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REFRESH, RESTORE, REBUILD, RECLAIM, REFORM, REVIVE!
REFRESH, RESTORE, REBUILD, RECLAIM, REFORM, REVIVE!
Holly Kramer
I was recently struck by the words of a friend about what God wants to do on this Earth, for his land and his people. She was saying he wants to restore, reclaim, reform, etc. The titles God gave my husband and I for the sculptures from a recent Piccolo Spoleto Art show are Refresh, Reveal, Restore, Revive, and Reclaim! The pieces were created using old, worn, found furniture and household items.
I think sometimes when I think about myself, whether it be physically, emotionally or spiritually, or when I think about other relationships it occurs to me that maybe it would just be easier to chuck it all and start over with something new! Now, that’s just a brief thought and then I get back in alignment with God’s truth; but in all honesty it does occur to me. I think about how easy it would be for God to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. But in Gods amazing mercy and grace he’s not doing that! In his infinite wisdom he has decided to REFRESH, RESTORE, REBUILD, RECLAIM, REFORM, REVIVE!
During a recent gathering at Catalyst 61, Todd H. spoke about the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem using old, burned stones in the rebuilding. Using the old stones for the wall around Jerusalem made it stronger. Typically things that go through the fire, come out the other side stronger.
It would have been so much easier for JR and I to buy brand new doors and furniture to create the sculptures we did. We wouldn’t have had to scrape and sand the old paint. We wouldn’t have had to search for weeks for just the right piece. But then the end result would have been far less meaningful and in my mind beautiful. All of the scars, holes, and imperfections are what gave the pieces beautiful character.
Holly and JR Kramer and their two sons are residents of N. Charleston, SC. The Kramers own and operate REMARK, a landscape architecture studio, and pursue visual arts through painting and sculpture.