THE POTTERS HANDS

By Sonya Camille

So, I’ve always wanted to try my hand (pun intended) at pottery. It looked easy enough to me. You get a ball of clay, place it on a wheel, press the pedal to initiate the transformation process and then you start making something. Well, nothing could be further from reality. Preparing the clay well before you place the well-formed ball on the wheel involves prep work. First, you must carefully apply firm yet gentle pressure to your clay before forming it. Then, there is a technique involved in carefully molding the delicate clay. This technique must be carefully followed,  to properly form your piece. The “technique” must be followed all while keeping the clay moist with water. I’m bustin’ a bit of knowledge to y’all  right now. Yup, I’m flexin a bit as all of this new, found knowledge was acquired from my first pottery class just last week. I’m a fast learner and I listened so well that I’m basically a pro now (insert laugh).

My kids surprised me for Mother’s Day with the most thoughtful and beautiful gifts. Brunch, a three-hour pottery class, and precious time with my forever babies, now young adult children, were my gifts for Mother’s Day. It was truly the best gifts ever! I enjoyed learning and laughing, and this last one may surprise you. I enjoyed the relaxation element as well. Soft music playing in the distance or just the soft whistle from the spinning wheel was a welcomed stillness. I sat and formed my pottery only with my thoughts and maybe a gentle California breeze coming in through a nearby open window or door to keep the company of my thoughts. I was there with my two no longer little loves. We sat together and formed our clay. Quietly, each in our thoughts and enjoying the still moments we experienced together, all while sitting next to the ones we love most. It was indeed sweet and relaxing! So relaxing and so enjoyable that I promised myself I would have an art room in my next house. Call it my new empty nester, middle-aged obsession, and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

Throughout history, pottery has symbolized craftsmanship, creativity, and human ingenuity. The delicate art of molding clay into beautiful vessels and sculptures has captivated cultures across the globe. However, beyond its aesthetic appeal, pottery holds profound spiritual significance that resonates with ancient texts, including the Bible. In this blog post, we will delve into the biblical metaphor of the Potter and the Clay, exploring its rich symbolism and the profound truths it reveals about the relationship between God and humanity.

 Potter and the Clay: 

5-Point Biblical Reflection on Divine Design

The Divine Potter:

1. In the book of Jeremiah, we encounter a poignant analogy of God as the Potter and humanity as the clay. In Jeremiah 18:6, God instructs the prophet, saying, “Can I not do with you as this potter does?” This imagery emphasizes the sovereignty and authority of God, who, like a skilled potter, has the power to shape and mold our lives according to His divine plan.

The Moldable Clay:

1. Just as clay is pliable in the hands of a potter, we, as human beings, are called to be receptive to God’s transformative work in our lives. The Bible often depicts humanity as clay that is in constant need of shaping and refinement. In Isaiah 64:8, the prophet acknowledges, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” This acknowledgment invites us to surrender our wills to God and allow Him to mold us into vessels that reflect His purpose and character.

The Process of Shaping:

1. Pottery-making involves a careful process of preparing, molding and firing the clay to create a final masterpiece. Similarly, God’s work in our lives is a transformative journey that requires our active participation. As the Potter, God tenderly molds and shapes us through various life experiences, challenges, and triumphs. These shaping moments, although at times painful, serve to refine our character, strengthen our faith, and align us with God’s purposes.

Embracing Imperfection:

1. Pottery is rarely perfect. It may have minor flaws, imperfections, or irregularities that are an inherent part of the creative process. Likewise, as vessels crafted by God’s hands, we are not exempt from imperfection. However, it is through our weaknesses and vulnerabilities that God’s strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). We are reminded that God uses flawed vessels to showcase His glory, revealing His transformative power in the midst of human frailty.

Yielding to the Divine Design:

1. As we surrender ourselves to God’s loving hands, we must trust in His wisdom and divine design for our lives. Just as a potter crafts vessels with specific purposes in mind, God has a unique plan for each one of us. We must resist the temptation to resist or question God’s work but instead embrace the beauty of His craftsmanship unfolding within us.

