A Useful Pot

It was a warm day, and he had a long way to go. He hadn't gone more than half-way when a sort of funny feeling began to creep all over him. It began at the tip of his nose and trickled all through him and out at the soles of his feet. It was just as if somebody inside him were saying, "Now then, Pooh, time for a little something."
"Dear, dear," said Pooh, "I didn't know it was as late as that." So he sat down and took the top off his jar of honey. "Lucky I brought this with me," he thought. "Many a bear going out on a warm day like this would never have thought of bringing a little something with him." And he began to eat.
"Now let me see," he thought! as he took his last lick of the inside of the jar, "Where was I going? Ah, yes, Eeyore." He got up slowly. And then, suddenly, he remembered. He had eaten Eeyore's birthday present! "Bother!" said Pooh. "What shall I do? I must give him something." For a little while he couldn't think of anything. Then he thought: "Well, it's a very nice pot, even if there's no honey in it, and if I washed it clean, and got somebody to write 'A Happy Birthday' on it, Eeyore could keep things in it, which might be Useful." 

I love the story of Eeyore's birthday present.

Two weeks ago at church, I'd been chatting with a friend about the Douwe Egberts Coffee Jars, with the Orla Keilly design. "The thing is," I said "I love OK's art, but neither of us drinks instant coffee - I cannot justify buying a jar when I don't want the contents!"
This week she surprised me with ...an empty jar [in the orange colour which was the one I liked best!] and an extra little gift 'to buy the coffee you really like' How thoughtful is that?

She said her husband was concerned that she bought the coffee in the supermarket 'for Angela' and then emptied the jar when she got home - but she explained we are coffee snob and it was the right thing to do!
Marie Kondo says "the true purpose of a present is to be received" - and once you have said 'thank you', and felt the joy of receiving it then you can do what you like with it...don't feel guilty for throwing it away. Well this is one gift received with great joy, which I will use and treasure. Surely the true purpose of a gift is to be given,  a sign of friendship, love, whatever.

I had another lovely gift on Saturday - the WWDP ladies in Albania had a workshop recently, and sent me a handmade lace bookmark for my Bible.  One of the least religious countries in the world, it takes courage to be a Christian there. I have lots of bookmarks already - so sorry MK, I am keeping this one, as a reminder to pray for my sisters in Albania.
Another purpose of a gift - to remind me to be thankful