The Overflow! Where souls are filled and faith is spilled: September 27, 2009

Not long ago a sweet friend of mine passed along a Bob the Builder costume that her youngest son had outgrown. Last Sunday morning, Joshua discovered the brightly colored overall buried beneath a pile of pink tutus and glittery gowns (Joshua is no stranger to dress-up clothes thanks to his two older sisters' five-drawer collection of costumes). Thrilled to find "boy clothes," my delighted two-year-immediately old slipped into character. Armed with his box of plastic tools, Joshua moved through the house fixing tables, cupboards and toys. When he had exhausted his inside options, Josh-Bob- as we took to calling him -moved outside and hammered the lawn mower, tightened screws on a variety of bikes and eventually took his bright red snow shovel into the yard to dig a few piles of woodchips. When the time drew near to call our worker inside to get ready for church, Josh-Bob instantly transformed into temperamental toddler. Throwing his plastic tools on the ground, Joshua informed me that he was NOT going to church. He planned to stay home and "fix things."

Before I even had a chance to respond to the impending tantram, Hannah bounced over to Joshua and asked, "Joshy, did you know that JESUS IS A FIXER, TOO?" Josh-Bob lifted his stormy face toward his sister and raised an eyebrow in interest. "Yeah," Hannah continued excitedly, "you fix stuff and JESUS FIXES PEOPLE! Now don't you want to go to church and learn more about Fix-it-Jesus?"

Just as the bleak sky clears suddenly after a summer thunderstorm and shades of blue poke through the clouds, my tempermantal toddler immediately grinned and waltzed towards the house in search of his church shoes. Awestruck, I followed behind wondering why I hadn't thought of that argument first!

Now, each time Joshua dons his "Bob clothes", I find myself thinking about another FIX IT MAN, the One who has repaired the hole in my heart. Jesus may not need a hammer to fix broken people, but He is well-acquainted with nails. In fact, long ago He used some nails and a cross and an unthinkable love to build a bridge to Heaven so that the rift between God and His people would be forever repaired. Amazing Grace!