My wife Rachel usually has a jigsaw puzzle on the go. Visiting family or friends often assist. Yesterday her latest was competed …
On a good day my life’s jigsaw puzzle is coming on well. A recognisable picture is forming. New pieces are added, pieces on the side don’t yet fit in, but that’s OK.
On other days it’s as if all of the pieces have been shaken up, some are missing, nothing makes sense or fits together…
On Saturday I watched the football at Norwich… Mark Attanasio is Norwich City’s major shareholder… Attanasio owns the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team in the US… I know nothing about baseball… Last week Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to reach the World Series (apparently that’s very good!)… Amy Williams sits in the front row of all Brewers games… ‘Front Row Amy’ has become a celebrity in the US…
Joining random pieces, my life-puzzle can include Mark Attanasio and Front Row Amy.
Tim and Jill are old friends… They trained as teachers with me in Derby… They sung at our wedding fifty-six years ago… We see them regularly in Norfolk… Their granddaughter Ella is a midwife at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, seventy-five miles away.
Martin and Lyn are church friends of many years… their son Jared and daughter-in-law Donna live in Lowestoft… Donna’s in Queen Elizabeth Hospital about to give birth to twins…
Random pieces in our respective jigsaws fit together.
This morning, reading:
Deuteronomy… ‘If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother… then all the men of his town are to stone him to death.’
Luke… Jesus’ story of the prodigal son… The stubborn and rebellious son is welcomed home with compassion and celebration.
…Jesus says, ‘If your brother or sister sins against you… Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying “I repent,” you must forgive them.’
…I’m trying to fit those difficult pieces into my jigsaw.
