Blogger School Assignment #15

You can find the weekly BFS assignments at  Nancy's Nook.

The assignment was to tell a tale about the family button collection.  I have a mason jar that is slowly filling with buttons, but my collection was inspired by a lady in our former church.  We all referred to her as the "button queen" although I was never really sure why.  I had worked with her 4 children for years.  They were such neat kids!  I loved teaching them.  We'd spend hours after classes just discussing things that were going on in each of their lives.  Sometimes I'd order a pizza and we'd spend Sunday afternoon at the church together talking & playing games.  I treasure those memories.

Back to the buttons...It was the night before my DH & I were to have our photo taken for the newspaper engagement announcement.  I had a really pretty ivory dress suit.  The top had a beautiful scalloped bottom with lovely lace and it was longer in the back than in the front.  The skirt had the same scalloped bottom with lace as the top.  I LOVED that suit!  I was laying it out so that it would all be ready to go in the morning when I discovered that a button was missing on the top.  I frantically searched everywhere for that button, but could not find it anywhere.  My Grandmother was out of town (she had the button collection in our family).  I didn't know what to do.

Then I remembered Peg, the button queen.  This lady was (& still is) one of the sweetest, most humble servants of God that I have ever been blessed to know.  She was the one who did so much around the church that went unnoticed.  She was a silent servant – never seeking praise or blowing her own horn.  She was always prepared to step in and teach if someone was sick.  She was just a wonderful ray of sunshine!

So, I called Peg.  It was now around 8:00 p.m.  She said to come right over & not to worry – we'd figure something out.  Now this was such a blessing to me because, although I'd been the right hand gal for so many of my friends when they were getting married, I didn't really have that when it was my turn.  They'd all moved on in their lives.  I was on my own.

When I got to her house she whisked me down to her basement.  It was there that I discovered why she was called the "button queen" at church.  She had a shelf that went all the way around her basement that was full of mason jars.  These jars were filled with every sort of button you could imagine!  She had them organized by color, size, style...it was unbelievable!

It only took us about 5 minutes to find a button that matched the others on my top.  However, Peg had something else in mind.  She pulled down a beautiful antique music box.  Inside she kept her most treasured buttons.  There were 4 buttons that were just so exquisite!  They were mother of pearl with tiny, sparkling rhinestones surrounding them.  They were gorgeous!  She laid them against my top & they instantly transformed that suit into a true bridal ensemble.  I asked her where she had acquired such gorgeous buttons and she told me that they were from her great-grandmother's wedding gown.  Once I heard that I told her that I couldn't accept them.  She ignored me & proceeded to remove the buttons from my suit & replace them with her precious buttons.  They were the perfect size.

When she was done I was crying because I couldn't believe that she would allow me to use something that was so precious to her.  I'll never forget what she said.  "These buttons are very special to me, but you are more special.  All I'm giving you are buttons.  You've given so many hours to my children.  How can 4 buttons ever pay you back for that?"

She gave me buttons, but more than that she had showered me with love.  She didn't know it at the time, but I was really needing that act of kindness.  I was feeling abandoned by friends who were not "on board" with my choice to marry my DH even though I had stood by them & their choices.  I was overwhelmed by trying to plan a wedding in just four months because DH had won a honeymoon & we only had until June 30th to take it or it would be lost.  I truly needed a random act of kindness, and it came in the form of four oval shaped buttons.

Matthew 25:34-40

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’"

So technically I wasn't naked, but Peg did clothe me that night with her love & generosity...& 4 buttons!

That is so sweet!

4:42 AM, Feb. 21, 2008 .. Posted by deedeeuk

What a wonderful story!! I'm so sorry I missed all of this and wasn't 'there' for you in both senses of the word! I was really upset about being so far away and missing your wedding - even if I was the 'honorary matron of honor'!
I'm sorry too that you felt so 'on your own' with everything! I thank the Lord that He provided someone to shower you with love - and buttons!! :o)
Thanks for sharing that story! I'm missing you at the moment. You have been very quiet, praying that the 'situations' you hinted at recently are getting sorted out. I'm really bummed at the moment, as I was hoping to give you a HUGE surprise in April! Dh has gotten a FREE ticket to NY and I was hoping to pop home for a week. However, you have to pay the tax on the ticket (which is more that buying a ticket elsewhere!!!) and we would have to put the foster kids into respite and loose over a weeks pay there, as well as trying to find people to help with our boys too. All in all the FREE trip was going to be far too expensive!! I only told Mom about it happening, so at least the rest of the family weren't too dissapointed! I'm REALLY bummed now though! I was sooooooo looking forward to surprising you and getting to go to lunch and give you a hug! Uhg! Now the keyboard is wet again!! :o( I'm so sorry we can't get the webcam working yet. I thought it would be such a great present, I didn't realise your computer wouldn't handle it! Can we get it back to the old way where at least we could talk and you could see us? Let me know. (((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) I love you!

Just beautiful!

5:15 AM, Feb. 21, 2008 .. Posted by mamasmurf

What a beautiful woman Peg was to share those buttons with you. I really enjoyed your story - thanks for sharing!
God bless,
~Chrissy

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8:16 AM, Feb. 22, 2008 .. Posted by andijeane

What a beautiful story! Your "button queen" friend sounds like a real treasure.

~Andrea
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/andijeane/485156/

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11:13 PM, Feb. 26, 2008 .. Posted by bbullard

Hey, lady, and what a beautiful story. 'More than the buttons, she gave me love.' Wow. My mother was a button collector as well, and as I read your post, I had a smile on my face and such fond memories of my times spent sewing with her. I never developed quite as many buttons, and I stopped sewing once I had children--too hard to keep pens off the floor, and no time. I look forward to picking back up in a few years as the kids get older and the oldest is high school age.

Thanks for the memories and God bless.

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