The Empty Jar
I recently purchased an Apothecary jar for a steal of a deal. It was originally $39.99 and after putting to use my best eagle-eye patience, I finally nabbed the thing for a clearance price of $10.00 with only one remaining.
Boo-yah!
It's found its home on my mantle in and amongst family photos.
For Easter, I had it filled with mutli-colored Easter eggs. The look was so festive and fun at just the perfect sockittome height in our high ceiling living room.
It was noticed and enjoyed.
Then Easter disappeared and left the Apothecary jar void of purpose; empty with inspiration; eager to be tended to.
Waiting. Willing. Wanting.
Empty.
I have struggled with what to fill it with.
I mean there is the obvious like things from here or here. I could even fill it with my vastly growing collection of vintage buttons.
But nothing seems to strike my fancy and hit me with a big, "That's it!"
My indecisiveness is a bit onmynerves to say the least. Everyday my eyes scan the living room only to fixiate on the whopping empty Apothecary jar sitting all high and mighty just waiting to be used.
Willing. Wanting.
Empty.
Waiting to be used.
God's hints and reminders are there for us all, remember?
And just like that He used an Apothecary jar it remind me.
An empty jar.
A symbol for so many things.
the gifts and talents we keep inside
the potential we're afraid to use
the heartache we never relieved ourselves of
the insecurities we all hide behind
the space where love waits to live
I think there stands a good chance that there's an empty Apothecary jar in all of our hearts.
Willing. Wanting.
Empty.
Waiting to be used.
A space hollowed out by our own pride or fears. God didn't put it there. We did.
The echoes inside each of our jars are, in fact, void of purpose and empty with inspiration.
Our apothecary jars are meant to be filled. Filled with the love God graciously pours into all of us, our jars are eager to be tended to.
And I am thankful for this little space between that He has allowed me to wriggle into each day since those mutli-colored eggs were packed away. What started out as a day in-day out aggrevation over an empty jar with a need for filling, God has turned into an opportunity to notice one of His details I need not miss.
And I'm not going to miss this one.
I have asked that He work on my heart. For you see, my jar has much more room for love. My petty judging and lack of compassion for others leaves my apothecary empty with echoes of insecurities and self-centeredness that continue to bounce against the clear glass transparent for all to see.
I thank Him that He makes our jars transparent. It is with this transparency we are held accountable by the ones who hold us dear.
God and His details. He's pretty darn good, isn't He?
I sure think so.
So it is with this transparency, I admit my emptiness with a resounding joy as I know God will meet me right where I am and I bet He's got some filling to help me do.
And I can hardly wait for my apothecary jar to be noticed and enjoyed.
{UPDATED PUBLISH April 2021}
Original Apothecary Jar purchased