The Good Book

Patrick Henry said:  "The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed."  Maybe that explains why our family has a lot of Bibles.  The thing is, usually there is one Bible that you like to read and refer to.  This is the Bible that you write in, put sticky notes and save roses or flowers pressed between the pages for prosterity.

Other Bibles become coffee table Bibles or bookshelf Bibles.  I have several of these.  I realized the other day when I picked up my Bible to look something up that my house is filled with Bibles and that they mean many things.  Of course, we all know that the Bible is known as "The Good Book," and this post is not to undermine that.  I can think of more than one time when the Good Book saved me from something.  It speaks the truth and it is the most important book in the house.  It serves as the foundation for all that is true and good and important.

Two of the most recent Bibles that came to dwell in my house are from Mom's house.  One is a Bible that was my dad's.  I found it when I was packing up Mom's house.  It looked old and I knew it was my dad's, so I decided to put it in the pile labeled "Mary" for the movers. 

Not only were we packing up a house, we were dividing it into two different destinations....my house and Mom's new place at Stratford Court.  It was a hard way to pack up and we didn't have a lot of time to do it.  It was also difficult because we left a lot behind.  So when the movers came, I had to supervise and tell them what went to Florida and what stayed in Shelby.  And further more, the truck had to be loaded according to what was to be delivered to Mom's new place and what was to be delivered to my garage.

But back to my dad's Bible.  When I started unpacking all the things I had sent here from North Carolina, it was like finding hidden treasure!  Every box held something new and different.  I packed in a hurry and put some things in without really scrutinizing them.  When I took the time to unpack Daddy's Bible and look at it, I was totally engrossed.  The Bible is falling apart and some pages are coming out of it.  The title on the front is almost non-visable.  There is a stain on the front cover and it looks like something that should be thrown out with the trash.  Thank goodness it never was!  It now sits proudly on the desk part of the secretary that once belonged to my Grandmother.  When someone comes to visit and is willing to listen, I love to tell them the story of this Good Book.  It is special in more ways than one.

First, it is written in much neater handwriting than I ever saw my Dad use.  It says:  "Joseph Mills Porter...Given by his Father on Graduation from Belwood High School....Apr. 27-1938." (My guess is that his mom or his sister, Madeline, wrote that).  I saw this and thought how cool it was.  Then I stepped back and really thought about it.  1938!  My Dad was 17 years old and this Bible was 74 (at the time) years old.  Wow.
The other reason this Bible is special is that on that same page and the page adjacent to it my sweet sister wrote some things!  I recognize the handwriting and I recognize it as the handwriting she had in elementary school.  So that, too, is pretty old!  One side says "Cousins."  Underneath are 2 distinct columns and the names are numbered.  Number one is Ellen and number 12 is Gin.  That made me laugh, because she didn't have the generational stuff quite right!  But the list goes like this:  Ellen, Bill, Nancy, Janet, Scott, Patty, Shelia, Kim, (who's Kim?), Eddie, Bobby, Tony, Gin.  It makes me smile every time I look at it!
The page next to it that has the inscription about my dad has Martha's 'signature'  underneath it.  It is written in cursive, unlike the cousin list, as if it was when she first learned how to write her name in cursive.  'Martha' is scribbled out with another attempt.  The signature takes 3 lines and it reads 'Martha Jo Porter.'

I love reading the title page.  It says all of this, with it's different fonts and font sizes and in its visually pleasing design:  The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Translated out of the original tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised...the text conformable to that of the edition of 1611, commonly known as the authorized or Kings James Version...The World Syndicate Publishing Co., Cleveland, New York.
There is no copyright date that I can locate.

Although this Bible is old and worn, there are no markings in it.  Obviously this Bible was not one of the ones my dad used on a regular basis.  I know Daddy would have scribbled in his Bible and left many notes.  He didn't know how to do anything without scribbling and making notes!  I am pretty much the same way and that is why Daddy nicknamed me "Doodler."

I do so love the smell of this old book.

The Old Testament is pretty well in tact.  Go figure!  Pages start falling out around the start of the New Testament and some pages have disintegrated tape that once held them in place.  I figured the New Testament pages were more worn and falling out because it was probably the section that was actually used and read more.

