I am at a Craft Fair today in Belfast, the first of the New Year. All the preparation and activities of Christmas are over and I am emerging into the New Year like the daffodil shoots that are reaching up out of the soil. The freezing temperatures last night would have been trying for new growth and little birds alike. My car was covered in wonderful designs of crystal ice, including the door handle. Brendan kindly defrosted the car and loaded boxes and books while I had breakfast.
The birds were having breakfast as well. A Robin with his feathers puffed up was feeding on some seeds Brendan left out for it. We have a tree of ivy out the front. Blackbirds were diving into it, greedy for the last berries on the stems. I counted six birds. They needed more fuel than usual after the cold night.
I started making mosaics from sea glass I found on the beach eighteen months ago. Sea glass is worn down pieces of broken bottles and glass fashioned by years of tumbling and crashing in the waves, sand, water and rocks. I make something beautiful from disgarded,broken and misshapen pieces of glass.
Life treats us a bit like the waves of storms. We get tossed about, rejected, disgarded and worn down by difficulties, sickness and misfortune, till we are a shadow of our former selves. Then the Lord can pick us up and put us together again into a new creation, his creation. He breathes breathe into us and says “Live dry bones, Live.”
My mosaics are a symbol of restoration. I had cancer seven years ago. I should have died from my condition, but God had mercy on me and healed me completely. I am enjoying new life and strength. I was inspired to start my craft. God is the Creator. He created us in his image. He made us creative. As I start my work with the pieces and polyfilla I get creative ideas. I have made birds, angels, trees, Maps of Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, Zante, the World, Irish cottages, shamrock and hearts.
God not only healed me of cancer but he has restored me to good health to enjoy life and and activity.
Psalm 103 says
“Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”
Psalms 103:1, 3-5 NLT
Psalm 23 He restores my soul.
God is restoring my soul through my craft work.
Healed of Cancer. Angela McCauley 
Your work is beautiful, Angela. Raymond and I love the wee Irish Cottage, which now has pride of place in our own cottage, ready for guests to admire when we live there later this summer (I hope!). It is a great idea to make lovely things from the discards, just as the Lord does with us.