The Heavenly Potter

Pottery is a passion of mine.  I love to collect it, and am blessed to own a extensive collection.  Shown above is my recent acquisition, given from a friend who recently travelled to Mexico and knowing my love of pottery, gifted me with this piece.

 

I love how pottery is not only beautiful, full of colour and texture, but each piece exquisitely unique.  Whenever desired, I can pull out a bowl or plate, and glory in the beauty of them as they brighten my tabletop.

As I ponder the creative process involved in pottery, pieces that are lovingly crafted, I am reminded of how God designed and created humanity in a similar fashion.  It's rather mind boggling to delve into how our inward parts are made up,  intertwined to work as one, and encased in skin, held upright by bone, sinew and muscle.  The human body is astounding in it's complexity, a fine work of art.  

 

I certainly don't ever consider myself to be a work of art.  Yet in the eyes of God, that is indeed what I am. He fashioned, and filled the human body - intricately, lovingly.  A masterpiece like none other.  

 

I do well to understand the love an artist would have for their creation, but when I attempt to come to terms with the idea of God loving me, as I am, I often struggle.  As individuals, we have a dim understanding of how much God does indeed love us.  Often we view ourselves as flawed and unworthy, cracked and chipped clay vessels no longer beautiful, either inside or out. 

It stands to reason though, that God, the master creator, would love and value all that he has made, for artists do indeed delight in what they create.  In fact, the bible states that He loves me (us) with an everlasting love.

God, the heavenly potter, loves......all that He creates. 

 

The truth:  God delights in us. Psalm 18 vs. 19.  Just as we delight in the beauty of this earth, so God delights in the beauty that He created which includes most especially you and I. 

    

 

 

Messiness



Today has been a crash and burn day....hence the burning puzzle photo.

 

Life can sometimes be overwhelming, and by times I have not one clue  how to piece anything together and then proceed to have a meltdown of sorts.  What woman enjoys those weepy days when tears and rampant emotions seem to spiral out of control. 

 

I suppose that in life, there is a place for chaos too, much to my chagrin. Always living from the 'happy places'  is not where one grows.  Deep sigh.......

 

There is a place of course, for those wonderful  'all is well with the world'  oasis es, but any growing is done doing grunt work.  In my case, the grunt work entails  'feeling the feelings' and attempting to hang onto the truth that I won't die in those hurting places, those fear filled places. 

 

Having come from an extremely dysfunctional family setting, and continuing to carry that baggage around with me, has left me with many deep, emotional scars, that cause me to not 'live' in a way that God created me to live. 

 

And the only way to 'get there' - to the land of the total living, is to DEAL.  Deal with the emotional hurts, look at them - cry over them, feel the fear, feel the pain, and in doing so, wait for healing.  A healing that Jesus promises.

 

God's Word states that if I face those places, work through it all, as slow and painful as that process may be - that He will redeem all that has been lost. 

I have yet to experience the reality of such a statement, and my faith and trust in God are weak.   Yet the  choice remains mostly clear, attempt to believe, for otherwise, I might just as well lay down and die now.

 

I surely cannot say this post is particularly uplifting, but, it's life.  And life is messy by times.  Today, I waded through the mess.  Not what I had planned, but as the end of the day nears for me, I see that I've survived and also been blessed.  Blessed by the loving and supportive arms of one who is dear to my heart, and blessed by the kind and encouraging words of friends.

 

So, despite my day of messy internal chaos - God was there.  :-) 

 

 

Blank Puzzle Pieces

My first ever blog.  At the ripe age of 52, I've decided to try out this form of communication, share my thoughts and my photos.

Confession time, admittedly I am not a writer, but since the words are clattering about in my head, I thought I would simply put some 'form' to them.   As a photographer, I fare a little better, although still only as an amateur, but my love of this creative process is what keeps me going when life is all about throwing curve balls in my direction.

I've posted this photo of blank puzzle pieces in an effort to show what the inside of my brain looks like.  Yup, I said it - I'm particularly empty at the moment.  Life is a blank slate, waiting for me to fit it all together and create something.......my hope being that what I create will be a blessing not only to others, but also fulfilling for my own self.

Today - I've created a blog.  Will anyone read it?  Well, I dont' really know.  But I shall continue to post regardless and perhaps in the doing, I shall fill all those blank puzzle pieces with beautiful pictures.