Broken
This has been my favorite teacup for over ten years.
I love the color, the shape, and the feel of this cup in my hand. I love the beautiful English countryside scenes depicted on both cup and saucer.
It wasn’t expensive, and it isn’t an heirloom. In fact, I think I found it at a discount store for a dollar or two. But still, it was my favorite.
A few weeks ago, after returning from a trip out of town with my husband, I found the saucer, broken down the middle, hiding on top of the refrigerator.
I instantly felt a little bit sad at the destruction of my favorite saucer. I asked the children how it had happened, and they said they were having a tea party with Grandma (who was staying with them), and they needed another saucer for my sweet (and very boyish!) three-year-old. He accidentally dropped it, and it broke right in two.
After hunting for some super glue, I took the cup and saucer to my bedroom. I looked sadly at my favorite saucer, now in two pieces. I thought about how incredibly precious my little three-year-old is to me. And how much I love all five of my children! And I knew right then and there that it didn’t matter. I would keep the broken saucer and display it with the cup, as a reminder of how precious my children are to me.
And how they mean so much more to me than any thing ever could.
Whenever I see this broken saucer, I am also reminded of how God uses broken people. All of us can relate to this in some way or other. Just because we have been broken in some way doesn’t mean we aren’t useful and beautiful to God.
“Christ is building His kingdom with earth’s broken people. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the whole, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filled with earth’s broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take a life crushed by pain and sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth’s saddest failure up to heaven’s glory.” ~J.R. Miller
I’m so thankful for this hopeful message, aren’t you?
This was beautiful, Joy. What a wonderful reminder that broken saucer will be!
Thank you, Sarah!
I love how God gently teaches us through ordinary object lessons. {If we are teachable}
When your children are grown and have little ones of their own, they will remember with gratitude your sweet spirit and Godly example! The world would say that life is about stuff, but God would say that life is about people.
You could repurpose your beautiful tea cup into a flower pot. I did that and it's rather charming. {Mine has a small succulent clipping in it.}
You know – you could make tea parties a regular part of your week or a special day of the month – to practice manners and etiquette and a time to linger at the table a little longer together. Use the broken saucer with the cup – It can be a gentle reminder to all – that we need to be careful, gentle, and use our best manners and self control as best we can. Or not, it was just a thought. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing the idea of using the tea cup as a flower pot–I really like that idea! And regular tea parties are something I've added to our most recent schedule for once a week. I love the idea of doing it every afternoon, too, as part of a relaxing and peaceful time of the day.
Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts!
I am thankful for that hopeful message!
I have many tea things, and we use them! I've had to remind myself at times that they are just things. I've lost very few things over the years of taking them to church for tea parties and using them at my home as well. Though this last Christmas I did lose a teacup that had belonged to my great aunt…
Our family, friends and neighbors are more important!
Deanna
Yes, I agree! I once saw where Tasha Tudor said she would rather use her nice china and have it broken, than to have it sitting on a shelf or in a cupboard somewhere collecting dust. I really took that to heart. Sometimes things will break, but at least we enjoyed them while we had them!
I can so relate! 🙂 What a wonderful quote! I might need to write that down and post it somewhere in the house. 🙂
I'm glad you liked it, Nabila Grace! ♥
I'm so sorry abut the saucer. As soon as the children heard it and then saw it on the floor, they were terribly sorry it had been taken out of the cupboard. Even though things shouldn't hold a place of prime importance, it's still sad to lose something you enjoyed. Love^prayers, Mom
Hi Mom! Seriously, don't feel bad about it. Sometimes accidents happen, and I can still enjoy it! Love you!
I loved this post, having 2 boys, i dont really put alot of things out.lol
I try and remind myself of what you are talking about in the post alot, as it's easy to forget and get carried away.
Jenn
Thank you, Jenn! I know what you mean about the boys…although our three girls are also pretty much likely to break something, too! And for that reason, I don't put a lot of breakable things out, either! 🙂