Stuck in the middle of Ecclesiastes is the only place where I found any notes or anything.  There is a neatly written list of verses and at the bottom of the list it says 'These may be a comfort to you--'  I don't know whose writing it is, but it is very neat and beautiful and it looks like a female's handwriting.  The paper isn't as old and worn as the rest of the book.  There is also an index card stuck in that same spot with a typed order of service on one side and handwritten on the other side is a list of 7 names with their street address.  It appears to me to be something like a list of shut-ins.  Again, I don't recognize any of the names on the list nor do I know who wrote it.  It appears to be the same handwriting as the list of verses.

I hope that with some TLC this Bible will last many more years and can be passed down to my kids.  I hope they will appreciate it and realize that so many years ago it was bought by their Great Grandfather and given to their Grandfather in great love on a momentous occasion.
In the meantime, it will continue to reside on my secretary and I will continue to tell its story to anyone who will listen.

Daddy had many Bibles since the one he received in 1938.  He was a true believer in The Good Book and he lived his life accordingly. 



Christmas 1986 when Jimmy was 3 and Joseph was 6, Daddy gave them Bibles for Christmas.  Daddy was always buying gifts for Martha and me that were surprises and then he started buying surprise gifts for my boys.  I think it is special because they were gifts he thought of and purchased on his own without Mom's knowledge or help.  These Bibles were one example of that.

They are hardback Bibles entitled "The Children's Living Bible."  Jimmy's is still here in my house but a few years ago I packed up a lot of Joseph's special things and sent them to him.  I thought he'd like to have them in his own home.  His Bible from Grandpop was one of those things.



The inscription from my dad reads:   "Dear James, Jesus Christ is Lord!  He loves you and I love you!  Grandpop."  Daddy filled in where it says 'This Bible presented to with James Marshall Fitzpatrick, by Grandpop, on Christmas 1986.'  Joseph's said the same thing with only the name changed.

I wonder if these Bibles will be around in 2060 when they are 74 years old like the one I have of my Dad's from his high school graduation.  I hope they can survive the decades and be around for my great grandchildren to enjoy!

The other Bible that I brought from Mom's is a beautiful white Bible that was Jessie's.  I can picture it on her coffee table.  I can remember picking it up and looking at it many times when I visited her.  I now keep it on my coffee table.  I left everything in tact, just as Jessie had left it.  It brings a feeling of warmth and joy to me whenever I pick it up.  I must say, however, I am used to my NIV Study Bible and when I looked a verse up in Jessie's Bible, I had trouble with it!  It is an authorized King James Version, and although that it was I was raised on, I have difficulty with understanding it now.  Yikes!  This Bible has a copyright date of 1954.  The title page reads:  "Self-Pronouncing The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised.  The Authorized King James Version."
Jessie left a few interesting things tucked in this Bible.  The first is a pamphlet called 'Cemetery Rules and Regulations.'  It is just like Jessie to want to know and understand anything that she was dealing with.
The next thing (I have left everything just as she had it....even on the same page) that I found in Jessie's Bible is a program from Gladys Bridges' funeral.  Gladys was a lovely lady.  She was a cousin of Mom's and Jessie's.  I remember her with her hair always neatly in a bun.  She was a former school teacher and always had wonderful stories.  Mom and Jessie definitely have longevity in their family.  Gladys' life was March 4, 1906-February 23, 2008.  102 years old!  Wow.



Jessie was too neat and respectful to write and make notes in her Bible.  Instead, there are several bookmarks.  The first bookmark is at the 23rd Psalm.  As I read this Psalm from Jessie's Bible, it is exactly as I first learned and memorized.  I think some things just need to be left alone.  It is such a beautiful passage.

The next bookmark in Jessie's Bible is at Psalm 91.  Her bookmark is actually a little calendar from 1997 that says True Happiness.  Jessie wrote Psalm 91 on this little calendar.  In Jessie's Bible the sub-title to Psalm 91 is "The happy state of the godly."  Jessie was a wise woman.  It touches me and makes me glad that she was reading about happiness.  I hope and pray that she always felt happy.  I know she always made me happy just by being in her presence.  Mom too.  We both miss her so much.

The center of Jessie's Bible has a fold-out that is the Family Register and Family Tree.  This is the one place Jessie wrote in her Bible.  She has a lot of the family information written in her own beautiful handwriting.  It is a  blessing to have this because I am not sure I have it written down anywhere else.  I like to know about my heritage.



