“Sometimes the pie will crack on top. Not to worry, just cover it with cream or even ice cream!” –the advice given at the bottom of the Amazing chocolate pie recipe that hangs on the side of my refrigerator

There is so much we try to cover up in this life due to fear of being different or ridiculed.  It is such a relief to go before the throne of our creator and bare all unsightly cracks, holes, and scars—to tell Him what He already knows: I’m broken, my heart has a giant hole, so please, can you wrap this thing up?  And then I beseech Jesus about 10 times throughout my prayer to come back already. I don’t think “the squeaky wheel gets the oil” applies to the trinity, but just in case it does, I volunteer to be the squeaky wheel!

I often hear that God will heal any heartache. He will fill any void you may have in your life. I don’t believe that anymore. Does God have the power to heal and fill chasms in our souls? Of course He does, and sometimes He will. But sometimes He gets more glory through the cracks and holes. My Dear Aunt Michelle (affectionately known as Aunt Chelie) sent me a small package in the mail that arrived on mine and Drew’s wedding anniversary. I’m so glad that I asked Anna to stop at the mailbox when we were pulling out of the driveway, headed to Mobile for the birthing of Steph’s babies (born on our anniversary=)). Aunt Chelie had no idea that our anniversary was coming up when she mailed this letter and doily. Yes, a doily. For those of you unschooled in needle-art, this is a doily:

As you can see, it’s filled with holes. The doily was accompanied by a letter that told the testimony of a woman whose son went to heaven at the age of 26. I love the words my Aunt wrote, and can’t do them justice with an interpretation, so I will just rewrite it as she typed it.

“Several years following her (Marvel) son’s death, as she was still waiting for the hole in her heart to be filled, the Lord revealed to her that sometimes there are holes in our lives that remain for a purpose.

Holes can bring great beauty to our lives. Not only do they serve to allow the healing and freeing attributes and characteristics of Christ to splash out onto those we come in contact with, but they also provide a way for Light to shine through. Matthew 5:14 says, ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.’ Holes can illuminate His light and cast out darkness.

Holes do not signify incompleteness. Rather, they are great deliverers of the goodness that God longs to pour out on others through your story.”

My prayer is that I never try to hide the cracks (or holes) of my life with whipped cream, ice cream, or any other earthly filler, but allow God to use them to have an eternal impact.  I will view these holes as God’s creative handiwork, until the day that He makes me whole!

Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

My Sweet Dewz. Thank you, Uncle Scott for capturing this moment of what I assume is Drew playing with Sonny.