Praying for a "pattern design" of my own......

My last post described a bit of the very challenging times I have been having at work.  Quite honestly, I have been having a bit of challenging times in ALL areas of my life lately.  I have felt a bit lost and without clear direction.  And I feel as if I can not get all the pieces of my life to fit together in a meaningful way.  Today I had the following revelation.........   It helps to know what the pattern design is when you are trying to fit the pieces together!

This afternoon I worked with one of those "challenging kids" at the table with the pattern blocks.  Usually it is difficult to get the most active kids to sit at the table long enough to finish the picture.  But this afternoon, this cute little boy, actually sat with me and figured out this entire picture of a fish.  He was SOOOOO proud when it was done.  It is really quite hard to place the pieces on the shining surface of the picture and get them to stay in place when you add additional pieces.  But he worked very slowly and carefully and completed the task.   Don't you just love that smile and shine in his eye! 

On the way home I was thinking about this picture. (I actually took this photo to show his mom since we had to clean up the blocks).  Wouldn't it be nice to have a picture like this when we are trying to make all the different parts of our life fit together?  I don't know what the picture on my design would be right now.  Is it a fish (the earliest symbol of a Christian)? Or how about a cross?  And isn't it interesting that this picture is actually also a fish?  Would that help me make sense of the lack of a clear direction that I have been feeling for some time? 

I know that the most important thing to me, is to grow in my relationship with Jesus.  So I guess that answers this question.  My pattern design just needs to be Jesus and making all the pieces of my life fit the Jesus design.  Some of the pieces of my life fit very nicely into that design without much trouble. Other pieces are more difficult.  And possibly I might have to remove some things that just won't fit at all. 

Lent is a good time to be doing this reflection.  First I think I'll be praying and asking for a clear "design" so that I know exactly what I am working towards.  And then I will be trusting the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom and direction as I work on fitting everything into whatever that design is. 

Jesus, thank you for who you are.  It is amazing to me that you love us so much.   Thank you for this special time of Lent when we can step back and evaluate our relationship with you.   Holy Spirit, thank you for using pattern blocks and challenging little boys to remind me that I am sometimes challenging to you.  What a gift it is to know you are patient with us.  Help all of us to remember that we need to find our design to make things in our life fit.  Amen