18Apr 08
God’s Ceramics
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Yesterday our fam
ily met up with some good friends at ‘Fired Up For Fun” – a ceramic place in Stephens City, Virginia. Inside the store there are thousands of clay cats, lighthouses, birds, snow men, houses, a humongous deer, pots, plates, cups, bowls, and 
many other things. They are all white.
First, you have to pick something to paint. Yesterday I chose a small cardinal. With a large brush, you dust off the clay. Next, the nice lady who owns the store helps you pick out the paint colors. 
She squirts the paint onto a plastic tray and gives us a lot of paint brushes. My favorite part is the painting. Matthew helped me paint the bird. Usually, you have to 
paint the whole ceramic atleast 3 times. If you don’t, the ceramic may not look right after it is baked.
The store owner has lots of creative ideas that make the ceramics look really neat. After we are done painting, she puts the ceramics inside a large kiln. 
They are heated to around 400 degrees for several hours. Afterwards, the pieces of painted clay feel like glass. 
Sometimes the color of the paint doesn’t look right when we are painting. And it also feels very 
rough. But after the clay is baked in the kiln, the paint becomes the right color and is smooth as glass. In ou
r lives, God uses trials to make us beautiful vessels that bring Him glory.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is heaven.
Matthew 5:16
Sarah- Daniel and I had soooo much fun working on our mug. Thankyou Campbell family for inviting us
Hannah- I enjoyed making a business card holder for someone really special!
I likewise enjoyed the event immensely. Mrs. Bekely is a lot of fun to be around and took such good care of all 14 of us. Its remarkable how much the painted piece of clay changes in appearance after being heated up inside the kiln. And I agree with what was said in your post Markie about trials purifying us!
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7
That looks like intense work. They all look really nice! I can’t wait too see them. They remind us of the good that can come from trials.
Imagine how scared you might be of that kiln if you were a ceramic! Waiting to go in is the wost part. You might hope you got broken or something so you would never have to face it.
Imagine how you would do anything to get out of that kiln if you were the ceramic inside!
Imagine how grateful you would be for that kiln after you got out and realized how much good it did you! You could never be the same without it.
Imagine the regret you would have if you went through your whole life and never went through the kiln, never faced the challenge, were never really finished, always rough, off color, not as valuable.
Good post Markie! Let us just relax and trust our Heavenly Father. Often the things we fear the most are the things we should love the most.
Markie thankyou so much for puting together this post. This was a memorable family time!
Great post, Markie! This looks like a whole lot of fun.
That’s a wonderful analogy. And to think of paint that becomes the right color and smooth as glass after it is fired. Amazing. But you’re definitely right. I’ve been enjoying that verse recently too, Markie: Let you light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven–the Master Artist.