What About All Those Relationships That ARE Working?

 Sometimes it is easy to focus on whatever situation or relationship in our lives 

is not working.

But what about changing our thinking around.

What about all those relationships and situations that are working?

 If you know my husband, you know that he hates cats. 

Jonathan Lucas and relationships with cats don't usually work.

But when our children kept coming in and telling about this pitiful little kitten that showed up and was shivering and shaking and mewing in the barn,

he went against his wife's insistence that it had to stay out of the house at least, and he said they could let it come into the house and cuddle up against our own cat.

Both our hearts got the better of our better judgment.

 It's a puzzle how the kitten got here or where it came from (though we think it's from our neighbor, who has umpteen cats at his barn).

And sometimes you can handle the sweet little newcomer from who-knows-where a lot better than the big yawning couch potato that spends his life on your sofa instead of out catching mice-

which is what you got him for to start with.

You don't always know where situations come from or where they are going.

You don't always know where or how to fit the puzzle together.

 It's so much easier to notice the piece that is missing,

 

 than seeing the whole beautiful picture--despite the missing pieces.

 There are some people who put on a good front, or who simply live joyful, thankful lives, 

and they appear to really have their act together and their life in one piece. 

Everything looks okay from a distance.

But you get up a little closer, and you'll discover that every last person on this planet

has a piece missing somewhere in his life. 

Some just choose to focus on that piece, and everyone around them know that piece is not working for them;

but others choose to focus on everything that really is working and beautiful-

and everyone around them sees something beautiful.

 I've been reminded recently to remember how many relationships I have that are working for me.

 Like the wonderful relationships we have with other home school families,

and the opportunities to go together on field trips.

Our first one this year was a hike up Palmer Lake Watershed Trail.

 We had such a good time, even though it was chilly and breezy for a while.

 The second lake on the trail had beautifully shimmering water.

 Who said weeds couldn't be beautiful?

 Several of the little girls ate their picnic on a rock.

 There was even a little swing by the lake.

 Beautiful moments at the lake

and at home for supper with beautiful flowers from Grandma's garden.

 Beautiful relationships--dozens and perhaps hundreds of them!

 Hardly any of them going up in smoke, after all, come to think of it.

 

And sometimes, all you need for the pieces that are still missing,

and the relationship that is still challenging,

is a little patience, and a little time, 

and a little effort at trying new policies

or new boundaries,

or new ideas and opportunities.

But ultimately it is God whose help we need in tweeking this and adjusting that,
in humbling ourselves or deciding we really did eat more than our share of humble pie in the situation,
 come to think of it,
and now we need to hold our head up and focus on what is indeed working.
He is the One who heals our hurting heart;
He is the One Who makes the difficult thing or the challenging relationship

dovetail into His plan and purpose.

It is God Who makes our puzzle whole.