I am a sucker for art. The glass arts are some of my favorites. I'm a little afraid of the furnace, so I have great respect for the courageous dreamers who imagine glass into wonderful pieces of art.
Champaign, IL is home to the University of Illinois. There is a healthy art community in the area. If you take a trip to the corner of Neil and Washington Streets, you can see the world's tallest glass Christmas tree.
The artist is Jason Mack of Mack Glass. The 31-foot-tall spinning tree was completely made with recycled glass. All of the glass was donated. From trash to treasure, the tree is really special. The fact this glass tree is created from recycled glass makes it even more noteworthy and interesting.
I grew up recycling and upcycling before it was cool. Mama Ina Mae grew up in a house where nothing was wasted. Clothing was mended, reinvented and handed down. Before throwing anything away, you had to be sure there was no practical use for the item. We saved jars, bottles, jeans and old towels. There were times when we had just what we needed on hand. Other times, we made what we had work. Mama Ina Mae was quick to quote: "Necessity is the mother of invention."
As we celebrate the season, it is time to remember the gift of the Father in the Son. He saw our brokenness and longed to repair the broken relationship. So he came to be with us, as one of us. It really is amazing. I love the name Immanuel.
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”-Matthew 1:23
"God with us." He came to take the mess of our lives and turn it into treasure... just like Jason Mack turned discarded glass into a work of art.
Today, I am grateful for the world's tallest glass Christmas tree.
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