The next bookmark Jessie had is at Matthew 25:  35-40.  One day Madeline and I were talking about something and we went to look up these very verses.  Since Jessie's Bible was right there on the coffee table, that is the Bible that we used.  We didn't have to look hard....it was interesting that she already had that passage marked. 

The next bookmark falls at a section in the back of the Bible entitled "Spiritual Gems of the Bible."  It is one of those handy quick go-to places for special passages.  It lists:  The Ten Commandments, The Twenty-third Psalm, The Beatitudes, The Lord's Prayer, The Sermon on the Mount, and "The Two Great Commandments."  They are printed on special beautifully decorated pages.  It makes it easy and pleasant to go read those wonderful words.
Those Two Great Commandments from Matthew 22:  35-40 bear quoting here:  "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Both Jessie and my Dad were fine examples of trying to live their lives based on these two commandments.
My mom, like her sister and her husband, also exemplifies these commandments.  She has her Bible with her at Stratford Court, so I don't have it here to peruse.  I know I enjoy a good 'religious' discussion with her from time to time.  We definitely share many of the same ideas.

Madeline used a Teen Study Bible that I gave her many years ago up until recently.  She loved it and had many things marked in it.  She bought herself a new Bible about a year or so ago.  It is pink (I'm not the only one!) and she keeps it by her bed.  I did go in her room to take a picture of the Bible, but I didn't go through it.  Sometimes our Bibles are our little safe haven and I didn't want to feel like I was invading her sacred place.  I know this Bible went with her to Jamaica last summer when she went on a mission trip as a chaperone.  It was her first time to chaperone and I know it was a wonderful experience for her.  She had been on several mission trips throughout the years as a student.  I know these trips made an impact on who she is today.....and that is a kind-hearted and beautiful person, both inside and out.  She is like her grandmother and her great Aunt Jessie in many ways.



My Bible sits by my easy chair in the family room.  I like to have it out and close by should I feel the need for it.  Our church gives out little devotional books from time to time and I like to follow them.  The last one I followed was for Lent.  I used my early morning time when the house is still quiet to read these devotions.
Like most people, I have had several Bibles throughout time.  I got a Bible from the church in 3rd grade, as did each of my children.  I got a Bible from Elon when I graduated college.  So did my husband.  We have little New Testaments that the children got when they were baptized.  I had one of these myself.  But the Bible I have now I bought when I moved to Florida.  It is a soft covered NIV Study Bible.  I started BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and I wanted a user-friendly study Bible.  I even went so far as to buy the little tabs that mark each chapter.  This may seem like 'cheating,' but it makes life easier when you are in a discussion group and trying to quickly find passages.
If someone were to find my Bible they would find a few bookmarks, but they aren't strategically and purposefully placed like Jessie's.  They are just stuck in there randomly so that they will be handy when needed.  One of the bookmarks I have in my Bible is a laminated Winnie the Pooh bookmark that says:  "I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen."  A wonderful nice lady named Rose Bishop gave it to me.  She was in the same theater group as I was.  She passed away a year or so later, so this bookmark is very special.  Also, little did I know at the time when she gave it to me that Porter would become so enamored with all things Winnie the Pooh.  In fact, just last week on my birthday card envelope he put a Winnie the Pooh Happy Birthday sticker! 
I imagine that I will always keep my special Winnie the Pooh bookmark in my Bible.

I have 4 other things stuck in the back of my Bible.  One is another laminated bookmark with a Chronological Bible Reading Guide.  In 2012 our pastor challenged us as a church to read the entire Bible.  This bookmark is a guide for that for the months of October, November and December.  We had a sheet with a reading guide for the entire year.  I did try to do it, but I will admit I didn't read nearly all of it.  I am challenging myself to read the entire Good Book sometime in the future.  I saved this reading guide that our church laid out for us to use for that challenge.
The next thing I have in the back of my Bible is a postcard that has the verse from Isaiah 28:16.  After I left BSF, I did a Bible study called Cornerstone for a year or two.  This verse is the basis for that group.
I also have a printout entitled "Words of Encouragement."  It is a handy little chart that has God's positive responses to our negative thoughts and the Bible references.  For example:  You say:  "I'm always worried and frustrated."  God says:  Cast all your cares on ME (1 Peter 5:7).
It's definitely a good reminder.  Someone had sent this to me in an email in 2008.
And the final thing I have in my Bible is something that a friend sent me in 2001.  I printed it from the email because I thought it would be a handy tool.  It is called "A Handy Reference List of Emergency Phone Numbers."  For example, When in sorrow.....call John 14.  The list is long and deals with many thoughts and emotions, both positive and negative.

