I was playing with my grandson, Jonathan, on the floor today. We were having the best time! (Primarily because he is so handsome and extremely smart and winsome and obedient and....well, you get the idea). One of our toys was one of those wooden peg / hammer things. You know what I mean - the colored pegs fit into nice snug holes and you can hammer them in. And out. And in. And out. Again. And again. It's a lot of fun.
Except that we have misplaced one of the pegs. That empty hole doesn't bother Jonathan too much but it drives me crazy. I keep looking under furniture, on the porch, in the toy box, trying frantically to locate that missing peg. No such luck.
As I crawled around on the floor, I pondered my peculiar obsession against missing pieces. I don't like incomplete puzzles. Or unattractively mismatched china. Or broken door handles. Or light bulbs that need replacing. Or holes in my screen door. Or books with the covers torn off. Or toys without all their proper attachments. Shabby chic, I like. Missing pieces - not so much.
This quirk of my personality is probably a physical manifestation of my emotional state. I prefer Hallmark movies to horror flicks. Fairy tales to reality shows. And I surely do wish that "happily ever after" applied to here and now. My heart is broken continually over Mommies that get cancer...and Mommies who leave their children willingly. Over Daddies who valiantly serve their country across the ocean from their families....and Daddies who selfishly abandon their families in hopes of something better. Over children lost to seasons of life...or devastating decisions...or the grave. Over babies who need a home....and scared would-be Moms who are not given hope and encouragement and support. Over marriages that break....and especially over the partner left crying with the glue in her hand, hoping for one last chance to try and fix it. Over families and friends hurt by sin....and over the sinner that needs fixing in all of us.
I want so badly for life to go well all the time for all of us. I don't like it when it doesn't. I don't like it when things don't fit right. I want all the puzzle pieces to be there and make the picture complete.
I have yet to find that missing peg. But, as I searched through the dust bunnies under the sofa, the Holy Spirit reminded me that, in the midst of lost puzzles pieces, and AWOL people, and broken hearts, "In HIM all things hold together" Colossians 1:17. And when life's more like a horror film than a Hallmark movie, He will hold onto me. And you. And He will hold us together. Amen
Except that we have misplaced one of the pegs. That empty hole doesn't bother Jonathan too much but it drives me crazy. I keep looking under furniture, on the porch, in the toy box, trying frantically to locate that missing peg. No such luck.
As I crawled around on the floor, I pondered my peculiar obsession against missing pieces. I don't like incomplete puzzles. Or unattractively mismatched china. Or broken door handles. Or light bulbs that need replacing. Or holes in my screen door. Or books with the covers torn off. Or toys without all their proper attachments. Shabby chic, I like. Missing pieces - not so much.
This quirk of my personality is probably a physical manifestation of my emotional state. I prefer Hallmark movies to horror flicks. Fairy tales to reality shows. And I surely do wish that "happily ever after" applied to here and now. My heart is broken continually over Mommies that get cancer...and Mommies who leave their children willingly. Over Daddies who valiantly serve their country across the ocean from their families....and Daddies who selfishly abandon their families in hopes of something better. Over children lost to seasons of life...or devastating decisions...or the grave. Over babies who need a home....and scared would-be Moms who are not given hope and encouragement and support. Over marriages that break....and especially over the partner left crying with the glue in her hand, hoping for one last chance to try and fix it. Over families and friends hurt by sin....and over the sinner that needs fixing in all of us.
I want so badly for life to go well all the time for all of us. I don't like it when it doesn't. I don't like it when things don't fit right. I want all the puzzle pieces to be there and make the picture complete.
I have yet to find that missing peg. But, as I searched through the dust bunnies under the sofa, the Holy Spirit reminded me that, in the midst of lost puzzles pieces, and AWOL people, and broken hearts, "In HIM all things hold together" Colossians 1:17. And when life's more like a horror film than a Hallmark movie, He will hold onto me. And you. And He will hold us together. Amen