The Oldies but Goodies Gang (plus extras)
Doug and Anna, Tom and Carol, Rex and Sherry, Paul and I
Friends for over 36 years
(Anna in the middle)


You Took The Time

You took the time to stop and chat

As you passed by today

To jest a bit in pure delight

Before you went your way.

You took the time to lend a hand

When I was faced with care

To give the strength of fellowship

To comfort and to share.

You took the time for words of praise

That warmed me through and through

You took the time to be a friend

So patient, kind and true.
Author Unknown

I received the call this morning that no one wants to get.  Our precious friend Anna went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early this morning.  

Anna leaves an amazing testimony to all that knew her.  She truly was the fragrance of Christ.  She left such an impression on my life as to how to live right up to the end.  

As our friend Sherry said this morning, "Our oldies but goodies dinners will not be the same next winter without her."

I will always hear Anna's laugh in my head and know in my heart she is dancing and singing tonight with Jesus.  I am blessed to be a friend of Anna's.

Hold your loved ones close and never take love and friendship for granted.

Love and Hugs,
Mèmére

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/

The Beauty of Friendship is Everlasting

Teary mist clouds my vision for a moment but I quickly come back to the memory of the giver of the gift and I smile if only in my heart.

Cleaning out my nightstand drawers this morning and there it is.  The small tin that once years ago held a fragrant candle.  Special friends, once in a lifetime friends know what you like and the gift or accompanying card always have just the right words.  So it is with this empty can.  My dear friend Dolores gave it to me.  Dolores has gone to be with her Lord and Savior and my misty eyes are the result of no longer having her here.  But then I read the message: the beauty of friendship is everlasting and then I smile.  It is true; I will always have her friendship in my heart.

Love of Butterflies

Walking through our home you will see lots of pretty butterflies perched here and there or adorning some object of my affection.

My collection started because butterflies remind me so much of 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

If you follow my blog at all you have read about Aunt Jo and she loved butterflies too and for the same reason.  I have many of her butterflies in the form of jewelry and when I wear a piece my thoughts turn towards her often and the great influence she had on me.  She truly was a godly mentor for my life and encouraged me in so many areas.  When she died she was a week short of being 98 years old and she had lived for the Lord since the age of 10.  Such an amazing blessing for the Lord to give her to me and allow me the honor of gleaning her wisdom as a godly woman.

Recently the Lord has brought a young woman into my life 30 years my junior and God is using her to share more wisdom with me concerning being a godly woman.  I guess this is not quite a Titus 2 relationship as far as age is concerned but truly wisdom has no age requirement and my precious little Alicia proves that to me more and more as I get to know her heart.  Alicia has blessed me with butterflies recently and she touches my heart as did Aunt Jo.  

God is good to supply what and WHO we need in our lives.

 

Paul bought me this teapot in San Francisco several years ago.

This little lamp I purchased on a visit to my dearest friend Dolores who I lost a year ago and miss so much.  Some friends can never be replaced.

I got this cup for Aunt Jo when she was living with us under the care of Hospice.

A scarf of Aunt Jo's

This picture is from our guest room still referred to as "Aunt Jo's room".

Butterfly jewelry that belonged to Aunt Jo and worn with love now by me.

This butterfly came from Alicia and perches itself in my sanctuary (office).

These all came from Alicia just last week.

Wind chimes with butterfly for my garden from Alicia.

And finally this picture to share with you.  When I adopted Anthony I wanted to give him a special gift and found this painting by Joni Erickson Tada the woman that is a quadriplegic and paints with her mouth.  The painting reminds me again of 2 Corinthians 5:17 but I purchased it for Anthony to encourage him that God would use him in spite of any physical limitations he may have been born with. 

This hangs on the door of the "butterfly room" where my precious Aunt Jo spent the last 9 months of her life.  She taught me well that because of Jesus we are now new creations just like the butterfly.