Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. (Genesis 1:1 NKJV )
Last night we decorated the house for Christmas. Timothy had the day off so we had to take advantage of the day, for I am still not supposed to lift, bend, or stretch after my surgery. I mostly supervised the work, but I did want to make sure I personally placed my four most prized ornaments.
These four are porcelain Peanuts ornaments. I have always loved Peanuts and have many ornaments, but what makes these so special was when and where they were purchased. Tommy and I bought them sometime between July 8 and July 15, 1978. We bought them on our honeymoon, and they have been carefully placed on every Christmas tree we ever had. They have survived toddlers; they have survived two moves. Yearly, they have been carefully packaged to avoid breakage and meticulously placed into the box of ornaments. However, last night all of that care came to naught. One of them was broken.
Neither of my children ever places these ornaments on the tree, for they get preferential placement and special care that I only trust myself to give. They are always placed high enough that no accidental bump can cause them to fall, for the delicate porcelain would break so easily. Unfortunately, as I placed the third of the ornaments last night, something went wrong. I was actually recounting one more time how special these ornaments were to me, but this one somehow fell as I released my hold on it. I thought it was secured firmly to the branch; yet as I removed my hand, I watched it tumble and crash onto the hardwood floor. This one was really my favorite, and now it was scattered pieces of broken glass. Tears filled my eyes. I felt another fond memory ripped away. Timothy quickly grabbed his smartphone, found one on eBay, and said I could replace it. My response was, "This cannot be replaced."
As I look at the broken pieces of my ornament, I realize my life has been this way so many times. When Tommy and I lost a baby, people casually said, "You can have more children." Our hearts were broken. We did have another child, a daughter, but we never held our second child on this earth. When Tommy died, many thought and said, "You are young. You can marry again." That was true, but I would never have Tommy again. Over and over in my life, dreams, hopes, plans, and even people have been ripped away from me. What can I do when I lose the irreplaceable? Where can I run when my life is broken? Can my life be put back together somehow?
The first verse of the Bible brings an answer to my questions. My God is the Creator. He created our world out of nothing. Can He do the same thing for my life? He always has. Rarely, does He chose to remake the old; He specializes in creating new. I have found I must relinquish my tight hold on my broken pieces, put myself in His hands, and watch as He gives me a brand new life.
My ornament is still in pieces this morning; however, my heart and life are whole. I serve the Creator of the universe. He has made me and my life new as I have yielded to Him.
In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. (Genesis 1:1 NKJV )
Last night we decorated the house for Christmas. Timothy had the day off so we had to take advantage of the day, for I am still not supposed to lift, bend, or stretch after my surgery. I mostly supervised the work, but I did want to make sure I personally placed my four most prized ornaments.
These four are porcelain Peanuts ornaments. I have always loved Peanuts and have many ornaments, but what makes these so special was when and where they were purchased. Tommy and I bought them sometime between July 8 and July 15, 1978. We bought them on our honeymoon, and they have been carefully placed on every Christmas tree we ever had. They have survived toddlers; they have survived two moves. Yearly, they have been carefully packaged to avoid breakage and meticulously placed into the box of ornaments. However, last night all of that care came to naught. One of them was broken.
Neither of my children ever places these ornaments on the tree, for they get preferential placement and special care that I only trust myself to give. They are always placed high enough that no accidental bump can cause them to fall, for the delicate porcelain would break so easily. Unfortunately, as I placed the third of the ornaments last night, something went wrong. I was actually recounting one more time how special these ornaments were to me, but this one somehow fell as I released my hold on it. I thought it was secured firmly to the branch; yet as I removed my hand, I watched it tumble and crash onto the hardwood floor. This one was really my favorite, and now it was scattered pieces of broken glass. Tears filled my eyes. I felt another fond memory ripped away. Timothy quickly grabbed his smartphone, found one on eBay, and said I could replace it. My response was, "This cannot be replaced."
As I look at the broken pieces of my ornament, I realize my life has been this way so many times. When Tommy and I lost a baby, people casually said, "You can have more children." Our hearts were broken. We did have another child, a daughter, but we never held our second child on this earth. When Tommy died, many thought and said, "You are young. You can marry again." That was true, but I would never have Tommy again. Over and over in my life, dreams, hopes, plans, and even people have been ripped away from me. What can I do when I lose the irreplaceable? Where can I run when my life is broken? Can my life be put back together somehow?
The first verse of the Bible brings an answer to my questions. My God is the Creator. He created our world out of nothing. Can He do the same thing for my life? He always has. Rarely, does He chose to remake the old; He specializes in creating new. I have found I must relinquish my tight hold on my broken pieces, put myself in His hands, and watch as He gives me a brand new life.
My ornament is still in pieces this morning; however, my heart and life are whole. I serve the Creator of the universe. He has made me and my life new as I have yielded to Him.
