Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine

I don't know why the connection came, but memories this morning brought to mind an event in my education at ATU; here it is.

I brought home a large lump of clay one weekend because I had the desire to make something specific and didn't want to wait until my next clay class to begin it and I still had much to accomplish for the class. Throughout the weekend I worked on the piece. I named it 'the ice dancer.' It was very simplistic, minimalistic, and modern; I was pleased.
I wrapped the finished piece carefully so that it could make the trip back on Monday and carried it carefully into the clay area at the college. I unpacked it with pride and with great care started toward the drying racks, piece in my hand. Without warning it disintegrated. It didn't just break, it literally disintegrated!

I let out an agonizing wail that I've heard many times since from students working on clay projects, most frequently the wheel. From the second floor of the building I heard my instructor's voice call down “It's only clay, Donna.”
I yelled back up at him in agony, “but it was my clay.” and heard him reply somewhat softly “maybe not.”

This memory brought a thought about a scene from Finding Nemo where the sea gulls are chasing the fish as the pelican tries to fend them off. They are crying “mine, mine, mine, mine, mine” as they fight to catch the fish. As the fish flop into the sea, a lone sea gull lands and mournfully cries “mine.”

I see that my speech is often full of the word 'my.' I refer to possessions, ideas, abilities, and even people this way. And when something gets broken or lost, I wail in anguish. Many things have been broken in the last few years and I wail a lot. In reading my memories this morning I found myself saddened by a loss and saying “but it was my. . .” and hearing in my spirit “maybe not.”

I realize once more that all good gifts come from the Father and they are only ours to enjoy for a time. I shall strive to remember with joy and understand that the joy of today is temporary, but that there will be joy for tomorrow as well if I don't hold so tightly to today that I can't feel it.

The only things that last for ever are God's love and the grace of Jesus. The rest is temporal and gives joy for the day and the memory.