"Her China Symbolizes Everything That is Family"

For as long as I can remember I have wanted my grandmother's china. I would just stare at the dishes in her china cabinet when I would visit and would, of course, joke that it was "my china." I've always been a pink "girly-girl" and thought her china pattern was just so pretty and dainty.

I'm pretty sure if I had gotten married while she were still alive that I wouldn't have even registered for china because I believe hers were worth waiting for. When my grandmother passed away she left everything to my dad and aunt but I think it was a given that the china was to go directly to me. So last week they became "my" china (although I think I will always refer to them as hers). I transported them from Florida with great caution and couldn't wait to place them in my other's grandmother's china cabinet (although it's not a glass front cabinet so I'm sad I can't admire them all the time).

As a child I just thought her china was pretty and that was why I wanted them. It wasn't until after she passed that I realized how truly special her china is. The other day a friend on Facebook posted this comment, "Her china symbolizes everything that is family." After I read that I realized there is a great deal of truth to that. Every year our family had Thanksgiving and Christmas meals on that china so basically my holiday memories revolve around eating on this china. Then at the funeral I learned that my grandmother used to host a lot of pastors, evangelists and singers for dinner and they ate off her china.

I am so thankful for this precious reminder of my grandmother and the servant she was. She truly loved to cook and host people for dinner. In fact, as she got older it was very hard for her to give up her cooking responsibilities at the holidays. Her dishes are used to being utilized for serving family, friends, and ministry leaders, not to collect dust in a china cabinet. So being their new owner requires me step it up. Unfortunately I did not inherit her love for cooking but I think I have not only inherited her china but also the task of becoming a better servant.