Hearts of Glass

When I was a little girl my mom and dad got divorced. I was 7 at the time. I never really had a close relationship with him until after I got married, I was 18.  This was also the year my dad and step mom got saved. I remember the night he called to tell me.  They were so happy.  I was so happy for them. After that we became close. Dad really grew in the Lord. He and I became very good friends.
   Years later dad became a Sunday School teacher, his first Sunday he was scared to death. I happened to be visiting that weekend. So I was there to soothe his mind. I remember him saying , "I don't know what to say to anyone" . I told  him just to say what he knew. My dad was a glass blower. As his father before him. I come from a line of master artists in glass.  My dad adored his job and he longed to get better daily.
 So in our conversation I told him to tell the congregation how blowing glass and being a Christian were alike.  My dad thought a minute and a smile crept to his face. He grabbed his Bible and off he went to study.
   That Sunday morning was crazy. Lydia and Linsey (my sister) both tiny babies, I held Lydia and my step mom held my sisters in her arms. We both set there and listened to dad teach Sunday school.  He started talking about how blessed he was. He prayed for God to help him not to be nervous. Then he began to talk. He was so humble as he talked. He said that our relationship with God was like blowing glass.  You have to heat up the glass before you can mold it. You have to shape the glass , blow the glass. It has to be hot to be used. If the glass was cold it couldn't be used.  Just like our heart. If it gets cold God can't use it. He has to keep us Hot and ON FIRE for Him. So He can use us. God wants to use us. He wants us to become more like Him. To be beautiful. Dad could mix in colors and designs into his work. And much the same way we are each a unique Masterpiece created by a loving Heavenly Father. Dad's work
was always beautiful. God allows people to help mold us. His word gives us His design. It all works together.
 Dad continued to talk. Vicki and I were so proud of him. He had done it. He had told his heart. Both of his love for glass and his love for God.  Dad that day to me was my hero. You could see what  God had done to his heart of glass. He had shaped it. And it was a beautiful piece of art.