What is PUZZLING You?

Fun photo of my Larry and Staci working hard on a jigsaw puzzle together. Not! Not the puzzle because it was lying there waiting for attention, but asking these two, who were very busy working at their computers, to pretend they had the time on this day to find a few pieces and connect them. They helped me stage my inspiration for today's blog.

It isn’t out-of-the-ordinary for this family to have a jigsaw puzzle going at the end of their kitchen island. And I have been known to add to the continuation of the fun by gifting another one to them. I’m catering to my own enjoyment of finding a few pieces to add to the project when I stop by. But, this recent puzzle has been sitting on their island since I gifted it to them for Valentine’s. The border is done (that’s the easy part) with some added pieces, but progress has been slow with this one. Why?

This jigsaw puzzle is lenticular which means the image has an illusion of depth and changes when viewed from different angles. In other words, what I saw as a fun opportunity to expand our horizons, has become an “eye-sore” – literally. The way the light hits the variegated shiny pieces, you have to move your head back and forth to not only see the angles of the pieces to match a partner piece, but the colors are so skewed, your eyes get sore just looking at it. I offered to take the puzzle back, but, as in anything they do, they are up for the challenge! In the meantime, we are all puzzled by this puzzle!

Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday starts the season of Lent when we have the opportunity to work on the skewed, difficult-to-reason-out pieces of our lives – those “eye-sore” pieces and welcome this time of seeking God for a clean slate and being transformed to who He desires us to be. We will receive ashes on our foreheads, in the form of the cross. We will be thinking, “I welcome transformation. I welcome You, Lord, to cleanse and purify me as I approach Good Friday when your Son paid the ultimate price for me. I welcome Resurrection Sunday when I rose with Him into the abundant life He promised to give me as I walk faithfully with Him."

Yes, as with the jigsaw puzzle, life can present "puzzling" challenges and "puzzling" situations, but when we submit to His desires for us to be renewed and transformed, our Master Creator steps in and gives us His wisdom for handling the challenges and He'll be sure to help us finish OUR "life" puzzle with all pieces intact -- and it will be JUST as He planned it to be!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2