Today's art project

I couldn't sleep last night. During this bout of insomnia, I read this piece on Blog Segullah. Justine, the author, reviewed some of her activities of the week, focusing on the work her hands did, and explained that in Hebrew, the word we often translate as "consecration" literally means "filled hands" or "open hands." The lines that most struck me were, "I fill my hands with that which I have dedicated my time. Are my hands open to give and to receive?" She concludes with her hope that she fills her life with the work of God.

The ideas of Justine's post struck home to me. I have not been the wisest of stewards with the free time I have been granted lately. I have a to do list and a wish list several pages long, filled with good and worthy goals and projects. But I have let myself be sidetracked, and I have spent more time doing what is easy than what is worthwhile.

As I lay in bed, I thought about the imagery of hands, and of hands being full and open. And I had the idea to take and display pictures of hands holding things. I liked the idea of a collage of sorts, so today, Clint and I took several pictures of my hands holding things, I printed out my top ten pictures, and using a set of frames I uncovered in my recent bout of cleaning and organizing, I hung them in our breakfast nook. Here's the evidence:
I'm sorry this photo is grainy--the ones we took for the display are much clearer. The pictures are, from left to right: cranberry beans, change, a ball of yarn--and below that, empty hands--holding bubbles--and below that chocolate with Clint taking a piece, wheatberries, a lime, a candle, and an egg.

Some of the objects have are symbolic, and some I just liked the idea and the look. There are moments I see my mom in my hands, and I like that reminder in the pictures, too.

If I hadn't been in such a rush to get this finished today, I would have taken pictures with the hands of others holding things as well; I was thinking of things for family members, especially the nieces and nephews, to hold. Then the collage could also be a display of change and growth, in addition to a reminder to use my hands to fill my life with the works of God. Maybe someday I'll change things up or add to this small collection. For now, I'm pleased with the way it turned out.