Recently my daughter gave me the most wonderful gift … a “basket” carved out of a single piece of wood. Isn’t it fantastic!
I love baskets … particularly baskets which are pieces of artwork. The wooden carved “basket” my daughter gave me took incredible skill to make. An artisan who is very skilled at woodworking knew exactly how to carve and chisel in order to make this little piece of artwork. I absolutely love it!
Here you can see another basket which I am very fond of. This basket is made entirely of seaweed. Isn’t it amazing! The couple who makes these seaweed baskets lives in Sequim, WA. Throughout the year this couple scours the coastline along the Strait of Juan de Fuca looking for seaweed which has washed up on the shore, and which would work for basket-making. After they gather the seaweed, they then go through an extensive process of washing the seaweed, in a multiple wash process. Once the seaweed is completely cleaned, they then partially dry the seaweed before beginning to weave it into baskets.
The variety of seaweed baskets this couple was selling at their booth in the Sequim Saturday Farmer’s Market was incredible! So much design, detail, and time went into each unique and beautiful basket! I was in awe of their talent! And I had the greatest admiration for their craftsmanship!
Every single person is like the little wooden carved “basket,” and this seaweed basket.
The little wooden carved “basket” started out as a block of plain old “useless” wood. Just a normal, ordinary piece of wood. There is nothing special about a plain old block of wood.
But the skilled artisan could see the beautiful “basket” hidden in the piece of wood … and the artisan knew how to chisel and carve in order to bring out the “basket.” It took specialty tools. It took skill. It took time.
So also, in the same way, the seaweed basket started out as a pile of slimy, smelly seaweed which had washed up as useless leftovers on a cold, rainy, rocky shoreline.
But the basket-weaving couple went in search of the seaweed … they washed the seaweed and cleaned it up … and they made something beautiful out of the seaweed.
In the same way, you are a very special piece of “artwork,” made by the greatest craftsman of all, God!
You are not a mistake.
You are not an accident.
You are not here by chance.
You are here because God made you! God designed you!
You are God’s workmanship! You are God’s special piece of artwork!
Just like the basket-making couple went searching on cold, lonely beaches for the seaweed … so also, God has sought out you!
Just like the couple spent time washing the seaweed, in a multiple wash process … so also, God is willing to spend whatever time it takes to wash you, and to clean you up!
Just like design and detail went into each unique and beautiful seaweed basket which was made … so also, God has put much design and detail into you! You are unique! You are special! You are beautiful!
You are God’s special piece of artwork!
But beautiful baskets aren’t just to be looked at. They are made to hold things! They are made to be useful. They are made to be practical.
In the same way, God didn’t make us just to look nice. Our purpose in living isn’t to “sit on a shelf” and to look better than everyone else.
God wants our life to hold things. God wants us to hold the hearts of those whom He has given us to love. God wants our life to hold special memories. God wants our life to hold compassion, and care, and kindness.
The little wooden carved “basket” from my daughter is holding rocks. These rocks are ones I picked up when we went to Deception Falls a few weeks ago.
Whenever I look at the special rocks in my little wooden carved “basket” I can remember sitting perched atop a giant fallen log, next to my daughter, as the waters of Deception Falls rushed beneath our feet. These special rocks in my wooden “basket” represent the memories we made that day! The fun times we shared together. The things we chatted about and how we shared our hearts with each other.
Whenever I look at the special rocks in my little wooden carved “basket” I can pray for my daughter! And I can thank God for the blessing she is in my life!
My seaweed basket holds my PlantWave device which my son gave me as a gift for Christmas. Whenever I take my PlantWave out of the seaweed basket, to go explore and discover the “songs” of new plants, I feel a special connection with my son and his love for me.
It is in this same way that our life is meant to hold love for our family! Our life holds songs of joy! Our life holds the “music” of daily living.
You are God’s wonderful, unique, special piece of artwork!
As a beautiful art piece, your life isn’t just to be looked at. Your life is made to hold things! Your life is meant to be useful. Your life is meant to be practical.
* “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
* “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” – Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
