Tuesday, September 28, 2010

COME AND REST AWHILE.....

Hello Everyone,
I am so happy to be blogging today. I have alot to share!
A BIG THANK YOU goes out to  Mimi from Out in the Middle of Nowhere! She enlightened me on my blog. There are just things I don't get....being a new blogger. Not only did she help me with my settings on my blog, she reminded me to not be a Martha! I told her I wasn't going to do a tablescape......and by the end of our conversation...... I decided to do one!


Let me explain,


 I have been feeling a little like Martha of Bethany, lately. In case your not sure who she is...she is  the Martha Stewart in biblical times! She invites Jesus to dinner then frets about all she has to do. Meanwhile her sister, Mary is sitting at Jesus's feet listening and dear Martha is in kill mode! Can you picture it....Martha running around making bread, getting the meat on the fire, setting the table with flowers, making sure the important guest has something to drink. I could hear Martha saying,"Look who is in my living room! Jesus...I have to do my best.....I have to...I have too"!


 All the while giving her sister dirty looks, calling to her, huffing and puffing as she moves,  racing around the fire! What does her sister do or say...NOTHING...NOTHING! The brat! She sits on her butt and does NOTHING!!!! Who says something???... Jesus..."Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).
 Instead of enjoying His comapny, He tells her she is bustling about with nervous energy, worried about many things. I think He was saying "Martha, chips and dips would be fine! Just sit and relax" No!!.. being who she is, she has to have everything perfect! Martha missed the best......instead of sitting at Jesus' feet, she was anxious about the evening. Not realizing she was missing out!
Jesus wants us to sit at His feet and take in His words, not running around crazy. We need to enjoy
 the moment! Each and every moment! We have to stop and smell the roses! We need to make time for Him! I find too often I do not commune with God, I replace it with an activity for God. I know Jesus loves my servant heart and my gift of hospitality but he wants me to bask in Him. In His words not just do, do, do! Rest in Him!
If we look at Mary, we see someone in love with Jesus. She was hanging on every word He spoke. She was totally taken by Him. She couldn't imagine leaving His side. We need to be like that. Never wanting to leave His side.We need to be in love with Jesus!  I think of when my husband and I first got married we just couldn't keep our hands off one another. We wanted to go everywhere with each other. Be in the same room, watch TV together, just be together. We're still like that!
We need to be like that with Jesus....hanging on to His every word.
So I got off the phone with Mimi and decided to rest in Jesus. I started to put together a tablescape....all the while thinking "I am not going to be a Martha" I am spending more time with God and less time just keeping busy. I prayed while I was doing this tablescape.
I realized I was giving up making a tablescape because I had too much to do...not because I didn't want to participate. I did. With the help of a friend and God to remind me "I can do all things through Him" my tablescape is complete.
It's a little different from what I would normally do, I am matchy, matchy.




              Come and sit and we can both rest in Jesus....                                                         

You have seen all of this before...Haviland china. I put two different patterns together. I would never do this so it felt good to be different.


                                                     
                                      I love this rose pattern.....Desert Rose. I love roses! It has a  gold rim.







The blue pattern is Blue Garland. It has a silver rim.




The placemats are tea towels I bought at Walmart for $1.00 this past weekend. I had a friend that always used tea towels for placemats.




            A very simple centerpeice......a silver pitcher purchased at Goodwill. The mirror I bought a few years ago. I can't remember where. It was on sale.




I used my gold plated silverware.




I hope you remember to rest in Jesus this week.....read His Word and grow closer to Him.

Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and make sure you leave s comment !

I would like to thank everyone who has been visiting Sweetladyelaine and leaving wonderful comments. I try to visit as many sites as I can. I love blogging and I am meeting so many beautiful people! If you need prayer or need to talk please email me or leave a comment. I will pray for your needs.


