Train

This train belonged to me when I was a little girl.  I'm not really sure when I got it, but I totally remember playing with it.  My son absolutely loves it too.  I love to watch him play and imagine myself doing the same things as a child.  (Little did I know back then that my own son would be enjoying it as well!)  I got to looking at it today and began to notice some obvious wear and tear that comes with age.  It occurred to me then that this train is a lot like life...

See the blue car on the right with the red wheels?  It's missing a post.  It broke off long ago, we tried to glue it, but it obviously did not stick.  How many times in my life have I tried to glue something back together, only to discover it wouldn't work, so I had to let go of that piece?  It's a part that will never be returned; a part that will forever be missing, but the car still remains in tact.

I mentioned the obvious wear and tear.  You can't really see it in this picture, but the paint is worn off on the edges of a few cars.  As we go through life's trials, don't we come out feeling a little more worn?

Then there's the most obvious one -- the yellow car in the middle with the missing wheel.  One might say this car is broken.  I say that yes, it's broken...but still functional.  Circumstances in life have broken me, but I'm still able to roll along smoothly.  Being broken doesn't make you useless -- it makes you special.  It shows you've endured.  It shows you've survived and that you're worth saving because you can still function with the rest of them.

If I had to guess, I would say this train has got to be about 25 years old.  Even so, with all of its flaws, it still works like it's brand new.  I sometimes look back on my life and wonder if I have any regrets so far.  Have I done enough?  Am I where I thought I would be at this age?  Are there things yet to be accomplished?  I think I could answer both "yes" and "no" for most of those, but the thing I need to realize is that no matter what age I am, I still work like I'm brand new.  I have SO many years ahead of me to fulfill any remaining dreams I may have, even if I'm missing a post and have a broken wheel.  Thankfully, I do not have to go at this alone, for as Psalm 89:8 tells us, God is entirely faithful and I know He will see me through.