Untangled
I have what I refer to as a "Boho Curtain," hanging on my porch.
I made it last year, and it took me almost a whole day to create.
Various yarns and strings are fastened to an old branch and are hung across it with all manner of found objects.
There are seashells, beads, silver tea spoons, old chandelier crystals, old necklaces and pieces of broken or discarded jewelry. It is basically like a giant wind chime. I absolutely love it. There is only one problem; it gets tangled. A lot.
Because we have had such unexpected and wonderfully warm weather, I spent a good part of an afternoon, detangling it and even attaching some new things. At first, it was going alright. The strands on the outside were the easiest to detangle. Sometimes the twine was just twisted, or one of the charms, was caught on a shell, etc. It was extremely relaxing and even a little therapeutic.
Then, as I made my way through the middle, the untangling became more difficult. This was turning into something I hadn't planned to spend so much time doing. Finally, I made it to the end, which left the most tangled strands of all. I wound, and unwound, untied, and retied, and bent and twisted and loosened and tightened all to no avail. I had no choice, I was going to have to cut the tangle loose. There was no other way. In order to save the look of the piece, something was going to have to be cut away. Once I did, the strands were immediately freed and began blowing. No one would have known what was there before. I attached a few beads to the new ends, and even used a piece of the cut twine to attach a new long strand of beads.
Now, after the untangling came the freedom to sway and move in the breeze. The soft clang and tinkle of glass, metal, shells and jewelry was resumed and the peaceful sound was bliss.
I couldn't help but relate this simple ( and time consuming ) task as a metaphor for my own life. I too am made up of many different pieces. Memories, flooded my mind as I untangled the strands. Pieces of jewelry that had once belonged to my girls, like the guitar pick necklace and the princess beads, brought vivid pictures of what once was. They aren't little girls anymore. I am not the same woman anymore. Just as I was frustrated at trying to keep what was in place in the strands, I have been trying to do that in my own life.
If I just try again,
If I just give them one more chance.
If I just go once more.
I know they have ignored me, but I'll just reach out once more.
I know it hurts, but....
If I just stay tangled up a little longer.
Nope. No more. It is time to unravel, untangle, cut loose the things that are keeping me from swaying in the breeze, from serving my purpose.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." Hebrews 12:1 NIV
I made it last year, and it took me almost a whole day to create.Various yarns and strings are fastened to an old branch and are hung across it with all manner of found objects.
There are seashells, beads, silver tea spoons, old chandelier crystals, old necklaces and pieces of broken or discarded jewelry. It is basically like a giant wind chime. I absolutely love it. There is only one problem; it gets tangled. A lot.
Because we have had such unexpected and wonderfully warm weather, I spent a good part of an afternoon, detangling it and even attaching some new things. At first, it was going alright. The strands on the outside were the easiest to detangle. Sometimes the twine was just twisted, or one of the charms, was caught on a shell, etc. It was extremely relaxing and even a little therapeutic.
Then, as I made my way through the middle, the untangling became more difficult. This was turning into something I hadn't planned to spend so much time doing. Finally, I made it to the end, which left the most tangled strands of all. I wound, and unwound, untied, and retied, and bent and twisted and loosened and tightened all to no avail. I had no choice, I was going to have to cut the tangle loose. There was no other way. In order to save the look of the piece, something was going to have to be cut away. Once I did, the strands were immediately freed and began blowing. No one would have known what was there before. I attached a few beads to the new ends, and even used a piece of the cut twine to attach a new long strand of beads.
Now, after the untangling came the freedom to sway and move in the breeze. The soft clang and tinkle of glass, metal, shells and jewelry was resumed and the peaceful sound was bliss.
I couldn't help but relate this simple ( and time consuming ) task as a metaphor for my own life. I too am made up of many different pieces. Memories, flooded my mind as I untangled the strands. Pieces of jewelry that had once belonged to my girls, like the guitar pick necklace and the princess beads, brought vivid pictures of what once was. They aren't little girls anymore. I am not the same woman anymore. Just as I was frustrated at trying to keep what was in place in the strands, I have been trying to do that in my own life.
If I just try again,
If I just give them one more chance.
If I just go once more.
I know they have ignored me, but I'll just reach out once more.
I know it hurts, but....
If I just stay tangled up a little longer.
Nope. No more. It is time to unravel, untangle, cut loose the things that are keeping me from swaying in the breeze, from serving my purpose.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." Hebrews 12:1 NIV
I look at social media, like we all do and find myself becoming more and more tangled:
"How do they get to do that?"
"Why are they so successful?"
"All I do is struggle." "All I've done is struggle."
"How long do I have to pay for mistakes from 15, 20+ years ago?"
Tangled. Bitter. Hurt.
Cutting away the things that tangle is often grueling. My nature is one of empathy and I often offer excuses for the hurt that's been inflicted. I also have a real tendency to just hold on white knuckled to all I hold dear. I just can't seem to cut it all loose. All that tangling is evident too, in the previously mentioned cynicism, It's a vicious cycle and one I know God is cutting loose.
" 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. 15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.…" Philippians 3:14.
So, what is next? Do I radically cut loose all that hinders? Well, yes. At this point in my life; the lessons, the betrayals, the isolation, the loneliness and even the joys all come at a cost. The cost? My self worth, my growth and the untangled movements of grace. It's time. Besides, there's no better sound then the sound of that which has been untangled and set loose. bliss.
Comments
Post a Comment