I remember sitting in church listening to the choir sing “Potter’s House.” It was one of my favorite songs; the words always stuck with me. The first verse immediately caught your attention with the words, “In case your situation has turned upside down, and all your dreams are shattered, and you’re all broken inside. You don’t have to stay in the shape that you’re in because the Potter wants to put you back together again.” (see link below to listen to this song) I always pictured God the Potter sitting at his heavenly wheel, molding a piece of muddy, slightly messy clay. The clay, of course, is meant to symbolize you and me. We are a broken, messed up people. We are a people plagued with depression, anxiety, sickness, mental health challenges, addictions, and brokenness. We are in a world where relationship problems in our homes, on our jobs, with our children, and between husband and wife are prevalent. Where divorce, financial struggles, war, climate change issues, government breakdown, and world issues stress most. As a society, we are confused, scared, and more lonely than ever. There is abuse, extreme, unexplained violence, and unrest everywhere. We worry about our safety, our children’s safety, tomorrow’s stock prices, and our lack of knowledge on what’s to come. As a country, we are more in debt and can afford less. We are unhealthy, status-driven, money-hungry, and fearful, and statistics show that over 90% of Americans have this overwhelming sense that something is terribly wrong in our country and our world. Face it, we are, as a world, in desperate need of a loving Savior! We need help, and we need it now!

I have good news for you, there is someone who can mend all of the broken, messed up pieces of our life. His name is Jesus! I’m here to tell you that He can take your deformed, colorless, messy ball of clay life and mold it into a beautiful masterpiece. He can save you  if you simpy cry out to Him and ask Him. I’m so happy that God can mold our ugly broken pieces of life and smooth out all the bumps and bruises we sustain in this life. He can lovingly put us back together again. He is the Potter, my friends, and we are the clay! 

The Potter and the Clay metaphor serves as a profound reminder of our relationship with God. It highlights His sovereignty, creativity, and transformative power in our lives. As we yield to His molding, we can experience the joy of becoming vessels that reflect His love, grace, and purpose. So, may we embrace our role as clay in the Potter’s hands, trusting in His perfect design and finding fulfillment in becoming vessels that bring glory to Him. Won’t you trust Him with your life today? It doesn’t matter what you have done, your background, what your mother did, what your Father did, how far you have wandered away from God, or what was done to you. He, your Heavenly Father, is lovingly waiting to put you back together again. I’ll say it again, the Potter wants to put you back together again! 

If you want more information on how Jesus can help change your life, situation, family, and future, please email me at sonyacamillecontact@gmail.com, and I will gladly send you more information.

-SONG: LINK: The Potter’s House: https://youtu.be/lus2TR_Qy6E

-Biblical Reference: Jeremiah 18:6 – “Can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord.

–Biblical Reference: Isaiah 64:8- “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our Potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

GROWING UP IN COVERT… A TOWN THAT NEVER EXPERIENCED SEGREGATION

SMALL TOWN, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED

Not many can proudly say that their small hometown, USA, was featured in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Only a few can say that a play was written about their town or that a book about their small hometown gained national recognition. But I can. And that, my friends, is my black history focus this month-Covert. Covert, Michigan, where virtually everyone knows everyone’s name. And where everyone knew everyone’s mama’s name, their daddy’s name, their cousins, aunties, uncles, and what they had for dinner last night. I kid about the dinner, but you get the point. Covert folks, know Covert folks. All who have lived in Covert were, in one way or the other, impacted by Covert’s uniqueness. Now I’m sure, as with anything in this world, not everyone living here loved it. But most did, and the ones who did love it will forever call this place HOME.

MY CHILDHOOD-SUCH INNOCENCE

My childhood has to be among the best out there. We made tents and clubhouses in the woods with cousins and neighbors (shout out to my favorite neighbor Chucky!). We played in the mud and had the best mud pie tea parties with cousins and friends. By the way, my mud pies were to die for-seriously, so good! Since I’m sure you’re wondering what my secret was, I guess I’ll take a trip down memory lane and perhaps share my secret recipe with you in a future blog post-maybe. We used old miracle whip glass jars with knife slits in the lid to hold the tadpoles we caught. We went fishing, played in the ditches, and walked on dark dirt roads. We ran from sweat bees and had to put our feet up while biking past some of our neighbor’s houses to keep their big dogs from biting us. There were bike rides with the cousins, swimming in drainage pipes, blueberry picking, and playing hide and seek in the local cemetery and the woods, which was very scary. Speaking of cemeteries, we picked wild blackberries in the cemetery down the street from our house. My mom would make the best homemade blackberry pies with the literal fruits of our labor.

