Women of the Word

I have a book by that title. The author and illustrator is Mary Lou Sleevi. Every now and then I go through old books and decide which ones I want to donate or give away as a RE-GIFT. This publication dates back to 1985.

I have kept it.

In the book, Sleevi uses some beautiful artwork and poetry to tell the stories of some Biblical women. In the Foreword of the book she has a 13 stanza poem about God’s artisitic creation of each of us–God’s children. I share just a portion below:

“God is the Artist

God paints all day, everyday, every moment.

God has imagination and time.

God loves the palette because color is light and God is light in time.

The original [artist] who does only originals, never paints by numbers.

Ever since Eden, no two beings nor moments are ever the same.”

I love God the creator. God makes things just right, while nuancing each being. Each animal, plant and person is “an original” of God’s making. Even in our human view when we think something is too different, or odd or ill seeming, God deems it perfect. The giraffe is supposed to have that long neck and the Basset Hound is supposed to have those long ears, mosquitoes are meant to bite and Poison Ivy is supposed to make us itch. These are God’s designs, not ours.

Our individuality is by God’s plan. We are who we are as part of God’s magnificent plan.

Even our frailties, human failings and our “Oops” ways of living life are part of divine design and precious to God. God’s mighty forgiveness can cover and mend any version of Oops, if we only trust, if we only ask, if we only believe.

For the women reading this—WE ARE WOMEN OF THE WORD! PERFECT!

For the men reading—YOU ARE MEN OF THE WORD AND ARE COMPLETE IN GOD’S PLAN.

AMEN.