Me, Elizabeth, and God

Why do I always share everything? I don't know. I think I just get too excited about new things I have learned and want to share them with ya'll, but with that comes me having to share why I am learning - which is not fun for me.

Earlier this month and for part of July, I was having a struggle. Probably several, but this post is just about this particular one. My head knew the truth, my heart was having a much harder time accepting it. In fact, I flat out did not want what I was given. I was mad and confused. 

It "just so happened", that a friend I have shared part of her devotional one morning on Facebook. She lives eight hours away, so I had not talked to her in awhile. She was having a very similar struggle as me, just different circumstances. Her devotional was based on Isaiah 45:9,  

"Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'?

Let's be honest, whenever a verse starts with the word, "woe" - you know it is not going to be a good ending the words, except if some words like, "unless" or "but" or "turn" or "choose" come along later to give you a choice and offer of a second chance. 

The devotional pointed out that a potsherd is a broken piece of pottery that is useless unless the Potter decides to use it. It said that when a potter uses the broken pieces or the dust of previously broken pot into the clay they are now forming, the broken part or dust enables the new vessel to withstand higher temperatures, to be stronger, larger, and more beautiful. 

Another point in the devotional was just because we don't WANT something to be apart of our story, it doesn't mean that it doesn't NEED to be apart of our story. 

Well, if I was looking for an answer to all that confusion and anger about things I didn't want, there it was. In black and white for me (and all the world) to read. Plain and simple. No confusion with that verse. I needed to correct my actions and my heart. 

The next day, I took the girls to Wal-Mart to get something for school. The younger one was complaining and then got mad at me because I would not buy her something she wanted right that minute. As we neared the check-out line, I finally looked at her and said, "Just because you don't get what you want, doesn't mean you should...." 

I literally quit talking and walked to the check-out line in silence. I knew exactly how she felt and why she was acting that way.  I was doing the same thing and would have had to look myself in the mirror, preach to myself, and change my attitude before I could finish my sentence to her.  Don't you love it when that happens? God gives you a little piece of yourself so you can see what you're doing looks like to the outside world. 

That was Wednesday. 

On Saturday, I took Elizabeth to a pottery class at ceramic shop. I took her because she is my crafty girl and loves to make things with her hands. I was hoping that she would find a new way to express her artsy-self and at the same time a worried that our little perfectionist wouldn't get it right (in her eyes) the first time she tried it, so she might give up and quit before the going gets good. But as it turns out, I was the one getting the hands-on life lesson for the second time that same week.

We went to a one time wheel-throwing class to try out using the pottery wheel before signing up for a whole month of classes. It was a small class. We had a great time. We made 2 pieces each and next Wednesday, we can go back and paint them.          

At the class, I learned several things about making pottery. By the way, this class would have made for some fantastic photographs, but since my hands were a little busy and messy, photos weren't an option. So you get these lovely beach photos instead. ;)

1. The most important part is that the clay has to be centered.  If it's not centered properly, the clay will wobble back and forth on the wheel and you can't form your piece correctly. One problem you can have with un-centered clay is that your piece to be too thick or too thin and you cannot put it in the fire. Too thick or too thin and the piece might explode. 

To center the clay, you put one hand on the side and one hand on top applying the right amount of pressure from each hand working the clay, as the wheel is spinning, to center it.  Centering is a lot harder than it looks! When centered, the clay is round and you can see a small point in the very middle. It's perfect. You can tell by just looking at it that there is difference between clay that is properly centered and clay that is not. With the wheel, you have to be focused on your piece and cup both hands around it. As if you are protecting it or hiding it, while you form it.

2. The clay always need to be wet, but not too wet or it's all gloopy and will not be good for making anything. It cannot get too dry either.

3. Pressure is always applied. It cannot be too much nor too little pressure. You hands need to be steady and firm. You drop the hole in the center, by pressing down with your thumb or thumbs making sure to stop about a quarter or half inch from the bottom of the clay. 

4. To pull the clay upward and outwards, requires you to apply pressure from your fingers and hands working together, pressing firmly to squeeze against the clay to pull up and/or to widen the clay. You're pushing your hands against each other. Everything is done with precision and care. This is not a rushed process. So you must have patience. 

5. Sometimes pieces of clay fall off or stick to your hands, you just throw that to the side. If the clay winds up too thin or too thick on one side or if you accidentally stick your finger thru it or if you did not mean to smush an edge down, you just bring the clay back down to the center and start over. 

I tried not to sit there with deer in the head lights eyes as she told us how it all worked. I don't think I have to spell this out for anyone, it's quite obvious how you can put together the application, but let me explain anyway.

I needed to be centered on the Lord. I haven't been lately and myself has been all over the place - like that clay that is not centered correctly. I am all wobbly. I am nothing, unless God decides to use me. 

I got a hands-on experience of how God bends low and cups both hands around me as He works out what He wants for this piece of my life. He isn't standing far off and just using the tips of His fingers, He's up close and personal, using both hands - protecting and hiding - as He shapes up my life. He throws the pieces that come off to side and keeps building. He is focused on what He wants and what He knows is good. What my heart thought was that something was wrong. It thought that this was not good and things should be different. Not that what I wanted was bad, it's just that I guess I thought I could tell the Potter this wasn't what I wanted and He could fix it. 

My head still knew the truth, the Potter is good. The Potter is ALWAYS good and He doesn't change. (James 1:17) Nothing bad can come from Him. There sin in the world and bad things happen, so we can't avoid it, but even in the bad things that happen to us or consequences of our wrong choices, He can turn it around for good. He always gets the glory. So why are we mad and confused about it? Because our hearts are deceitful above all things. (Jeremiah 17:9). We see with our own eyes and if we don't like what we see, sometimes we want to give up and quit. 

There is still a lot of clay that needs to thrown to the side in my life. I am still reminding myself of this devotional, pottery class, and working on renewing my mind. In fact, I had a loud chat with the Lord about it a few days ago. Mostly, I talked. Mostly, He listened, probably waiting on me to accept what He's already told me, twice. I know what I wanted, I know what I prayed for, and it did not turn out in any way that I imagined it. I guess I didn't know what I needed. What I need is to stay centered. Centered on the Potter and being moldable. 

All of this will be good. And I know that it will be good because I know the Potter. 

Stay Centered, Friends.