I will never forget one of my favorite toys as a child. It was the iconic etch-a-sketch. Thinking back, it was a precursor to the iPad. Well…kinda.

All you could do with it was draw pictures. And halftone images at that. But still, spinning those two dials could create such fascinating images. I spent hours with that thing. I doubt I was ever very good. But using it was a way of expressing my thoughts. The simple images were great fun to create.

The down side of this toy was that the images were very fragile. Bump it, shake it, or (God forbid) turn it upside down, and the image went away. It was actually something my older brother took devilish delight in…erasing my meticulously drawn images. Of course, I ALWAYS returned the favor.

I grew up. The etch-a-sketch was broken and discarded. The images I created in my grown up life were now three dimensional and full color. It was my life, my family, my work, my faith.

I’ve come to notice something sobering about life. It still has it’s etch-a-sketch moments…times when the images we carefully create are wiped away. Sometimes by the actions of another person, sometimes by our own actions.

Suddenly, it’s time to start over, to create new images, new components of our life. Whether it’s our work, our marriage, or our friendships, life offers lots of etch-a-sketch moments. Moments when our carefully considered life just goes away.

These moments can be frightening or exhilarating. Filled with hope or marked by despair. Two years ago my life was on rails…I knew where it was going. These days…not so much.

To be my age and have so many unanswered questions is disquieting. On the other hand…it’s also exciting. It means I’m not creating this image, this life. I’ve handed it over to God, to Elohim, to Creator God.

If He can create all the world around me, all of creation…I know He can handle my life. So bring on the etch-a-sketch moments…He’s got this!!!