"SCRAPS"

Someone made the comment to me saying I was "happy to live off of scraps," this statement was made with obvious disdain, and the words cut into my soul and wounded me; not just once, but they kept keep coming back and reverberating over and over in my heart.  Each time I felt the wound afresh.  The damage was ongoing and as I began to look around at the things in my life, everything seemed to confirm those horrible hurtful words.  I could feel myself slipping into the quicksand, with no one to help me out.

As I sat there with my Beloved this morning, He gave me His perspective and it went like this.........first of all He showed me that the person who  spoke these words felt that way about himself; that  he was a person who was happy to "live off of scraps" and that he was ashamed of that.  He somehow got the message that it was a bad thing to be that way.

Next He showed me the value of  "scraps".  He reminded me of a beautiful quilt top I"d made out of scraps.  And also that after He made the world and everything in it, He made man from the dust of the earth. (scraps?)  He told me that it wasn't the material man was made of that mattered, but it was the life of God breathed into man that mattered.  It doesn't matter about the scraps, it's the life and love that goes int the use of those scraps.

The final perspective He gave me was that everywhere Jesus went, there were some who tried desperately to make Him feel bad about who He was. Some tried to make Him feel bad about doing miracles!  And even about being the Son of God.

So there is one more thing He gave me while we spent time together; He gave me freedom from the hurt of those words as well as compassion for the person who spoke them.  I can honestly pray that he will accept, with joy, how God made him and be free form any and all shame that people have attached to that part of him.
An old song just came back to my mind and one of the lines is,"no one ever really cared for me like Jesus"  So true.  I would not be able to go through this life without Him. I am so very thankful for His love and constant, ongoing presence. that always brings light into the dark areas.
I never know what wonderful gifts He has for me every time I sit with Him, but they are ALWAYS loving, merciful, and satisfying.

THE PAINTING;   I made a card and couldn't leave it alone.  When it got to the point to where I was sure I ruined it, I asked Papa what I could do with it.  He said to take some of the scraps of my paste paint paper and glue pieces on it.  I did, and it turned out to be the perfect card for my niece's birthday card.  Once again, scraps have value.
so, if you feel like your life is on the scrap pile, don't despair.  In the hands of the Master, you, and all you have gone through will be made beautiful.