Broken

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting a women named Mary Beth. She was speaking at a women's conference that I attended. After the conference ended, I felt compelled to just go give her a hug. We share an unfortunate bond, we are both members of a club for which the price of membership is more than anyone would willingly pay.
I waited in line to speak with her and when my turn came I simply said I'd like you give you a hug. I told her I had also lost a child, mine just two months ago. She said she was sorry and asked for Jake's name.  I gave her a quick summary of the circumstances of his death and she echoed back words I have said  a lot lately, "there really are just no words."  After a moment of pause, she shared a quick story about her family.  She said after her family returned to their home, following the death of her daughter, Maria, they had decided, as an object lesson, to break a vase in order to glue the pieces back together.  They had hoped this would give them a picture of how God would work to put back together the shattered pieces of their lives following their loss.  She said they placed the vase in a bag and threw it to the ground.  With a wry smile she explained, "we must have thrown it a little too hard because it shattered into dust."  "We shook our head, shrugged and tossed it in the trash." We both laughed, hugged once more and then said good-bye.
I pondered that simple story today and felt God again speaking to my heart.  He so often uses lessons like that to speak truth into my life. The first thing He showed me in that shattered vase was that somethings only God can rebuild.  Maria, like Jake, is irreplaceable. Our families, like that vase was shattered. Not only shattered but missing an important piece. Mary Beth's family, along with mine will never again look the same this side of Heaven and only God can fix it.
Secondly, he showed me that like that vase shattered into dust, the pieces will never again shape into a vase even remotely resembling the original.  But God, the master builder and craftsman can take the dust and broken pieces and create something entirely new. Redesigned and repurposed according to His plan.  My family will never again look the same, but God is not finished with us. He is after all the master craftsman and He has a plan and a purpose for not only our current brokenness, but our future as well.
I have struggled over the last couple weeks with feelings of brokenness. My divorce two years ago coupled now with the loss of Jake has produced feelings of deep loneliness and a feeling of profound sadness.  It's hard to imagine much good coming from being in such a state, but I know God will prove otherwise.  I do not understand and I certainly would not have chosen this path, but I do trust Him to pick up the broken pieces, sweep up the dust and restore and repurpose me and my family.
As I struggled with the best way to end, this verse came to mind...God once again whispering to my heart.  "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it in to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)  Yes and Amen! He most certainly will.