Kaleidoscopes

"Our days are a kaleidoscope.
Every instant a change takes place in the contents."
                                                              -Henry Ward Beecher

Proverbs 5:21: "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord."

I can remember the first time I looked into the viewfinder and saw a kaleidoscope.  The tumbling of all the colors, shapes, and zigzags of lines entranced me. I was breathless with this beautiful confusion!

Kaliedoscopes make magic with light, color and mirrors.It is a viewing tube with an eyepiece at one end. On the other end, there is an object case containing fragments of rock, minerals, gemstones, beads, glass shell, metal and other trinkets. Inside, are mirrors used to reflect the objects as the tube is turned. No one turn of picture on the kaleidoscope is repeated. Any slight turn of the object case and the pattern shifts to something new. Always falling, jumping and turning are new contrasts and combinations. That is what makes a kaleidoscope so unique. 

My life seems like a big kaleidoscope. Life has and still is emptying into my object case bits and pieces of fragments that really seem meaningless.  Sometimes they don't look beautiful. At best, they are a conglomeration of fragments.

My life is filled with what I think should be beginnings and endings. It seems like that would be a pretty straight line. But God creatively takes me on detours and allows me to come to a stop at dead ends. How tried I can become literally when a planned two hour trip gets interrupted by an hour long delay on the Interstate.

It is amazing to me when my accomplishments are interlaced with failure, that God will take all of it and dump it into my object box and with His big eye, give it a turn. He takes life and death and makes a "blessed be the name of the Lord" combination. The delightful moments of time give bursts of brightness and light. My disappointments add perspective by downward spirals. My confusing moments give complimentary loops to the picture.

There is no straight line in a kaleidoscope. All I can see is a beautiful combination of twists and turns. I don't even try to make sense of it. I just stand amazed at the picture God has created  from my ways with His eyes.

I daily have some fragments of gems added into my object case. I recently experienced a week where I was blessed with smiles and cuddles with my youngest granddaughter.  I enjoyed the giggles of the two year old. I watched my tweens burst into butterflies. I observed strong character in my teenage grandchildren. Though I'm not a big technology expert or promoter, I'm grateful that I can communicate  my love to my long distance children daily if I wish. I am living in a home where I have love and affirmation surrounding me. This week, I connected in some way with my siblings; we still love each other and hold no grudges! I met with fellow believers and was lifted up by their fellowship and testimony.  I have the Word of God at my fingertips.

And then life hands me some negatives like a couple of restless nights, sickness in the household and the hot water heater unexpectedly dying this week. Toss those rocks in with the gems and it seems the picture would be dulled a bit.  But you know what? I took a look at my kaleidoscope today. It's still wonderfully alive with color and movement!  Just as beautiful as ever! God is putting His eye to the viewfinder and still turning it at His will and placing those mirrors in just the right places to reflect an amazing picture!