The Next Piece

She was ready to give up. The 1,000 piece puzzle with a nature scene was too daunting to even think about completing. I told her not to call it quits.

Two weeks later, I was hardly in the back door when Ms. Donna ushered me to the puzzle on the dining room table.

"Look at how much we've gotten done!"

Their progress had more than doubled. The remaining pieces were sorted by approximate color.

I went to work. We chatted loosely and ate chips while we fingered every single piece of the puzzle.

Some where instant fits. Others seemed to go to a different puzzle. Sometimes we'd get two or six in a row. Sometimes we'd have minutes where nothing worked.

Those were the worst. The times you begin to say, "Surely there's something better I could be doing with this Sunday afternoon. Why am I even here doing this? It's just going to go back in the box when we're done anyway."

And then you'd get a piece to fit correctly. Maybe even two. Or sometimes it would be more minutes before another piece worked.

Yet still hope had been renewed; we found the strength and determination to continue.

I began to pray:

God, I don't want to see the cover of the puzzle box. I don't know what the final scene will look like, and I'm ok with that. I just want the strength to be able to say, "I can do this for another day because I know You're with me."

Some puzzle pieces are instant, easy, obvious fits. Those are my favorites.

Some take a little more work. Some you're not even convinced belong to the right puzzle. Either way, I'm ready for the next piece.

I will complete this life puzzle, one lousy piece at a time.

The final product will be worth it.

<>< Katie

Bug Bites

"Let's bless the food," Neal said.

"Daddy, will you pray for my bug bites to stop hurting?" asked his five year old daughter.

He nodded and blessed our food, making no mention of her bug bites.

A few hours later, our mission team was sharing about what God has done in our lives since we've returned from Nicaragua.  She raised her hand and again asked that he pray for her bug bites.

Neal kindly put his finger over his mouth signaling for her to be quiet.

Five year olds aren't very good at being quiet.  She tried.  She cuddled with a college student.  She sat in her mother's lap.  She again asked that we pray for her bug bites.

I could not help but admire her persistence.  And her faith! She knew her bug bites were itchy and rather than begging her mom for anti-itch cream, she begged her dad for prayer.

I know all too often we prefer prayer to be the last result.  We don't want to go to God with requests we think too minute to bother an Eternal God with.

First Thessalonians tells us to pray without ceasing.  I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean "only pray after you've tried to fix the problem yourself."  I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean "only pray about important things."  I'm pretty sure pray without ceasing means pray always, always present your requests and concerns to God, hold constant conversation with Him.

Before the night was out, we did pray for her bug bites.  And God didn't think her request petty.

<>< Katie

Persistence Pays Off

There almost was no blog today because I've been entertaining all day. The only time I've had to be alone is when I've snuck in to the den to play Bejeweled Blitz (Yes, I am addicted to that facebook game). That is... until everyone was fixing to leave and we had a very important moment.

Every time we say goodbye in my family we always end up wrestling. Yes, there are a few reminders of our latest line, "No time for the ER on Christmas." It's not Christmas anymore, folks. Punching, hitting, flicking, and karate chopping is all legal. Right after we hug, I become the recipient of one of these things from my uncle. The problem is that he forgets I'm a girl and hits just a little too hard. I cry, he tells me I need to work on my speed, I grab his hat and disappear until I'm ready to forgive him. Anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes later (yes, this is all while we've got coats on and are saying goodbyes) I come back and return the hat; he hugs me again (without hurting me). I've gotten a lot of self-defense lessons while fighting back tears. This has been happening for years; it's normal.

Today when we hugged he was holding a few boxes for Ziploc bags. After the hug, he picked up one of the boxes and went to hit me on the shoulder. With my left hand I grabbed the box and with my right hand I stole his hat. We stood there staring at each other both in shock.

I did it! I finally did it! I don't have any idea how it happened but the persistence paid off! Yes, I'm going to toot my own horn with this blog, but you have no idea how big of a deal this is! For my entire life I've been playfully beat up as part of "good-bye," and I finally was able to stand my ground!

<>< Katie

Persistence and Insistence

I had the opportunity to witness family life again this weekend and it was good. :-)

The youngest son spend quite a while leaping off of the couch attempting to retrieve a lady bug from the ceiling. Eventually he was successful and ran to show his parents in the kitchen.

"Look, Dad! He's not dead anymore!" The son stretched out his finger allowing his father to take a closer look at the ladybug stretching his wings.
"I don't know; I think he's dead," the father teased.
"No! Dad! Look! He's not dead! He's moving!"
"I don't think he's really moving; I think it's your imagination."
"NO! DAD! LOOK!!" The son insisted.

Eventually the lady bug flew up right into the father's face and onto the window.

"You were right, son!" the father admitted as they both watched the ladybug explore his new freedom.

Like the son worked persistently to retrieve the bug, we have to persevere in life. Even once we're successful, there will be skeptics telling us we're wrong. However, in the end, our efforts will not be futile because God is faithful.

This most certainly is true. :-)

<>< Katie

"More than that we rejoice in our sufferings because we know sufferings produce endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us down to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5