Dear Potter

The mug cupboard
Above the Kettle
Kitchen

Dear Potter,

I hope you don’t mind me writing to you. I’ve been meaning to for sometime as there are a few questions/concerns, that I wanted to talk to you about.

I don’t know if you remember me but I am a fairly large sized mug you made a couple of years ago? Glazed in a bright-ish red tone and painted with white polka dots – mostly used for drinking coffee from? I’ve been thinking a lot about it and I wanted to ask about why you made me the way you did? When you shaped me, formed me, moulded me- why did you decide that I should be a mug?

I was sitting around on the coffee table the other day (half-full of cold coffee that someone had forgotten about) and I noticed a beautiful vase. She was so tall and shapely, delicately decorated with hand-painted patterns and full of beautiful, fresh flowers. She was the centre of attention – valued, even treasured. I’m just an everyday mug, now slightly stained brown by my daily purpose of carrying brown beverages and with a small chip on my rim. Couldn’t you have made me a fancy vase instead?

I wanted to ask you what you were thinking when you made me fairly large sized? And why did you make me stoneware rather than porcelain? There are a couple of little tea cups and with matching saucers at the back of the mug cupboard who are made from some sort of fine bone china – they only come out on special occasions – they are so elegant. Why did you not make me an occasional tea-cup or a pretty saucer or, maybe, a fancy cake plate?

Also, why did you decide I should be bright red rather than pastel blue or pale green or, perhaps, white with a gold edging? What were you thinking when you painted the polka dots? Were you just in a hurry that day?

Sorry, I don’t mean to complain. I would like to say that I am really grateful that you didn’t make me into one of those storage pots that is used for keeping ripening Stilton – goodness that stuff smells strong! And when the cheese is all eaten up the poor pot usually gets re-purposed to hold random pens or kitchen utensils or, worse still, toothbrushes! Imagine having to hold things covered in all that toothpastey dribble? At least I’m not that. And talking of bathrooms, it could have been even more awful – toilet bowls are still bowls! I am very thankful that you didn’t decide to shape me into one of them.

Anyway, I think I’d better go now – someone just came in the kitchen and put the kettle on so i’m sure they will be back in a minute and require my services. They do seem to like drinking from me. It’s funny isn’t it? People really are particular about their favourite coffee mugs aren’t they? And I definitely see my fair share of the action. I think you must have designed me in such a way that I work well for my purpose. So thanks for that.

Yours faithfully

Mug x

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is moulded say to its moulder, “Why have you made me like this?”  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use? Romans 9v20-21

Life isn’t supposed to be fair… indeed what a good job it’s not because otherwise Ming vases or flower pots we would all end up smashed. What a comfort to know that our potter is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness! I am so grateful for His Mercy.

Thanks for reading. Much love Rach x