10/28/10

Fun filled day packed with class, work, food, and Pumpkin Jesus. I got off work late and drove to church. I  had no idea I would be carving a pumpkin. In fact, Mike Sanders offered me his pumpkin and I happily turned him down, knowing that I never carved pumpkins competitively. I didn't want to make a fool of myself by grabbing out all of that pumpkin grime inside and working aimlessly on making something that might win the eyes of fellow competitors. Even though this was just a church function, my super competitive nature kicked in and I absolutely did not want to start something I could not finish...without winning. However, out of peer pressure, I sarcastically told my friends that I would be carving Jesus in a manger. Little did I know that I would find a sophisticated sketch of Jesus online; I printed out the pattern and taped it onto my pumpkin. I started pulling out all of the grime inside its core, using a scraper to hash out all of the little strings still hanging. I began my carving, and the process took much longer than anticipated. It was too late to turn my pumpkin in for judging, but I kept on with my carving. 20 minutes later, I finished my pumpkin, but Jesus' eye broke off the pumpkin. I felt so bad, I worked so hard on the pumpkin only for the eye to fall out. I showed Tyler, and we found a toothpick to reattach Jesus' eye back on the pumpkin. I put the candles in the pumpkin, and it lit up. My God, it was the most vivid picture of Jesus I have ever seen, and I did it! I felt astonished by the work of art I created. After all of the doubt and complacency in my mind, I completed a work of art that I cherish so dearly. Jesus is looking at me, and his love breaks me into joyous freedom. This story may be used in a future sermon of mine...