I made a lamp this week. It took a long time. I learned that I am not as fast as I used to be at creating. First you have to choose the pattern that you like, and decide just how it will be placed on the lamp. Then you have to decide the colors, how many and where they will be on the pattern. Then spread glue on the lamp globe for the starting point, adding the glass pieces one at a time to match your pattern. After all the pattern is on there, you add lots and lots of beads to the empty spaces to fill in and give the rest of the globe color.
But wait…you have to wait 24 hours to complete the rest. Then you go and make some plaster that has to be spread all over the globe to fill in the spaces between the glass and beads. And then clean the excess plaster off. Did I mention that plaster gets everywhere? Only then can you add the base and top to the globe.
It turned out okay. I am kinda disappointed that it does not look as pretty or as perfect as I wanted. I love the colors. And since I made it for my hubby, he loves it as they have some of the colors of his favourite hockey team, LOL. But he would love it anyway because, as he said, I created it for him.
As I was looking at the lamp, it hit me, I am like that lamp. We all are. What I see from the outside is an imperfect person, imperfect body, imperfect in so many ways. But David still loves me, the real me, not what I see on the outside. He calls me beautiful. And he sees the lamp as beautiful. I don’t see this, not as he does. I see imperfections, in the lamp and in me. But I am trying to see myself as he sees me. As my creator made me.
I made the lamp, and it has imperfections. My Father made me and in this human life there are imperfections. If we were perfect, we would not be here. He does not see me as imperfect, He sees me as His daughter, made to be me, just as He planned. He looked at the patterns, chose the colors, put them all together, and created me. Just as He created you, and you, and you!! All of us.
Our choices in life make us what we see today as we look into the mirror. Scars on the outside, scars on the inside. At some point we all need to look inside and see what He sees: His child, whom He loves, and try to reflect this on the outside. With all our imperfections. And when we allow Him in, guess what happens? His love breaks through for others to see. And His light shines where we thought there was only darkness and bits of glass and plaster.
The lamp is beautiful, when the light is allowed to shine, just as we are when we allow His light to shine.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all who are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Treasures 3927 