BROKEN THEN BETTER

A few months ago one of the "slats" on a window-blind in our guest bedroom was broken. L has had it, among other things, on his "honey-do" list since that time. And as the date approached for my mother-in-law to come out for a three week visit, he was ready to address it. L originally thought it would be a simple trip to our local home improvement hub, after all, we're talking a cheapo blind that we put on all the windows in the house when we moved in four years ago. They get replaced as we pick a room to upgrade, and that room's time has not yet come. So, off he went to our local home improvement warehouse, only to discover that these particular blinds are no longer made. Well!

So after many trips for L and a joint trip to decide on a proper replacement that we both liked and that would fit on a window with rather odd dimensions,we made our selection. The set of blinds we chose, was considerably more expensive and much nicer than their predecessors. I guess you could say, we ended up doing an upgrade-by-force. And things really looked UP when we finished. It makes me glad to have had the inconvenience, that relative to the outcome, was minor.

This situation really struck a chord with me. Though, I'm speaking "blinds" and "windows" this experience sounds much like what God does in our lives - breaking and blessing. So many of our blessings and growth spurts come on the heels of broken-ness. He moves us to uncomfortable circumstances, personal valleys and weaknesses that give him the opportunity to make even greater revelations of himself, increase our measures of Faith and ultimately move us to a higher spiritual place than we were before the "break." I would say that qualifies as an "upgrade," totally.

When I look back over some of the trials in my own life, though uncomfortable and painful at the time, I am thankful for my growth, my learning, my healing, the increased measure of Faith and more-so the Almighty & Sovereign God I serve! Only through him can I become broken then better.