Masterpiece Under Construction!

"Fearfully and wonderfully made..."
Psalm 139:14  NKJV

We are works of art, under construction!  We aren't completed pieces, yet!  God still has to finish His work in us! We have lots of rough edges that He is smoothing out!  We may have started out thinking of ourselves as pictures in black and white, but God sees us in all of the glorious colors of the rainbow!  In the hands of the Master Artist, we are on our way to becoming a work of art, testifying to His glory.

I read somewhere that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps jumping off the altar!  That's a great picture of us as we wiggle and squirm under the hand of the Lord.  But, we can rest in the knowledge that He has us in His hand.  He is doing the work.  He erases this and scribbles that.  He blots out the imperfections and fills in the blank spots with radiant color.  He has a finished picture in mind that we could never imagine!  He is at work in you and me to finish a master piece to His glory.

In my own life, I have often wiggled out from under the Master's hand as He does a transforming work in me.  I don't really like the hammer and chisel He carries in His hand.  Besides, I tell myself, I'm good enough as is!  But, He has a different vision of what He is completing in me.  Although I run from the hammer of the Master, in the end, I trust, He is making me over into something much better than the slab of clay I started out as.

As a mom and grandmother, I have always loved encouraging my children and grandchildren to draw, paint, write, sew, learn a musical instrument - find some artistic pursuit to give back to Him.  I was thinking recently how much I wish we had Facebook when my kids were little!  I never had the opportunity to post their "works of art" on the Internet the way parents do today.  Neither did we have the digital cameras that make picture taking and posting so instant today!  The best I can remember is the old Polaroids we had back then!  I remember giving my in-laws one as a gift and them being amazed by this "fancy new technology"!  Completely obsolete today!! Life is moving at breakneck speed, isn't it?!  One of the pictures below is from my 7 year old grand-daughter, entitled "The Love Highway"!  I love that!  SLOW down, baby! You are on the Love Highway!!

At my house, there will always be pens to write with, paint brushes and markers to draw with and music to dance to.  I watch with fascination the unfolding work of art before my eyes in my grandchildren.  Some are pursuing acting, some love to dance, some to write, some to draw.  I have one granddaughter that draws intricate works of art on gym shoes!  They are transformed from plain old shoes to beautiful works of art!  Where did she get that from?  I think I see a touch of the Master in her...!

Here's a little glimpse of what's happening at my house!

It thrilled me to have Ella ask me if she could draw a picture this past weekend!
Previously, she had been a little reluctant to try, 
thinking she had to measure up to some arbitrary standard.
No, no, no.  Just be spontaneous!
She created this little piece in about 10 minutes.
I love that she drew a picture of what she called "The Love Highway"!
Now, that's creative! :)

STOP!  YOU HAVE ENTERED THE LOVE HIGHWAY!
Slow down and enjoy the ride!!!

This is a picture of a table runner I am working on for someone special.
I am learning a new technique 
with my sewing machine called "sew wild".
The blue stitching on the white spaces 
is my first attempt to do that in a sewing project.
It's fun and very creative!
I think of it as "graffiti" sewing!

I did one of these previously for my sister and hand quilted stars

all over it!  (There are lots of different ways to do fabric art!)
I didn't think to take a picture of it before I gave it to her!

I have given away so many handmade gifts and never took a picture of any of them!

Silly, silly girl!

The beginning of a piece that is fabric altered with paint.

Lots of fun!

A little more added to the above piece.
Again, "graffiti art" on fabric.

Close-up of "America"

Close-up of "Freedom"
This is a very patriotic piece!