The teapot, with a couple of dents in its side and missing a
lid, is a lot like my life. Some days I get banged around a bit or even take a
jarring hit, but on other days I am filled to the brim with good things that I
can’t wait to pour into the cup of a friend or to offer a drink to someone who’s
thirsty.
I have dozens of teapots in our home—collected from antiques
stores, gift shops, or passed down from other family members. Some of them
remind me of pleasant trips with my husband, or children, or friends who have
traveled with me through life. Some of the teapots came to me as lovely gifts
from people that know me well. I handle them frequently, Teapots, like people,
come in multitudes of shapes, designs, and sizes with interesting handles and
spouts. Touching them, admiring them, filling them reminds me to be thankful
for good friends and the warm conversation that flows back and forth when we
are together. Filling a teapot with hot water and allowing the tea leaves to
steep helps me slow down and wait—a life-pause that all of us need every day.
The colored pencils represent another part of my life. I use
them to mark key words in my Bible. I read, I mark, I write. It might be
something you want to do. For me, a red cross marks the name of Jesus, a purple
triangle highlights God, a blue cloud encircles the Holy Spirit. Sometimes all
three persons of the Godhead can be spotted in one verse. It is like finding a
diamond among rubies. Yellow is for light and an open book in green pinpoints
every time the Word of God is mentioned. Simple colored pencils separate one
truth from another and helps me focus upon important topics and themes.
Then comes the writing—which I often do with colored pens on
yellow tablets. It has been said that “writers think in colors—first come the
colors, then come the words”. It simply means that we have to see before we can
express. The brighter the light the clearer the concept, the wider the spectrum
of color the greater understanding, the better the mixing and blending of words
on a writer’s palette—a legal pad or a word processer—the more likely our
efforts will produce a literary work of art.
What are your favorite things? Identifying them just might
help you find your purpose in life or a new direction for just one blessed day.
Find a comfortable chair, grab a book or pick up The Book, and sip tea from
your favorite cup. You may be just one “life-pause”
away from basking in a brilliant, newly discovered, favorite
shade of joyful pink or royal purple.
