Pottery lesson

One of my friends, Ali, opened a few weeks ago her own pottery studio. She was so kind to give me crash session. Normally to do it right, people take a whole week to learn it, but we both did not have lots of time. She made pottery when she was on the mission field - Nigeria and India, so I thought it would be lovely for me to have tried it, at least once. It was a great experience.
Ali showed us first and talked us though. She was so patient with me and very talented. I can only recommend her, if people would like to go for a pottery course. Can you see how talented her hands work the clay? And then look further down my hands, smile.
Here her finished cup.
What, out of this, I shall form something???
It was very hard to hold the clay in the center. Normally the clay tries to get into different shapes, if you let it…. but a potter usually has something in mind and forms the clay he wants it.

I am getting somewhere...

After I was done, sure with the help of Ali, I still was not happy, especially with my second piece, the little pot. I said: “Oh, I could have done this or that differently…”
But then I thought: “God is not like that, He knew from the beginning, when he formed me, what plans he has with me. How incredible!”
Also, this reminded me of the bible scripture: Isaiah 64:8: Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter, we are all the work of your hand. (NIV)

Here you can see my two first potteries are finished forming.
Because it still needed to dry, I could not take it with me. So Ali kindly fired and painted it for me. The result you can see in the photo below. I hope that in Haiti I can still improve this new learned skill.