I must confess I've had more fun this weekend than should be allowed:) I did get those onion rings I talked about as well as some coconut cream pie and a plate of pasta swimming in pesto cream. And I managed to sneak in 30 minutes of The Young Victoria before my boys came in from a bike ride and crashed the whole romantic affair. Throw in a fiddling gig, lots of sunshine, and some Mother's Day flower baskets and it was a weekend I could easily repeat. Oh, and I can't forget the boxes of bookmarks and bookcards for Courting Morrow Little that came in the mail. Since I've had some less than stellar weekends in the past, it was really delightful. Hope yours was memorable in a good way, too. Since it was so sunny, we opened the little fountain we bought awhile ago. Here's a picture of Paul watering it to get it started:) I got so tickled because he was mortified when we took it out of the box. "But Mom, it's all broken - and ugly - and cracked!" he exclaimed, thinking I had been royally ripped off. I pointed out the label on the box which said in large letters, "PLENTIFUL TERRACOTTA." All a matter of perspective, I thought. Once we filled it with water and plugged it in, he was overjoyed to find those cracked pots had some useful function. In his glee, he overfilled it so you get a nice shower if you stand within 6 feet of it:) Homely, yes, but beautiful in its own way. The sound of splashing water is so appealing to me for some reason.
I couldn't help but think of the Scripture about cracked pots: But we have this power in earthen vessels (Greek wording means "baked clay," and refers to clay pots), so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves." 2 Corinthians 4:7
My footnote says, "Even frail and expendable people, like clay pots, become useful to the Lord for noble purposes...The great power of God overcomes and transcends the clay pot."
Love that! If we feel like cracked pots, we can take heart. He has a purpose for each one of us, even a noble one. When I look at my homely but lovely-sounding fountain, I hope to remember that.
That fountain is just my style, Laura. And I love the earthen vessel analogy. I don't think I could see that fountain without it bringing it to mind. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, a well of living water springing up from our souls. Such refreshment for each other to come from these battered clay pots. I love the way God works like that, so contrary to the world's expectations. May we in turn craft such surprising characters in our stories, and always choose the unexpected road to The End.
ReplyDeleteAnd cheers to a great weekend. Ours has been good too. A lovely birthday/moving-to-England party for a friend's son on Friday evening, yesterday spent (unusually for me) doing strenuous yard work, and today church and then I'm cooking a roast/potato/carrot/peas/strawberry-shortcake dinner for my MIL. I expect we'll watch a movie, maybe Sherlock Holmes.
Happy Mother's Day, my friend!
I like the fountain! 2 Corinthians 4:7 was just what I need to hear.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts, Laura! So glad you had a good weekend! Happy Mother's Day. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Laura I love that scripture! Our earthen vessels are weak, yes, but they are perfect for God to showcase His awesome power! We’ll never understand how powerful God truly is until we understand how weak we truly are. Thank you for sharing that beautiful scripture with us, it really blessed me :) Isn’t it amazing how the Lord can use something like a cracked terracotta fountain to remind us of His Word?
ReplyDeleteYour son is so cute, very cool t-shirt too, by the way ;) And for the record, I really like that water fountain- actually, my mom would probably love something like that for our yard. I’ve always loved the sound of water too, very soothing.
Laura, I am so happy you had a fun weekend and I pray you’ll be blessed with many more my friend, you deserve em’!! You must be so excited about those Morrow bookmarks! As silly as it sounds, if I was a writer I think that would be one of the coolest things about writing a book- having my own bookmark :)
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Blessings,
Amanda Stanley
I'm so glad, Adge. It really was what I needed to hear, as well. Here's another translation I found after I posted this which I liked just as much:
ReplyDelete"If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives."
2 Co. 4:7
The Message Bible
Hope you have a great week:)
that is a neat fountain, I am glad you had a great Mother's day, I did also
ReplyDeletemamat2730(at)charter(dot)net
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteYes, you hit the nail on the head with how weak we are - and how in our weakness He is made strong. Love your wording. When I look at my fountain (I can hear it outside my window now), I am pleased I'm just a clay pot, as long as I'm fulfilling some useful purpose for Him.
The fountain is from Home Depot - one of my favorite stores. Paul keeps threatening to put goldfish in it but that would remove the charm for me:)
Thanks for the good wishes for happy weekends. We have so much rain here that it is no small celebration when the sun shines.
And you are so very right about those bookmarks being a high point. Since I don't see a proof of them - or the bookcards - before they come, I don't know what they look like. I'm kind of like a kid on Christmas morning opening those boxes! These are very pretty and I can't wait to share them with any who want one or two or more to share with book loving friends. If anyone wants to send their snail mail address to my email I'll mail them out -
laurafrantz61@yahoo.com
Bless you this week:) So glad to see you and Adge in my inbox!!
