Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Tag: broken

  • Thankfully Restored

    It languished in a night table drawer, not seeing the light of day for several years. Out of sight; most days it was also far from my mind.

    Something about it drew me near and one day I pulled it out and was saddened by the state of disrepair. My husband’s much loved and very well-used Bible was falling apart. It was worse than I remembered. Large sections had become disengaged from the spine, pages creased and the cover tattered. In its present state, it was of little use. However, I knew the value of the book in my hands.

    I sought a way to restore it. This was not something I could do on my own but I was certain someone else could. A search led me to a book binder who painstakingly put the Bible back together. Pages were smoothed out individually before being bound in a new cover.

    I shed a few tears when I picked it up. Everything that made this Bible so valuable, including the notations and underlines made by Brian as he learned from it, was now in my hands, ready to guide me as it had him. The book is now able share its timeless wisdom with me and eventually to be passed on to future generations.


    This is similar to the way the Lord has restored me. My once productive life had fallen apart in chunks. In my broken state, I wondered if I still had anything valuable to offer. There must be more but I couldn’t find it on my own.

    I prayed for answers and page by page the Lord bound me back together. He restored my hopes and dreams and gave me renewed purpose. He showed me how my past experiences are an important part of the new creation I’m becoming. The story of my life is still being written. I’m so thankful God worked to restore me.

  • Imperfect Beauty

    God, Jesus, inspiration, beautyI’ve always been drawn to the shells that I see washed up on shore. It used to be the ones with perfect shape or smooth, shiny surfaces that attracted me. This is no longer the case.

    Instead, I now reach for the ones that are unique because of their flaws. The broken ones allow me to see the intricate design within. The gnarled surface of others shows that they have experienced hardship as they’ve been buffeted by the sand and the sea.

    It is these imperfections that make them unique. The scars are where their beauty comes from.

    I like to think this is how God looks at me. He doesn’t expect me to be perfect. The scars and brokenness beauty, inspiration, Jesus, Godhave been formed by experiences in my life. They are what make me unique.

    Everything I go through can be used by him. Nothing is wasted. In God’s loving care my imperfections are turned into something beautiful that can be used to show his love and grace to others. What he does for one, he can do for each of us.

    and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:3 NIV)

  • Glow Sticks

    glow stick pictureAccording to Wikipedia, a glow stick is a self-contained, short-term light-source. I also found more technical information but nothing that describes the enjoyment that they bring.

    The children in my life love to get glow sticks. They have fun wearing them as bracelets or just waving them around in the dark. When first taken out of the package, a glow stick is nothing special to look at. The light does not appear until after you crack it. Then it changes and brightens up the area around it.

    My daughter sent me a quote that said, “It’s okay to be a glow stick; sometimes we need to break before we shine.”

    This made me think how much my life has been like a glow stick. I have found that I can live with no risk and be nondescript, like a glow stick fresh out of the package. When I step out of my comfort zone, there is the chance that I might get hurt, or broken. By taking that brokenness to Jesus, I allow him to turn it into a light that attracts others. Like a glow stick, that light is not only used for recreation, but can also be relied upon for many other things. The main difference, though, is that a glow stick can be used only once. After I allow Jesus to light up my life, I can be used continually to bring light into other lives.

    In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV

    Be inspired today!