Let’s see; there were bike rides all around town where everyone knew who you were and your parents. We played in the sand-dunes and found what we thought were dinosaur bones in them. Sadly, we were told that the remains we discovered were not that of a tyrannosaurus rex, as initially thought, but were the remains of my dad’s family dog, who wandered off years before our discovery. So, here’s the backstory of my dinosaur discovery story. So, my very adventurous cousins and I found old Duke’s bones deep in the sand-dune behind my grandparent’s house, and what a discovery that was! You can imagine the look on my teacher’s face when I shared with her and the class that I was among four that risked our lives as a Covert archeologists to bring the bones of a dinosaur to those in my class. I still remember her face when I shared with the class at show and tell that I had discovered dinosaur bones on our property. Or how about the look on my dad’s face when my cousins and I came in the back door carrying the skull and some other bone while loudly cheering at our recent discovery? And if you’re wondering what he said and did, well, it wasn’t the actions of one that was supportive or full of glee. He looked at us and immediately sent us back outside. He then yelled at us to drop the bones and wash our hands immediately and thoroughly. We couldn’t understand why he wasn’t as thrilled as we were at our discovery. Didn’t he know the museums would be more than pleased at our discovery? That we would be famous and asked to be on the cover of virtually every magazine in Covert? Me and my cousins were now archeologist-how cool was that! That thought alone was the highlight of the summer going into my third-grade year. 

Another cool thing I did as a child was run with my dad in our local elementary and high school halls. I ran anywhere from 1.5-2 miles daily with my dad. My dad, a Michigan State police officer and health nut, as some would say, ran every day to stay in shape. I ran with him for fun. Sure, it was exercise, but I enjoyed the fun military cadence he jokingly demonstrated and recited as we put in the miles together. Winter months in Michigan are brutal, and Covert certainly had no private workout facilities or independent sports gyms. There was no local YMCA, and since we didn’t own a treadmill, we opted to go to the local school and run several laps in the halls. Running in the dark halls was quite fun, actually. Since my dad knew everyone and everyone knew my dad and our family, the custodians and janitorial staff who were cleaning at night gladly let us in to exercise-such great memories.

MY GRANDPARENTS

So, my grandfather owned over 10 acres in this small town, which was pretty extraordinary for a black man of that time. The house my father grew up in still sits on the property today. I knew the house was tiny, but I truly am amazed at how my many cousins, my sister, and me all fit in that house with our grandparents during our summer vacation sleep overs-Its indeed a mystery. The size and the fact that there was only one bathroom to accommodate all of us is fascinating in thought, as I honestly don’t know how we did it. Still, I don’t recall any issues surrounding that; we made it work, and the memories are beautiful. In short, we had fun! I can still picture my tiny grandmother standing on a good day at a full 4ft 11 inches tall in the kitchen doing whatever she was doing. She hummed and softly sang church hymns while making us grandkids breakfast. Her waist-length bushy hair was down as she is always brushed and braided, then twisted and pinned up her hair after she fed us. I remember her sweet coffee that we would sneak and sip when she wasn’t paying attention because she was so engrossed in her beloved soap operas. The intro song to The Young and the Restless or the outro song to The Guiding Light while she sat her little self on her green couch while sipping her sweet, warm coffee is a scene that is permanently stamped into my memory. A somewhat random thought that I feel compelled to add is that my grandparent’s house was a hot box during the summer, y’all, and that, too, is a memory. 

My grandfather gave my dad 5 acres of land to build our family house. My father, with the occasional help from a few of his Covert buddies, built the house where I grew up. Although we couldn’t see my grandparent’s house from our home, it was only a short walk on the dirt trail through the woods to their back door. Sure, we could walk down the street and fight with the sweat bees, but taking the path through the woods, was much more fun.

