Ornaments: More Than Decor (Week 48)

metal angles and the nations

(Week 29) Angels and the Nations

Story Behind the Painting:

If you look closely at the feature image, you will notice that the ornaments are inspired by the painting above.  (Week 29) Angels and the Nations contains the story behind the larger canvas.  I hope you will take the time to read it now:)  The ornaments are available this Christmas and they are “more than decor”; they are intended to be reminders of

• Christ’s colorful church,
• HIS love for the nations

and

• how “he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
  They will hold you up with their hands
  so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12 NLT)

The photograph that appears in the collage captures a moment in the sun of me and my 2 sisters, Toya and Rica, beneath the angels hovering over head.

Painting mini-replicas of “Angels and the Nations” as ornaments was a beautiful reminder with each brush stroke that we are a body, a bride, who is “diverse but not divided, unique and united.”

Take-away Treasure

Recently I have been on a 31 day journey looking back over 2016 to glean, grow and go into 2017, having learned from hindsight, who is a humorous, humbling and honest teacher.

Tucked away in my journal was a tiny treasure that defined these ornaments for me.  I had taken notes from a National Community Church Podcast in a series they titles #Altars and these notes “altered” the way I will look at “ornaments” forever.

One dictionary definition of “ornament” states that an ornament is “an object that is beautiful rather than useful.”

but

I would like to propose that these ornaments are a “life symbol”, a symbol from the past that gives meaning to the present and faith for the future.   If my ornaments are LIFE SYMBOLS, then they are most definitely useful in the most beautiful kinda way! Because they point to Christ, they point to the ONE who gives us meaning in the present and faith for the future!

In the Old Testament, God’s people were told to write and talk about God and his promises and his love, all the time, everywhere, and to everyone. They were also told to place reminders on their hands and foreheads, doorposts and gates.

“Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.” (Debt. 6:6-9 MSG)

This Old Testament passage seems to be the original basis for LIFE SYMBOLS. The people made reminders of God’s commandments and the history of HIS faithfulness from the past that gave meaning to their present and increased their faith for the future.  My ornaments are simply one way I am offering up reminders of God’s love, mercy, protection and grace.

I pray you still think that the ornaments are beautiful

BUT

I pray more importantly that you  see them

as LIFE SYMBOLS,

as useful,

and

as MORE THAN DECOR!