>Joy in the Bits & Pieces

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Over the past year or so, Olivia and Angela have each read The Chronicles of Narnia multiple times. They love to entertain themselves by acting out the scenes from their current book of choice, imagining the house, the car, the church – wherever they are – to be some part of Narnia.

Not too long ago, I noticed that Olivia was slinking around the house as if hiding. Then I noticed Angela and Steven running through the house talking about capturing Narnians and locking them in the dungeon. Apparently Olivia was a Narnian, for she was repeatedly captured and locked in the dungeon – from which she would promptly escape as soon as their backs were turned.

As I listened to them talk and play, I noticed how well-versed Steven was on the lingo of Narnia. He seemed to know about the different characters, cultures, and scenarios of the book. Being barely four, Steven naturally hasn’t read any of the books. But, thanks to the passionate and diligent training of his older sisters, he knows a great deal about the series.

Even with all of his knowledge of the stories, I can only imagine the delight he will experience when he finally gets to read the books for himself. The bits and pieces he has learned from Olivia and Angela will all come together in a great understanding. Oh, and how their play will grow when all three of them know the full story!

I picture our transition from this world to eternity as being somewhat like Steven’s transition from knowing what the girls’ have told him to reading the story for himself. We are getting bits and pieces now. There is a great joy in being able to interact with our fellow believers and our heavenly Father with those bits and pieces. But, oh how much more amazing will it be when we have the whole story?! How incredible will our interactions be when everything unfolds before us in full understanding?

I look forward to that day with great anticipation. But, until then I’m determined to, like Steven, find joy in what I know now, knowing that it’s an awesome glimpse into the full story that I will one day be able to experience for myself.