Affirmation #52 by Susan L.

  "I am clay in the potter's hand." Jeremiah 18:6

  I recently used an air dry clay to make some ornaments for an indoor fairy garden. These mini-landscapes are all the rage right now so ready-made accessories are rather expensive. Besides, the challenge of making something out of whatever is handy is a favorite past time.
  I decided to try and sculpt a fairy in a sitting position. She's all of two inches high and ended up with fat legs and a rather ugly face.
  Her translucent wings were cut from a clear plastic, fast food container then painted with veins of gold. They got glued on once she was dried and painted.
  The body began as a fat, short sausage. I used scissors to cut the clay, dividing it into body and limbs. I needed to use water while manoeuvering them into place. This kept the bends smooth and prevented the clay from cracking as it was folded. The joints, hands and feet were shaped with the help of a toothpick.
  To give her feminine curves and a neck, some of the clay was carefully scraped away.
  Shaping facial features on a soft lump of clay the size of a cultivated blueberry was difficult. I kept squashing her nose! Ergo, she is far from beautiful.  :)  It's okay because she ended up having a character that is outside the box of fairy normalcy. (Another smile.)
  The whole exercise of miniature making was rather humbling. Adult fingers aren't conducive to working on an itty-bitty scale. It has me in awe of the people who do the original sculptures for any manufactured plastic or resin miniatures.
  Throughout this process, this scripture came to mind. It's one of my favorites and as I mused on my own artistic efforts, I imagined the great Sculptor working to shape and mold me into something that is perfect. (Not there yet!)
  "Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord, "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!"

  As I copied the scripture, it made me realize that I have an influence on the shaping of others. I need to be mindful that my hands are hands of tender care, grace and compassion.