One Person's Trash is My Family's Treasure

Today marks the 18th anniversary of my mother's death. I was 21.That summer after she died I came home from college for the summer and before my internship started my goal was to clean and pack and get rid of stuff we didn't need or want of my mother's. I admit I sent many things to the Neat Repeat (our hometown version of Goodwill). Some things I regret sending and others I don't even remember. We sent about what amounts to two- four horse trailers of stuff that my mom had collected, bought or gathered over her life. One of those things she had was a silver butter dish  The tag said $1 when I put it back in the box to send back to the Neat Repeat. My mom never had a dinner party and if you know me, I am not really a dinner party host. I'm more of a potluck or BBQ person, I am a ranch kid who grew up in a Baptist church so I think it's genetic. I know how to eat at a dinner party but to host one really isn't my cup of tea. 

I never gave that butter dish a second thought until Thanksgiving.  That year,  my grandmother asked if I would set the table and if I would get out her new butter dish. She was so excited because she found it at the Neat Repeat and it was such a good deal and she had cleaned it up and wanted to have it on the table for everyone to see and use. 

I was surprised to see that same dish sitting next to her good china and started laughing because it seemed it was determined that that dish was going to be apart of our family even if someone threw it out. I explained to my confused grandmother why her new butter dish caused me such laughter. Had I known she wanted a random silver butter dish, I could have saved her the few dollars and given it to her. 

The Famous Butter Dish! 

 When my grandparents moved to Arizona because of health reasons, the butter dish came and we shared the story with my aunt and uncle. So when my grandparents died, I inherited the butter dish again because there was such a story behind it now that it can't be given away. So even though I may never host a fancy dinner party, I have a silver butter dish that can be used and I may just bring it out from time to time at the next potluck or BBQ and shine it up and use it to bring a little personality to the event.

It's tarnished and needs a good cleaning but I see it and I think of both my mother and grandmother. The dish from all outward appearances is not shiny or on display but brings me joy at the memories and just like my mother and grandmother who were not the first chosen for things, best cooks, really excelled at anything other than being good at the role God placed them in. And like the butter dish, it wasn't wanted but it found a way to keep coming back. I think it was a lesson from God that sometimes the tarnished and unwanted are the most precious and give the best lessons on value of life. 

My mother and grandmother when I was born.