Sunday Reflection: I’m puzzled

Once a year, I leisurely put together a jigsaw puzzle. I don’t know why I want to solve a puzzle, but I do it. And I don’t like giving full price for them. Like my daughter, the Frugal Shrink, I feel that for some things you give full price, but for other purchases, why pay full price when you can find it gently used or on sale.
One time, my daughter found me a beautiful puzzle. Vintage.  It had a 1970’s scene on it. There was only one problem. After laboring over it for months, the last piece was—missing. This project would never meet my expectations.
 
All kinds of emotions flowed through me over a SILLY puzzle.
  • Should I have counted the pieces?
  • Should I have bought new?
  • All my hard work was for nothing.
  • Once again, I’d failed at something.
Have you ever felt like that? You work hard on a project and when you think you’re home free, that success is heading your way, it's not. 
 
  • Bosses don’t appreciate the work your do.
  • The college degree you achieved means little to others.
  • The money you’ve saved for something important now must go to an emergency and you’re wiped out.  
  • Your heart is finally healed, and someone busts it wide open again.
  • You’re headed for the finish line. The end is in sight. But at the last second, someone from behind races past you to claim your victory.
You hang your head in defeat.
 
You feel like giving up and vow never to try again. Then deep within your soul, a small flame of hope sparks and feeds the voice of encouragement that says, “Don’t give up.  You can do it.”

 

"Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 31:28-31 NIV

 

Don't give up!

 

Blessings,

Teresa 

 

 

Scripture: Holy Bible, Biblegateway.com

Comments

Deb Shucka said…
What a wonderful and powerful connection you make here between that missing puzzle piece and the challenges of living a fully present life. Thank you for this.
Wonderful message today!
I bet God knows where that final puzzle piece is hidden.
Pat Hatt said…
Damn, that would sure annoy my ocd, one piece hmph, how rude. Oh yes, felt many of those a time or ten
JoJo said…
Boy I hear ya!!! I won't buy used jigsaws either b/c of the possible missing piece issue. And yes, the money thing...back in June I'd sold some coins & jewelry, and walked away with a pretty penny and visions of how I was going to spend it. Then the truck broke down and required a $4,000 repair, plus the $2,000 in re-registration, PLUS our monthly bills. I had no choice but to fork over my entire windfall. I was absolutely crushed, but if I hadn't, we would have sunk like a stone and spent the rest of the summer trying to catch up. So when I sold the rest of the coins, I used the money on the camera I wanted and a new laptop for Russell!!!
Arlee Bird said…
Someday all the pieces of our lives will come together and we'll find that nothing was really missing, we just we're looking in the right places.

Good message.

Lee
Wrote By Rote
Thanks for blessing us with these beautiful words!
Writer In Transit

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