Grace makes beauty out of ugly things (U2 – Grace)
One of my favourite Christmas tree decorations is this wooden star. It was made two years ago by New Hope’s Community Market Garden team for the St Mary’s Church Christmas Tree Festival.
Created out of some discarded damaged wood, I bought it after the festival to hang on our tree at home for Small Boy to enjoy. He was almost one then and enjoyed saying ‘dar’ whenever he saw a star. This unwanted and imperfect piece of wood became something beautiful to us as the three of us celebrated Christmas together.
To me the star became a symbol both of the work of New Hope and of my own life. I often torment myself with thoughts of hurtful or shameful things I’ve said and done or decisions I’ve made that I regret. Sometimes I look back over my life and wish it had been different but then I hear God say ‘you are a trophy of grace’.
‘A trophy of grace’: all that I am now, all that I have is due to God’s grace.
Soli Deo Gloria.
