Searching

There once lived a little girl. She lived with her Father and was very happy. Her Father loved her very much and since He had very special powers, He made a plan for her life that would be far from dull, but would bring her ultimate happiness. However, there was a catch (because there's always a catch!). Her life was a puzzle. And she would have to find the pieces and put it together. Granted, she could ask for help, but sometimes the answer would not come quickly.

The little girl found herself to be an excellent puzzle solver. The school pieces, friend pieces, and family pieces all fell together quite nicely. And she was happy. She joyously threw the pieces together, took a step back to admire the finished product... and realized that a part of the puzzle was still missing. 

Her heart.

The little girl was adept at putting the rest of the pieces together, but somehow, the heart was the most difficult part for her to put together. It was the one part where she was solely dependent on her Father's guidance. She had sought out pieces that weren't the perfect fit. They were good pieces... just not the right ones. Well the little girl thought, "Dad, we put the other pieces together. I can wait on this part. I have time."

Well, I should have noted that this girl was a good girl but patience was a constant struggle for her. She decided to venture into a magical world (not knowing what to expect, as most little girls never do.) and found a piece. Was it the right one? Was she just subconsciously desperate to finish the puzzle all too soon? The piece was beautiful -- complex, kind, searching for someone like her to pick him and put him into play.

But then it occurred to her: perhaps this wasn't the final piece. Maybe it was a piece that was necessary to find the next. She felt that there was so much she needed to learn before the puzzle was complete, and this was a mere step to finding her proper piece. She mustered up her courage, went to her Father and asked what she should do.

He simply looked down at her with a twinkle in His eyes, but said nothing. 

"Father please, tell me what to do!"
But His response was not the answer she expected. 

He told her: "You will choose. But whatever you decide, I will be here. And we will finish this puzzle together, and at the end of the day... I will take you home with me. If I am in your heart first and foremost, my child, we will walk hand in hand forever more... and you will be safe."

So she went back out and found the piece, willing and eager to be a part of the puzzle. She took the piece ever so gently in her hands, and slowly made her way home.

--to be continued--
(As most stories usually are...)