Joy by the Dishful

Okay, do this for me....first of all, ignore the ugly wall paper.


It's just not my style and along with the pale cabinets, will someday be replaced!
Oh, bother...I can get so distracted.
What I wanted you to notice is the smallish dish there to the left.
I know it is a lot of contrast in style, design, and tone from the other larger one, but right there it will stay!
Our photo assignment today in the Joy of Love challenge was "Things Given".
I can think of so many, many things given to me but wanted something really tangible that I could capture with a picture.
This dish came to my mind immediately because the giving of it touched me so deeply.

One Tuesday almost a year ago I walked into a ladies function at my church and this dish was sitting on the counter filled with some delicious pastry.

I was immediately struck by its beauty and called out loudly to find out who the owner was so I could ooohhh and aaaahhh to them about it. I am not much of a dishes and stuff person, but I do find myself in a phase of my life right now where blue is especially pleasing to me in some things.

But it wasn't just the color, it was the shape and the details and the overall well loved feel it had.

It is square in general, but has so many delicate details to it that just capture your eye.

It is quite old but sturdy and well made and oh so lovely.

The owner of this fine dish called me, the week I got into my new home.
She asked if she could stop by with a little something.

What she gave me was this dish filled with a delectable banana bread and a handwritten note.

I was thrilled to have the yummy treat...she is a superb cook, especially of all things sweet.
It was so nice of her to deliver it in this dish that I had admired and I promised to return it as soon as we had eaten the treat and had time to get the dish washed.

She waved me off in a rather strange way....

In the note she let me know a few things!
She let me know that this dish was a good hundred years old, (give or take a few years).
She went on to say that 30 years ago this dish sat in the home of a lovely Christian sister who was an avid collector of blue and white dishes.
Yes, this gorgeous dish was used and loved by that sister... right up until the day when my friend first saw it and admired it.
Soon after that, my friend received it as a gift.
The lady explained that she had gotten so many years of joy out of it, and since my friend had been so taken with it...well then she should have it to enjoy.

I can just imagine the scenes replaying in her mind as she thought back to the first time she saw this dish and how it sparked something in her. How she felt when it was placed in her hands for the first time with a delicious baked good inside of it. And then the wonder, when she realized it was now her treasure.
I can just imagine how she felt recreating those moments for me, and the joy it must given her to give it away.
I am gonna hold onto it for awhile, but someday...


...someday there will be a girl who sees it, and loves it, and is taken by it.
And...it will have to be hers.
And she will know about these women who loved God and gave away joy by the dishful!!!


Other things given that I can't pass up the opportunity to be thankful for:
Belief in me, by others which causes me to bloom and grow.
My husbands time dedicated to a job, so our family has all we need.
Jesus Christ born, to die on the cross, so that we might live.
and Friendship!
Yeah, those are my top kinda non tangibles!