My Flaws

Every day I receive a devotional email from Don McClendon. He is employed at the hospital where I use to work. It seems like these devotions are heavenly sent at the specific day and time that i needed to hear it! I know Don prays every morning and does the devotion based on what God lays on his heart. It is really overwhelming and amazing, that God will place on Don's heart what his readers will need to hear ! There is no doubt that these devotions are a message from God! Today he sent out his usual devotion and then followed up with a forwarded email that had a story that God used to speak to me!

As many of you may know, I decided to take some time off my schooling last July. In doing this, I pushed myself back 3 months from leaving Saba. It also put me on a tight schedule for making the 2010 match! Last July, I really could not explain the feelings I was going through and why i felt i needed to leave. Looking back that time period allowed me to come back this past year to Saba with Ray! I often think back to that choice to leave then and I cant help but to think, "IF I WOULD HAVE STUCK IT OUT I WOULD BE DONE WITH STEP ONE AND IN ROTATIONS NOW, not 3 months from now, i would have plenty of time for 2010 match and I could have taken this summer off and do what I WANTED TO DO and have extra STUDY time for STEP 1 !!!! But now i am forced to trust God and know he will get me where i need to be at the right time and place. It's out of my control. Reflecting back here is what happened during that time off:

1. Ray and I were able to create a 501 c(3) non-profit organization that offers financial grants to adopting families.

2. I met a new friend Marcia when I was doing locum work during that time. I then introduced her to Quin ( a dear friend of Ray's on St. Marteen). Through their relationship they have found God and are actively planning a lifetime together!

3. I was able to get to know and spend more time with Amber. She is the most precious thing in my life (outside of Ray and my family). This delay allowed me the precious time to develop an ever lasting friendship with her. Because of our friendship, I am a better person! She has helped me through the ups and downs of school and life! I hope she can say the same for me! I also know that she too has come to know God in a way she never knew him before :)

So as I am finishing up here on Saba with the anxiety of my big exam coming up September 27 and the doubts of why didn't i just stick it out last July.....I opened my email to read this......and i know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was all in God's plan!

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. 'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

'For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Remember each of us has our own unique flaws and purpose. We re all cracked pots, but if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Fathers table. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness, we find our strength.