One of my favorite things to do is to make my own lampwork glass beads. Now that the weather has warmed up a bit, I can crack the windows and fire up my torch again.
Not only do I find the act of stringing beads a prayerful process, I also find the act of making beads prayerful. There is something about melting a glass rod and turning it into a bead that often brings words of scripture and song to mind. The analogies and metaphors of the process of making glass beads are many.
One of the songs I frequently find myself humming is “Sprit of the Living God.” As I melt the bead and mold it onto the rod, I meditate on God melting me and molding me as well. My prayer is that I will be as giving as the glass in my hand to my Lord’s hands.
The smaller beads are something I will probably never attempt to make, but the larger focal beads are a way I can offer a personal touch. They are also another way I feel like I can add my own prayers for the recipient to the piece.
Pictured above are a few of the newly listed rosaries I have made with my glass beads.
You can visit my shop for my pictures and information: http://www.prayerbedes.etsy.com
