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"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." (Philippians 4:11 NIV)
I have been hunting for a good puzzle. One that is pretty but yet somewhat easy for these old eyes to see. Our long winter nights has caused me to start my search for something to do to pass the time. I want a good one that fits together nicely and most definitely, I want one with all the pieces. Nothing worse than getting done only to find you are missing a vital piece.
If I were to put my life together as a picture puzzle, it surely wouldn’t be my idea of the perfect puzzle. I can see one thing in my mind’s eye but in reality my puzzle would be flawed as I am.
I might see myself as a dignified, pleasantly plump, gray haired, older lady but reality might play havoc on that idea. Oh pleasantly plump might be a slight understatement and forget the dignified part all together.
In the background might be a church, my family and the perfect retirement It might picture me going into the church to worship with a radiance on my face. I am less than “radiant” when I walk through the church doors. My, “got up on the wrong side of the bed”, piece of the puzzle just does not fit no matter how I try to push it into my perfect puzzle scene.
In my beautiful puzzle, my family looks adoring at their always in control mother, not controlling… but in control. My puzzle never shows the mother who sometimes fails. The one who puts her two cents in where its not wanted, the one who is stuck in an era “the good ole days”, or the one who is impatient with anyone who disagrees with her. Wow, that piece, is like me, has little knobs in all the wrong places.
Retirement! There I am riding in my new RV on the way to see the world! Why did “kum ba yah” just pop into my head? Probably those campfires I sit around while camping all over the US! See me there on one of my cruises! How about all those projects I have finished? My, my where is my hammer to pound that puzzle piece into place.
No, my puzzle doesn’t reflect real life or at least real life all the time. Regardless of the above statements, I find great joy in my life as long as I depend on the creator of my life. I enjoy my church and without fail I look forward to worshiping my Savior. My husband and family bring me so much joy, even if I don’t deserve it sometimes. And retirement, I love it! I have no RV to travel the country, I can still hope, but for now, my morning coffee tastes so wonderful, as I can take time to enjoy it thoroughly! Cruises? Even though I would love it, I have yet to go on one, but I have time to “cruise” through my bible and take as much time as I want studying. Those many project I thought I would do will probably not get done. But life is good! God is good! And even if all the “pieces” don’t fit into my perfect puzzle, I am a happy camper (no pun intended)!
And that final “piece” of my puzzle? It’s not missing, I left that one with the one who knows me best and loves me most! Thank you, Jesus! Jesus knows me, this I love!
Jeanie Nihiser
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