Welcome! My nephew and niece gave us a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas and the table in my room has become Puzzle Central! I find it encouraging seeing the creative determination of our puzzlers.
They study and sort pieces. Every piece is necessary and important. Each piece has to find its place, no matter how puzzling the process, to fit perfectly to reveal a complete picture.
Yesterday, my youngest daughter attended an interment service at the Willamette National Cemetery for the father of a young friend whose dad died a few days before Thanksgiving. My daughter took some carnations and left some at my husband's interment site which was near the site of her friend's father, and then brought some flowers home for me, knowing that the death of her friend's father reminded me of my husband's death for many reasons. Both men had been in the Navy, and died at the age of 64 of similar physical causes, and both men had puzzled some of those around them by imperfectly being Christ followers.
One of the presents Halley received for Christmas is a potholder loom. She quickly understood how to weave the loops to form a pretty pattern, but weaving the loops off the loom has been very puzzling for her.
On Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, I met with my monthly art group. Our facilitator brought a
gelli-plate pad for us to use. We puzzled about how best to use it, putting drops of paint on it, rolling the drops, spraying water on the result, and then rolling plain papers over the surface to transfer the paint onto the papers.
Our facilitator made some folk art angel forms we could copy, but most of us launched out from her idea to create our own angel forms.
I told our facilitator that my angels make me think of, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:13-14 NKJV...the story of how the angels sang when Jesus Christ was born!
This morning, the last in 2015, I read the prophesy written before Christ's birth. " For unto us a child is born. Unto us a child is given. And the government will be on his shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
In our war torn world troubled by natural and man made catastrophes I thought how much I want and we need the Prince of Peace with the government on His shoulder! I puzzle about how this can ever be...
Then I read what Christ said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. My peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid." John 14:26-27 NKJV
Somehow as I sort through the pieces of life and and fit a few more in place, in my thinking at least, I see glimpses of the beautiful picture they were meant to create. My own little piece is an imperfect challenging shape to wiggle into place, but I do try to do my best and find joy in the process. I stitch. I type. I paint. I cook. I color. I serve. I see. I hear. I feel. I learn. I hope. I love. I pray...
In 2016, may The Lord bless You and Yours and all His creation...
Gracie xx
