A Day in My Life

   As part of a household of eleven (something some people can't even imagine), my day is a little different from most 15 year olds. Here's what a typical school-day  should look like.

7:00 A.M.~  The alarm goes off.I brace myself and get out of bed.I open the blinds and turn on the light. Then I climb back into bed and begin my quiet-time.

7;30-40 A.M.~  I end my quiet-time with prayer. Depending on the day I either make breakfast or spend this time reading or writing after chores are done (and sometimes before as well).

8:30 A.M.~  Breakfast time; again, depending on the day, I'm either getting it on the table or waiting for it.

9:30 A.M.~  Time for family devotions. By now, hopefully, breakfast has been cleaned up, and the dining room's been swept.

10:00 ish A.M.~  School begins about now.

12:30 P.M.~  Lunch. Depending on the day, I may clean up as well.

1:00 P.M.~  At this time, I finish any schoolwork not completed.Afterward,it's free-time! I might post something on my blog (like now), read, write, and possibly get on the Wii or computer.

5:30 P.M.~  Help with dinner prep.

6:00 -7:00 P.M.~  Supper with my family. Next comes clean up, and everyone pitches in to help get it done.

8:00 P.M.~  Family prayers. Dad reads from Jesus Calling, and we say our memory verses.Carter on down goes to bed. The rest of us read, talk, and/or play games.

9:00 P.M.~  My bedtime unless we're doing something.

Note: This is what an ideal day,but it rarely actually happens. Each day holds an untold numbers of surprises, but this is our guideline. Changes are part of life in a family.
 

Broken Beauty

     Imagine a soap dispenser made of yellow glass with a diamond pattern.Its pear-shaped frame is trimmed in brown.This dispenser not only did its function; it was beautiful until the day it was broken. When it was fixed, there was a noticeable crack. I like it better that way for some reason. My sister thought I was crazy.

      Later I wandered if I was weird to like it better that way. God's answer to that was no. Then He asked if I thought The Cross was weird. I told Him no, I thought The Cross was beautiful beyond compare.

      "But My Son was broken,"God said to me.

      "But He was broken in love," I argued back.

      "Moriah,it's good to see the beauty others miss,"God told me gently.

      Beauty, an interesting topic. But broken beauty is an even more interesting topic. The ultimate example is The Cross.

       Jesus was broken. His physical body was beaten, whipped, and humiliated. His soul was turmoil. Then, to top it off, they push thorns onto His head. That whipping? The soldiers were probably surprised to see Him moving.Why? Because most didn't come out able to breathe.Next they took crude nails and hammered them into His hands and feet. He was left hanging (literally), waiting for His lungs to collapse. The entertainment was watching men gamble for His clothing.

       It was a gruesome,beautiful sight. There was blood all over Jesus,but right then He was most beautiful.Jesus broken but beauty.

       All His physical pain was nothing compared to what was to come.'And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,"Eli,Eli,lema sabachthani?" that is "My God,My God,why have you forsaken me?" (Matt.27:46,ESV)

       Since before the beginning of time,Jesus had always been with God the Father.Then,suddenly, their fellowship was broken.

        When I can't connect with God it's hard; it hurts my soul.Think how much harder it was for Jesus who had never been separated for a second. To Him,it was the worst pain ever,far worse than His physical pain.Not only was Jesus' body broken,His heart was broken.Yet it was  beautiful.His brokenness was beautiful.

          Yes, there is broken beauty.To me, it's the most beautiful kind of beauty.