The Unexpected Treasure in my Dad’s Shop and My Surprise Lesson on Brokenness

My hope was fading. I had stepped into my dad’s old workshop eager to find one of his old tools that I could use. I had recently taken up making sea glass jewelry and thought it would be special to find something of dad’s to use with this new venture. Ever since pondering the symbolism of sea glass this summer, I was intrigued by how beautiful the once cast aside broken glass became as a result of its journey – so much so that people set out combing beaches to find it as a treasure.

But as I finished searching dad’s shop, I hadn’t found anything that I thought could work or help me develop my craft. Then, I looked in one last box, a worn box up on a shelf. I reached in and pulled out a giant nail, one that I instantly knew would be perfect to form the loop at the top of each of pendant I’d make. I brought home three of the oversized nails.

Once home I began cutting pieces of wire, wrapping it carefully around one of the nails to start each pendant. I curved the wire firmly and gently around the glass so that each piece was secured, creating a new beautiful treasure out of what was once discarded broken glass. After making a few pieces, I began a new piece. With one hand I cradled the glass, the other gripped the nail and the wire as I worked. Just then a whisper spoke to my heart ‘bring your brokenness to your Father’s nails.’

In that instant, I knew I wasn’t meant to find a tool in dad’s shop. There’s far more power, far more significance in the nails. In life, there’s times we’re all broken. Our journey wears us. It tosses us about. But just like each piece of sea glass, we’re unique and changed by the process. And, just like the pendants I now make, when we bring our brokenness to our Father’s nails, we’re transformed.

This is a time of year when brokenness can feel magnified. To the joyous sounds of the holiday season, we can become keenly aware of our disappointments, our hurts, and our losses. We can see the happiness in others but internally be more aware of our own pain, loneliness, or brokenness. What better time to be reminded where we can find healing, where we can become whole again?

This Christmas season, why not bring your brokenness to your Father’s nails and be transformed?

You know, I can’t help but think my dad’s smiling down on me knowing that something from his shop is being used this way. It anchors each and every pendant in love!

This week I’d like to share some joy… I’m giving away a necklace from my collection! To enter you can do any of the following: comment on this blog, subscribe to my blog, like my Facebook page, comment and/or share my Facebook post with this blog post. Tag a friend when you comment or share and get extra entries. For each of these you do, you’ll get an extra entry!  Next week I’ll announce the winner… Good luck!

And as always, I’d love to hear from you. Have a great week!