Back in September, I opened my Middle School Sunday school lesson to find that I was to teach about David and Bathsheba.  My heart did a bit of a flip – teach 11-14 year old kids about adultery and attempted murder?  Thankfully, on further study, the focus was on David’s repentant heart. We looked at Psalms 51 and read his words of pleading and saw the origin of so many songs on change and forgiveness.

The object lesson was to break something breakable to show the brokenness that comes from sinning.  Thanks to a Ziplock, green reusable HEB grocery bag and a wooden hammer meant for getting to crab meat…we crushed a beautiful tea creamer.   Why a creamer?  Very simple.  After 30 minutes of looking at breakable stuff in the back of T J Max…the creamer was the one with the most colors and not made of glass.  Oh – and it was well under $5.

But God didn’t stop with David’s brokenness…when David came to God with a repentant heart, God forgave him.  He made something beautiful from his brokenness…David is referred to as a ‘Man after God’s own heart.’   And so we didn’t end with our broken creamer…I gave them a task of creating something beautiful…carefully … from it. All I did was handle the hot glue gun…and make the shape of a cross on a piece of parchment paper-covered cardboard. The word of  the cross is folly to those who don’t believe…would this creation be folly?  Or  would be it powerful as I Cor 1:18 says.  I only hoped.

The thing  is, God’s still in the restoration business today. The kids and I talked about how there was no sin to great, that God couldn’t forgive. When we confess our sin and repent…God is faithful to wipe the sin away.  There may be consequences here on earth…but in the heavenly realm – we are good!

It was a POWERFUL lesson to talk to the kids about. The end product … incredible … stunning … amazing… Definitely not what I expected…I was thinking nice little stepping stone… No  stepping on this…

I was moved to tears as I thought through the message later. Do you remember my audience though?  Tough crowd.  The words and smiled are often saved for times alone with their friends…not for an old teacher…especially one who has 2 kids in the class.

Then I watched as kids were taking their parents to see the creation and heard different kids start to talk about it and why it was made… I also knew it was dangerous to little hands so found a shadow box to protect it.

The students decided to give it away. The cross they made would go to Pastor Stella and then they wanted to make a second for the youth director.  So 3 weeks later, our class got  out the crab hammer again and thanks to TJ Max, we were able to use the same creamer design. The most amazing part was the fact that the kids who made the first cross were not all the kids who made the 2nd. So in our class, I let the ones who made the first cross talk about why we made it, the story and the lesson it taught.  They were teaching each other. I was … amazed.

My heart hurt.  I had no idea how such a beautiful gift could be given.  It wasn’t so much the cross – it was the lesson the kids learned and talked about.   It was so much more than a beautiful cross to be put on a wall or even wrapped in Christmas paper…

I prayed. And I prayed…And …prayed…Three weeks later – at 3 am, I was awoken and couldn’t stop writing what was flooding through my mind. But it was only half the story.  It was the broken part…so I prayed…and the next week…again in the wee hours of morning, I wrote what I was prompted.   Mark Schultz once said of one of his songs, ‘I was just in the room when God wrote this.’ I get that.

From Broken to Beautiful 

This is me… Do you see my designs?  I love blue.  Don’t you like the flowers? Man – I would say I’m the best looking in the cupboard and of course, SO useful. Best creamer out there really.

Just look at me!  You can’t see any imperfections… (Thankfully!)  There is a mark at the bottom of my cup, but I work hard to keep that covered up with cream.  If you can believe this, at some point, someone put a sticker on me!  I got a little sticky from it…but really – not my fault – who puts stickers on something as nice as me?  I’m still gorgeous, so giving and handy!

Do you know how much I can pour out to others? As creamers go, you can’t get much better than me.  You should see how full I can get.

(God did…)

One day, I did get a tad angry with coffee.  He filled those cups too full…Hello!  I need room to pour the best cream in the world! How rude!  I slammed onto the table…CRACK… A chip flew. Thankfully – not very noticeable.

AND it wasn’t my fault – coffee should have known better.

