A Young Womans Hope Chest ~

My plan was to write this post just after my knee surgery (4 months ago)
after being inspired from a magazine article written about hope chests
where women shared their testimonies related to their own hope chests.
 Lauren from My Wonderfully Made gifted me with
a lovely "thinking of you" package after my surgery and there were two
beautiful magazines that I had the joy of reading while I was laid up in bed.
This particular article was such a delight to read,
because I could relate to the days when I joyfully added beautiful treasures
to my own hope chest looking forward to the time when I would put them to use.

Being the eldest granddaughter, I was blessed to inherit 

my precious grandmother's cedar chest that was originally her mother's. 

Grandma Maxie was my dad's mom, born and raised in Taylorville Illinois 

who was an Irish spitfire through and through.

Grandma was full of life and vigor until the day she went home

to be with the Lord at the age of 96.
One characteristic that I saw and admired in Grandma,

was that you never heard her talk about anyone,

she was gracious even when she had opportunity not to be.

As a young teen I didn't see the importance of a hope chest,

but Grandma took the time and shared with me

of the importance in acquiring a hope chest and filling 

it with both practical and luxurious items that would serve me well

for many years to come.

Having that hope chest in my room with matching cedar furniture

was special, and through out my growing up years

I had the delight of carefully looking for, and placing special items away for the time

when I would make my own home with my husband.
My treasured trousseau began with Grandma Maxie's
fiesta dinnerware that was used for many years
from the time she began her own home and family of 4 children.
I too used that dinnerware for the first few years of our marriage,
now that beautiful dinnerware graces my hutch
and suits our country home perfectly.

Grandma Maxie gifted me with other items that were from her own kitchen cupboards,
and while I used them for years some of them now grace my home
as vintage decoration.

While Grandma Maxie wasn't a fu-fu frills and lace kinda gal
 my Granny on mom's side was, and because of her love for
crystal, fine china, lace and linens, some of her hand embroidered pillowslips
made their way into my chest.
Those of you who have come to know me a little know that
I love crystal, china and have a weakness for linens and lace.

It wasn't until later in my life that I was blessed to receive
some of Granny's pretty dishes.

 Some day I would like to write a post on my Granny,
because by the age of ten she had made quite an impact on my life
as a young  girl who wanted to be just like her when I grew up!
Granny went home to Heaven when I was at the age of ten.

My cedar chest has been through four generations
where it now resides in my youngest daughters home
along with all my cedar bedroom furniture that I grew up with.
My husband refinished each piece of furniture, including the chest
year's ago, and he did such a lovely job.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

Although a hope chest may not be of great importance to some of today's young women
 there was a time, not so long ago, when young women
 filled their hope chest with practical and luxurious items
in preparation for, and with the hope of one day
being ready and prepared for their wedded day in loving marriage,
and the hopes of one day having a family of her own.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

 ~ Faith and Hope ~

"And with your love put faith, calm-eyed and level-hearted.
And with that tie up a nosegay of hope,
sweet, gay, light-hearted hope. Throw that into your chest,
and for a good measure gather up a few herbs from the humble garden
of patience ~ throw them into the chest.

And when you are all done and the chest is full
and you put your hand into the hand of the man who loves you,
take the chest with you and go somewhere together,
and make in his harried, restless, worried world a haven and a shelter
and a snug harbor against all the kinds that blow
and all the storms that rage, and call it H-O-M-E"
~ Winifred Black ~

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

How about you ~ was a hope chest a part of your life?
Is a hope chest a part of your life now?

Blessings!
~ Debbie ~