Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Clay in His Hands


Isaiah 64:8
Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Last Friday, I pick up our granddaughter, Virginia Rose, at her bus stop.  Danny, aka Papa, and I are looking forward to having her spend the night with us as we have lots of fun activities planned for that evening and the following day.  Virginia is content just knowing she will be with her Gammie and Papa, but is beside herself with excitement when I inform her she is going to help me make Christmas cookies.

I prepare the dough the day before so it can be adequately chilled and ready for the big roll out.



The dough is hard, and I explain to Virginia that we can only roll out a small portion at a time on the generously floured counter top.





When the appropriate thickness is achieved, Virginia follows my instructions to flour the cookie cutter before plunging it into the dough.  She forgets a few times, but quickly becomes a pro at it.  She is so proud of herself!



And each time we reform the dough to roll it out flat again, I add more of the chilled dough to the mix, gratified to see how the flour tames its stubbornness, making it soft and pliable, easy for small hands to press the cookie cutters into, leaving lovely impressions.

As much as Virginia loves this part of the process, her eyes really light up when the time comes to shake red and green sugar sprinkles on our cookies.  She follows my directives and does a fine job of decorating.







With the cookies finally in the oven, Virginia dashes off to change out of her flour-caked shirt so she can help her Papa finish decorating our tree with "snow" and ornaments.




Racer!

~

The cookie dough, cold and unyielding, reminds me of how the wintry trials and tribulations we endure in this world can harden our hearts, and leave us feeling as rigid and unfeeling as a rock.  That's when we need the hands of the Master Potter, the only one who can transform our stubborn stone into malleable clay.  If we let Him, God can take us in His lovingly floured hands and, piece by piece, roll us out and re-shape us, until we reflect His glorious light and love.

The process may not be painless, the changes might not be sudden, but when we trust in Him, His divine hand will soften the most inflexible of hearts and work miracles in our souls.

~

How is God molding and shaping you into the creation He intends for you to be?

Prayer:  Father, may we all be clay in Your hands as You work to perfect us to do Your will on earth.  Soften our hearts to welcome Your grace and truth.  Make us new creatures to Your honor and glory.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen.

Meditations of My Heart will be on hiatus from now until the New Year.  May each and every one of you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with love and grace!

28 comments:

  1. Such lovely images!

    Wishing you and your family Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year ahead.

    Take care.

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    1. Merry Christmas to you, too, Privy!
      Love and blessings!

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  2. Racer! LOL Hope you, Danny and the clan have a fantastic Christ-filled Christmas. I look forward to learning more from you in 2016.

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    1. Yes, Racer! My niece made that ornament for me - so precious!
      Bill, I'm wishing you and your family the best Christmas ever!
      Love and blessings!

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  3. I am 'floored' by the way you bring out the 'miraculous' from the 'mundane'! I really relate to this wonderful experience of making cookies!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Portia - I try! And it's wonderful to have childhood memories of making cookies with mom or grandma. I'm hoping Virginia won't forget this first experience.
      Love and blessings and Merry Christmas!

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  4. Martha, I love your imagery here. I pray that I'll be willing to be a lump of clay in the hands of the Potter.

    I'm so happy that you're making all these memories with Virginia. Cut out cookies look so fun to make...I have no memories of ever making them. Perhaps some day I'll have some one to teach me (keep in mind that I have a inner child that likes to play at times).

    Your Racer ornament is super cute!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family. May God bless you richly!

    Love and blessings!

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed the imagery, Kim. And yes, I'm hoping Virginia will remember this experience for a long time. If you want, I can send you the recipe for these Sour Cream Sugar Cookies - they are fantastic! You would have fun making them, guaranteed.
      Love and blessings and Merry Christmas!

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  5. Ah yes, we were on the *same page* this week - talking about letting our cold and hardened hearts be transformed by the love and grace of the Lord. Life has a way of making the clay hard, and bringing us to many frozen places. But praise the Lord, the Son is also a Master Potter!!

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Yes, amazing, isn't it, how God gives us simultaneous messages when we least expect it. May the Lord soften and melt all our hard and frozen places in our hearts this Christmas.
      Love and blessings!

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  6. Martha, beautiful, as ever. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and the happiest of New Years!
    Carol Castagna

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    1. Thank you so much, Carol. Wishing you and yours the merriest of Christmases, too!
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Being a grandma is the most precious thing, even after six I love helping them and showing them fun things. I am glad you are enjoying this it is a memory made just for her.

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    1. I know, Sharon, that there is nothing better than being a grandparent. As you say, it is the most precious thing. We are so blessed to have them in our lives.
      Love and blessings!

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  8. Wonderful traditions and memories made. I have fond memories of making cookies first with my Mom and later with our children. Have a great holiday season with your family.

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    1. Thank you, Fran. Hope you have a marvelous holiday, too!
      Love and blessings!

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  9. She is such a cutie! and what a neat lesson! Smiling tonight with your words and the Word

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  10. Love the photos Martha - cookies look delicious. One big change in my life was thinking that I was the potter at one time instead of the clay :) I had to learn to let go an allow Go to take over. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year - see you soon.

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    1. I think we've all been there and done that, Vishnu. In our human frailty, we can think that we're the ones who are large and in charge when only God can fill those shoes.
      Have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year, too!
      Love and blessings!

      Delete
  11. I am looking forward to making sugar cookies when all my grandchildren get here...then it will really seem like Christmas.

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  12. I am looking forward to making sugar cookies when all my grandchildren get here...then it will really seem like Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is one of the joys of Christmas! Have fun!
      Love and blessings!

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  13. Yay! So much fun! Our grandson will arrive on Saturday and stay for a few days. We can't wait! Enjoy a wonderful Christmas, Martha!

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    1. I did enjoy Christmas, Deb, and I know you did, too, with the visit from daughter and grandson! Happy New Year!
      Love and blessings!

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  14. Hi Martha! What a lovely time with Virginia Rose. I know you are a patient and loving Grandma, and that is not missed by your grandgirl.

    I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and may God bless you and yours in the new year. (And maybe even a new book idea!)
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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    1. It was a wonderful Christmas, Ceil, and I pray yours was awesome, too. Prayers for a blessed New Year!
      Love and blessings!

      Delete
  15. Oh Martha, there is nothing better than Grandma moments. We enjoyed 5 days with our grandson over the holidays. So much laughter. Precious memories to carry into 2016! Blessings and hugs!

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. . . Good Tidings of Great Joy . . .

  . . . Good tidings of great joy . . . ~Luke 2:10 Pictured above are my daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and their three girls, Virginia,...