The first course was plated. It was Sunday on Tiffany Hill, and I was ready to present to the guests. And the words from Matthew 20:28 entered my mind, “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve….”
As is our custom, I entered the morning time with the guests in celebration…this morning I chose to celebrate blessings…the blessing of each of them, and the blessing of friendships and marriage…and then I moved into the kitchen to plate the main course.
I smiled, plating the food onto my 99 year old Grandmother’s china. She would be so happy to see me using it here…to serve others as she often served our family around her table at Christmas.
A gentleman about the age of 80 spoke up, telling a story of his mother’s teaching him of how it was not right to work on Sunday. I smiled, because he had no problem receiving the food I placed in front of him, without a second thought to the fact that I had been up since 4:15 that morning just to prepare myself spiritually as well as physically before coming to serve him and the 13 other guests around our table. As I brought out plate after plate and placed them in front of the guests, he said to me, “How do you deal with working on a Sunday instead of being in church? My mother taught me that was just wrong!” I smiled at him, and disappeared into the kitchen for two more plates. “Lord, please work through me in this place….today”, I murmured in my heart.
Back out at the table I shared with him a story of the Sabbath (you can find the story in Mark 3:1-6). Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, and was condemned for it. And before that he had told the Pharisees, “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” I simply told him after sharing the story….”Jesus healed and did good deeds on the Sabbath (Sunday in His day and time); why shouldn’t I follow His example? You needed breakfast this morning, didn’t you?”
I left the guests to talk, ponder, and savor both the food and the conversation. And then I reappeared with dessert – their third and final course of the morning.
There were no more questions asked. The food was taken in, and the man – at the end of the meal – simply said to me, “Thank you for serving me this morning.” I smiled. He packed his bags and left without even leaving a tip. And again I felt the nudge within me that made me smile and give thanks to the One from Whom all blessings flow.
I did receive a tip that day…a thank you that was real and from his heart, and also this that I share with you now. Indeed, the Sabbath was made for man. Why? Because God – in His infinite wisdom – knew we would need to rest and be refreshed, just as He did after His creation of all. Exodus 31:17 says, “…in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.”
So serve. No matter the day of the week, or the hour of the day. But take time “off” to rest, and to be refreshed. It’s your Sabbath. God intended you to do as He did. And serve without any expectation of anything in return. God has your reward.
There’s the tip of the day for you….savor it as you will.
~Blessings,
Connie
Meet Tracylee….designer, artist, interior decorator….you name it…she’s got it going on! Tracylee has hands down encouraged me the most during my venture into The Tin Roof…with her words and hugs, but also with her contagious spirit of enthusiasm and design. And this is how she describes herself….
Kinda makes you want to sit down with her a while and catch the coattails of her vision, doesn’t it? Think about it….taking the broken to beautiful reminds me of exactly what Christ has done in me! The lost to found…yep, that’s me as well! The forgotten…well, good news is Jesus never forgets us! He has our name inscribed on the palm of His hands!
Kimberly is all about fashion…capturing the vintage look and giving it a twist as she puts it to use in this day and time. But clothing is not her only appeal! Check out the other finds she has tucked away in her space…
This booth is one you have to walk through one way, then turn around and walk the other way just to take it all in…from glassware to furniture pieces to lighting oddities to….well you name it!
Love, love, love this folding picnic table! And the vintage cloth is nearly flawless! The enamel table with the sewing machine base in the backdrop is another favorite of mine. And look in the very back of the picture to what brings the music to your soul as you shop….Melissa (shop owner) has crafted a cooler right into this vintage stereo! What a clever way to host a brilliant party for your friends! And when the entertaining is over for the night, simply close the lid and put your pretties back on top for an eclectic twist to your living space! Now you can barely make it out in this picture, but there is even an old organ made into a bar! Truly, you have to see this piece to fall in love with it as I have! If only my living space were large enough to boast this….
Take a fresh look at these crates made into wall shelves. I think the thing I love most about these is that they are easy to change around if you get tired of them looking a certain way or holding a certain space in your home! (Or am I the only one who embraces change that way?) I might note that many of the things you see here will be “leaving” The Tin Roof in a few weeks in order to bring in totally new inventory. Those of you who know me well know by now that I like to switch things up often, so if you see it, you’d best get it before it’s gone!
This server’s cart and tray have been shown to you before, but I’m not sure they will keep their post here much longer. The awesomeness of this piece is threefold: (1) it folds if you want to store it out of the way (but why would you? It makes a lovely side table for a bed or a wonderful cart for your kitchen or office area.) (2) It has two detachable serving trays…the one standing in front with the crown in the middle of it and the one attached to the cart. That one has legs so that you can use it as a bed tray! How clever is that?! and (3) It has the ability to have wheels added to it so that it can be a rolling cart for your patio. Truly, I may just incorporate this piece into my own home if it stays here much longer!
It’s been told to you before that I don’t put things in my space that I wouldn’t want in my own home. Such is the case of this awesome, round table! Its legs are detachable from the table top, so it is actually 3 pieces, making it very easy to move. The top has a scalloped edge (my favorite part!), but as you can see, you can dress this table up with a round cloth should you so desire. Chairs will easily fit around it, giving space for a lovely setting for 4. I used this table at my niece’s wedding last summer to hold her wedding cake!
Okay, let your eyes feast through this photo….this picnic table could be used as a farm table indoors, or a picnic table outside. I personally would bring it in! There are so many ways to use this table…you will see more ideas in the blogs to follow this one (after I make my way to the booth next week to give it a face lift!). I have reduced the glass cake plates, but soon they will leave to find their home elsewhere as well. My fav is the silver turntable with the glass top. These two are priced separately (the glass top being only $4!). All others come as a set. There are still a few silver-plated pitchers to choose from, so get yours before they are all picked over!
This antique desk is solid wood and boasts the original hardware….obviously it could be used as a desk, but why not put your sewing machine on top and use it as a sewing table? Or fill it with writing paper and top it with an old typewriter (or even a modern day laptop!) to make a wonderful writing desk for that aspiring writer in the family, or the guest who is visiting?
Such a sweet little dresser this is! I always have my favorites about a piece, and this one is its rolling wheels. Again, this makes it easy to move about. The small stature makes it perfect in a dining area to hold your table linens, or in a child’s bedroom to hold all the necessities of a little one!
Architectural pieces delight my eyes…and this one would be amazing over a bed as a headboard. Or top a fireplace mantle with it, or patio doors. It has a hanger for ease.
burlapandlace3 