Question from a fan on Facebook: Did you and Jim Bob have a really memorable or unique gift from your wedding?
Wow, I had so many wonderful gifts from that special day. There are quite a few that come to mind, but there’s one in particular that my family and I really appreciated and use to this day.
When Jim Bob and I were setting up our home, we had a beautiful wood table that folded out so that you could add leaves and make it really big. We found it used and just loved it. Of course, when we were first married, we kept it folded down because there were just two chairs and the two of us at the time. So as a surprise, a sweet elderly couple that lived near us arranged to make us something really special for the table. They were like our adopted grandparents and they lived three doors down from our first honeymoon cottage.
Unbeknownst to me, they came into the house one day and measured our table so they could create a one-of-a-kind handmade crochet table cover. The best part was that they made it big enough to fit the table when it was fully expanded with all the leaves in place. When they presented it to me, I just cried. I had dreamed of the day we could expand the table to its fullest and see a big family around it. It just seemed like it’d be forever before we’d be able to unfold it all the way and actually use it. I couldn’t wait. We used it for special parties, baby showers, wedding showers, and events for friends until our own family was large enough to fit around it. That tablecloth has been a special keepsake all these years, and I have used it over and over.
I watch your show and look at Michelle and praise her for her children. She is so beautiful and it is a reflection in her children how blessed she is for them and how blessed they are for her. Jim Bob also……..wonderful family. Watching your show is truly entertaining and it brings me closer to my faith in God seeing such a God loving family. Bless you!
Your children are my role models and I love your daughters and how God centered they are. Thank you for being positive role models and giving me something wholesome to watch!
What a beautiful idea, so personal and something you can pass down to your children. I enjoy watching your show and brings me such wonderful memories of a time when having mother daughter time on Wednesday nights at our Southern Baptist Church was so filled with wonderful memories. Living in San Diego Ca is so difficult right now raising our younger two children left in the home trying to instill in them the values we have in our family. We welcome your show and love your family unity. Thank you again … Sonia.
I just LOVE you and your family. Ya’ll are such an inspiration, perfect examples of how each of us should strive to live, and to instill into our children. Thank you for sharing your lives with us all these years! And even more important, thank you for sharing GOD, and for leading by example, ya’ll are SUCH a joy to watch! Many blessings!! ^_^ xoxox SiDe~HuGs
Hi Michelle I am not sure if you have read my e-mail yet as I am sure you have a full inbox. I just wanted to leave a comment about your personal handmade gift to you on your wedding. I also have some of those, the one that I really love the most I think is the artwork done on our wedding invitation and then put in a pretty frame. In the artwork of the invitation the lady drew a mailbox around our last name and then painted it with her watercolors. So the scene she made on the invitation was a little house in a village of houses and some trees ect. It was just beautiful and so personal. I enjoy your books, Michelle and after reading the last 2 I was prompted to write to you. So that is the e-mail I mentioned above. Melissa
Your blog about favorite wedding gifts reminded me of something from my family’s story. My parents were married in 1931. A friend of the family wanted to make them a crocheted tablecloth. She had very little money and this was during the Great Depression. All she could afford was one skein of thread. She told my parents she was making them a tablecloth but it might be a little while before they would get it. It took her ten years. Whenever she could pinch together a little extra money she would purchase another skein of thread and continue crocheting. She finished the tablecloth in time for their Tenth Wedding anniversary. It was beautiful and they treasured it. They still had it on their dining room tables for their 25th anniversary. I was 12 years old at the time. They had it on the dining room table for at least another 15 years when they moved to a smaller house with no formal dining room. When I first heard the story about the poor lady who took 10 years to make a wedding present, I really was not that impressed. Today I’m 71 years old and I fully understand the value of that gift. It was precious beyond all dollars. It was a gift of love of time and of perseverance. Just wanted to share this story with you.
I love you and your family! What a Godly example to the world you all are. How I wish I wasn’t so jealous that you weren’t my mom <3 You have inspired and challenged me to be a better mother and wife. Thank you Michelle,may God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you all of your days.
Such a beautiful family and such a wonderful story.The whole family is amazing.Christians and living for God,Way to go there’s not many let so honest.Thank you so much for so many wonderful story’s of inspiration.I watch your show every week!
What a special gift! Good neighbors are a wonderful gift from God too. With the way God has blessed your growing family, you could probably use 2 of those table cloths! 🙂
Such a sweet story. Thank you Michelle
I am divorced, unfortunately many times. I gave my life to Christ with my second marriage. I am currently engaged for the fourth time. I have felt led to move into each relationship for various reasons I would not have chosen myself. I feel lost in a tidal wave. I have been a nurse 25 years, I brought 3 husbands to Christ and felt moved to move on. Now I feel like no part of my life is mine. I need advice
The table cloth story is so nice! It’s hard to find nice people these days! I love your family ! It’s so nice to know a kind family! There is so much heart ship in the world. I wish I could protect my grandkids from this world ! Their great grandmother was American Indian so there is different beliefs ! If hard not to say , what I would like to tell them about God and to pray! I don’t know what to do. I was raised catholic!! Thank you for you sharing your love and kindness and your family ! Love God bless Colleen Johnson Cincinnati Ohio
I left a message but, like my church..it isn’t here. I beg for spiritual help, and I am left empty. Feel free to txt me at 765-602-1250
Many years ago my mom crochet a bedspread that took her a year to make and one day I got it in the mail and used it on a spare bed, but as we downsized there was no place for it, so I passed it on to a niece and know she too will enjoy it. I still have my table cloth she also crochet for me.
