Just some Clutter or Golden Bowl Worthy

Clutter. A fridge whose front is full of finger painted masterpieces. Artwork that may never be worth anything but are priceless. If you are a parent or guardian, you probably already know to what I am referring. That wonderful not-so-little collection of art by those snot nosed, laundry causing, noise makers called, “kids”. Hand shaped turkeys, popsicle ornaments, family portraits that look like a horror flick poster. Yep, got em all.

Now, not to upset my son, Calvin, we have regulated them to a safe and secure box in the back of the closet – waiting to pass it along to the next woman in your life. For only then will Lisa let me dispose of … I mean pass them along. (I dug one out for the pic to this article)

Yesterday, I saw the online ad for Plum Print, one of the many new companies that will take your art, digitalize them, put them in hard bound, coffee-table, easily accessible but not cluttering, keepsake book for your posterity. And I like books.

Why? Why do we keep them? Why do they have value? It’s only paper and a mess. Well, like the title of this blog site, there is beauty in the mess. Parents see beyond the mayhem and feel the love.

In Revelation 5, John records the vision of heaven where the elders fall before the Lamb … they are holding a harp and a golden bowl of incense – “which are the prayers of the saints.” (5.8). One author described this a picture of God storing our prayers as the worshipful fragrance because they are forever precious to Him. Yes, they bring Him glory, but they also are there because of His love for us.

So today … Calvin, if you’re reading this, go ahead and make some more art. Yeah, you’re almost 28, but mom will put it on the fridge next to her Dallas Cowboy magnet. (Now that I do want or dispose of).

And the rest of us … let’s fill up some golden bowls of prayers to The Lamb – our Savior, our Lord.

I close with a prayer from Blaise Pascal …

O Lord, let me not henceforth desire health or life except to spend them for you, with you, and in you. You alone know what is good for me; do therefore what seems best to you. Give to me or take from me; conform my will to yours; and grant that with humble and perfect submission and in holy confidence I may receive the orders of your eternal providence, and may equally adore all that comes to me from you.

And we all say … Amen