“Every good and every perfect gift is from above…”  James 1:17a

Dw’s still in Africa and last night, after a busy day, I suggested we sit by the fire and talk for a little bit.  Isaiah enthusiastically asked, “Hey mom, would you tell us a story from our Memorial Box?”

Friends, if I could encourage each of you with one thing as you are parenting your treasures – Start a Memorial Box!!  The stories you share (each representing a time when God provided, protected, healed or encouraged you and your family) will have lasting effects!!  

These timeless, personal stories will be used by our loving God to build you and your family’s faith like nothing else!!  

Anyway, since Isaiah asked, he was the one to pick a trinket out of our Memorial Box.

The kids had never heard the story of the tiny little teacup…which is pictured below sitting on a dime!  (On a fun side note, I was pretty tickled many years ago when I came across that tiny little teacup to put in our Memorial Box.  I have a fascination with teeny tiny anythings!)  

As I was sharing the story with my kids, I realized that I had not ever shared it here.  Maybe it will help you remember a similar story from your own life!  Either way, celebrate the sweetness of the Lord with me!!

Summer of 1995, while pastoring in Charlotte, NC,  we headed to New York to visit our families.  Being an avid yard sale girl, it was especially fun to drive the familiar neighborhoods where I grew up looking for yard sales.  My mom was with me, as was Abi, Autumn and Emma.  I guess yard sales are a thing girls (especially) like to do!

Walking around one of the yard sales, I came across a very, very, very pretty teacup.

And a little known fact is that I love tea parties!!  I mean, I seriously love them so much!

Once upon a time, we regularly had tea parties.   Making special treats like scones, yummy clotted cream, lemon sauce, decorating the table all fancified and serving tea in tea pretties gathered from many, many yard sales!  It was a regular tradition.  We have always loved the beautiful conversations and memories shared over tea served in beautiful China (yard sale) teacups!

So walking around,  I came across a very beautiful teacup.  I paused.  The tiny little sticker on the side read, “$.10 + box”

I remember picking it up to look closely at the price tag.  Did it really say 10 cents or was that $10 dollars?

Nope.

It really said, “$.10 + box.”

Well as silly as it might sound to not have snatched that up for a measly 10 cents, I didn’t.  I walked around the sale and thought for a few moments.  My struggle was not the 10 cents!  My struggle was that we had a minivan crammed with kids and pets and stuff and I just wondered if I would be able to get the teacup home without it breaking in our piled-to-overflowing car.  We were definitely at capacity.

I giggle as I type.  I remember walking around that little yard sale for a good 10 minutes just thinking.  Should I or shouldn’t I?  Should I or shouldn’t I?  Should I or shouldn’t I?

I finally decided I would make it work by stuffing it in my own suitcase amidst a pile of clothes.

So as I went to hand the lady a dime and as I did, she asked me, “Did you want the box too?”  I paused, “Excuse me?”  She continued, “Did you see that ‘plus box’  – I put that on there because under the table is the rest of the entire china set.  It was my grandmothers, you can have it all for 10 cents – if you want it.  If you don’t, I’m just going to throw it in the dumpster.”  

I almost fell over!

Walking over to the box and reaching under the table, I opened it just enough to see it filled with oodles and oodles of matching China…even a tureen bowl with a lid!  I questioned her, “Are you sure?”  “Yup!  I’m just going to throw it out if you don’t want it.”

It had been her grandmothers!  Can you even imagine?

So I bought her grandmother’s set (not quite complete) – all for 10 cents!!

And this tea-party-loving-gal still smiles at the unexpected “sweet treat” from the Lord.  He is so good to us.  He loves to bless us.  He loves to shower us with sweetness.

It’s not that I ‘deserved’ it or did anything to warrant such lavish love from Him…He just loves to bless each of us.

And remember how I had struggled about squeezing one tea cup and saucer in the car?  No struggle at all.  We squished that entire box of Grandma’s china in our already overflowing car!  It fit perfectly.  Sort of.  But I did grin all the way home to Charlotte.

Our Memorial Box….