Sunday, June 5, 2011

All I Ever Wanted



My Granny was a good woman and happiness resided in her kitchen--more specifically, in her oven. Seems like no matter what time of the day or night we arrived to visit , almost immediately she would begin to pull out warm bowls of deliciousness from her oven.

One of my favorite dishes of hers were her butter beans. Not ordinary butter beans I tell ya... but the kind that turned gray in the pot! I think they were called "speckled butter beans" and they came straight from her garden.


Now when Granny set the table, she used real dishes--I don't know if Granny even knew plastic and paper dishes existed. Corn bread and biscuits went on a certain platter. Roast always went into a certain dish as well as the peas, macaroni and fried chicken.

And always, always, always the gray butter beans went into the bowl with the gray/bluish clover leaves on it!

My Granny passed away at the age of 93 some twenty-eight years ago. I have no idea what happened to the "butter bean bowl". What I can tell you is that for twenty-eight years, every time I entered a flea market or antique store (and there have been many) I looked for Granny's butter bean bowl. I thought if I could just find one that looked like it that would be enough for me.

But that never happened.

At least not until the other day. The hubby and I visited an antique store in a small town about 30 miles west of where we live. As I entered the store that day I did something I had not done in previous trips. While browsing through the aisles I whispered a small prayer to God and asked Him to please let me find Granny's butter bean bowl. I admitted to Him it was probably a silly request but after all these years I still longed for that little reminder of my Granny's love and faithfulness. Just a token.

I again chastised my own self as I continued to shop. Who prays for dishes? Doesn't God have bigger problems to solve?

By this time I was in the very back of the store. I was alone as Hubby had already made his way up to the second floor. Casually, my eyes came to rest on a bottom shelf. Amid all of the whatnots and bric-a-brac there was a bowl sitting there with a plate on top of it. For some reason I stooped over and removed the plate.

What I saw made me catch my breath! I couldn't believe my eyes! Here was a bowl that looked much like Granny's butter bean bowl! It even had the gray/bluish clovers on it! The search was over--I had finally found it! Glory, glory!



*Note to self: Don't forget to pray.
**Another note to self:
Don't act so surprised when God answers prayers.


"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luke 11:9


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15 comments:

Forsythia said...

Glad you found this treasure at last.

betty said...

so glad you found that special plate you were looking for! and you are right, nothing is too small or too big to pray for; God knew your heart and knew how special this plate was filled with memories of your mom; I think it was neat you thought to pray and thankful God answered your prayer the same day!

betty

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

It doesn't surprise me a bit! God is so good like that. I have a green fancy glass bowl that was a wedding gift of my grandmother's... I broke the serving scoop one Thanksgiving, and about 15 years later, I found a scoop at an antique show that was the perfect match!

Maybe this is a hint to pray and trust for bigger things in our lives! :)

Stacey said...

I'm so happy for you, Debra! How AWESOME God is!!!

Pat said...

Just the kind of news I love to read. God is faithful in the large and small things!
Sounds like your grandmother was a sweet woman and a great cook!

Trish said...

Oh, Debra this Post made my heart sing! God is faithful, even in the little things...he longs to give us the desires of our hearts.
My Daddy had Butter Beans growing in his garden every year! And yes, they turned grey after cooking...I loved them with a big ol' piece of Corn Bread!
Thank you for blessing me this morning!

Anonymous said...

What a sweet post! I can totally relate. I have spent a fair amount of time in antique stores myself doing the same thing you did: looking for my grandmother's pattern. Doesn't the answered prayer make you giggle, though? Luv it!

j said...

It is beautiful! I'm so glad you found something that was a reminder of your precious grandmother.

Nancy said...

It's so nice to meet you.....I have enjoyed my visit so much I have become your newest member....

I love your story of the butter bean bowl.....Butter beans are my favorite...and I too used to eat them at my Granny's house......What wonderful memories....
So glad you found your dish....God is so good that He loves making the seemingly impossible possible......

Deborah Ann said...

So happy for you! No prayer is too small for God. He loves you so very much.

Love your note to remind yourself not to act surprised. Sounds like something I would say! Heheh...

Grayquill said...

Tenacity usually pays dividends. Congratulations!

Rebecca said...

Your "Notes to Self" say it all! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Mimi said...

HI!!!
OH I AM SOOOO HAPPY for you, what a treasure, something that reminds you of a Very Happy memory from your childhood, I LOVE THAT!!I got a cherry coke--I think a real one the other day, from SONIC---do you have sonics????Well, it made me think of days on vacation in Indiana, I had an Aunt who owned a little car hop kind of place, and I always had a cherry coke!!!
Many hugs 2 U,
jamie

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

This is a wonderful story. Isn't it funny how certain things trigger our memories of loved ones gone? Thanks for visiting, I am always glad to find another Mississippi blogger and am now following. I have been reading your back posts and I love your blog, I feel like I have had a blessing this morning.

Marilyn in Mississippi said...

Now this brought tears to my eyes! What a great gift God gave you that day!! I love old dishes that have memories connected to them. And I'm a little like your Granny...I serve certain things in certain dishes!

Thanks for sharing this!

Marilyn...in Mississippi