And THEN… I just could NOT believe it when the tea pot came and sat down WAY too close to me. She started heating up my cream. UGH! I showed her.  I shoved her over with a quick bump.  Man – she was so hard.  Geez!  Did you see?  Another chip from me went flying!  Who does she think she is? She needs to know her place.

Not sure where those chips went.  (God knows…)

At dinner, you cannot imagine the abuse I went through.  Can you believe they left me empty for an HOUR! An HOUR! I simply couldn’t believe it. I jumped over to the refrigerator to see if I could fill myself, but hit the door too hard and my handle got knocked off as well as a few chunks of my side.  Not a big deal.  You know, somebody should have filled me. Tsk.

Course now it looks like I’ve been more or less forgotten. Everyone looks at me and thinks they might get hurt using me…I’m fine!  Good as new…almost. Well, I showed them.  I took a flying leap to the half-and-half to refill myself because I asked myself…how hard could it be?

Hard… Very hard in fact.

Now in pieces, I felt the soft nudge of a broom gathering me and depositing me into a basket.  I heard all the pieces drop in.  I even saw what I had thought were lost, my chips and handle, tumbling into the basket.  Broken.  A cloud of dust billowed…oh wait – that’s me…crushed to the point of dust!

It got dark in the basket.  I was quite sure I was heading for the garbage ….

Still dark…..  Did they forget me?

Can’t pour much now.  What use am I?

Why did I have to be so selfish? Why did I put myself out there as the best and show off my brilliant colors?   Not so brilliant now.  Couldn’t I have just asked for help once in a while!?  I should have.

If only I could do it all over again…No. This is probably it for me….

Have you ever observed the sugar bowl?  She just sits there and gives and gives…A servant really.

Servant.  Like those galley-rowers in the old ships…servants. They never heard praise.  They never received thanks… Did you know, Paul once said that we should be servants like that!  I know.  I couldn’t believe it either…but now I guess I’m seeing a point.

Oh – you wonder how I know about Paul?  Where do you think I live but at the church!  I have been to too many bible studies to count.  Too many church functions. I’ve heard the songs through the air.  I’ve heard the talk.  I just wish I had listened and straightened up when I could have been of use!

It’s really not about us, is it… We are nothing but dust. So I was once a beautiful creamer.  I didn’t do anything when I was empty…I can’t even be filled now…broken as I am.

Did you see how I was? Thinking back, I guess I deserve this.  I really thought only of myself.

I heard someone crying one day.  I didn’t really think about it at the time, but for some reason, it’s all I can think about now.  She could barely get the words out…weeping.  At the time, I found it so embarrassing.  Now I wish I could remember what she said!  I remember the kind words of a comforter, telling her about forgiveness.  With a repentant heart, there is no sin too great – no sin too horrible – that the blood of Christ can’t cover…wash away…

Do I believe Jesus can do that?  I have heard it a million times…Jesus – perfect in every way – took on the sins of this world so that we might have life in Him forever!  He died.  He rose again!  He knew about me. He knew I’d …break apart on my own.

Me. I wish I had listened…because now in the dark – I understand.  His talk of loving one another is a better way. Serving one another – who cares about a creamer….without coffee…

I was wrong. The world is not all about me. I need the blood of Christ, just like the rest of the broken.  But it’s too late…I’m beyond repair…

If it weren’t too late, I would cry out, “Lord, forgive me.  I believe in you and wish I could be useful for you so that others could know of your glory and goodness.”

I must still have a bit of cream on my pieces, because I just felt something warm… Wait!!!  Who’s moving me!?  WAIT!  Don’t throw me away! STOP! I can tell others! Let people see my broken pieces and see what could become of them!  STOP! PLEASE!!

“You are mine.”

Who said that!?

“You will be a sign to others of my power and restoration.”

Lord?

“I am the one who makes beautiful things from dust.  I am the Potter.  I am the creator of masterpieces for my kingdom.  I am giving you My Spirit to hold you.  You are loved.  You are forgiven.  You are mine.  I am with you always. ”

I am… speechless.