents and what it produces through God Who fills it.

Emily Barnes writes about this concept in several of her teacup books and first brought this beautiful concept to my knowledge.

I love giving a teacup to someone and if it has a flaw, well, all the better because I can include a letter that shares Emily Barnes view on flawed teacups.  Last Sunday I was blessed to give my Shelley teacup to a beautiful young woman who the Lord has brought into my life.  I wrote to her about the value of her new possession and the value she had to the Lord.  As, I wrote the letter I of course was touched and blessed of the Lord too proving once again it is more blessed to give than to receive sometimes.

If you are out and about junking or antiquing and you run across a teacup that is marked down because it has a chip or flaw don't be too quick to pass it by - it might be a Shelley of great value and hopefully will remind you of your value to the Lord - flaws and all.

Linking up with http://www.sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/



4 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for stopping by for tea today!! I had never heard of Shelley before now .... I'm always on the lookout for chintz at a good price. Sometimes I find orphaned cups or saucers - which I don't mind miss matching - the all seem to go together anyway! Maybe it's the same with Shelley?

My mom is French and my girls call her grandmama - which she loves. My husband calls her ma mere (which I always thought was "my mom") .... And I call her mom or grandma - but then I'm already endeared to her so it doesn't matter what I call her :)

Happy t day!

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Hi Dorothy,
What a lovely analogy and I so enjoy Emilie Barnes' writings. I love your post and I'm so happy you have shared it with us for Tea Time. Thank you for stopping by and having tea with me. I am your newest follower and I hope you have a delightful day.

Blessings,
Sandi

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Amen to all of the above. So many today think if something is not brand spanking new then it is worthless but it just the opposite. The idea of a lovely little teacup accompanied by such beautiful thoughts is a true gift. Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. Tammy

Lynn said...

Hi, I am here by way of Sandi's Tea party and very late at that. I adore this post. I have seen Shelley on blogs and know the cost of a perfect piece. I have those precious tea books also, gifts from my hubby. I order a very special tray on ebay and when it arrived it was cracked. My hubby did his best to fix it so I can display it, but do not use it as am cautious when placing food on a cracked dish. But each time I look at my cracked tray I smile, for it is the "cracks" that let in HIS light. Giving a teacup to that young women was a precious gift of so much more than a tea cup. Blessings back to you. This post has blessed me abundantly.