Seeing light through the brokenness

With a 1 year old, I have the opportunity to see a lot more of the various places within the church than just the back pew. (Read: My child can get noisy; to settle her and not have to leave the church, we move around.🙂) One place we have been frequently visiting these days while in Mass are all the stained glass windows. Up close, the stained glass looks like simply broken pieces and nothing more.

Eventually, when we get back to our pew, you can see the light streaming through all the pieces. The image they all create together is so beautiful! The jagged edges define and help make the picture what it is - a piece of art. It is not simply broken glass on the wall.

Each one of us has our own brokenness - loss of a loved one, past hurts, our sins, our weaknesses, our bad habits, illness, and the list can go on and on. Regardless of whatever brokenness you have, God shines light through you and uses you to show a unique beauty. Allow God to transform those broken pieces into a masterpiece. The way God may do it in your life may be the total opposite of your family or friends. And perhaps right now, the brokenness is too fresh or too recent that you are still standing right next to it to see the whole image-and that is okay. God puts us right where we need to be.

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Dear God, 

Allow your light to shine through all our brokenness. Allow us the graces to see the beauty in ourselves and others despite the broken parts. 

In your name,

Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

For your listening: Art in Me by Jars of Clay 

Playing Peek-A-Boo with Passing Cars

Most days of the week my 1 year old daughter and I go for a walk after getting home from school as a way to unwind and get some fresh air. I get in her in the stroller and if it is cold I wrap a blanket around her before going. Recently on a walk, she decided she was going to use the blanket to play Peek-A-Boo with the cars. She would pull up the blanket over her head and then pull it down and squeal with excitement at the random cars passing by. She was giggling and smiling big doing this for several minutes. After chuckling to myself, I finally told her, "I don't think the drivers know they are playing Peek-A-Boo with you." And yet, she continued to play Peek-A-Boo with the cars.

Then, it dawned on me, sometimes there are amazing things happening around me that God is providing to make me smile or bring me joy but I'm too busy passing by to notice. The little things like the leaves changing to the most vibrant colors or the cool breeze on a warm day to bring some little joys to the day I can easily miss. How many little things do I miss because I'm hustling to the next thing? How many little moments does God reveal Himself to me but miss it?

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Thank you God for the little moments you give to me that make me smile! Thank you for the beautiful fall days with gorgeous trees and great weather. I thank you for a wonderful daughter that helps remind me in the small ways of your love for me. Thank you God for all these amazing blessings you have given to me! 

Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,

Elizabeth

Under construction

Doesn't it seem that everywhere these days there is construction happening? The main street I drive on for work and church has been having construction the past several months. Our gym is doing some major construction to expand and update for the foreseeable future. Even our daughter's sitter was having some construction completed at her new house before fully moving in.

During times of construction there are unfamiliar detours and unexpected changes. There are also possible delays and potential for frustration as well as annoyances. Sometimes it seems like nothing is being done or has been done in weeks - that pile of rubble is still sitting on the side of the road and there does not seem to be any sign of people working. They said it would be only 2 weeks and it turned into 2 months. The unexpected detour makes your drive significantly longer and causes you to be late.

Once the construction is completed, it is always exciting and a relief. The finished product is usually wonderful and so much better than it was before. We almost have this moment of amnesia forgetting the construction it took to get there and continue on with our lives.

I often think that God has us all under construction for something in our lives to help us become a better version of ourselves. Perhaps we are under construction on improving our habits (i.e. eating a more balanced diet, exercise, etc.) or dealing with a challenge in our family, in our friendships, or at work. There are some times that it feels like God isn't working in our lives, but trust me...in those small ways you cannot even see He is doing so much. Or perhaps God is calling us to go on a detour so we have the opportunity to see and experience something we would not have otherwise. God has all the blue prints and plans knowing full well what the end product for each of us will be. The person that God has in mind for who we can be is even better than we can imagine.

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Lord God,

Help us during our times of construction to be patient with ourselves and others. When we are fearful of the detours you are taking us on because of the unfamiliarity, give us comfort and peace. Help us to remember that there is an ending and that one day we will look back and see how far we have come. Thank you Lord for constantly working in our lives.

Amen.

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Simply a little pencil in God's hand,
Elizabeth