"His creation creates and He watches..."

CREATIONS

She slaps a mound of gray-brown clay

onto the wheel and squeezes

cool muddy water over it

from a soft silk sponge—

kicks the concrete foot-wheel

to get it started. Kicks again, again

building momentum,

setting the top wheel turning

faster, faster.

She bears down and down

with practiced pressure

feeling the fine grit grog

feeling the cool wet earth

oozing, oozing

through her slender fingers.

Kicking, kicking, turning, turning

pressing, pressing. She feels

the resistant clay complying—

moving triumphantly

toward center.

At the precise moment of true center

the potter, synchronous

with her medium, pushes

her thumbs into the mound

and opens this extension of her being.

She deftly draws up its sides

into smooth, graceful contours

banded with concentric rings

imprinted by her fingertips—

Kicking, kicking, turning, turning

forming, forming. Vessel

revolving, evolving

sleek and symmetrical.

The potter draws in the neck

angles the rim with a metal rib

and softens it with her fingers.

She stops kicking.

The wheel’s RPMs gradually diminish.

With a wire, she cuts her creation

from the wheel and lifts it

onto a plaster bat to dry.

Birthing complete, she rests—

Finishing work begins tomorrow

All her days

keen, unseen hands

have been bearing down upon the potter—

centering, turning, opening

smoothing, shaping, drawing her upward

drawing her deftly

into unimagined forms.

He beholds what she is becoming;

He sees that it is good.

Cutting his vessel free, He rests.

His creation creates

and He watches—

She turns her vessel upside down

upon the wheel and

confidently trims the base

She places it in a kiln

where, by fire

it slowly develops fragile strength.

She glazes it richly and fires it again.

It emerges—

Beautiful. Worthy. Full of grace.

A vessel of honor for His use.

Maude Carolan Pych

For years I had an old manual kick wheel and a kiln in my basement. I enjoyed creating beautiful clay vessels. The Lord is the Master Potter. He created me. I am one of His earthen vessels. It is my heart's desire to always be a vessel of honor for His use.