Pieces

This is the tile on my kitchen backsplash, each piece of stone that shaped by different elements and events, tools, into little tiles, sized approximately the same, to be grouted together to form my backsplash. 

I love that backsplash.  I love looking at all the different squares, touching them, seeing the many colors throughout each tile, feeling the ridges and smoothness and sharpness, seeing how the light plays over each one different, noticing that some edges are pretty squared while others seem chipped or broken or rounded.  There are cracks and pocks, veins of color and what appears to be different types of rock within, spots and freckles and discolorations that add character, create a story of sorts. 

The pieces that make up this backsplash make me think of how God is with us when we’re in pieces, holding us together, shaping us, using the broken parts,  making something new out of the pieces that are us because of life.  Sometimes its the life choices we make that shatter us, sometimes its the circumstances that are not of our choosing, and sometimes its people, relationships, paths, words, labels, the past. And when we’re in those pieces that have been shaped by life’s storms, we just feel pretty ugly, useless, worthless, purposeless, and hopeless.  But God has other plans.  He can take the pieces and make them into something of beauty, value, worth, meaning, and hope. 

I just love that. 

And I’m waiting for that. 

I know that someday the beauty will shine through.  I know that someday there will value in the lessons learned.  Someday there will be worth in the trials and meaning in the pain.  And always, there is hope.  Hope for better, no matter where I am. 

We can all see how certain pieces of our lives shape us and leave marks, ridges, indentations, cracks, and busted corners.  I can’t wait to see what God does with it all, how he will take it all and make something amazing.  And I trust that he will do that.  In his time.  In his way.  In his will. 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” –Rom. 8:28