I’m not sure who the new Martha Stewart is, or even if there is a new Martha Stewart.  As a newly engaged girl in 1985, everyone wanted a copy of Martha’s coffee table book Weddings. Here’s a link to it on Amazon for those of you who didn’t get married in the 80’s:

http://amzn.com/0517556758

Martha was our go to gal about all things weddings.  We had no idea she’d end up in jail and then back on the Today Show as if nothing even happened. Every bride wanted a copy of this book, along with a bunch of stuff that bride’s don’t want any more.  Think sterling silver or Crane informal note cards.  Anyway, I digress.

I say all this about Martha because I would never be confused as her.  I don’t really do Pinterest, and I have always had to get people to help me in my house.  I don’t decorate by myself, I don’t make decorating decisions by myself, and I don’t even half the time know what I want to do in my house.  Heck, I get my girls to help me figure out what to wear several times a week.  We text pictures of outfits back and forth looking for thumbs up or thumbs down. I know, it’s ridiculous.

So today I ran by Trader Joe’s, which I wish was closer to my house, and picked up three orchids.  I’d seen a picture somewhere of three orchids in a long box thing on a dining room table and thought “I could do that.” As soon as I said that to myself, I knew I’d probably be calling my flower friend Cindy and begging for help.  We used long thin wooden boxes at Anna’s wedding last summer.  Matt and Caroline made them, and because I’m the mother and I said so, I got to keep a couple of them.  I took my box and my orchids and some fake Easter eggs out on to the deck and got started.  This was my first attempt:

Clearly I don’t have the flower gift.  So I started texting my friend, who responded with helpful guidance on making my feeble attempt at a table centerpiece look better than this.  She even noticed things growing in the background that I could use.  Eventually I ended up with this:

I texted Cindy a huge thank you (and a picture of  my final attempt) and told her I wished I had her gift.  She immediately texted me back and said: “You are blessed with YOUR perfect gifts.”

And I am. Even if I forget sometimes. Okay a lot of times. God has gifted me with some really special gifts that He only gave to me.  And there are many He only gave to you. James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

God help me remember my gifts that you gave me to use. And thank you for friends with gifts I don’t have that are willing to share.