Tuesday, September 16, 2008

mandalas with burning bush

For now, preparing for next Monday's adult group has been going to the first verses of Chapter 3 of Exodus. I have been doing this when I sit in the chair of contemplation to reflect upon my day. Now the last three nights has made me see the burning bush in both of my recent mandala designs (how to design a mandala: 1. draw a circle 2. pray 3. fill the circle in).


The first was clear from the beginning, glowing earth, flames arising. I saw the story in the design and chose glass as I saw fit...





I recently spoke about imaginative prayer, but I most often read the Bible looking for a verse, phrase or word that catches my eye. It draws me in. Then I sit and ponder why those words caught my eye. This time it is a most appropriate verse... Exodus 3:3 --- Moses said "I must go across and see this strange sight..." I try to think what sights have drawn me to them. Am I being drawn by God when this happens. Two times in my life come to mind. I saw a woman walking in a library. That night after no conversation, only that sighting, I tell a friend that I saw a woman. I had never said such a thing in my life before. Now you all know her here as Mosaic Woman. I was so drawn that I overcame all the shyness and introverted nature I could to approach her. Was it holy ground I stepped upon to speak.

The second event happened a year earlier. I am walking on a snow covered path in the Pocono Mountains. I am stopped by an urge to be still and turn my head to the left. Often I will see a bird when I do this, but now a dead mouse rests in the branches of a sapling. I grow closer pondering how this came to be. Tears fill my eyes for the first time since who knows when.

The second mandala was drawn to improve upon the design of the first--- more branching and get rid of that mound of earth. I choose green for the branching. going with the complimentary color, red, for the background. Not seen as what it was at first, I now see it as a better representation of that event by the mountain of God. For in the Bible what caught Moses eye was the unburning (yes, I made up that word and I like it!) bush. Here the bush remains green in the midst of a fire storm of God's visiting spirit.




OK, now to get goofy. Before my theological insights, I was going to call this post a toilet with a view, for both of these are hanging in my bathroom window. Even took a lovely photo featuring the toilet and the two stained glass mandalas over the weekend. For now they will hang there unless someone discovers them at our ETSY SHOP. Then in November (unless sold) they will travel to a craft fair, which I will advertise in due time.

7 comments:

  1. I don't think I'll ever hear or read that story again without thinking of the beautiful stained glass AND the insight that it is the fact that it wasn't burning that was important. I will try to forget its location or I'll be laughing out loud in church which happens but at more appropriate moments.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathryn--- thanks for the visit. I saw that you got the conversation you desired over at your site.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well - it's a start. Most of the people that I'm in grad school with have never blogged or even read a blog before. I'm all about the conversation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Visiting your blog makes me think we have much in common - faith and i am also a special ed teacher. i rant a lot on my blog about education. the stained glass is beautiful - are they made by you? Please visit again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kathryn-- me too!

    Diane-- welcome to the conversation. I have been holding back a rant about work, and wisdom has won out for now. I am not sure if you mean education in general or supervisors in specific, when you say you rant. Yes, I made the stained glass. My wife makes wonderful mosaics. One day we will quit or retire from the jobs that keep us away from our art.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am just in awe of you two. This burning bush is one of my favorites of yours. The Blue Mandala of Margaret's is so beautiful! You two are very, very talented! P.S. The craft fair set up was gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Tina--- thanks for your kind words. I showed my wife the photos of your mosaic and she was quite impressed. You can never have enough grout. ;')

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting Stratoz. I dig comments. Feel free to leave one here.