The Jack-o-lantern

I enjoy fall decorating.
A bale of hay, cornstalks, pumpkins, mums, and gourds are displayed by the front door.
A primitive scarecrow that was named Patches by my children still stands guard.

Usually by Thanksgiving, squirrels have nibbled the corn.
The gourds have been chewed in miniscule bites by chipmunks.
Walnut shells are scattered around the display letting me know they had dessert as well.

We usually find a large pumpkin and carve a Jack-o-lantern.
We have had the typical smiling face on the pumpkin and many other creative ideas.
Five young children all tried to decide what we should carve.
They would all draw a picture of their proposed carving.

We would then take a vote and the winner would be determined.
Once that first slice was made in the pumpkin, the design choice didn’t matter.
My husband usually had the carving job when the children were little.
He always had five little heads trying to get closer to see.

Without fanfare, the carving job went to the oldest and then went down the line.
Some liked the job of carving more than others.
It has fallen on our youngest daughter’s shoulders for the past few years now.
In fact, she even carved a second pumpkin for her sister’s second grade classroom.

Her carvings amaze me; very creative and detailed.
She finished our pumpkin last night.
It still delights those of us who are home, to turn off the lights and see the work of art.
Of course, seeing the finished work of art requires a bit of illumination.

A votive candle is the finishing touch.
Once lit, the design shines through.

I watched her make the first slice as I was finishing things in the kitchen.
She effortlessly, removed the top, being careful of the stem and laid it aside.
She got a large bowl to remove the pulp and the seeds.

I watched her scoop out all the stringy pulp and separate it from the seeds.
The delicious seeds that we would roast later.
It was a big job to remove the meat from the pumpkin.
A large spoon and lots of arm strength cleaned the pumpkin thoroughly.

She began to carve a design she had done on paper first.
She stepped back and admired her work.
It was very good.
She got a votive candle from the dining room drawer and put it inside.

We turned off the lights with only the candle burning inside the pumpkin.
The image came alive!
What looked good before now looked spectacular with the light shining through.
You could see every detail.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  (2 Corinthians 4:6-10)

Jars of Clay.
Carved pumpkins.
Simple things that hold the light.

You cannot get more ordinary than a jar of clay.
I always think of the terra-cotta pots we all have in our gardens.
They are easily broken, yet sturdy enough to hold a large plant.

One rarely says, Look at that lovely pot!
One tends to notice the plant inside the pot.

One rarely says, Look at that beautiful pumpkin.
It is a pumpkin like all the others.
Different in shape and size, but basically the same except for the carving.
But put a light inside that ordinary pumpkin, and you will see the magnificent design.

Isn’t that what God does with us?
He makes that first cut in our hard outer shell.
It may not be too pleasant, but it is necessary to get inside.

He expertly scoops out the stringy pulp of our lives; discarding what cannot be used.
He separates the seeds from the pulp since He knows what is needed for us to grow.
Sometimes the seeds of our lives get roasted and have to go through fiery trials.
What comes out of that oven of suffering is food for the soul.

Finally, after the insides are scooped clean, He puts His Light inside us.
He carefully places His Spirit in our hearts.
We are illuminated by the Light of God.

He looks at His masterpiece.
It is very good.

Intricate designs of the Master Carver.
Illumination that dispels the darkness.
Detailed. Precise. Creative.

Simple things that hold His Light!
Spectacular!