Blessings my friends,





19 comments:

  1. Dear Sweet Elaine -- Love this pretty table -- I have the Blue Garland as well -- you've found such a pretty complimenting china to go with it -- love your mixed-matched table -- I'm a Martha through and through (I guess I live up to my name) **sigh**

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  2. Elaine, those two patterns really complement each other...very pretty table.
    Glad that I could help you, I have a couple of friends that have helped me more than once...Cuisine Kathleen and Carol of There's Always Thyme to Cook.

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  3. Great reminder of the *better choice*!

    So, Mary Martha, I love your table and the way you mixed your patterns. I happen to be fond of tea towels as place mats and napkins myself!

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  4. I so love the two different Haviland dishes. I too love roses. Your table centerpiece is so lovely. Great place to share a meal.

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  5. The two patterns together are very pretty, and the red just makes it all pop! Love the mirror and centerpiece!

    I think blogging is therapeutic, and doing the tablescapes with what we have is using our God-given creative talent!

    The Lord sent you a friend to help and encourage you!

    Katherine

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  6. That is a beautiful table, Martha, I mean Elaine! :)
    I have had many conversationswith Marigene, Mimi. We have known each other for years via a Cooking Forum we all were on, Carol too!
    Everyone helps each other, that's what it is all about.
    But to be honest, I am a Martha!!
    Now lose that id word, you don't need it anymore! :)

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  7. What a beautiful table! I love that you put two patterns together. My mom just got an estate set of the Blue Garland. I had never seen it, and it is gorgeous! But, thank you for sharing the Martha/Mary issue! We talk about that here a lot. My mom is always Martha. I can be both, but I'm a bad Martha! I have to make myself be Mary, but it is so wonderful to just be filled up with Him!

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  8. You are so talented. That was a lovely post. I am glad to find your blog today!

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  9. Beautiful dishes and table!!! Love your blog! Thanks for your comment!

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  10. Very sweet centerpiece, love it.

    I love mismatching & I can be proud to be one of a million.

    Love your setting, simply the best.


    Happy TS Day!

    Greetings from a chilly Stockholmer,
    /chie

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  11. I LOVE your post!!!!! I've got to admit, that when I see a lot of words, I just blurr through it and skip to the photos. But you had me hooked. I love your analogy. You're so right. So many of us fret and race about, that we lose what's really going on. I'm entertaining next week and I always seem to do that. Next week, I will try to think of your words.

    Your table is beautiful. It's fun to mix and match. Once you get the hang of it, you'll see how much fun it is. Don't forget to shop your house when you're putting a table together. There may be something on the shelf that you've looked at a million times, that might be the perfect touch for your table.

    - The Tablescaper

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  12. Hi Elaine,
    you are absolutely right. Often it is not necessary to make things better and better. For a comfortable home it is more important to have a relaxed atmosphere than to have a glamourous table. Your table is inviting and charming and I love the two different patterns, they complete each other nicely. Everything looks really like a comfortable home.
    Wish you a very relaxed weekend.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  13. Elaine, I'm so glad you let your creative Mary side play while your practical, Martha side rested! I lean toward the matchy-matchy, too, but love how others mix patterns and colors. Your red and blue china patterns really look great together here with those contrasting table linens!

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  14. Best girl's name ever has to be....Mary Martha! I'm a Haviland fan from way back. Love your mix and match...very brave move for you, if I'm understanding you correctly. Thank you for sharing your charming design. Cherry Kay

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  15. What a lovely tablescape. Glad you could participate. Have a great weekend.

    Carol

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  16. Beautiful table and lesson. I think I've had some of the best dinners & parties when I just relax and let others help out! It's hard to give over that control, but so worth it. I love the colors on your table. Beautiful.
    ~Holly

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  17. Sweetladyelaine, what great advice. I am guilty of being a "Martha", too. So worried about the meal and the decorations - that I miss premium grandchild holding time! I love your table - it is gorgeous!

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  18. Good golly-I'm Martha. After all...someone has to serve the food!

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