I love knowing that I was raised in a Christian home and that those that have gone before me had faith so that I know they did not die in fear or despair.  I have used the phrase "Glorious Reunion" many times.  My cousins and I quote our Aunt Madeline often.  She believed in this Glorious Reunion, as did her siblings and as do their children.  It is a comfort knowing that we all like to think about this reunion.

Martin Luther one time penned:  "God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."
I think that is a beautiful way to look at the glory of it all.

And memories are made of this.

"Jesus Loves Me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so."



The Good Stuff

I have had a busy couple of weeks with company, events and celebrations.  While putting away some silver serving pieces, crystal bowls, china and sterling flatware, I started thinking about these things that we always refer to as "the good stuff." 
I love my good stuff.  I love it for many reasons.  I love it because it is beautiful and it feels good to use it.  I love it because it makes a lovely table setting.  I love it because it is not something I use every day, therefore it always feels 'special' when I pull it out.  But I mainly love it because each thing I use tells a story.  I don't pull this stuff out of a cabinet, a hutch, a drawer or out from under my bed (yes, I have a set of silver under my bed!) without thinking of who gave it to me, when I acquired it, what it means and what it represents.
So, my good stuff is not only truly good stuff, it is a source for entertainment and reminiscing for me.

Madeline had two friends visit week before last.  They are really good friends of hers.  She went to college with them, danced with them, shared an apartment with them and now they are designated bridesmaids for her wedding to Eric in March, 2014. 
These girls did not come to Florida and expect to be entertained or fed.  They are all good at fending for themselves.  It was a pleasure seeing them together, as being together was what really mattered.  The outings and dining and sightseeing were merely bonuses.  There is nothing better than seeing three 20-some-year-olds laughing and talking and just living in the moment.....happy to be reunited.
Obviously, I did not need to pull out the good stuff for these girls!  Paper plates were fine for them.  Or better yet, just eating the chips right out of the bag and the salsa right out of the container seemed to suffice.  No need to stand on ceremony!
I did decide to have a cookout one night.  That is our Florida tradition whenever we have guests come visit from out of state.  Of course, we ended up cooking in because it was so cold and not much of a cookout night.  So, instead of paper plates, I set the table with what I consider our 'everyday dishes' and Jim calls our 7 pound plates!  He is so funny about what dishes and glasses he uses.  We have taken to eating dinner in front of the TV like old married empty-nesters often do, so Jim likes to use the lightweight plastic plates we have just for ourselves.  They are far from the good stuff, and they are not even acceptable for guests in any way!  Sometimes these lightweight plastic dishes are dirty so I pull out what I call our everyday dishes.  These are the ones Jim calls the 7 pound plates.  Since he has to sit in his easy chair and balance his plate on his lap while he watches Brian Williams narrate "The World News Tonight",  he wants to use the plastic dishes.  It is more comfortable for him.
I have blogged briefly about these 7 pound dishes before.  (By the way, they are really heavy.....)   Dad bought them from Mom while they were traveling in California many moons ago.  I always loved them, and when Mom and Dad moved into their house on Lynhurst Lane she gave them to me.  They no longer matched her kitchen and she knew she would never use them.  They do match my kitchen and I use them all the time.....that is, when we aren't eating from our family room easy chairs!
These dishes are a handpainted pattern called Vineyard.  They are made by VernonWare by Metlox.  I researched a little to learn more about this pattern.  I learned that Vernonware began in 1916 and was located in Vernon, California.  It was bought out by Metlox in 1958.  The pattern I have is off white with a border of leaves of gold, green, and grayish-blue with turquoise grapes.  This pattern was introduced in 1960 and discontinued in 1980. 
I can see why Mom loved it and as I said, I still love it today.  Next to pink, green is my favorite color and I have had greens in my kitchens in more than one house.  Therefore, this set of dishes has worked for me for a long time.  I also use them in the dining room (even though they don't 'match') sometimes for Thanksgiving.  They leaves on the plates look very 'fall-ish' to me.  In fact, there is a similar pattern made by Vernonware called Autumn Leaves.  It looks a lot like the Vineyard pattern.  So often when I am setting the table with these dishes, I think about my Mom and Dad and I can picture them on Ridgeview Drive.  I always think of sitting at our round kitchen table, eating off this Vineyard pattern.....Mom, Dad, Martha and me.  We always were a close family and mealtime seems to be a time when not only my family, but most families, spend time together in conversation, eating, laughter and just creating that 'picture' of family.  That's what needs to be implanted in my brain so that I can conjure it up whenever I need to take myself back to that happy time in my life.
So, my 'everyday dishes,' are not only used as vessels for our food, but they often serve as vessels for my fond memories.

