September 29 Martha's Musings

In the years after I retired, I developed a bit of an addiction to online mahjong and solitaire. Over time, I moved on over to jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, and coloring. It’s harmless, I suppose, as the games are free and G-rated. I do more adult things, too, as I am an avid reader and love real jigsaw puzzles. I recently began a puzzle made with wooden pieces, which give the puzzle a 3-D effect. Unlike traditional jigsaw puzzles, each jigsaw piece is a different shape. You cannot group them according to shape, which makes the puzzle trickier to complete. But I am one of those people who finish what they start - even a tricky jigsaw puzzle. Every good puzzler knows that there are certain methods one uses to complete a jigsaw. You begin with the corners (unless there are none), finish the edges to complete the frame, separate pieces by shape and/or color, and use the included picture of the completed puzzle as a guide. These methods work very well, in a standard jigsaw puzzle. The one I bought is in the shape of a cocker spaniel, which is why I bought it, as most of our pets have been of this breed. Cocker spaniels are neither square, rectangular, or circular. They are doggie-shaped. This new puzzle is proving to be difficult. I find it challenging, which is GREAT, as commercials on TV and the internet remind senior citizens to do things that “challenge” them. You know what else I find challenging? Studying the Bible. Last Sunday I taught a lesson from 2 Chronicles which shared facts about King Josiah. I must admit that I was woefully uneducated on Josiah when I sat down to prepare the lesson. But I educated myself and found Josiah’s life and accomplishments to be stunning. I hope the commercial writers are aware that Scripture has quite a lot to offer mankind. History really does repeat itself, and humanity has not changed much over the centuries since Scripture was written. Josiah showed the Jews just how valuable a righteous leader was. Food for thought.

Blessings,
Martha Arizpe, St. John’s Prayer Team