Lamp Jewelry

I have now invented "Lamp Jewelry" -- just know that you saw it first on Sandra's blog!  After my Mom died in December, we girls went through her extensive collection of costume jewelry.  Mother rarely threw anything away, so many of her nicest looking necklaces would be considered vintage - in other words, they're old and they just don't make 'em like that anymore. 

Although these pieces had originally been inexpensive, they were still well-made and very pretty.  But, what to do with them?  They were too pretty and unique to get rid of, and they were special to our Mother, but then, no one wears two, three and four strand necklaces like these anymore.  So, I came up with the idea of hanging these lovely ladies on my lampshades as you see above.  This way, I can enjoy them on a daily basis.  I'm quite pleased with the results and may even pin my idea on Pinterest. 

Of course, I can't write a piece in my blog and not see at least some spiritual message in it -- after all, there really is a spiritual message around every corner - and even on lampshades -- if we'll just see it.

In this case, I can't help but think how God can use anyone and anything to be useful to Him and to adorn His kingdom.  He frequently uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and that which is insignificant to be of great significance to Him.  Didn't God use an insignificant shepherd boy named David to kill giant Goliath with his slingshot, one smooth stone, and as David himself said, the power of "the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel" 1 Samuel 17:45.

You might ask, what has that got to do with lamp jewelry?  Only that, as I see light shining through the lampshade, causing the beads in this inexpensive necklace to shimmer and glow and give off a beauty previously unseen, I'm reminded how just the right light and creativity can make all the difference.  When God's light shines through our lives and His creativity causes a previously unseen beauty to glow and shimmer in us, He has taken something insignificant and made it infinitely significant in His Kingdom. 

Who knew a seemingly worthless necklace draped across a lampshade could be so beautiful?  I think my Mother must be getting a hoot out of what we're doing with all the jewelry she left behind.  After all, with gates of pearl and streets of pure gold, she's enjoying the real stuff in her new home!