Casey, Good to see you here:) I hope you had a great weekend, too! Now that summer is right around the corner, you'll be getting some Oregon sunshine. Hope it was out for you this weekend and you were outside like me - was reading on the deck today, one of my favorite things to do! Looking forward to your blog posts this week:) All of them!
ReplyDeleteLori, Your dinner sounds wonderful. I'll be right over:) I know you must be missing your mom like I'm missing mine. Glad you have your MIL to spoil. My mom is spending the day at Shakertown in KY, eating their wonderful food and walking the grounds.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of your weekend sounds great, too. I find that time away really helps enrich our writing. Love your thoughts on writing and clay pots, etc. Well said!
Aw, what a sweet boy for being so concerned that you'd been swindled ;) And what a wonderful verse about the earthen vessel. Its so good to know that you dont have to be perfect to have good work done through you. I think that's a comfort!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful mother's day!
~heather
Heather, Paul is such a funny kid. When I was expecting him I was sure he was a girl for some reason and was going to name him "Sadie Catherine" - a good, old-fashioned name:) Guess I'll have to wait for grand-girls! I know you treasure your little Miss A. Hope your Mother's Day was memorable in wonderful ways. Bless you as you create more beautiful art this week!
ReplyDeleteEdna, So glad you had a great Mother's Day. I can imagine the excitement at your house as you have so many kids and grands:) I have some bookmarks headed your way soon for you and your historical loving friends! Bless you this week!
ReplyDeleteI love the name Sadie Catherine! So pretty and old fashioned. I love old fashioned names too :) I'm sure someday down the road you'll get a girl grandbaby and she'll be spoiled rotten!~
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heather:) I haven't thought of Paul's first name in years till writing you as I knew you'd appreciate it! Oh, hope I get that girly so I can spoil her rotten, just like you said!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool fountain! I'll have to check next time I'm at Home Depot . . .
ReplyDeleteI always think of songs. ALWAYS. I have a grandmother (just tured 89 in Dec.!) who can think of a song to go with anything you say. I thought of two different songs immediately upon seeing the fountain - one is the old hymn "Have Thine Own Way," which includes the line, "thou art the potter, I am the clay." The other was "The Potters Hand." "Take me, Mold me, use me, fill me; I give my life to the Potter's hand." What a wonderful analogy that we humans can SO relate to!!
Glad you had a great weekend, and hope your Mother's Day was absolutely fantastic!!
BTW, it's 20 degrees colder here today than Friday!! Brrrr!! Down to 63! LOL
Regina, Love that you thought of hymns/songs! Your granny sounds precious. I sure miss mine. I dedicated TFD to her. I know you treasure yours.
ReplyDeleteBrrrr, indeed:) Talked to my mom today as they were headed out the door to Shakertown - in their coats or sweaters, no doubt!
Thanks so much for your comments here. They always bless me. Have a great week! Am praying for your big news this week:)
Thanks, Laura! I'm so glad I found you! And as for "news?" As the saying goes, "From your mouth to God's ears!" LOL
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Oh, there's nothing better than a good plate of pasta. There are times I believe I could have it for all three meals. My favorite restaurants are definitely the Italian ones.
ReplyDeleteI love the fountain, looks just like something my mother would like. Actually I like fountains too, but living in an apartment, I don't really have room for any.
It is always very nice to have the reminder that God has a plan for each of us.
Thanks so much, Michelle. I chuckled at your pasta 3x a day as that is how I feel EXACTLY. Last time I was in Lexington my folks took me to the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to, only now I can't remember the name! If I can think of it I'll post. I'm sure you've been there if you're a pasta lover like me.
ReplyDeleteHope your day was happy and you got to spend it with your mom:) Bless you this week!
Bless you, Regina! I sure love my KY readers:)
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the restaurant in Lexington was Bella Notte, on Nicholasville Road, just south of Fayette Mall. If so, it's definitely my favorite restaurant.
ReplyDeleteYES, Michelle! That's it! We don't have Bella Notte here, sadly. I almost said near Fayette Mall. Having a senior moment, only I'm not a senior:) My next favorite place is over on Richmond Road - Panera! Oh my...we don't have those hear either. Thanks for the memory jog!
ReplyDeleteI mean, "HERE." Getting late and I can't spell...night, all!
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased your weekend was filled with so many good things! I love, love, love the terracotta fountain---the look, the sound of the splashing water, and how it relates to the Scripture. Such a good and tangible reminder.
ReplyDeleteMy weekend was good, but I am really looking forward to the lazy, more carefree days of summer. I haven't had a chance to sit down and read for fun recently and that really takes a toll on me!
