The Christmas Ball

Long before Photo Booth came on the scene to stretch and twist and jumble pictures, there were toasters, coffee pots, spoons and Christmas balls.  Hours of fun and entertainment have been had by youngsters staring into appliances and making faces that were returned as distorted images. 

My husband, Jim, was the youngest of five children and it seemed that his primary role in the family was to "entertain the troops."  Jim's Mom would get a little grin as she described how "Jimmy" would spend dinner staring into the coffee percolator making crazy faces that reflected back all wonky, yes wonky--the official term.   Depending on the angle, Jim's face looked a mile wide or endlessly long.  He stuck out his tongue, flattened his nose, or crossed his eyes, all with hilarious results that set his siblings into rumbles of laughter.

This year our church youth group came and decorated our Christmas tree.  The young people hung dozens of Christmas stars they had made on the tree.  They also added red and silver balls which beautifully reflected the little white lights covering the tree's branches. 

Yesterday I heard one of the balls go clunk and then I could hear the ball rolling all over our old wooden floors.  The cat had discovered a "toy" (good thing it was shatterproof) and he was having a grand old time chasing the silver ornament all over the living room and dining room.

When the noise stopped, I went to see what Teddy had been doing.  I picked up his adopted toy to return it to its rightful place on the tree.  As I lifted the ball, I caught sight of my own reflection.  "Boy, by the looks of things, I'm having a really bad day," I thought.  "Could my face be any fatter?"  "Could I be more jumbled?"  Then as I lifted the shiny ornament farther away from me, my image began to improve and I looked more normal (well as normal goes). 

That brief action sent my mind to a verse in the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians.
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Often when we are in the midst of difficult situations, we have distorted perceptions of what is happening.  We are too close to the circumstances.  But as time and distance settle in, we begin to get clarity.  The 1 Corinthians verse promises that only in God's presence in eternity will we have full understanding--all distortion and limitations will be lifted.  Our reflections will be true.