The Parable of the Brick Maker

I think I fell in love with Jake the first time I saw him. His hair was long and he was laughing as he walked into the Dairy Freeze. I remember hearing, "That's Jake Topham". I had no idea what was in store for me. Neither of us could have guessed. It feels like I have loved him forever. I am so grateful that I get to.

I wrote this when I was 17 for that boy I loved. It’s a favorite called, “The Parable of the Brick Maker”.

There once was a Master Brick Maker. Each day He would get up and take care of the bricks in his brickyard.

First, He mixed clay, water, and other ingredients together to begin the brick.

Then, He put the mixture in brick-shaped molds and placed them in long rows outside.

Many, many bricks laid in neat rows in the brickyard.

His job as Master Brick Maker was found mostly in the hacking process.

For the clay and water mixtures in the molds to become bricks, the water needed to drain out of them. This draining process is called hacking.

The patient Master would go outside each day to carefully turn each brick on a new side, allowing the water to slowly drain from the molds.

He repeated the process until all the water drained from His bricks.

Sometimes the weather was an enemy to the Brick Maker. With wind and rain, the process of hacking had to start over.
This never stopped the Brick Maker though. No matter the weather He would carefully turn each potential brick on a new side.

Hacking required all His energy, attention, and love. It took His time and His strength. He must have seen something worth it in His bricks.

Through much love and endurance, the bricks were finally ready to be placed in the Kiln and fired. This sanctified the little bricks. It strengthened them and prepared them for their purpose.

The bricks went all over town, providing strength, protection, and beauty to everyone who resided there.
I know that Brick Maker. His name is Jesus Christ. Each day he stands outside with me, turning me on a new side.

Sometimes it rains, but that’s okay. He waits.

Some of that water is hard to let go of, but He encourages me.

Each day I experience a new side.

He waits for me to let go and helps me become something more.

Something more beautiful. Something more useful. Something more His.

He sees someone worth His time, suffering, love, attention, and strength.

I’ve been a brick in His brickyard multiple times. I’m still there.

There are so many new sides the Savior has in store for me, so I am thankful He still waits for me in the brickyard.

Despite my imperfections, He asks for my help in the brickyard sometimes too.

He lets me help watch over some of the other bricks in the brickyard.

My students.

My husband.

My baby.

People Christ has let me touch through testimony, genuine concern, and the love that He offers me.

Each day I wait outside and help turn them on a new side.

Mostly I sit with them and watch the Master work.

Sometimes the hacking process feels like it’s taking forever.

Sometimes it rains.

Sometimes we have to start over.

Sometimes the water they hold onto is hard to let go of.

It takes all my strength, attention, and love.

Sometimes this process goes on so long and so hard I turn to the Master and ask Him if it is worth it.

And if it is, can I even do it?

His reply is beautiful.

One that comes from the monotony, endurance, seemingly uneventful, but excruciatingly necessary hacking process.

“You can hack it. You can hack it because I did”.

I love the Master Brick Maker.

I will forever be grateful that He could ‘hack’ it.

Because He did, I wake up every morning and I help tend His bricks.

Because He did, I don’t flinch so much at new sides. Or the rain.

I try to give all my strength, attention, and love to the Master Brick Maker.
​
I know that I can ‘hack’ it, because He did.