Jim and I have a mishmash of plastic dishes.  We have had a couple of sets throughout the years and when they crack and fade, we throw them away.  We still have four of one set and they are almost ready for the trash.  They don't match anything and never have.  I bought them from a clearance rack at Target one time and I think I bought them mainly because they have a lot of pink in them and I knew how much Jim liked to eat off plastic dishes!  They are stained now and starting to chip in places.
The other plastic dishes we have are cute.  They have palm trees on them and they are tans, browns and greens and they go really well on our lanai.  That is why I bought them.  I have a set of 8 and I got them so that we could use them outside for our Florida cookouts.  I have started using them sometimes for our evening meals because we are almost out of our other plastic plates.  Now my palm tree plates are starting to get worn out!  I actually bought these plates at the grocery store!  Publix had them several years ago for 99 cents each.  I wish they would carry them again.  I would definitely buy some more.

When Mom moved to Florida she knew she wouldn't need her china and silver.  She had a friend from Charlotte who called her asking if she was interested in selling her china because her daughter had the same pattern and would love to buy some more.  Mom agreed.  Mom had service for 16 but her friend only wanted service for 8.  She came to get them and as we were packing them up for her I realized how much I liked them.  I needed another set of dishes like I needed a hole in the head, but being the sentimental slob that I am, I decided I may as well keep the other service for 8.  I thought that Mom may get to Florida and wish she had her china.  So far she hasn't had any desire to have it.  So, I am using her china.  I use it fairly often.  I can make it look good in either my breakfast room or my dining room.  I like it because it is heavier and sturdier than my Lenox bone china.  It actually can go in the dishwasher!  Whenever Mom comes over, I make sure I set the table with her china and silver.  That way it can make her feel like she is still using her own 'good stuff!'

This pattern in a Copeland Spode pattern.  Again, I decided to do a little bit of research on this china.  I found that the Spode company began in 1770 and in 1833 was purchased by William Copeland and Thomas Garrett.  The mark then changed to say Copeland Spode.  The pattern in Gainsborough.  It is really pretty and bold and colorful....full of lots of flowers.  The pattern was first introduced in 1933 and is based on the paintings of Harry Hammersly, one of Spode's famous Victorian artists who specialized in painting fruits and flowers.  I have recently gotten back into painting, and I can truly appreciate this artwork.  I have done a few paintings of flowers.  It is hard to capture their true beauty.  I really love this china.

As I said, I have been busy the last couple of weeks and I can think of 2 occasions in which I used this china.  I had my family over for Easter/Birthday lunch on Easter Sunday.  After church we gathered in my dining room for a meal to celebrate Easter and also to celebrate 3 of the birthdays we had.  Mom turned 88 the day after Easter.  The day after Mom turned 88, Jimmy turned 30.  And the day after Jimmy turned 30, Jim turned 60!  We truly had 4 days in a row to celebrate.  I knew with everyone's crazy work schedules we would have to make it a joint celebration on that Easter Sunday.  We had a birthday cake shaped and decorated like an Easter egg.  Although we let Mom blow out the candles, we sang 'Happy Birthday to Mom, Jimmy, Jim....Happy Birthday to you!'  It was a mouthful, but the point was made.

The table looked nice set with Mom's china and silver.  I also added a potted tulip (pink) to the center of the table for our centerpiece.  I stuck it in the Waterford Punch Bowl that was Mom's that I keep on the center of my dining room table.  It actually turned out to look pretty cool.  Mom oohed and ahhed about it a lot.  That's good, because the potted tulip was her birthday gift.  She dares me to buy her anything, but I usually know what I can 'get away with.'  The tulips were one of those things.  Mom's loves tulips.  They are definitely her favorite and have been as long as I can remember.  Martha and I used to use tulips as centerpieces for birthday luncheons we had for Mom. 

