“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

When on vacation, and depending upon weather conditions, there are times we have a lot of time to kill. We call it vacation because we NORMALLY kill time by working. But even at rest, we are driven to find SOMETHING to do to fill up the hours. Staring at the walls or sleeping has its limitations. I discovered that one of the greatest time killers of history is called a jigsaw puzzle!

Now jigsaw puzzles are an acquired taste. As a kid I remember watching my parents pour over strange cutout pieces, trying to fit them together to match a picture on a box. Even then I thought the process was the dumbest idea on earth! That is until I grew up and found myself, on a rainy day, with time to kill.

To set the record straight, I personally NEVER START a Jigsaw Puzzle. Katie has that drive. When the rain comes and stays for a while, I’ll look for her, only to find her upstairs at our cabin, pouring over pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. KNOWING it is a waste of time, I will delay my joining her until I’m nearly out of my mind. But alas… the call of boredom can only be resisted for so long.

We own a HUGE collection of puzzles in boxes upstairs at our cabin. With puzzles that vary in numbers of pieces and pictures, NO ONE should remain bored for long. Just grab and go! But this year Katie showed me a sophisticated level of boredom that I have not seen before. Instead of grabbing a puzzle that’s there, she went SHOPPING for NEW one!!!! “WHY?” I asked! Her answer? “I don’t really like the pictures on those boxes!” Bored, and now baffled, I just stood and watched her enter the puzzle department at Good Will! Funny huh???

What is this infatuation we humans have with ‘NEW?” I knew someone that went to great lengths to restore an antique piece of furniture, only to get rid of it a year later because they were tired of it! The Bible even has an opinion about the subject. NEW things replace OLD things because OLD things no longer satisfy us! If things break down, fail or fall down in satisfaction, only NEW will do!

There are MANY times I find myself tired of my old self. I don’t like where I am, what I’m doing or the fun level of my old self. Like everyone else, when I hit that stage, I become vulnerable to decisions that do NOT always present themselves with a good outcome. But thank God I have a choice to go ‘NEW’ with Jesus Christ. Turning the picture box over to Him, HE can create a new one out of the old. And he’s really good at it!   I’m just glad my wife hasn’t traded ME in!