Mary, So glad you had a good weekend, too. Wish you were near enough to be splashed by this fountain:) My cup runneth over, for sure:)
ReplyDeleteI'm like you and am so ready for summer and sunshine and all that comes with it. Am ready for some grilling, book reading, trips to the lake, etc. Like you, reading feeds my spirit. I wish I had more time for that - mostly it's research for me which counts, too, though I am reading a stellar book by Ann Rinaldi at the moment. If you haven't read Time Enough for Drums, you might enjoy it. It's one of her earlier books and it's by far my favorite of all she's written. A lot more romance than her books usually hold and the dialogue just sizzles:)
Thinking of you and wishing you a wonderful week!
Mary, So glad you had a good weekend, too. I'm ready for summer and all that it means - reading, grilling, going to the lake, sunshine, flowers, etc.
ReplyDeleteWish you were near enough to get splashed by our fountain:) Now it's raining again so off it goes. But at least we had a sunny weekend.
I'm like you and need reading as it refreshes my spirit. Lately it's mostly research books but I am enjoying Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi immensely. You might like it, too. More romance than her other books and the dialogue just sizzles! It's one of her earliest books and my very favorite now of all that I've read.
Thinking of you and wishing you a wonderful week!
I love your new fountain!
ReplyDeleteThe sound of running water is so soothing and peaceful. I enjoy sitting out on our deck and listening to the sound of the river rushing over the rocks. Such a great sound!
Nice to hear that you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. You deserve it!
Lisa, Thanks! This morning our fountain is filled with rain water but hope you had some sun down your way. I love the sound of waterfalls, too, even from little terracotta pots:)
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine how memorable your Mother's Day was with all your kids!! Do they ever serve you breakfast in bed? That was always what I did for my mom. Going over to your blog to see...
Laura, Laura, Laura...for a lady who declared she was taking a break from blogging you've certainly blogged alot!!!!!! LOL. It'll take me a while to catch up because my internet isn't working at home, but I will eventually.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of cracked pots -- there's a lovely little story about two pots -- one in perfect condition and one a little bit cracked. The Master picks them both up and carries them to the river, fills them with water and walks back to water His garden. He does this every day along a worn, parched stretch of packed ground. The little cracked pot is very embarrassed because he is always empty by the time the Master reaches the garden and so can't serve his purpose. He finally breaks down and tells the Master that He should cast him aside because he is broken and useless. The Master turns around and looks back along the path which has now sprung to life with greenery and flowers, thanks to the little cracked pot that leaked water along the way every day. The moral of the story is that in the Master's hands, even the most downharden and broken can create something beautiful. Your fountain reminds me of that.
Kav, That's such a great story - thanks for taking time to pen it here. I hope to remember the truths within when I sit by my cracked fountain. It really is a great tie to Scripture and what the Lord does with us. Reminds me that He likes a broken, contrite heart (pot).
ReplyDeleteSo glad you see you again! You always add so much here. Lorna tried to post yesterday and couldn't so there is a problem with leaving comments. I was sorry as she had some lovely things to say. I apologize to all who try to leave comments and can't. Sometimes that happens to me on blogs and it is frustrating.
My blogging break amounted to about a week:) I might have to do it again. I'm sorry to hear about your internet connection though maybe it is a blessing in disguise? More reading time, I'm guessing. And gardening and all that. Bless you, Kav. You were missed!
Laura,
ReplyDeleteI just presented your blog with the Sunshine award at Dark Glass Ponderings. I love the layout of your blog, its like a retreat for the eyes.
Julia
Julia, I'm thrilled that you would say that! A retreat for the eyes is what I'd hoped for. That's a lovely thing to say. And since I'm such a sun lover, I will gladly pick up and share the JOY:) Bless you and thanks so much for stopping by again. It really blesses me.
ReplyDeleteI love the fountain of cracked pots! What a neat reminder of this Godly illustration.
ReplyDeleteCarla, It's amazing that such a simple thing can bring so much JOY. Wish you were close enough to sit on the deck, sip iced tea, and hear it splash:)
ReplyDeleteMy son has been bullied at school and we are going to home school him for a while. I was talking to him about cracked pots just the other day and was saying how God uses them and how the light shines brightest through the cracks. This has just made me think watching the water flow and the living water in Jesus can flow through the cracks to. Thank you God bless xxx
ReplyDeleteSarah, I'm so sorry about the bullying. Prayers with you and your son about that. My son was bullied too at school last year - and even at a church camp! Love how you were able to turn it into a godly lesson. So true! Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. As I said, prayers with you. I think homeschooling is a wonderful idea as I did that myself for several years. God bless you both.
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