Pieces of a Puzzle

 The Hawthorne family stepped out of the carriage, and the buzz of the Steam Haven county fair filled their ears. Joshua took Sandy’s hand, Caleb and Abigail at their side, and the four of them stared wide-eyed at the myriad of attractions. Everywhere they looked, they saw something new to marvel at: steam-powered carousels, mechanical clowns, and all manner of trinkets for sale.

Sandy’s face lit up with a smile as she took in the sights and sounds of the fair. “Oh! Look at that!” she gasped, pointing to a booth filled with tiny, glittering figurines made of copper, brass and crystal. “Joshua, would you buy me one of those, please?” She said pointing to a particular copper piece.

Joshua laughed and squeezed her hand. “Of course, anything for you, my love.” He looked at his two children, who were both equally enthralled by the atmosphere. “What about you two?” he asked. “What do you want to do first?”

Abigail, the youngest of the two, gave a small gasp of excitement and pointed to a tall stand in the corner of the fairgrounds. “Look, Daddy!” she exclaimed. “It’s a target gallery! Can we go and try it?”

Joshua smiled and nodded. “Yes, of course. Let’s go.”

As they approached the stand, the children’s eyes widened even further. It was a wondrous machine: clockwork birds perched atop wooden targets, whirring and clicking as they moved around in circles; a mechanical arm winding back and forth, filled with tiny brass covered wooden balls; and a large steam-powered contraption with a crank that gave out assorted trinkets when there was a winner. Caleb, the oldest of the two children, tapped Joshua on the arm. “I want to give it a try!” he said, pointing to the mechanical arm.

Joshua nodded. “Alright, let’s give it a go. I’ll pay for five tries.”

The children picked out brass balls and threw them at the spinning targets. Abigail missed by a wide margin, and Caleb only managed to hit one target. But, to Caleb and Abigail’s surprise, both of them got a prize in the end. Abigail was presented with a small silver windup toy, and Caleb received a pair of brass cuff-links.

“Look, Mommy!” Abigail exclaimed as she showed off her prize. “I won a prize!”

Sandy smiled “that’s wonderful Abigail!” she looked at her son. “And you won something too, Caleb.”

Caleb grinned and held up his cuff-links. “Yeah! I did it!”

Joshua chuckled. “You both did a good job. Now, let’s go and see what else is here.”

They wandered around, stopping at various attractions and marveling at all the different gadgets. Everywhere they looked, they saw something new to excite their curiosity and wonder. Abigail wanted to try her luck at the spinning wheel, and Caleb begged to ride the carousel, but Joshua paused in front of a booth filled with small mechanical prizes. He smiled and gestured for the others to come and take a look. He pointed to a peculiar device that caught his eye. It was a metal contraption, with dozens of small levers, buttons, and knobs. “What do you think this is?” he asked.

Sandy leaned in to take a closer look. The device was adorned with intricate designs and sparkling jewels. She reached out to touch it, but Joshua pulled her hand back. “Careful, my love,” he said with a smile. “It may be more of a challenge than you expect.”

Abigail tugged at Joshua’s sleeve. “Daddy, what is it?” she asked.

Joshua scratched his chin. “I’m not entirely sure,” he said. “But I have a feeling it’s something special.”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “Don’t be silly, Dad,” he said. “It’s just a toy.”

Joshua looked at him surprised, “This is more than just a toy! It’s a machine! And machines can do amazing things! Who knows what this one is supposed to do?”

Sandy stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the device. Without thinking, she reached in to examine the contraption. “It looks like some sort of mechanical puzzle,” she said, intrigued. “Maybe you have to figure out how to make all the pieces move in sync.”

Caleb looked up at his father. “Can we try it, Dad? Please?”

Joshua gave in. “Sure thing, kiddo. Let’s see if we can crack this puzzle.”

They gathered around the booth and began to experiment with the device. At first, their attempts were clumsy and fruitless, but as they worked together, they began to make progress. Sandy figured out how to activate a hidden switch, which opened up a small compartment filled with tiny gears and springs. Caleb and Abigail managed to align a series of levers, which caused a hidden panel to slide open, revealing a small hand-blown glass figurine of a ballerina. Sandy’s eyes glistened with joy as she carefully picked it up.

“I’m so glad we were able to help you get such a beautiful prize,” Caleb exclaimed.

Joshua had watched with fascination as his family worked together to solve the puzzle. He had always loved seeing their minds at work, their curiosity and ingenuity on full display. They had worked as one to achieve their goal. It reminded him of how Jesus said he wanted his church, in John 17:11 He had said, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your Name, the Name that you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

‘If we as a church could become one in our work,” Joshua thought, “ just as my family had just done, each one bringing their special talents. Then the church as the family of God, each bringing their own individual talents, could obtain the prize we most cherish. The return of Jesus Christ.”