Puzzling

Santa brought a puzzle to our house for Christmas. Only 500 pieces. A painting of birds on a snowy birdhouse. Nice colors. Fun for the family. (Except Brody, who can't imagine why anyone would want to sit around so long and do just "boring stuff.") We are of the straight edge school. You know, separate the edge pieces from the middle pieces and build the frame. Then work on the rest. I like to find groups of colors that I think will go together and work them outside the frame. And every time that I've got my little pile of sorted pieces, I keep searching for more like-pieces. It just seems that the little pile I have surely cannot be enough to make the picture I want to make. And so I spend time looking for the additional pieces that I'll "need" to complete the picture. But many puzzles later, I've realized that I (almost) always have all the pieces required right in front of me. Looking for more pieces in the bottom of the box is a waste of time. It would be a much better use of time to put together the pieces I do have. But I'm just "sure" that I need something else to complete the picture.

Don't we do that in life? We have what we need right in front of us. And yet we search for what we think we need to complete the picture, rather than using what is at the ready to begin piecing together the images of our life. Sure, sometimes a piece can be elusive. (Iris saved the day with this particular puzzle so that it didn't end up being the 499 piece almost completed puzzle.) But you can't really know for sure if something is missing until you put together what you already have. That's kind of what I'm doing now. Putting together the pieces I have - even feeling certain that at least one piece is missing - to see what picture comes together. God knows what I need. And to keep searching for possible missing pieces doesn't get life living. I need to trust His promises that He will supply my needs. He does and He will.

And my God will meet all your needs according
to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Light

Tonight was the Christmas program at church. The children all nicely dressed sat remarkably still until their turn to get on stage. They sang their song(s) and appropriately hammed it up. (What is it about a stage, anyway?!) Then the high school praise band took their place on stage and did a few songs. When they started, they turned on three light machines. You know those computer programmed light machines that move in sync with one another and throw moving images around at the ceiling, walls, floors, or faces of anyone who is in the way. Pretty cool equipment for a high school church band!

But, lucky me. I was sitting directly behind the two rows of 4-year-olds and Kindergartners. Their initial response to the lighting was audible! Then they were on their feet with their backs to the stage. The live band members, live singers and giant images on huge video screens were NOTHING compared to the dancing lights. For three full songs, these kids were mesmerized. They were drawn into the light. To them, it was alive. It moved. It changed. It shone. In fact, one of the lead singers invited the children to join the band on stage. The kids didn't care. What was a stage to this wonderful, beautiful living light?!

Suddenly several thoughts came crashing into my head.
       "Unless you are as little children..."
          "Let there be LIGHT!"
     "...Light of the world..."
      "In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
        The light shines in the darkness..."

And I smiled. The children showed me. They showed me the immense joy of simply enjoying being in the presence of the Light. The Light of the world that shines in the darkness, that the darkness does not understand. I don't have to understand the Light to bask in Its glory. To be warmed by its heat. To see what It illuminates. The other stuff that stands in the darkness is insignificant when I focus on the Light.

Of course, the darkness is still there. We live in a fallen world. But His Light Shines. Let the Light of His Love wrap around you and shield you from the darkness. Be comforted by Its warmth. Be comforted by Its presence.