Leftover Beads

Last week after my accountability group met, we ran into some women of the church getting together for a women's meeting. One of the ladies, Ruth, was wearing a beautiful multicolored beaded necklace with a cross in the middle. My friend, Debbie, commented, "Oh, I love this! Jill, make me one!" Debbie knows I do some beading. I took a good look at it and said, "Yeah, I think I could make one of those." This particular day, my mom was not doing very well in the hospital, 16 hours away from me, so my mind was preoccupied with her healing and with prayer. Not knowing what quite to do with myself, I pulled the bead case out of the closet and began stringing. Before I knew it, I had four of these multicolored necklaces strung and ready to be given away as gifts. It was very cathartic for me to focus on something else.

When I was thanking Debbie at today's accountability group meeting for asking me to make one I shared with her, "You know I buy a few beads for this or that project and inevitably have one or two of those beads always left over and never had anything I could do with them. This gave me something to do with those leftover beads." Debbie said, "I think there is a message there, isn't there?" Indeed, there is. What I thought I would not be able to use was combined with a bunch of other different beads to make something beautiful. It reminded me of the accountability group I was a part of and the very church building we were sitting in. The church is made up of many different people, all sinners, all with a story, some in the autumn or winter of their lives and others in the spring and summer. These are people searching for love and purpose. Everyone one has a different personality, talent and gift. They all come from different backgrounds, environments and socio-economic levels. We all look different, dress different and even worship differently. But bring us all together and you have the most beautiful thing. You have the body of Christ, uniquely designed, working exquisitely together for His glory.

These necklaces I made ... you can wear them with anything. They have so many colors, they would work with whatever you wear. I think the church is like that as well. It works for everyone. No matter where you came from and where you are going, your church family fits perfectly. It's a blessing in this country of ours that we have the option to worship our Creator wherever we want in whatever way is most comfortable for us.

I am grateful for my peace of mind, that my friend asked me to make her a necklace and even more grateful that she brought to my attention the message in it. I don't think it was her intention to help keep my mind occupied while worrying about my Mom, but in her sweet request, that's exactly what happened. I was able to gift her as she had indirectly gifted me. Church family works that way.

If you don't have one, find one. Find a place where you can worship unique to who you are. Make connections through a small group as soon as you possibly can. Serve in whatever way God has gifted you in the church itself and in the community at large out of love for the Father. Watch as your family grows by the many the Father puts in your path with brothers and sisters in Christ. As they bless you, you will bless them and kingdom itself. That's what the body of Christ - in it's unique, lovely way - does together. You are not alone. You are not left over. You are part of something exquisite, so work on getting strung together. And watch what beauty happens.