Tea Anyone?

When my grandma moved to assisted living I was given the opportunity to take a few of her things that meant a lot to me, I choose to "inherit" many of her tea cups. She had quite a few and when we were younger we were allowed to choose one to drink from when we visited. They are all different and all very pretty. I've always had a fascination with tea and tea parties. But for years now the tea cups have sat on a shelf, while looking very pretty they just sat there gathering dust but for the one time a year when we put on a "Lady's Tea" at church. In my recent spurt of cleaning out the house I decided that if I didn't really use an object it needed to go but I can't bear to part with these teacups, what was I to do? Why use them of course! Now at least once a day I make tea in an actual tea pot and if I have the luxury I sit at the table in the kitchen, or if not I stand at the counter and drink tea in a real bone china teacup. Most times the kids join me, even the boys. (They have their own tea cups for now, when they're older I'll let them choose one of mine). This morning I made my coffee in my smaller teapot and drank my coffee out of a teacup. Erik said I was almost being heretical but oh well, I don't think it's the kind of heresy that will shake the earth's foundation.
I was reading in 2 Timothy this morning and came to chapter 2 verses 20-21:

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust, maybe I should get up and cleanse myself and be prepared so that the Master might find me useful. (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 6:10-18, Ephesians 4:17-32)
But what if I break? Isn't bone china a little too delicate for everyday wear and tear use?

2 Corinthians 4:6-7
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (emphasis mine)


My tea cups may get chipped and dinged and maybe a few will get broken but what good are they sitting on the shelf looking pretty. They need to be used for what they were intended and if a few happen to get chipped while they are being used it's better that then having them collect dust until the shelf collapses under the weight of all the cups and all the collected dust.
(This is not a commentary on my housekeeping skills...but I do really hate to dust.)
Oh and by the by, I have plenty of tea cups so if ever you want to stop by and join me you are more than welcome.