----- Original Message ----- From: "Penney Wilfort" <[email protected]> To: "Cynthia Groopman" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 9:02 AM Subject: The Tea Cup
> The Tea Cup > > > There was a couple who used to go England to shop in a beautiful antique > store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They > both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. > > Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked, "May we see that? We've never > seen a cup quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, the tea > cup spoke. "You don't understand," it said, "I have not always been a > tea cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master > took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled > out, 'Don't do that. I don't like it! Let me alone,' but he only smiled, > and gently said, 'Not yet.' > > "Suddenly I was placed on a spinning wheel and spun around and around > and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!' I > screamed. The master only nodded and said, quietly, 'Not yet.' > > "He spun me, poked and prodded me and bent me out of shape and then he > put me in the oven. I have never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked > and pounded at the door. > > "Help! Get me out of here!' I could see him through the opening and I > could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet.' > > "When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He > carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'Oh, > that felt so good! Ah, this is much better,' I thought. After I cooled > he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were > horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please; stop it, stop it!' I > cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!' > > "Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the > first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I > begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never > make it. I was ready to give up. > > "Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the > shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering, "What's he going > to do to me next?" An hour later he handed me a mirror and said, "Now, > look at yourself and I did.' > > I was shocked, "That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm > beautiful!' > > Quietly he spoke, "I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, > but had I just left you alone, you would have dried up. I know it made > you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would > have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the > oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the > fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't > done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any > color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you > wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have > held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind > when I first began with you.'" > > God knows what He's doing in each of us. He is the potter, and we are > His clay. He will mold us and make us, and expose us to just enough > pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless > piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will. > > So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed > almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of > control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when > life seems to "stink," try this: Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your > prettiest tea cup, sit down, and have a little talk with the Potter. > --Author Unknown- > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
