THE LAST PUZZLE

With three pieces left we started to cheer her on. Two, one, DONE!! Yahoo. She found the last piece. The puzzle was finished. It was complete. As I sat there holding my client’s hand, I smiled at the finished puzzle. Her bestie had been working on it since she had come into town. It was a trip that had been planned awhile back. But, instead, it would be her last one. Her friend, her best friend, had been battling breast cancer and was now in her final days. As a caregiver, you will find yourself in many different places with your client. Some are in recovery, or have lost their memory, or in need of a companion, or, in this case, they're last moments of life. As I looked at the beautiful puzzle that my client had picked out beforehand, it was a reflection of her. The stories told me of her life, her kindness, her forgiving spirit, her ability to bring JOY to others when they needed it the most. The greatest accomplishment in a persons life is found at the very end. Family, friends, and hopefully, God. The money, success, trips, houses, cars, won’t be there to say goodbye…to say they love you…to thank you for making their lives so much fuller. Like the puzzle, each piece is a decision, a direction that leads to another and to another until all the pieces are put together, making your last day complete. Only then do you find out your real impact with the life God has given you. What kind of puzzle would describe your life right now? Is it an ocean with surfers, umbrellas , and seagulls? Or is it snowcapped mountains with pine trees and little mountaineers climbing it? Or maybe it’s not so good and may need to change direction. Jesus said he is the “ Way, the truth, and the Life'“. Maybe this is the time to redirect and allow the one who created you to finish the last piece with great JOY and real purpose. When I think of the puzzle of my life I see people, both family and friends, strangers that became family, my dogs… but in the center of it is Jesus. We will all face our last day….I pray that you too will see that your puzzle mattered, and that you were loved..truly loved…that you will see the face of Jesus saying “ Welcome home, good and faithful servant”. To my client…you were loved, your puzzle was completed, you made a difference.