When my kids were younger we did a lot of puzzles together.
We loved the ones that use the Photomosaic
process in which thousands of small, colorful images are
blended to create a larger picture. It was so cool to see it all come together!
I got to thinking about
the outside of the puzzle box. Without it, I would have been very lost because
it tells you exactly what the final product should look like. It shows how each
little tiny piece fit together to create this masterpiece.
Then I thought about what
if there was a picture, the outside of a puzzle box that could capture the sum
of my life? All the little pieces, my experiences, relationships, my thoughts,
beliefs, values, actions, even my hurts, coming together to tell the story of
who I am and what I am about? What would I want that picture to look like? Who
would I want to be in it?
This was not easy and a
little uncomfortable to think about. Would I want some of the horrible times to be erased or
hidden? What if I left something important out? What if the picture in my head
looked different from the one others would describe? Because honestly some
days, most days, I am just trying to keep my head above water, just trying to
survive the daily chaos.
With tears in my eyes, I
bowed my head and thought, “Lord, what is my life really about?” ~~Kimberley, you can paint your life anyway you
choose! But remember, you will have to be intentional because your vision for
your life can get very blurry quickly. It is easy to lose focus and start
living a different life other than the one you really want!
My Puzzle Box would look like this: I want there to be a huge cross in the middle
with Jesus standing in front of it with his arms opened wide. I would be
kneeling at his feet with tears in my eyes at seeing my Savior and being in his
presence. All around me would be pictures of the people in my life who I have
loved, who loved and supported me, journeyed with me, and touched my life,
however brief. It would be a collection of snapshots of love! I wouldn't hide
the ugly parts because for better or worse they are part of me, but I would
make them very faint, in the background, because they definitely don’t DEFINE
me!
The words at the bottom
would come from Jesus, “Kimberley, well done my faithful servant. Your journey
was messy and far from perfect but you fought the good fight to spread the news
about me. You were passionate about your family and telling your story. You
refused to quit, no matter what the cost. You spent your life trying to understand
the beauty and grace of the cross!”
What do you want the outside of your box to
look like? What does your life stand for?
“For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us new in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned
for us long ago.”
