Dear Kitty,

We go through a lot of paper and crayons around here. Most of it is because the kids put one mark on a piece of paper, declare it a mess and start over. The 3yo is especially (according to her siblings) guilty of just making scribble messes. While sorting through their “scrap” pile, I pulled out one discarded scribble and began coloring it. Yes, I was a little bored and it was a better time killer than something practical like cleaning the house.

Side note: always choose to use crayons over doing something practical.

As I started to make senseless designs inside the scribble boundaries, it got the kids’ attention.

“How’d you do that? How’d you make that so pretty?”

“I just decided to,” I responded.

Next thing I knew the kids were going through the trash pile looking for scribbles to transform.

How often in our lives have we just made a mess of things or are looking at a disaster and can’t see it as anything beautiful or worth saving? How easy it is to just want to crumple it up, toss it and want to start over?

Yet, this faith and love thing says “Let’s not waste this. I know a way we can make this into something beautiful.”

It looks at that mark where you slipped a little and by adding some color, transforms it into something new and bright. It sees that splotch where you really screwed up and adds some swirls and lines, creating a masterpiece. It goes to the pile where you have crumpled your work up and thrown it away; digging it back out, smoothing it and saying “this doesn’t have to be tossed, just watch what I can do with it!”

Those mistakes in the forms of lines, splotches and wadded up plans will always be a small part of the end design. In fact, it was necessary to build off of them. They are part of what makes each creation unique and ultimately valuable.

What about the splotches in your life?

Have you given up or are you willing to wait for it to be transformed into something full of beauty and glory?

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Categories: March 2013 diary entry, Uncategorized

Tags: Faith, new beginnings, new creation