The Masterpiece

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#CC9922" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="260d2962dakdei.gif"> <div> <B>Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>AVesselofhonor.com</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >     |    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AVesselofhonor.com"><U> home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Vision/statement of faith"><U>Our Vision/statement of faith</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sandra n Johns pic page"><U>Sandra n John's pic page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ECard list by sandra"><U>E-Card list by sandra</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Newsletter Online"><U>Our Newsletter Online</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Chosen Vessel"><U>The Chosen Vessel</U></A>   |   <B>The Masterpiece</B>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dance"><U>Dance</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Roses n 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"><U>Wishing for a child </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Computer Odds N Ends"><U>Computer Odds N Ends</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="dollar bill"><U>dollar bill</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Trinity"><U>Trinity</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My websitesupdated"><U>My websites-updated</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links to other places"><U>Links to other places</U></A></div> <div> The Masterpiece</div> <div> The Masterpiece -author unknown</div> <div> <B>A treasure of my Father's own design.</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Lay shattered on the floor at His feet</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>It seemed it would be impossible</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>To mend this broken piece</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>The original handiwork was rare</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>It was priceless to be exact</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Yet there it lay in pieces</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>On the floor at my Father's feet</B></div> <div> <B>I saw the tears in my Father's eyes</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>as He gazed on His treasure so rare</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>He knelt down and began to rearrange,</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Each piece with the utmost care</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>As each teardrop fell on a broken piece</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Rough edges were washed away as</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Lovingly He labored through the night</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>His priceless, broken treasure to restore</B></div> <div> <B>I saw that at last every piece</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Had found its proper place</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>As guided by my Fathers hands</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>And His amazing grace</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Then He smiled and I heard Him laugh out loud</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>At the vessel He held in His hands</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>"You're so much more than a treasure,</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>You see, you're a Masterpiece, My Child!"</B></div> <div> <B>As I felt His arms wrap about me</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Securing me close to Himself</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>I understood that my broken mess</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Had been healed by His own blood</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>As I lifted my face, I smiled at Him</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>And saw that He was smiling back at me,</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>And I knew right then what I was worth, for</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>My Father's Masterpiece is ME!</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> This really sums up what the Lord God Almighty wants from us. Not to be </div> <div> proud and loud and think we can do it on our own, but to be humble </div> <div> servants and let him work in us and through us. </div> <div> 1 Peter 5:5-7 says, Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who </div> <div> are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one </div> <div> another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace </div> <div> to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, </div> <div> that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he </div> <div> cares for you.  Please do not think that God cannot use you. He </div> <div> is looking for those who humble themselves and seek after him. He is able </div> <div> to make and shape you into the best vessel imaginable. </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>