Puzzling

Puzzles have been on my brain since I have to do them at work.  I never have been one to love putting puzzles together but my dad would sit for hours when he was sick and do the massive thousand pieces at the card table.  I'm not that ambitious, we started with a 100 and have worked up to 500 pieces puzzle.  It also helps if the picture is something you enjoy and look forward to finishing.  After a month of it I must say it has grown on me and I am getting better.

I was contemplating this week (while working on the puzzle lol) how life  and maybe God can be like a big puzzle and how exciting it is when you can fit pieces together and get closer to seeing the bigger picture.  How as in puzzles, life is easier when you have a blue print to look at as you construct and a starting foundation of getting all the edge pieces out first and building that boarder.  Sure you don't have to do it that way, some people prefer more of a challenge and like starting in the middle and not having the picture to go off of but I like a guide and knowing somewhat what I am striving for.

In life we don't always get the Big Picture until we are done but we do have a foundation to build on.  Not always the best mind you and often we have big holes that are works in progress looking for just that right fit to mend it all together.  Sometimes big bullies come along and tear down what we have already put together and we need to rebuild.  Sometimes it's God that does the tearing down because we were trying to jam two things together and leave it miss matching and he wants to help build that marvelous picture he has intended for us. How disappointing and painful that can be, frustrating but after the process is over and we see the out come it is well worth it.

Sometimes when I am working on the puzzle I get too focused on just one particular area and get exacerbated with myself when that little blob of white is not going with the rest of the blobs, I  just know that is a cloud and needs to be up that away.. gurr why won't it go.  After leaving the table and letting my eyes rest I come back and see it didn't go there at all, I was trying for the wrong place, it really was lace on a ladies skirt.. duh why didn't I see that.  I kind of equate that to prayer and fellowship, that resting and coming back refreshed and able to see clearer or a helpful word from a friend who may see things different from afar.  That exhilaration I get from snapping a section together is like that click in my spirit when a particular scripture speaks to me and helps me understand more.  Like the first time I understood when Jesus said on the Cross, "It is Finished" how meaningfull and freeing and drawing me closer to seeing a complete work that is being done within me.

I know all the pieces in my life won't just come together and I won't see all of the Big Picture until after my life is over.  For now we see in part and know in part.. but so far I have the boarder done, and am coming along with big sections.

How about you?

Tags: puzzles, life