More Expensive than Sunflowers

Dedicated to:
The ONE who made the sunflowers, and me, and called me more expensive.
The one who made a comment to remind me what my sunflower is here for.
The one who saw the "Sunflowers" with me.
The ones who rest in the vase beside me.
You know who you are.


My life is an interesting one, to say the least. The joyous journey I call life began 10-12 weeks early, and by estimation of those doctors, has probably extended almost 25 years late.
In the years I've enjoyed thus far, I've seen, experienced, heard, and felt things beyond comprehension, some magnificent, some not, some, rare and uncommon, some common to all. This is the story of my life, and of many before and with me.

Recently, one rare and uncommon experience of my very blessed life, brought to mind another of the same. On the afternoon of October 21st, I was standing in the National Gallery in London. Original art from centuries past dotted the walls and left me breathless. Paintings from the 1200's and before hung in front of me, reminding me that life had indeed been lived hundreds of years before, and alerting me once again to the fact that our lives are a "forever endeavor" and nothing can change that.
Sitting there among names like Tatian, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, and others, I was reminded of the 1L class.

Law students in general are an interesting group, but 1L's take the cake. The 1L experience is difficult, that goes without saying, but, it doesn't have to be as difficult as most of us (and certainly I) made it, and in hindsight, I wish I had known that. 1L year is a reckoning. End of sentence. It's the year of law school where every stop is pulled. Most, having never learned this way, are forced to figure it out, do it well enough to stay, and do it among 100+ people trying to do the same thing.
Reflecting on my trip to the United Kingdom, reflection on one moment in particular reminded me of the 1L experience, and gave me material for the devotion I'll give to a 1L class tomorrow (you're now reading it here.)
The paintings from the 1200's left me in awe, but it was not until we moved on to another room that I really understood the impact all this canvas would have on me. Before I realized where I was, we were sitting in front of two paintings I've appreciated all my life, and never thought I'd see two feet in front of me. The first, "Water Lilies" is a simple water scene by impressionist Claude Monet, and the second "Sunflowers" was painted by Vincent Van Gogh.
I'm not largely a Van Gogh fan, I much prefer Monet, but "Sunflowers", my favorite Van Gogh work, is the one which I'll admit taught me most.
Alright, so my reflection on Van Gogh brought the 1L's to mind, and I decided the one thing I wanted them to know.
It would be typical to go before them and say "Be strong, courageous, the Lord is with you!" That's true, and it's fine, and I hope they will be, but something else occurred to me as I was reflecting upon a painting which is one of a kind. "Sunflowers" is a rare and expensive work of art, and I owe Vincent Van Gogh a debt of gratitude .

Standing there I saw his very clear "Vincent" written on the vase in which the sunflowers rested. At that moment, I wondered about him, not his work, him. Everyone says he was a bit crazy, disturbed, all of the above, but, inside he was a person, and really, I'm sure what would have done him the most good would've been some love. His work hangs renown behind sensors in a prestigious museum, and yet, he lived a life tormented, probably never knowing he'd be one of the most famous painters for generations to come.
My heart went out to Van Gogh, and to the 1L's.

My mind took me to the very beginning, the making of mankind in God's image.
This, this is what I wanted to tell them, this would be my boost to the the weary 1L...
YOU, yes, you, are unique, and unrepeatable. God placed His image in YOU, and called forth something marvelous when He did it. Do not, under any circumstances, compare yourself to anyone around you. If you believe that God made you in His image, you also believe the same about those around you. Just as Van Gogh's painting depicts several sunflowers, because of placement, order, and shadows, no two are exactly alike, that's impossible.
Your class rank, your extra-curricular activity, your LARW grade, do not define you. Please remember this if nothing else from what is here: People are forever, and each one is rare, and expensive. Don't misunderstand, I'm not telling you to slack, I'm the first to admit it takes work to stick around, and I'll also admit, it was heartbreaking to make grades I wasn't used to. I am telling you this: Hopefully you came to law school for something bigger than yourself, those of you who came solely for big money I say this: You couldn't pay me enough to do something like this if I didn't love it. I'm so serious. Don't store earthly treasures, find something to fight for. Ultimately, your fight, no matter the reason, will be for people in one situation or another. If you intend to fight fair and well, you must not compare your fight to anyone, for your achievements, and your mistakes, are unique just like the sunflowers, and just like you.

However, the sunflowers in that painting also reminded me to tell you how you are different from them. That painting is rare, and it is very expensive, but don't kid yourself...YOU (please insert your name here) are worth infinitely more. The Bible says in I Corinthians 6:19-20 that you were bought with a price. The price gave you a status as an heir, one with an ETERNAL life estate.

When I need a reminder of my rarity, or expensiveness, I go to the store, and buy a large jar of applesauce. Most of them are either 49.5 or 50 ounces, and at my birth, I weighed 49.5. It always amazes me that as a little girl the size of a jar of spoon-able apples had a call on her life unique and unrepeatable, and a life rare and expensive.
The same applies to you...Not only are you unique, unrepeatable, exquisite, and well-equipped, but you are loved beyond all reason, and YOU (without comparison to anyone else) were bought with a price more expensive than sunflowers.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

Much Love,
Courtney