I think the combination of being surrounded by all her 'good stuff,' her family and some good food, Mom had a great Easter/Birthday!  I am sure in the future when I set my table for Easter lunch with those same dishes, I will probably think back to this Easter 2013.





I used these same dishes later that same week.  It was my turn to host my Friday morning bridge group.  I love this group.  Each woman in it is near and dear to my heart.  If ever I have to miss our time together I am so disappointed.  I have always heard that laughter is the best medicine and that it is good for your heart and all those wonderful things.  Well, should that truly be the case, these women are my life-savers.  Our hearts should all be strong and healthy from all the laughing we do.  Sometimes we laugh and giggle over the silliest things.  Aside from the laughter, we do all really love to play bridge.  We enjoy the game very much.  We play 20 hands each time we meet.  We also eat brunch and we share stories, advice and a host of other things.  And amid all that, we laugh.  We all agree that if we didn't play bridge we would never know which stores had the best sales, who the best plumber was, or which art gallery was having a good show.  I get so many tidbits of good information from this group.

We always try out new recipes on each other.  We call this group the guinea pig group.  Who else can you try out recipes on but good friends?  I served Eggs Benedict Casserole, Grits and Corn Casserole, Strawmellow Delight Salad, fresh strawberry mini-muffins, cinnamon pinwheels and pecan coffee cake......all on Mom's beautiful china.  (And with her silver too!)  I thought of Mom when I pulled it out and I thought of how she always loves it when I play bridge.  It makes her happy knowing I am with my friends and laughing and enjoying myself.  She is really sweet like that.

My china is kept in the corner cupboard in my dining room.  I picked this china out when I was 19 years old....registering at Gilliat's for my wedding registry!  I loved it then and I still love it today.  It is simple and elegant and has touches of pink among the beige and gold.  My china is delicate bone china from Lenox.  The pattern is Castle Garden.  (I just love the name of the pattern!)  My research led me to discover that Walter Scott Lenox started the company in 1889.  He combined his talent for drawing and his fascination with clay as a basis for his products.  Lenox is now "among the world's oldest and most respected names in fine tableware."  I found that my particular pattern was introduced in 1973 and discontinued in 1993.  I got married in 1976, so at that time it was probably a popular pattern.

I don't use it very often because it isn't dishwasher safe and I know it is not often the appropriate dinnerware for the types of gatherings we have around here.  I try to hear Erma Bombeck whispering in my ear as I carefully pull out my china.  Erma Bombeck was a believer in using what you have and living life to the fullest.  You never know what tomorrow will bring. 

I do use my china when I host a nice luncheon or on Thanksgiving.  I love to set a nice Thanksgiving table and I love to use my china.  When I use this china I realize the significance of how I acquired it....as wedding presents!  I know that it is not a necessity, but I sure do love to look at it in my corner cupboard.  It is almost like an accessory.  I don't find it excessive at all.  I grew up in the South and it was just part of my heritage and culture to have fine china and silver and to choose a pattern when you were getting married.  People all had a set of everyday dishes and then there was their 'good stuff.'  It is elegant and fine and I like to dine like that once in a while.  It feels good.  It takes me back to a time and place.  I like what it feels like and what it represents.  Young people today don't usually pick out fine china and silver.  I can understand that from a practical standpoint, but it is sort of sad that it seems to be something that is a dying tradition.  Madeline inherited Jessie's silver and her china.  I am glad for her that she will have it.  It may not be her style and taste, but I know she will appreciate it.  I hope she gets the same 'feel' as I do when I pull my china out of the cupboard and start setting the table.  I love the way the table looks when all these beautiful things are upon it.  It makes me happy.



I guess one day Madeline will not only have Jessie's china and silver, but she will also have her Grandma's china and silver and her mom's china and silver!  My silver was my Aunt Madeline's.  I know that my Madeline knows and appreciates the significance of family heirlooms and the importance of maintaining them and the heritage and traditions they represent.

A meal shared with family and friends is a wonderful experience.  It is so much more than just the breaking of bread.  It is a celebration of a holiday or a life.  It is simply together time.  It is a time to socialize and veer from the everyday routine.  It is a time to talk and to laugh.  It is a time to overeat and it is a time to experiment with new recipes and try new foods.  This can be a meal served on paper plates, plastic plates, everyday plates or even the good stuff.

And memories are made of this.