What was that I said about Broken Pieces?

Maybe I’m still stuck on “broken” pieces after my escapades with a broken hand figurine and Amazon (Friday post/blog). I remembered another story of a broken figurine that reminds me of the broken people in our world. After my daughter, Staci, wrote and recorded her song, “Brand New Life” which talks about how Jesus forgave the broken woman caught in the act of adultery, I gave her this figurine shown here. (This is her song which speaks of broken to brand new -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mne_vZm6SqY )

In their move to Washington from Oklahoma, the statute was broken into many pieces. She embarked on the task to put Jesus and the woman back together again, piece by piece. She literally put Jesus’ members back together again. She remarked “And this is what Jesus wants us to be doing – to “re-member” HIS broken body (the Body of Christ) by bringing us together.

I thought about the brokenness in our world right now. We need our Master Repair Man to put us back together again. It seems like a daunting task – especially in these troubled, broken times when many of God’s children are breaking each other apart with words and actions. When I say “God’s children” – those are all of mankind. They don’t all call Him Father, but He calls everyone His children. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

He’s had us in “time out” since early March and you would think, by now, that we would have learned our lessons well. But, it seems like our punishment hasn’t gotten through to us because so many are still rebellious, nasty-talking and nasty-acting out like spoiled rascals. Back to who the blame goes to -- it is the enemy of our souls whose sole aim is to break us apart, keep us apart and steal our joy, our peace, and our love for each other. We are a broken generation that needs to be repaired and our broken hearts to be mended.

Oh, but never fear – Jesus is here! He said about the Father, “He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted” (Luke 4:18). And He does that in partnership with His trustworthy and devoted-to-Him, bought-with-a-price royal children who suit-up and show up on the front lines. We are His hands extended to broken hearts to be PEACE-makers in their lives as we emulate God’s peace in our own lives. Jesus allowed His body to be broken for you and me. Isn’t it time we do everything we can to BE the Body of Christ who does everything we can to heal the brokenness in our world with His love and peace?

Did God Put His Kids in Time Out?

I watched Andrea Pacelli’s awe-inspiring Easter concert online on Sunday from the Cathedral of Milan. As magnifico as it was, I couldn’t help but think about the thousands who would usually attend one of his concerts. But this day, the Cathedral was empty, save Andrea and the organist. I noticed the empty streets in that bustling city where crowds come to visit the magnificent architecture and art everywhere. My husband and I were among the thousands there, entralled by this city's beauty, on our 40th anniversary cruise.

A couple of weeks ago, right in the middle of this shelter-in-place, I went to a doctor appointment and noticed how empty the streets were here. I thought to myself “It seems like a Sunday when so many folks stay home.” Then I started thinking about the Sabbath day that God specifically called for in the Ten Commandments #4 to be exact: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Have we kept this day holy? My musings continued: "What if God allowed this pandemic to get us shaped up and back to the main thing of being His devoted and consecrated people?" Like any good parent who loves their kids too much to let them keep on disobeying, maybe He was put out with our disobedience and slack in our observance of the Ten Commandments. And, He called for a “time-out” for us to reconsider our ways.

So, let’s just say that’s a truth – then what do good kids do while they’re in time out? I remember my daughter put her kids in time out, with an added-on discipline of writing a scripture verse at least ten times that represented their “infraction”. I also remember the necessity of apologizing to the one (usually her brother and vice versa) who had been the recipient of the naughtiness.

So what are we doing in this time-out? Especially, if we sensed in any way, that our Heavenly Father might be disciplining His kids? Proverbs 3:11-12 says “My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the LORD reproves Him whom He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

I'm sure God wants us to get along better. Maybe He wants us to “lie down in green pastures so He could restore our souls” (Psalm 23:4). Maybe He wants us to use our minds for creativity and ingenuity. Maybe He wants us to seek Him more. And so many of us have done that – we’ve been on daily prayer regimens, been a part of encouragement to others via Zoom-type meetings, and not missing a beat on attending church because we’ve watched on-line church.

As parents, we want our kids to learn from their mistakes, and when they do, there are so many rewards for those kiddos. I really think God nudged St. Paul’s writings with these words: “ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28) Our good, good Father knows best. He IS working out these times for our good. I just know it.

I’m doing my best to be my most faith-filled daughter to Him during my time out! I want to make my Father proud that I’ve learned my lessons well. How about you?

It's Time to Take a Time-Out!

My hands are in the time-out “T” sign right now, and I’m saying “We need to take a time-out!" That’s what I was doing last Sunday when my family introduced me to “their own new family rules” of playing UNO. Of course, they had been mastering their new rules, so I, the newcomer to this source of a high-stress way of playing a simple game that had simple-to-follow rules, was in overload. I kept pleading “TIME-OUT” using those hand signals, especially when they’d say (because of their new rules) “Nana, take a card. Take another card.” That was because their new rules included if a “7” is thrown out, you can’t talk until another “7” is thrown out. Well, of course, my hand was full of cards because I couldn’t help myself. I had to talk! That’s when my time-out “T” sign came out!

Whew! And, isn’t that what we need to do in this world of “He said. She said. They said.” And, “It’s his/her fault.” TIME-OUT! Thankfully, the mid-term elections are over. We made it! It was a tough one. People took sides on every issue under the sun, armed themselves with opinions and rights and offenses and wrongs, and proceeded to hurl word-grenades at each other, one after another, until the air became so thick with anger and frustration that we could barely see what they were fighting for. I silenced my TV or fast-forwarded through campaign rhetoric. I didn’t want to see another campaign speech that degraded another opponent. I'm just done with "those rules of improper behavior and lack of respect for our fellow man".

But even when we’re not in an election season, it can still be easy to get so worked up over a spoken word that we forget the person on the other side of our words. I know when it’s time to take a TIME-OUT and “refresh” like I refresh my computer when it gets stuck.

When I “refresh” after a time-out, I realize that I’m the product of my upbringing, my faith, my environment. Other people were brought up differently from my world. Other people have opinions based on their own core values and opinions. As wrong as their opinions and values seem to me, they still deserve my respect. It’s time for me to remember that I’m VERY human myself and that all of those people are God’s children, too. It’s time for me to ask Him for a heart to love them.

Today, let’s ask God for eyes to see His children the way He does — and the patience to put up with them like He does, especially when they seem “particularly CRAZEE!!!” Just like playing my family’s new version of UNO and when I needed a time-out, it’s TIME to take a TIME-OUT when you need one (and I promise to do the same), and let’s be grateful for everyone who loves us on our particularly CRAZEE days, too.

“May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.”
{1 Thessalonians 3:12}