A teacup is a small cup, with or without a handle that may be grasped with the thumb and one or two fingers. In some lands it is tradition to lift the last finger on the hand, when drinking from a tea cup. It is normally made of a ceramic material and usually part of a set, composed of a cup and a matching saucer. These in turn may be part of a tea set together with a teapot, cream jug, covered sugar bowl and slop bowl en suite. Teacups are wider and shorter than coffee cups but not all the time.

One day a man and woman visited an antique
shop in Europe.  When they entered the
shop, they spotted this beautiful little tea
cup sitting on the shelf.  They noticed it
because it was such fine china.

All the sudden the tea cup began to talk
to them.  It said, "I didn't always look
like this, you know.  I used to be just
a hard, grey, cold lump of clay.

But one day my Master came and
picked me up.  He started patting and
rolling me and changing my shape.
And I said, "Ow!  Leave me alone."

Then He put me on a wheel and started
spinning me around like crazy.  I said,
"Let me off, I'm getting dizzy.
I'm gonna pass out!"

But my Master said, "Not yet."

Then he formed me into a tea cup and put me
in an oven to bake.  The oven had a little
glass door and every once in a while, He
would peek in at me to see if I was ready.

I would holler,
"Get me out of here!  It's too hot!"

But my Master said, "Not yet."

Then he took me out and painted me.
I cried, "Ooh, that stinks.
Stop, I can't take this anymore!"

But my Master said, "Not yet."

Then He put me on a shelf.
And I said, "Finally!"

But the next day He put me in the oven again
and it was twice as hot.  I said, "I can't
take any more of this!  Get me out, now!"

But my Master just said, "Not yet."

Finally the day came when He opened the
door, took me out and sat me on this shelf.
He brought me a mirror and said, "Now, look!"

I just couldn't believe how beautiful I had
become!  Where I had once been just a hard,
cold, grey, lump of clay  . . .  God had done the
most beautiful and miraculous work in me!