THE MISSING PIECE

My mother, bless her heart, gave me a few things I do not appreciate such as Restless Leg Syndrome and arthritis.  She also gave me a couple of things I do appreciate.  I inherited a love to travel and working jigsaw puzzles.

Half of one closet is stacked with puzzles.  They range from very old ones mother had to new ones I just could not resist.  There are ones that have 300 pieces.  500 pieces.  1,000 pieces.  Some are square.  Some rectangle.  Some round.  Some are shaped and finding the border pieces is a challenge.  Hubby never understands how I can work them.  To him they look like a mess, with no way of ever coming together into a picture.

Oh, but to me they are many pieces waiting to be assembled into one.  I look for a dot of red that finishes the dress on the little girl.  Or a bit of purple to finish the sunset.  Or that elusive piece that should be a breeze to find that somehow is not on the table.  And then the sigh of relief when the piece is spotted on the floor. 

One of my favorites.

Yup, I love to do puzzles.  UNLESS ----- Unless there is a piece missing.  To get all finished and find you are one piece short is just so frustrating!!!  To know the puzzle is not complete…..

My life is like a puzzle.  But I know I cannot put the pieces of my life puzzle together.  That job requires the Master Puzzle Builder.  That job requires God.

God finds the piece with the dot of red that fits right there in the corner.  God finds the piece with the soft purple color needed to surround my life with a sunset.  God wants my life puzzle to be complete.  And that is the reason my puzzle has a border made of His Love.  His Forgiveness.  His Mercy.  His Strength.  His Grace.  His Wisdom.  His Peace.  His Glory. 

God is the glue that holds my life puzzle together. 

And that is what I am most thankful for.

THANKSGIVING VS GIVING THANKS

Bet you are thinking, “There is no difference.”  But let’s be honest.  When we hear the word “Thanksgiving”, the Norman Rockwell painting comes to mind.  We see a family sitting around a table, a very large, perfectly cooked turkey, dressing (stuffing), smiles and the mother still wearing her apron. 

When we hear the word “Thanksgiving”, we think about having the day off work (except for the people in the kitchen working for hours to prepare a meal that will be consumed in ten minutes), taking a nap after eating that turkey, football games, a dog show, and the long drive home with tired children.  Somewhere in there, we might actually go around and have everyone tell something they are thankful for.  That is if we can get it in during half time or a commercial.

Thanksgiving:  The forth Thursday in November.

vs

Giving:  To make a present of

Thanks:  Expression of gratitude

When I read the meaning of the words giving and thanks, I wondered if I have been doing it wrong all these years.  Over the years I have made it about me.

• I am so thankful for indoor plumbing.
• I am so thankful for family.
• I am thankful for sunrises and sunsets.
• I am – I am – I am.  It was all about me. 

But now?

TO MAKE A PRESENT OF OUR EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Can you hear me Lord?  Is my voice rising to your heavenly realm?

Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

My soul is smiling.  Can you see it reflected in my eyes?  Lord, God, I come before you with a song so full of joy it cannot be contained.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

You made me.  I am yours.  Shepherd, I rest in your pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

My thanksgiving is so strong no gate can keep me out and your courts will echo my praises.

I will raise my hands as I give you thanks and praise your name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Lord, as my grandmother prayed, so shall I pray.  Your faithfulness surrounded her and that faithfulness will surround my children and their children and their children.

AMEN.  AND AMEN.

Happy Giving Thanks Day!!!

A BATTLE

It seems appropriate that on a day to remember those that fought for our freedoms I write on another battle.

The battle for a soul. 

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants, “Quick!  Bring the best robe and put it on him.  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”  So they began to celebrate.

^“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

Luke 15:21-24, 31-32

I have always had trouble with this parable.  I could only see it through the eyes of the “I have always been here” brother.  This week I have been taught to see this through the eyes of the father.  I have held a broken son.

This week has not been the best week of my life, but I am realizing it is not the worst.  And actually might just be in the top ten best weeks.  Through the tears.  The hurt.  Through the love. While watching a son, broken by an addiction, move from a hidden life to the hope that chains can be broken, I know why the father ran to meet his son.  I know why he celebrated. 

