Like many others, the Queen City has been under reconstruction for quite some time. Expansions and changes are everywhere! One month you drive past open lots and a few months later the lot is filled with infrastructure apartments or office buildings. There are potholes in the roads and raised manholes to either be dodged or approached gingerly so as not to damage tires and get cars out of alignment. The detours can drive you bonkers; in the morning, one street is open for your drive to work but may be inaccessible in the evening. Traffic lanes are constantly being reconfigured causing congestion and exposing impatient and discourteous drivers. The City of Charlotte has a 2019–2030 Vision Plan and new construction and reconstruction, despite the headaches and aggravations are necessary for the fulfillment of that plan.
Just as cities undergo growth changes, so do we. The first home we purchase may no longer work for us after we have several children so we either renovate or size up. We eventually become empty nesters who no longer need the same amount of space, so we downsize. We go from driving a sports car to a family SUV and then to a sedan. Life can be an ongoing renovation project requiring us to expand our capacity, dig up as well as reroute our paths from familiar routes that we could drive on autopilot to include detours and traffic jams that help us develop patience and surrender.
Renovation; is the process of improving a broken, damaged, or outdated structure, making new or bringing something back to life.
This idea of reconstruction and renovation reminded me of a scripture found in Jeremiah 18:1–4 MSG which says, “Up on your feet! Go to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.” So, I went to the potter’s house and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.
Photo by SwapnIl Dwivedi on Unsplash
While on vacation, I spent some time mulling over this metaphor of the Creator as Potter. Why must we go back onto the potter’s wheel? “The piece the potter was making was flawed while still in his hands.” How about that! So, the Potter starts another because the Potter is the only one with perfect perspicacity regarding his or her work! Some potters intend to produce something collectible that you hang on a wall or sit on a stand, while others intend to produce something more functional. I pondered the idea of being placed back onto the potter’s wheel for a Divine redesign. What if the Potter wants to make me a more functional piece? What are the insufficiencies, blemishes, and unsound things that hinder me from being fully functional and fully individual to my maximum potential? I’ll be transparent with you and I hope you won’t judge. I share to inspire and encourage others to benefit from honest self-reflection. We’re all works in progress.
Being overly self-critical
Allowing reality to limit my imagination
Holding on to regrets about past decisions and disappointments
Focusing only on society’s definition of success
Beliefs and ideals that don’t fit who and where I am now
Holding onto relationships that are no longer mutual
Pottery is messy, time-consuming, and requires patience and fire! And, no two handmade pieces are exactly alike! Renovation is unattractive, dirty, noisy and most times costs more than you first thought. But aren’t we often amazed at the beauty and complexity of the finished products? Think about it, how many times have we admired a beautiful piece of pottery at an artisan fair or driven by a newly completed skyscraper and thought, I couldn’t see that coming from all that mess!
Always encouraging reflection,