This comment is directed to “Janette”. I found your comment offensive. The Duggars are not trying to set records with visits to their newsletter and Website. For you to use this “Comment” forum to market your personal “products” is very inappropriate, extremely poor manners, and just very offensive in general. You owe Michelle and the entire Duggar family an apology.
I have been praying for Derricks mom ever since she got sick. there is a specific scripture that is a promise of God . Pray this scripture. Because when you pray the word that’s how we are to pray. Nahum 1:9b which says, ” Affliction shall NOT come a second time.” I have stood on this scripture for 12 years since JESUS healed me miraculously when the doctors couldn’t. praise the Lord.
I just recently inherited my Grandma Seither’s BIG table, and we make her favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, a very special time each year, with friends and family since we only have one child living with us, and my husband’s two children from his first marriage.. we tend to fill it up with “orphans” people who don’t have either close family or any family at all. I do have a few of her table cloths as well I truly do understand how important that table and table cloth is to you.
HI Michelle! Its very nice having that keepsake all these years . I think those neighbors were Angels sent by God. People who comes to our lives for no reason are angels for me. Lucky me I just keep a vase that my mom brought me the last time she was here in USA. It was from my wedding 32 years ago. All the others gifts I had to leave there… very sad! We were living in FL for years and now we moved to TX. We have four boys all grown. We are from Uruguay (South America) and I watch your show always. You are doing an excellent job as a mom, teacher and nurse sometimes right? and Jim Bob supporting you. I admire people as you. You raised 19 EXCELLENT kids. Hope your family is going to grow up as God asked us. And you and Jim Bob are going to be very busy and hands full watching them..and Christmas OMG! its going to be AWESOME!! My blessings to you and your unique and beautiful family. Love You All..
I just received my first Blog from u. About your wedding gift– tablecloth. I love you and your family. I don’t get to watch TV program much cuz I only get basic cable tv. Congraatulaions on new grand baby! God Bless, Lyn from Brighton, MI. 48114
That is so wonderful they did that for you both. I love Mother’s Day because my three sons (now they are married & so happy) I enjoy their visits I don’t mind getting no gifts just for them to come & see me. My youngest one and his family live in Washington DC because of his work, it is so hard to see them. I still cry because it been like this for fourteen yrs. See them every once in awhile, & it has been many yrs. before we can see them. I love your show, your family, & being a Christian family makes it even more loving.
What a beautiful gift. The beauty is in the memory. What a blessing to carry with you throughout your life and be able to still share.
I have really enjoyed your show. It has encouraged me to be a better person. I’ve re-evaluated things in my life and have made changes for the better. I am sorry that you are going through these trials right now. I don’t think that the information should never been released. But, since it is out there, maybe you could encourage others who might face a similar situation. I hope that the show will continue although I have my doubts that it will happen. I would really love it if you could show that you can come through even the hardest things. That being said, I do want to say that hearing Josh’s behavior being called a “mistake” has been very painful for me. I am a survivor of sexual abuse and rape first by a family member, then by a family friend. To hear the word “mistake” applied has felt like a knife thrust into my heart and then twisted for good measure. I wonder if you realize how painful it can be for an abuse survivor to hear it called a mistake. It really seems to attempt to minimize the effect the abuse has on a victim. Could you please consider rephrasing it? I have forgiven you for the pain it has caused me. I can’t help but think other survivors may have also been hurt by the use of the word “mistake”. I am praying for your entire family and I hope Josh will be able to recover from this horrible attack. I don’t believe that report should have been released and I cannot possibly fully comprehend the harm it has caused. I am especially praying your daughters. They appear to be women of grace and faith. You’ve raised some incredible children. According to Proverbs 31, Michelle, your children will rise up and call you blessed and from what I’ve seen and read, that certainly seems to be the case. I hope you can listen with a heart of compassion and grasp what I meant about the word “mistake” and not take it as condemnation. I just wondered if anyone else has commented about it. Maybe my words will allow you to understand that for some of us, that unfortunate word has caused us pain. if there is a fortunate thing for me in the midst of your painful time, I am determined to forgive my abusers. I know it won’t happen overnight, but given time I will be freely able to forgive. I’m just going to pray about it and ask God to help me to forgive and I know that He will be faithful to do it. May God bless you and your family.
What a truly special story. God bless you and your family