I Am What I Am

 I am sure most folks my age remember Popeye and his famous saying, "I yam what I yam. I'm strong to the finish 'cause I eats me spinach." 
     I would have to change that a bit to, "I yam what I yam. I'm strong to the finish 'cause I love my Jesus." Saying this made me think about how well I am made and what I "yam", so I wrote the following: 

I Am What I Am 

 

I am what I am

And loved by the Lamb.

I’ve no need to be like another

Or talented like sister or brother.

My gifts may be few,

But I’m what the Potter drew.

He gently molded, 

Mashed and folded.

He made not my thoughts like some,

And often I feel plain and dumb.

Yet, the Preparer 

Made no error. 

I was in His awesome plans 

When my ball of clay was in His hands.

I'm awesomely made,

Carefully measured and weighed;

Every freckle, finger and toe

Formed as only He would know.

None the same in every batch;

God didn’t make a match.

With that said,

I proudly tread ahead.

I’m God’s intended design,

So, I need not whine and pine.

I’m what He had in mind.

What I am is what you find. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 1/27/2024

 

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14 KJV 

 

 “But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay and thou our Potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8 KJV

 

Heavenly Buffet

February is noted for a month of love and romance with Valentine’s Day designated as a special day of love.  However, every day of every month should be a time of showing love for God is love.  It was God who created the world, the months and the days.  It was and is God who creates us all.  And, it is through His love that He invites us to join Him in His Heavenly feast. 

 

Heavenly Buffet

 

God molded me from a hard chunk of clay,

Then prepared a heavenly buffet.

He formed my hands, feet, and heart;

Just a bit of His almighty art.

He breathed life into my chest,

Making me a mortal guest.

Yet, He didn’t stop with that.

He sent His Son to walk a lonely street,

To cleanse my sin, to wash my feet.

I was to learn by Jesus’s example

And taste His love within the sample.

A pathway to God’s heavenly buffet was laid

While His only Son was beatened and betrayed.

My wicked deeds and all I lack,

Jesus took upon His back.

My flesh should have returned to cold, hard clay

As Jesus hung from the cross that day.

But, that wasn’t in God’s plan for me.

He gave His Son to set me free.

No more would I be a hunk of clay.

God wanted me at His heavenly buffet.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 2/13/2022

 

“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the 

Lamb…”. Revelation 19:9a KJV

 

 

 

The Potter and The Masterpiece

The Potter and the Masterpiece

     One of the verses highlighted in my Bible study today was Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."  
     A question that followed was, "Do you have trouble thinking of yourself in this manner?"  I personally think we all have trouble thinking of ourselves as a "masterpiece."  To take this a step  further, how often do we look at other fellow Christians and see them as God's "masterpiece"?  If we would take a moment to do this, I believe we would all be more understanding, more considerate, more loving, and more indulgent of others.  As the scripture stated, we have all been made 'masterpieces' for the specific good deeds God has planned for us long ago even before we were born.  By looking at others in light of good deeds and God's masterpieces, we should be more willing to give others a "pat on back" for their own good works.  It just does a person good to be encouraged and complimented.
     I wrote the following a few years ago and am posting it again because our Creator started with just a lump of clay when He formed Adam, and His amazing Works of Art have continued throughout the generations with each one of us.
     
                     A Lump Of Clay

I was just a lump of clay until the Potter came my way.

I watched as He picked me up and gently lifted me toward the light.
A sparkle lit His eye and twinkled bright.
I heard Him say, “Oh, yes! I have a special design for you.
You’ll no longer be a hardened rock. I have much more for you to do.”
“How?” I thought. “I have no life or spirit.
I’m just some ugly dirt with no heart or merit.”
The Potter began to mash and unfold.
Then He quickly started to roll and mold.
I felt a warmth inside me spread and glow.
My hardened core felt soft as dough.
How wonderful! The gentle strokes of this master Potter.
Here and there, He added tenderness with drops of living water,
  smoothing it carefully into my very core.
I knew I would never be like I was before.
I felt soft, yet strong.
I wanted to feel like this my whole life long.
When all was finished, the Potter blew in a breath of air.
I had become a sculpture, not beautiful, but fair,
  with blemishes here and there.
I was in awe, but I didn't want to have a flaw.
“Masterful Potter,” I finally spoke,
"Why did you not make me beautiful like some other folk?”
“Your work will not be by appearance but by perseverance,” He replied.
 “But, why? I cried. "Can't you remove these bumps and lumps?"

Ever so kindly, He shushed me, “It won't matter what other people see.

You’re beautiful by design. Please don’t pine.
Your heart is pure. Your course is sure.
Those bumps are there to make you strong; they belong.”
The Potter continued smiling and began to say,
“You were once just a lump of clay.
In due time, your design will do the work that's mine.
You’re unique, a work of art, a masterpiece from my heart.
You were just a lump of clay till I, the Potter, came your way.”
                                               Mary Crisp Jameson - 2015 

A Lump Of Clay

      We know that in the beginning God created man, and He created him from the dust of the earth.  We are told in Genesis, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;" then later as Adam and Eve are being cast from the garden to work by the sweat of their brow, God says, "... till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." 
     In creating man, God became the master Potter giving life so that man would know and love Him.  "He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."  Our work is to tell others about Him. 

                  A Lump Of Clay

I was just a lump of clay until the Potter came my way.

I watched as he picked me up and gently lifted me toward the light.
A sparkle lit his eye and twinkled bright.

I heard him say, “Oh, yes! I have a special design for you.
You’ll no longer be a hardened rock. I have much more for you to do.”

“How?” I thought. “I have no life or spirit.

I’m just some ugly dirt with no heart or merit.”

The Potter began to mash and unfold.

Then he quickly started to roll and mold.
I felt a warmth inside me spread and glow.
My hardened core felt soft as dough.
How wonderful ! The gentle strokes of this master Potter.
Here and there, he added tenderness with drops of living water,
smoothing it carefully into my very core.
I knew I would never be like I was before.
I felt soft, yet strong.
I wanted to feel like this my whole life long.
When all was finished, the Potter blew in a breath of air.
I had become a sculpture, not beautiful, but fair,
with blemishs here and there.
I was in awe, but I didn't want to have a flaw.

“Masterful Potter,” I finally spoke,
"Why did you not make me beautiful like some other folk?”

“Your work will not be by appearance but by perseverance,” he replied.

 “But, why? I cried. "Can't you remove these bumps and lumps?"
 

Ever so kindly, he shushed me, “It won't matter what other people see.

You’re beautiful by design. Please don’t pine.
Your heart is pure. Your course is sure.
Those bumps are there to make you strong; they belong.”

The Potter continued smiling and began to say,
“You were once just a lump of clay.
In due time, your design will do the work that's mine.
You’re unique, a work of art, a masterpiece from my heart.
You were just a lump of clay till I, the Potter, came your way.”