Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Take the Brokenness and Give Thanks

I'm daily filling the JOY JAR.
Small papers are sometimes dropped more than once a day.
Thanksgiving breeds JOY.


One, two and more and I am joy-filled.

I've been reading the book by Ann Voskamp,
One Thousand Gifts.

One thought that presents itself over and over is 
to take the pain that is given and give thanks. 

Jesus knowing the cross was before HIM, 
took the bread, broke it and gave thanks.

And I remembered...

Palm Sunday, March 23, 1975,
a broken body and broken hearts.
Cries of a dying little boy and tears and gasps of a family who waits. 

A few days later,
Baby brother, baby boy is gone.
In a hospital room, a mama takes the bread of brokenness and gives thanks.
Pain nonetheless, but thanksgiving for a Christ who was willing to take our pain to the cross.

Breaking bread and giving thanks.

In the Bible, thanksgiving always proceeded a miracle.
Mama's miracle, a vision of baby boy walking with Jesus along the crystal sea,
all because she broke a saltine cracker and drank the grape juice.

Fast forward one week, 
the night before Easter.

Like the disciples, we huddle together and grieve.
With a broken heart, Daddy takes the broken bread and gives thanks.
Maybe not yet for his own brokenness, but in Christ 
for being broken that we may know wholeness.

A baby brother, a baby boy is gone.
A Preacher-daddy and his now three children,
we take the pain that if given and we give thanks.

Today, I fill a vintage planter with kisses.


and they spill everywhere!
My first thought is to utter, "Ugggh."
(Maybe I did, on second thought.)


And then I remembered, 
Jesus, broken and spilled out
after He had given thanks.
The miracle?
The Ressurection.


Everytime I walk by the candy-filled planter, 
I will pause and give thanks. 
Because He lives, we may live also.









18 comments:

  1. Wow, deep thoughts today. Good thoughts too - thanks for sharing them.

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  2. Great analogy, I am not that sharp. Thanks for your prayers and kind comments on my blog.

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  3. Oh Bonnie, what a beautiful beautiful post. You have no idea how the LORD uses you to bless my heart and spirit, my treasured friend. Thank you so much for sharing here today. Love you!

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  4. Thank you. What a poignant and beautiful post. How can anyone bear the pain and suffering of this world without Jesus.

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  5. A couple of years ago a friend gave me a cool water jar that has the word grateful etched on it. I've never used it for water, I've filled it with tiny pieces of paper that have grateful events written on them. Love giving God Glory for even the smallest of blessings!! Also, thank you for your heart touching words, beautifully written and shared!! Blessings, Cindy xoxo

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  6. Beautiful...just beautiful my friend.

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  7. Your love and joy is spilling out all over us, your readers :)
    Bless you, Bonnie!

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  8. Lovely thoughts dear friend! Have a MOST blessed day, HUGS!

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  9. I Love this! I know I couldn't live a single day, and wouldn't want to, without Jesus.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  10. Dearest Bonnie, you have given me much to ponder today..... Our precious Savior lives - oh what joy! Hugs to you.

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  11. That is so inspiring.
    I love posts like that,
    something that shows us the need and belief for Faith.

    http://roomsofinspiration.blogspot.com/

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  12. Beautifully deep thoughts. Miss you my friend. Blessings

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    Replies
    1. who is this man that calms the sea with a wave of His hand

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