Yesterday I felt impressed to send an email to my Relief Society president and her husband. I cut and pasted the preceeding post, including the photos into the email. In her reply she told me her version of the same experience. She said that see was too busy that night to try and understand what he was doing. She got upset with him for touching the nativity, something I didn’t see. Finally, as she was pulling him away Jacob said, “But Mom, that is wrong, Jesus will be sad. Everyone wants to see the Baby Jesus!” She said she didn’t understand what he was talking about at the time. She was glad that I shared my experience and plans to tell him my version followed by her apology for not seeking to understand his intention. All my nativities are set up like Jacob would do it. Everyone wants to see the Baby Jesus!
Last week, I was asked to bring a nativity to display at the Relief Society Enrichment dinner. I chose the unique one that my daughter-in-law Leigh chose for me last year (her wonderful parents provided the funding). On the grounds of the church office building in Salt Lake City, large nativities from different countries are displayed during December. Last year, Leigh saw this small replica of the Japanese nativity and knew she had to get it for me.
When I arrived at the dinner I asked where I should set it up. I was directed to the end of the serving table and proceeded to arrange each figure in the same way I always do. Notice how I place all the figures facing outward so everyone can see their faces and the details of their beautifully painted clothing.
When I was finished I crossed the room and to visit with some friends. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as our Relief Society president’s son, Jacob, approached the end of the table. He looked at my arrangement for only a second before he got busy re-arranging it. My first thought was, “Why is he touching my nativity?” I became intrigued and then grateful as I watched him work. This is how it looked when he finished. Notice how he placed each figure, including the animals, facing the baby Jesus. They were in a tight little circle, close around the newborn King. I was humbled. Of course, each figure should be facing the baby Jesus! How silly I had been to think that everyone should admire the beauty of my nativity. How wise Jacob is. His focus is on the Savior and His importance in our lives.
I am grateful for Jacob and the lesson he taught me about setting up a nativity, but more importantly for reminding me of where my focus should be everyday and not just during the Christmas season.
I have a slight (well possibly severe) obsession with dishes!!! When we lived in London we made two trips to the potteries at Stoke-On-Trent. I bought 30 Spode Christmas plates for about $2.50 each and 12 Spode Blue Willow Plates for about $5.00 each, a fraction of the cost if purchased in a department store or china shop. I have a set of modern square white plates from Germany that I got from the rental company when we moved here. I also have an assortment of Japanese bowls and serving dishes. Many of my Japanese dishes have been acquired as parting gifts at the sumo tournaments we attend 3 times a year. The point is I never spend much on the dishes I have, but I love them and love having a variety that I can use together. I really like dishes, looking at them, shopping for them and using them. I love eating my cold cereal out of this bowl:
Last night, I got an email from my good friend Nori suggesting we go shopping in addition to our plan to have lunch today. Although, she lives a long way from here by car it only takes 20 minutes on the the train. This morning at 11:00 Nori picked me up at this quaint station by her house.
Denenchofu Eki
We drove right to the Dirty Dish Shop. We heard that some friends were headed there too and we didn’t want them to buy all the good stuff. Everything in this place is 40% off everyday. They have great Japanese dishes, teapots, cups… The shop is really a small warehouse with shelves everywhere. It is not really named the Dirty Dish Shop, but the foreigners started calling it that because everything is covered by a thin coating of dust and you can get pretty dirty looking around. I am not sure if anyone knows the real name of the shop. Well, maybe, my friend Rika does since she is Japanese. This is what it looks like inside (I borrowed the picture from a Tokyo friend’s blog:
"Dirty Dish" Shop
Nori and I started talking the minute I hopped in her car and didn’t stop until she dropped me off at the station 6 hours later. We didn’t stay at the shop that long! We stopped at a little deli and picked up lunch and then went back to her house and continued our visit. She delivered my purchases when brought her boys in to the church for scouts. I didn’t really need new dishes, but sometimes one just needs a change to brighten things up.
So I bought 8 plates, 8 pasta dishes, 8 small square salad plates and 8 medium ramen bowls. All for around $30. It will be a fun change for us. This is what they look like:
Then I bought two medium ramen bowls in my favorite rabbit pattern. They are the same as my favorite rabbit cereal bowl, just bigger. I’ll use this size for my oatmeal and ramen, of course!
Finally, my favorite purchase was a very high quality lidded Japanese box. I love all things blue and white, as you can see from my purchases. This box was not cheap at full price but a bargain at 40% off. I plan to wrap it up and put it under the Christmas tree! So you’ll have to wait until then to see it!