What I would like to know is why the Bible left out what came after the celebration.  You see, I celebrate because my – our – son can go from lost to found.  Can go from darkness to light.  But it will take work.  I am sure the father in the parable did not agree with nor condone the younger son’s actions.  But I am also sure that the father, with love, made sure his son received the help he needed to find a new and right direction.

Our family does not agree with nor condone the choices our son has made.  But our family will stand together as he begins the journey to become the man God created him to be.

Right now, he will suffer because of the choices he has made and he will do battle with his demons.  Right now, we will do battle for his soul.

Yes, our son is a prodigal. 

Oh, wait.  So am I. 

The Lord told Saul (later renamed Paul):  I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Acts 26:17-18

We are all prodigals.  And we all have hope.  We can all turn from darkness to light.  We can all move from the power of Satan to God.  We can all receive forgiveness.  We all have a place!

And we all have a Father waiting with open arms to welcome us home and celebrate!

FROM THE PAGES OF A NOVEL

I love to read and often the words will draw a picture in my mind or on my heart.  Poor Bill!  When that happens, I say, “Listen to this.”  And then proceed to read to him.  It does not matter if he even listens.  I just want to hear the words and it feels silly to read out loud if no one is listening.

"The Wedding Chapel" by Rachel Hauck, gave me some things to think about.  Jack is one of the main characters and he has had a rough life.  He does not know what to do with emotions.  Or love.  Or letting go.

"parents?  That’s the crux of it right there.  Are you ready to give up being angry?  Because anytime you want to become a Gillingham, Jack, we’ll go down to the courthouse and make it all legal.”  

“I’m thirty years old, Sam.”

“I don’t care if you’re a hundred.  I’m telling you, I want you as my son.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know you are a son right before you become a father?”

Jack glanced at Sam, who nodded, then turned for the house.  “Take your time.”

He might have been gone, but his confession hung around the garage, drilling through Jack and tapping his tears.  “I want you as my son.”

“I want you as my son.”  Now that stopped Jack in his tracks because he did not know what to do with those words.  With those feelings.  How could anyone want him as a son?  He was not worthy.

Felling unworthy, Jack was in for another ride on the emotion roller coaster.  He was no good.  His life had been no good.  And then Jack heard:

"When you walked in, I knew you were the answer to our prayer.”

An answer to prayer.  Such a claim caused Jack to torque inside, messed with his right to be angry, to play the victim.  Because if the God of all looked after him, even used him to bless someone"

Now Jack was in trouble.  The walls he had built were starting to crumble.  The anger was starting to melt.  Jack questioned how he could be the answer to anyone’s prayer.  How could God use him?  If God was going to use him, what was he to do with the past?

"you have everything you need to heal from such a deep hurt, but you choose to keep walking around wounded.

As I read this book, I could see a broken man.  Broken by his father.  Dragging his hurt and bitterness into adulthood.  And he did not know what to do with kindness and love.  He did not understand how he could be the answer to a prayer.  He did not know how to heal.

Did Jack finally get it?  Of course!  It is a novel and readers want a happy ending.  But is a novel like real life?  Sometimes, no.  Sometimes, yes. 

This time?  The struggle part is very much like real life.  Is very much like our faith.

God wants us.  He tells us, over and over and over, that He loves us and wants us as His child.  But we struggle to understand that.  How can God love someone this broken and bitter and hurt?  And like Jack, we struggle with God telling us, “I want you.”

God uses us.  Now that really messes with our minds.  We wonder how God can use and believe in us when all we do is stay mad about what happened yesterday.  Or last week.  Or 30, 40 or 50 years ago.  Use me?  Me?  As a blessing to someone else.  We ask, “God, can you use me with all my problems and questions and …..?”  And, if you listen, you will hear God softly whisper, “Yes, child.  You!  I will use you.”

God heals us.  Healing is offered.  Healing is waiting to slip right into your heart.  Into your soul.  Into your mind.  The character in a book – just words on a page – changes in a few short paragraphs. Accepting healing in real life is not so easy.  Well, it is easy but we make it difficult.  God makes it easy.  Here is healing.  Take it.  Free!  We make it hard.  We do not want to give up being the victim.  We do not want to give up being angry.  Or hurt.  That would mean we would have to change.  And it is easier to choose to keep walking around wounded.

God wants you!     God will use you!     God can heal you!

How do you want your story to end?