All the Pieces

I like puzzles. I always have. And the more complicated, the better. As a kid I was so bored of my puzzles, I would get them out all at once, dump the pieces from all three or four of them, mix them up really good and then put the puzzles together. When I graduated to a full 500-piece puzzle (instead of five 100-piece puzzles mixed together), I was very proud of myself. Sometimes trying to challenge myself will get me into trouble. I don’t think I’ll ever forget my Titanic puzzle: 800-pieces of a black sea against a night sky, with a mere 200-pieces making up the ship. If only that ship had sunk in broad daylight near a beautiful tropical island. Then it wouldn’t have taken me four months to piece it together.

I also like puzzles in life. That’s why the favorite part of my present job is cabin assignments: take 200 kids and split them evenly into 20 cabins, making sure they are with at least two of their friends. I see things in my life as a puzzle – different things that have to come together to make a whole. Of course, the infinite God doesn’t see life as a puzzle since He dwells in eternity and sees it all at once. No pieces required. But because I am finite, I often see His hand as putting pieces in my puzzle.

Putting together a wedding can be like a puzzle. And even though I am happy to say most of the pieces are in, there are still several pieces (probably belonging to the sky – the part we always seem to put together last) that are waiting to find their places. One of these was serving the drinks. Camp has a large beverage dispenser that is very nice and has a tube for ice down the middle. During women-related retreats, it comes out and the kitchen staff fill sit with water and floats various kinds of fruit on top. When I looked for one on-line, I found it wasn’t that expensive and Mom thought it would be a good $25 investment (especially if my siblings get married and need it – that’s $6 a wedding). But the question in my mind was how to serve the punch. I didn’t want to purchase another dispenser and I find it awkward asking Ed to ask women I don’t even know to borrow various things from their kitchens. I confess I didn’t see this as important enough to pray over…just gnaw over when it crossed my mind.

But God knows all things. A couple of weeks ago, Ed called me on his way home from Bible study and told me someone had given us a punch bowl. A guy and his sister at his Bible study wanted to get rid of it, and Ed shrugged and said, “Why not?” Now a punch bowl was not on my registry, but I actually did need one! And there it was (complete with glasses and serving spoon) clanging on the seat next to Ed in his truck. A piece to the puzzle.

A punch bowl can seem like a very small thing. And who knows when the next time I use it shall be after the wedding. (Years?) But it has been a great encouragement to me. For there are some big pieces staring me in the face, almost mocking me as the days to the wedding get closer and closer. Am I going to find a job? What kind of job is it going to be? Will it be an asset to my marriage? Where are we going to live? In Ed’s small apartment or can we manage to afford someplace closer to where he works? These are not pieces that will fit into a day and be over (like a wedding dress or flower girl baskets). These are questions that will be very important parts to the life Ed and I will be building together.

And God knows. If God knows about a little punch bowl, then of course He knows about the need for a job. Or how nice it would be if Ed didn’t have to drive so far to work every day. I can trust Him. He will put these pieces together. And grow my faith.