SMALL TOWN JOY

Throughout February, when most celebrate black history, I’m reminded of my small hometown, my grateful beginnings, and the many men and women of color who helped shape my view of the world and who I am to this day. Covert, Michigan. Basketball games were a massive deal in Covert. It was a weekly class reunion where old friends met and reflected on past times, sweet days of old when they were doing their thing on the high school court-the good old days. Covet basketball games, where students gathered to cheer on their mighty Bulldog team proudly. Covert, where more black farmers and business owners owned highly successful businesses and employed many of us throughout the summer. Covert, where townspeople were former classmates of your parents and where your friend’s parents were like second parents to all. Covert, where friends shout out a loud “hey now,” accompanied by a smile and a finger pointing at you and others as they pass by. Covert, where the tearing down of the old high school where my parents walked the halls, became a sentimental reunion for all who walked those same halls. I remember my dad taking me (I believe I was in preschool then) to the high school as he stood with former classmates, friends, and neighbors, watching while their beloved old high school was demolished. Friends shared stories and took a singular brick as a memento, a treasured keepsake of the once lively high school. Covert, where the librarian at the local library, was a former teacher of my parents. Covert, where my sister and I would sit in the library and do our homework every day until our mom would pick us up after she got out of work. Covert, where a bike ride to the wonderfully dusty convenient store for candy and snacks was a summer must. Covert, where bike rides to the state park, tip-toeing over what seemed to be miles of rocks on the shorefront of lake Michigan’s Covert beach to swim in beautiful Lake Michigan, was among the most exciting things ever. 

 There was Green’s convenience store, Mike’s store, and Churchill’s gas station. Leroy’s garage, Sarno fruit stand, and the Civic Center were there. Covert, where the tiny museum was located next to the library’s outside cellar door. The one and only bank was located on the maybe one-and-a-half -block long downtown across from the only post office—Covert, where only for a short time, we had an actual restaurant and a funeral home. My friends, this small, unassuming town was home. 

FOREVER GRATEFUL

I am forever grateful for the privilege of living in this diverse community. I’m glad I witnessed black, white, and Hispanic people coexist with mutual respect for one another. There were just as many black educators as white at the local school and an equal number of black farmers, business owners, and neighbors as white in my hometown. That was unique, and that was Covert. I’m glad I grew up where we, without prejudice, played with white and Latina children without hesitation. Where we laughed with, cried with, and went to school with children and friends of many ethnicities. And even as the world around us frowned upon such relationships, we quite simply didn’t care and enjoyed the relationships and friendships we made. 

 I’m glad I rode the bus with children of all races and was neighbors with some of the best people in this world who, although we did not look like each other, all shared a common bond. That bond was and forever will be called COVERT.

Growing up, I knew my town was unique, but I only knew why once I was older. I would visit friends who lived in neighboring predominately white towns and notice that I was among the few, if not, as it was, in most cases, the only black person in any given location in the area. Of course, I saw that, but I rarely voiced my observation to them. However, I did know that at home, in Covert, I was comfortable because more people looked like me. Covert was HOME

 Although country life, with its many sights and sounds and lack of road lights, made me want to leave as soon as I graduated from high school, Covert was a light in my past. A fire that cemented this small town and the beautifully diverse faces of this town to me forever. A bond that will last a lifetime and a heart full of gratitude for those who I celebrate today for the rich accomplishments they made to not just their town, their businesses, and their organizations but to me as well. I honor them all. Every teacher, doctor, nurse, business owner, farmer, police officer, administrator, small convenience store owner, hairdresser, bus driver, and city worker, for they are all part of my black history memories in the small hometown, I will forever call home, and that town is called Covert.

Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture 

https://nmaahc.si.edu

Listen in on my brand new podcast episode on the deep rich history of my historic hometown, Covert. 

A Stronger Kinship: One Town’s Extraordinary Story of Hope and Faith Author Anna-Lisa Cox

THE INCOMPLETE LIST OF THE
THINGS I’VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST
50 YEARS

November 9th, 2022

50.
Fifty. Fiff…tyyyy. The BIG 5-0. Look, no matter how you look at it and no matter how you say it,
I’m half of 100 now
Wow!

I know what the numbers say, but all I can say is that I truly do not feel as vintage as my age suggests. As far as my birthday, it was truly magical! I had the most amazing celebration with my family and dear friends! Truly a weekend of thoughtful, well-planned activities, sweet memories made, and special surprises. The calls, the messages, the cards, the gifts, the flowers, and the many hugs all made my special day just that much more memorable. My heart was full (still is), and I’m pretty sure I didn’t stop smiling all day long. My family, the people who love me the most in this world, went out of their way to make me feel like a well-loved vintage princess, and I appreciate them more than words can express.

