Life is full of pieces. I am talking here about all the different parts of our lives that make up the whole enchilada. Sorry, living in Texas can bring out the Tex-Mex in just about anyone. There's just a whole lotta salsa down in these-here parts. But that being said, truly I am not talking beans and rice here. I am talking about the day-in, day-out, nitty gritty pieces of life that make up who we are. Who we REALLY are. How are all of your pieces fitting together? Do you have your puzzle finished? Doesn't it sometimes feel like right about the time, after you have struggled and labored and given yourself entirely over to setting each piece in place, and you are almost ready to put in the last piece, and enjoy that satisfaction of completion, someone comes along and bumps the table, and you have to start over again? Maybe not the entire puzzle was broken, but it was disrupted just enough to cause you frustration and maybe you just had to walk away for awhile before you had the courage to face it again?
Maybe I am alone in this. Maybe all of you, my friends, family, and blog-following encouragers are basking in the satisfaction of having all of the pieces of your life, your "puzzle", neatly in place. Well, as we say in Portuguese...."Parabens!" aka "Congratulations!" For those of you, who like me and my family, have ventured into enough unfamiliar territory as to most definitely NOT have your puzzle finished, I am just wondering......maybe this is a good thing?????
I, Robbyn, am struggling with my puzzle. It is complicated. Too many pieces for me really. What would be easier is just a simple 24-piece Sponge Bob Square Pants for ages 3 and up if you get my drift. Trying to get all the pieces of my life to come together and knowing how each part fits is just plain hard. Figuring out how to spend time in this country and making a life and living here while at the same time having a heart called to Brazil is drawing me nearer, and nearer to my ever-faithful God. It is causing me to try to clear out the distractions of this busy world and truly open my ears to the voice of my Savior. Only he knows how the puzzle will look when it is finished. Only he knows that in the process of continuing to perservere, overcoming my frustration and fear, and leaning in closely to him, I will truly see that he knows exactly what it's going to look like. And I'm thinking it's gonna be good.
Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Blessings,
Robbyn for the Hanstads
