Stubborn Wire!!! Stubborn Me ?!!!

Look closely at the picture above. It’s hard to tell, but this is a sprig from the tree of life I am working on. I fold a wire in half, take beads of different sorts and twist them one at a time onto the wire. In between each bead, I twist the wire by hand about 5-7 times then put on another bead until I get the right length for the branch. I then take two specialty tools to twist the bottom of the branch. I hold the twists closest to the branch with the super pliers or whatever they are called.

Then comes the really trialsome part. The two ends of the beaded wire are now ready to be twisted. With luck and a whole lot of finagling, the wires are wrapped around the tool (whose name I do not know), and I swirl the thingy round and round until that wire is twisted.

One would not think a person could get so bent out of shape by two little wires who refuse to bend to the shape I want them. Nearly every time I try to place wires between the two disc areas, wrap those little rascals around the rod, and tighten the screw to secure the wires, they somehow slip and turn in exactly the opposite way I intend them to go!

After getting about 15 or so branches made, I twist them all together by hand and finish the trees – IF I have any patience left. I would say it is a worthless endeavor, but I do like the end result of my creative effort.

But perhaps, the most important thing I thought about today in regard to my trees of life is the object lesson.

The Bible often talks of being stiff-necked. Though my wires are not stiff-necked people, they do remind me maybe a little of myself. (Maybe a lot!) And truth be known, the wires are much better than I at consistently doing what I am supposed to be doing.

Just some thoughts.

And some Bible Truth.

Proverbs 28:14 NLT   Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.

Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV    Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

1 Peter 5:5-7 TLB   And all of you serve each other with humble spirits, for God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets Himself against those who are proud. If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in His good time He will lift you up.

Hmmm.  Going my own way, doing my own thing my own way. Yep – stubborn and stiff-necked. Guess I need to be doing a self-exam and some heart changing.

Anyway,

Blessings

Kara Beth