my charcoal heart

matt sturges has a good post today called "hands in motion," about god's making art from our mistakes. he writes, and i don't think he'd be put off by a small quote:

It is easy for God to forgive our sins because to God each black mark can be used as a bit of charcoal in a new drawing. The very thing that separated us from God, that introduced only chaos and futility into the world, is transformed by God into a work of grace.

as i commented to matt, god must look into my heart and see a veritable art supply warehouse!

another matt, this one a friend from here in oxford, commented recently that god looks @ us not w/ great anger over our failures, but the same way i look @ ellie grace when she's got a booger -- her frailty is heartbreakingly endearing, as ours must be to god. i can't say that i "feel" this 100% yet, but i think i'm starting to. thanks to both of the brothers m@.