I woke up this morning, ready for a new day, and committed myself to having a good day. I had such a crazy, busy day yesterday that left me drained to the bottom of my dregs. I needed a day that would fill me back up. I had a half day substitute job in preschool already scheduled and I really wanted to have a wonderful day.
Right away something happened that I did not like. It was some little thing that I don't remember now, 5 hours later, and I could feel myself starting to get annoyed. Then I stopped. No, I told myself. I would not let that little thing mark up my beautiful, good day. And the thought came to me. Our lives are like a beautiful painting. As we grow and go through each milestone, we paint on our paining- or it is painted on- good and bad things. As we make mistakes like getting upset and yelling, we put black, ugly strokes on our painting. When we repent of that, and ask for forgiveness, those ugly strokes are taken away and new, pretty ones are put in their place.
Then, I thought about my life. Looking back, I felt that some big trials that I've had- my diagnosis of bipolar disorder, my two miscarriages- were like big brown slashes across the canvas of my life.
At one point, I felt like there was no hope left for me. All was black and dark and those dark slashes could not be erased. My picture was ruined. And then, I opened my heart to the Lord and began to have faith. I started eating healthier and exercising more. I started substituting in the schools and taking foster classes and before I knew it those ugly brown marks had been transformed into beautiful, wonderful trees.
They were the makings of a precious Forest. And what was once ugly and staining upon the beautiful portrait of my life, became a wonderful accent- even a defining feature. And now, even though I don't know what my portrait will be at the end of my life, I know it will be beautiful if I just repent, turn my life over to the Master Artist and have Faith. Because even though we may not know it, He is the Master Painter of our lives.
This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.
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