In celebration of my 50th birthday, I thought I would share 50 truths with you that I have learned in my now half of 100 years on planet earth. Here we go, in no specific order!

MY 50 TRUTHS & LIFE LESSONS
& THE INCOMPLETE LIST OF THE
THINGS I’VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST
50 YEARS

1. My family meaning my husband and my two children, are literally my everything!
   Protect
   your family Physically, mentally, and spiritually at all cost
2. Loyalty among family is a must! If you’re not loyal, then I can’t trust you. If I can’t trust
   you then you’re not truly family
3. When people, even extended family members, show you who they are, believe them!
4. The #1 truth I’ve learned over the past 50 years is that Jesus Christ is the way, the
   truth, and the life. He died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and rose again on the
   third day. The only way to heaven is by accepting his gift of salvation through the shed blood
   of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s tree. By faith, you are saved and not by any good deeds. You can not earn your way into heaven you must be born again!
5. Life is too short to get hung up on petty and trivial things
6. Faith always over Fear
7. Worship is essential to my relationship with God
8. Laughter truly is contagious
9. Nothing is ever guaranteed
10. You can’t control what happens, but you can control your reaction to what happened
11. Someone is always better and worse than you
12. In literally everything, give thanks and have a spirit of gratitude
13. Death and life lie in the power of the tongue. You can not take your words back, So
    choose your words wisely.
14. In little or in Much, learn to be content
15. You create the life you live by the choices you make. So make good choices
16. Love yourself, even your flaws
17. Pray literally without ceasing
18. A soft answer truly does turn away anger and believe scripture when it says that
    grievous words do stir up anger
19. Look for solutions rather than focusing on problems
20. Love hard; tell those you love how much you love them as often as possible. Hug a
    million times each day. Life is short
21. Try not to take things personally, even if they are personal-try not to wear your heart
    on your sleeve
22. Be selective who you allow in your inner circle
23. Family is second only to God. Don’t ever put anyone or anything over your family
    except for God
24. God truly loves you and is for you. Trust Him with everything- He can be trusted! Jeremiah 29:11
25. Each day is a gift. Cherish the time you have and the small
    moments/memories made
26. Build and maintain quality relationships-Don’t push away anyone who truly shows an
    interest in you or in your family
27. Get into God’s Word every day and Pray often
28. Do everything possible to take care of your body. You only have one
29. Be a lifelong learner of everything. Learn from others
30. Your wealth will not make you a better or happier person
31. You can do many nice and kind things for someone, and they can still end up having
    an issue with you-that’s called life. Don’t expect anything in return from anyone you do things for. Do everything as unto the Lord and leave it there.
32. Protect your peace, even if that means distancing yourself (in love) from those who use you,
    take advantage of you, and emotionally drain you. Cut them off if you must
33. People’s actions speak louder than their words
34. Never engage in gossip. If someone feels comfortable talking to you about someone, trust they are and will talk to someone else about you
35. Communication is key to every relationship
36. Forgive quickly, and don’t keep a record of wrong
37. Make sure that the people you love know that you love them
38. Sometimes, no matter what, some people are not going to like you and that’s ok
39. Good manners and respect goes a long way
40. Trust has to be earned.
41. Always make people feel comfortable
42. Don’t spend an excessive amount of time with negative or toxic people. If they have a need, in love, help them but then run
43. Don’t be selfish. Be generous and kind
44. Be compassionate towards others
45. My mom used to tell me that “every girl needs a good cry every once and awhile,” so
    cry, then dry your eyes, roll top your sleeves and get back at it (Millie moment iykyk)
46. Therapy is good for your mental health
47. Tithe and see what happens
48. Be more concerned with your heart than your outward appearance
49. Change what you can and accept what you can not change
50. Be slow to speak, slow to get angry, and quick to listen

MY 50TH BIRTHDAY!

October 28th, 2022

I’m 50! Even to me, that sounds pretty, I won’t say old because that’s hurtful; I’ll say that saying I’m 50 sounds pretty dog-on seasoned. I’m here, PRAISE GOD, at the ripe age of half of 100, and I could not feel any better! 50, I think I’m gonna like it here! Let’s GO!