One thing about me not everyone knows is that I LOVE puzzles. Give me a puzzle, and I’m happy. Kid’s puzzle, happy. 3D puzzle, happy. Computer puzzle, happy. My personal favorite puzzle brand is Springbok. They are sold online and through Hallmark stores. I have hundreds of them (not an exaggeration). What I love about them is that they have a thick, cardboard backing. This means that when the puzzle is complete, you can pick up the whole thing. They also have lots of different types of pieces. It’s not your typical two innies and two outties, etc. type. No, there are circles with innies, jagged pieces.

I have a mind that loves puzzles. I love tossing the whole box out, spreading out the pieces, flipping them over and starting to methodically put them together. Sometimes I start with the edges, sometimes it’s a color, sometimes it’s upside down.

This morning, I listened to several sermons while putting together puzzles on the computer. It hit me how there are a lot of life lessons to be found in the process of putting a puzzle together.

• When you’re overwhelmed – look at the big picture.
• When you don’t know where to start, dump everything out and sort it out.
• Start with one small section and work from there.
• If you’re stuck, move to another section.
• Sort things into categories.
• To know what you’re working with, figure out the boundaries first.
• Ask a friend for help.
• There IS a place for everything.
• When it’s all done, take a few minutes to appreciate how far you’ve come.

And here’s a small sample of my collection. 🙂