My Favorite Piece of Jewelry

Recently I was asked by a fellow jewelry designer, “What is your favorite piece of jewelry and why?” This is my response….

A few years ago a dear friend asked me to design a piece of jewelry for her husband (who is also very good friend) using an heirloom piece of jewelry he had received from the estate of his late Aunt. The piece I was given to work with was made of small brass plated spikes (concrete nails) soldered together to form a Cross. His Aunt had been a woman of great faith and she wore this simple piece of jewelry often. The brass plating had worn away where her hands had caressed the cross while wearing it as a pendant. "Her cross" held very fond and distinct memories for my friend.

A bit about my friend....

The son of Christian Missionaries, Jay spent his childhood in Israel - spoke fluent Hebrew, and has the voice of an angel. He is an inspiration in my life. He exudes "peace" with his music and in his every expression. I know he would be embarrassed to know I think so highly of him but sometimes we need to let others know what a positive influence they have in our daily lives. He now serves as the Worship Pastor for our tiny little church in Kansas City, MO while holding down a full time job and raising a beautiful family with his wife Susan.

The Process...

I was almost afraid to begin the project. I wanted it to be as close to perfect as I could make it but I did not want to do anything to desecrate the original piece. I mean, really...for a Christian, the "Empty Cross" is one of the greatest symbols of our faith. How do you improve on a perfect symbol?

For me "the Cross" is a symbol of God's most important gift to us. However, is it also a reminder of the gifts He gives us to use in our daily lives. Music, song, a voice... these are all words I think of when I see or hear Jay. These are the gifts he was given.

I decided to integrate what I knew of his life into this piece. Jay’s faith, family, talent, his childhood memories...these are the things most precious to him. These are the events responsible for his very identity.

I located a woman who's talent lies in making custom rubber stamps. I asked her if she could make a stamp, a tiny stamp, with only one word - "Sing"...but...I wanted it in Hebrew! How could I possibly know she had studied Hebrew and her response would be "of course I can do that!”?

I asked another friend who specializes in working with precious metal clay to help me make a miniature plaque for the cross. It would need to be “stamped” with one word. This friend is a pro at PMC art and I was not at all surprised that she could accomplish this...the trick was in teaching ME to make the tiny plaque. She graciously offered up her time, supplies, kiln, and her home to give me a crash course in PMC. I know she would have made a perfect piece but I wanted to make it myself.  As it turned out, the one I made revealed a surprise for both of us! But....I'll get to that later....

Using the original cross, and wanting to keep that rough-hewn feel, I decided to use mixed metals. I wire wrapped the little plaque to the cross...99% pure silver wrapped in simple copper wire. I hung it from a beautiful but masculine black braided cord and attached a simple handmade sterling silver clasp. The piece was nearly finished and I hoped Jay would be not only happy with the finished product but also engulfed in memories as he took in the detail. Its design was after all, a product of his life.

It wasn't until the final step I discovered one detail I had not noticed before...The surprise I spoke of earlier. I have never been one to "sign" my pieces. It is always a difficult process for me. My hands may construct the jewelry but the ideas, the designs and talent I possess is a gift I have received. In essence, it is my gift from “the Cross”.

I was applying the final polish to the piece as I considered how to leave my signature in the most discreet way possible. It was only then I noticed a series of fine lines in the plaque. They looked almost like wood and I wondered what could possibly have caused the imprint. It was then I realized I had inadvertently "signed" this piece of jewelry with my own fingerprints. My own very personal “brand” was already there!

This "Gift of the Cross" is my favorite piece of jewelry. "God works in mysterious ways." We have all heard it but this time it was very real for me. Every person I met in the design process, every person I asked for help, every step no matter how tedious became an integral part of the design.

I hope every jewelry creator, every artist; every person with a special gift has the opportunity to experience this kind of "revelation" in at least one creative endeavor.

Live Joyfully!

Don't Worry!

It seems I always feel inspired to write on Sunday.  I think it is because I get inspired on Sunday...by God, great friends, and family members.  On Sunday, one of the few days I take a break from my life to focus on rest and praise these thoughts seem to flow....

Today we talked about worry...how we worry, why we worry, when we worry, and how ridiculous it is in the "big picture" to worry at all.  I've thought for a long time that worry - the very act of worry - is an insult to God. 

For me, a natural born worry-wart, it's an art.  I was born to worry!  However, I learned an important lesson several years ago when both of my children were out of town, in situations outide of my control, and in the hands of people I really didn't know but had decided to trust.  I asked God to take care of them, trusted Him to protect them, and then continued to worry anyway. It didn't work out very well. 

Both of my children fell into seriously difficult situations at almost exactly the same time.  Both were well beyond my physical reach to help or comfort them. I felt completely helpless and frustrated beyond imagination!  I got angry....at God, the people I had trusted to care for them, and the people who were hurting my children.  Two different cities, completely different circumstances, and all I could do was cry, worry, get angry, cry, worry some more, and get angrier.  I even got angry with my husband because he could sleep and wasn't as frantic as I was.  How could he possilby rest when our children were in trouble! 

I reached a state of hysteria and finally had a little "come to Jesus" talk with God.  I told him how disappointed I was in Him and how betrayed I felt because after all, I had entrusted my children to Him!  I can only imagine how that must have been received and it grieves me to admit my lack of faith. I must have been out of my mind. In fact, I know I was. It was the first time I had ever felt truly abandoned by God...and the last.

  The next day I started receiving phone calls from complete strangers offering help to my children.  I was able to speak with each of my children and realized they felt a kind of buffer surrounding them. They felt God.  He was with them and He was caring for them. Yes, they were still frightened and needed our help but truthfully, they were much more calm and in control than I.  It was then I realized the fault was mine.  I may have said I trusted God to care for my children and I may have asked Him to protect them but I didn't let go - really let go and let God do the job.  I thought He needed my help.  I thought I could do a better job! What foolish arrogance!

God doesn't like it when we worry.  In fact, I really believe he's insulted by it.  When we worry we're telling Him, "I don't trust you to take care of me, my family, my friends, my job, my life!" and then we turn around and insult Him even more by declaring our supreme abiltity to do all of these things better than He.  Of course, when going through big drama it's hard to shrug and turn the burden over to anyone we don't fully trust to be singly capable of handling the job.  We are always better at fixing these problems.  There is a real irony in this thinking.  If we're so great at handling our problems, how did they get to be problems at all and why aren't they already "fixed".  Because God fixes things. Saying we trust God is easy.  Actually giving it over to God, giving up all control, especially when it comes to our children,  is the most difficult part of faith.

I asked God to forgive me for my arrogance and lack of faith, my harsh words, and my stupidity.  I know He granted that request simply because I confessed and asked, but more importantly, because He loves me...even when I'm stupid and faithless and arrogant.

I've gotten better at letting go.  I don't worry much anymore.  I still have to fight the urge, the need to control, and the pride.  I have to fight my natural instincts and that is what I believe faith is all about.  It's believing you CAN let go even when your instincts and common sense tell you to hold on.

When my son was a little boy the movie "Cocktail" was in theatres. The music was all over local radio stations but I had never heard the songs...or maybe I was just too busy to listen.  He came home from school one day and I heard him humming a tune I didn't recognize.  When I asked him about it he just started singing the words.  He knew each word but the most important were "Don't Worry, Be Happy!"  I thought it was cute, funny and incredibly sweet.

I still hear those words in my head today but now I know just how true they are. I don't have the power to  live this life alone.  Now. Today. Tomorrow.  I choose to live them and believe it is truly possible.

and I hear Him whisper......"Don't worry.  Be happy."