Cup. Mug. Glass.
Do you have one nearby? I do. Almost all the time. And sometimes more than one.
Containers. Vessels.
They hold a lot of symbolism.
Circular rims--no beginning and no end.
Designed for use.
Thirst quenchers and comfort givers.
Sometimes worn and flawed.
Sometimes stained and mold coated.
Different shapes and various sizes.
Fragile and sturdy.
Microwave safe--or not.
Dishwasher safe--or not.
Must be emptied to be filled.
Must be filled to be emptied.
During my declutter frenzy, I pared down my stash. These favorites survived.
The company that takes care of family--employees and policyholders. I so appreciate that my husband's job as an agency standards consultant is secure and allows me to follow my dreams. I love the crackled look of this mug because I so often feel that way. I don't drink from this.
I don't drink from this cup either. But it reminds me of the cup Jesus drank from and that if I am to follow Him, I need to drink from it, too. It reminds me of a young girl in Kenya and of the
organization that reaches out in compassion "releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name." On the back it says, "Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate." Good thought.
An often-used mug for coffee or tea or cocoa. I bought it back in the day when I buried myself in quilting to battle the pain of infertility. It encourages me to think of how God takes all the broken pieces and scraps of my life to create a patchwork masterpiece.
I just love Lucy! And I love chocolate. You probably didn't know that, right? My daughter bought this mug for me. It makes me smile, sometimes giggle, and sometimes laugh out loud. I think that's a good thing.
Abby also got this mug for me. It's cracked on the other side but still very useful. I use it a lot. I like to think I'm useful in spite of my cracks.
Company cups. The upper left is from my everyday dishes, but I don't regularly use the cup. The other cups belonged to my mother-in-law (upper right) and her mother (front and center.) I need to use those dishes more. Things of such beauty and sentiment don't belong behind closed doors.
Gift cups. I use these when I want (need) to pamper myself, maybe curl up with a good book and a candle and sip on a unique herb tea. We all need to feel special sometimes.
Vintage Cracker Barrel. I may treat myself to one of these for morning coffee. They might be chickens, but I still hear a cock crow in my head reminding me of Peter's impulsiveness and denial and Jesus' forgiveness and Peter becoming the rock he was meant to be. On the lighter side, they bring back memories of the chickens we raised for a couple of years--but that's another story. These are great, too, for large homemade lattes topped with lots of whipped cream.
These were my mother-in-law's toy dishes. I don't use them, but I enjoy looking at them and thinking of her playing with them as a girl. She would have been 101 years old this year. I'm also reminded that the cups are really small, which means they would brim over really fast. I think our spirit cups have a way of expanding.
I use one of these goblets and sip on ice water throughout the day. I could use a plain old thing, but I love the vine design and the way the glass catches the light and the way it feels when I grasp it. I think I drink more water because of it.
This mug is on
order. A treat to myself when I finish my
Sweeter Than Chocolate study of Psalm 119--with a hope that I'll grow to love the Word even more than a bag of M&M's.
My cups still overflow. My cup overflows. Oh, to be a useful vessel overflowing for Him.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves." 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NASB)
What kind of spiritual symbolism can you see in a cup?
Do you have a special one that you like to use?
Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King
