I turned toward a new friend seated beside me during a writer’s conference. “He’s got to be kidding! Did I hear him right? Did he say what I thought he said?”
Those questions ricocheted in this crazy chica’s head when I heard him described what he did on the side.
I let out a quick gasp as he related, with a matter-of-fact tone, that he made jewelry out of, are you ready? …moose droppings!
I pinched my nose. “Tell me this is a joke,” I said.
“Nope.” (Friends, check the picture above to prove it.)
Being from Alaska, he explained the process. And I tried really tried to understand this craft. My imagination went wild with not-so-pleasant images.
But, amigos got to spill it all. This brought to mind the yucky droppings of trials that had paraded through my days–blindness, my son’s death, the struggles of sorrow–all gave my life a bad smell of heartache.
But viola! God turned the trials to triumph as He saw beyond the pain, the sin, the ugly scenes and transformed it all to a shining jewel for His glory.
No, amigos, don’t you think for a minute I’m saying this chica is a jewel. But the triumph God ushered certainly is.
Your triumph is waiting for you too. In the horrible, ever-present battle you’re facing, He’s got his tools and is at work too. He is at work to clean, shine and make it glow.
And during the process, all you have to do is:
1) …receive the joy for the moment. The joy that comes because you know He’s in control. The joy that resonates even when we don’t see the end result.
2) …choose gratitude in expectation of what He will do.
3) …look back at ways He transformed other smelly circumstances in the droppings of life.
4) …spray the perfume of repentance on that smelly sin. When He’s done He will showcase His victory in you.
Life sometimes does stink. But no matter how unbearable the stench of sin or sorrow is, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV).
Father, from a discarded soul, tainted with sin, smelling of pride, you polished life, beauty and sparkle through your son Jesus. Thank you that our life now has a glow of salvation, of freedom, of joy and hope. In His name we thank you. Amen
Janet Eckles
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