Hand Painted Memories

Let me tell you a story about these. (first I recommend you scroll through those pictures) My Oma (grandma) was a china painter who specialized in floral patterns and working with gold. She was world renowned, and turned down opportunities for mass production because she did everything by hand.

When my wife and I got married, we were given this incredible tea set. I remember opening it, and it brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful. So intricate and delicate. I was astonished to receive it. BUT I also put it right back in the package, because I was terrified it would get damaged. Protecting this tea set became my highest goal OF the tea set. It is probably one of the most valuable things I own, hand painted with real gold - but of course the cost is not why we find it precious and priceless. In her last few years, I remember dwelling on the tragedy of aging for an artist - as her eyes and her hands began to fail her. She couldn't necessarily do all the things she loved to do anymore, and it broke my heart to see. She also lived an incredible life that began in China, went through war torn Germany in World War II and continued into America where she built a whole new life with my Gramps. My Oma passed away a little over a year ago - and this tea set, to me, is irreplaceable - one of a kind, and is cherished as such. And yet, for over ten years, it has sat in bubble wrap in a box. It survived 7 moves over 14 years and I think I took it out of the box maybe twice. I enjoyed them for a moment, and stuck them right back into the tissue paper. Just a little cardboard treasure box. Then about a week or so ago, I came downstairs to the room where our cats have their food dishes (and we have some boxes stored) and I witnessed tragedy. The tea set box had fallen to the floor, and the cats had ripped it open and scattered bubble wrap and tissue paper all over their room. I panicked, but was quickly relieved that none of the china was damaged. Not even one cup had been chipped. (the paper was shredded and thrown about all over - but it did its job). Now I know a lot of people in the modern world will say things like "eat off the good china, burn the fancy candles, use the expensive silverware" - after all, we can't take it with us. I think the normal response would have been "good grief, I should USE this china set." But that's not what I thought at all.. This tea set (I don't know if you can tell from the pictures) is far to small to truly be used. The cups are little more than enough for an espresso shot. (go back up and look at how big my thumb is in the pictures). This is a decorative set. I will never put tea or any other beverage in this set - that's not what it is for. But I realized that leaving it in the box had another consequence I did not expect. I had forgotten to tell the story of my Oma to my children. Sometimes these heirlooms are less about function and more about story-telling. There is a story from my childhood we tell in our house a lot. My parents once received a set of glass ornaments decorated with beautiful floral patterns from my Oma. Much like my tea set - they were unique, hand crafted and irreplaceable. One day, when I was very young (maybe 1-2 years old), my parents rushed into the living room at the sound of a crash to find me sitting on the floor, with the open box of ornaments, throwing them like baseballs up against the piano - shattering each one.

My parents were able to save most of them - but almost every year we would get out those precious ornaments and tell the story (with laughter and groans and a teensy bit of guilt) of how there used to be more of them - until I got my hands on them. The ornaments became more than just decorations - they became a core memory in the story of my childhood.

I love this tea set, and I'm excited to share pictures of it with you all. (This started as an instagram post and quickly got too long). I hope nothing bad ever happens to it. But I also know if I leave the story of my Oma in a box in the basement - my children will miss out on part of who they are and where they come from.

I realized I would rather have a chipped china set, if it means that stories of my Oma become a part of my children's childhood. The highest function of this tea set is not to exist in perfect condition - but to tell my children where they come from. Where their dad comes from.

I can point to the delicate flower work and talk about the books she wrote and the visits to Europe she used to do (and the high quality chocolate she would bring back with her). I can tell stories of her harrowing journey from China to Germany, separated from her parents during the war, and about their reunion at Ellis Island. I can tell them about how I learned German words without knowing they were German. (I spent years thinking "Oma" was just her name). I can show them the gold work, and the label on the bottom "Hand Painted By Ruth P. Cooper." I can tell them about our trip to Haiti to visit the missionary compound my Gramps worked at. I can tell them that every single time I saw my Oma she would tell me - "I pray for you every day," and I can tell them how much that meant to me - and how she strengthened my faith.

To be honest, I just wanted to post some cool pictures of my Oma's awesome tea set. But if I had a moral to this post it would be this: don't forget to share your family's story. It's a very trendy, very modern, very forgetful world out there these days - and we could all use a little more "gather round and let me show you something cool that comes with a really cool story" in our lives. Oh! And a bonus - pray for your kids. Pray for your kids and grandkids and nieces and nephews - pray for them every single day. Talk to Jesus about how much you love them and ask God to watch over them. Do it every day, and TELL THEM you pray for them everyday. It will mean the absolute world to them.