The Waiting Game

Why does waiting have to be so hard?

How is waiting for vacation different than waiting for healing from an injury?
A vacation is fun, you save the money, you pick your destination, you plan your trip. Each day is a countdown to the date you have chosen. You know it is going to happen, for the most part, you have control over it. When healing from an injury or surgery you are at the mercy of your body. You begin to wonder if you will ever begin to feel better. Sometimes it feels like an eternity, which can bring about frustration. Then all of a sudden one day you wake up to find yourself in less pain. The agony of waiting seems to fade, as you feel the results of normalcy coming your way.

What about waiting for a new job or waiting for God to heal you from something that doctors can not? Things we can not control or can not feel or see happening? What then? Do we get angry when things aren’t happening at the moment we think they should? Do we give up hope?

To take my mind off of waiting, I decided to interview Abby. As the saying goes “Out of the mouths of babes”, and my baby girl had some insightful and humorous thoughts, as well as some much needed advice.


Abby‘s thoughts on waiting:

Do you like to wait? NO
WHY? It is boring.
What is the hardest thing for you to wait for? For my computer to unfreeze in Pixie Hollow
What about waiting in lines? They drive me crazy
If you are waiting for something you like, is it worth it? YES
When waiting for something you like, do you get mad or antsy? Antsy
What if you have to wait for something you don’t like, but your friend does? hmm that’s a tuffy, I cant answer that one.
Would you wait in a line for 2 hours if you were promised $100? Yes
What about $1? No Why not? I like a bunch…
What if God asked you to wait 7 days for $1? It’s a tuffy, I don’t want to let God down, but I don’t like just $1, could you change it to $7?
Would you complain? I don’t know, I might….
What would you complain about? That I would only be able to shop at the Dollar Store.
Why not save it? Oh
Tell me something that is worth waiting for? The Finding Nemo ride at Disneyland.
Is your birthday worth waiting for? (crickets) um yes
Why is your birthday worth waiting for? I like the cake, except the one with the red dye, yeah, that was not good.
Do you trust God?. Yes
Do you trust that God will provide what we need and ask him for? Yes, he will always do that.
Does God love us? Yes
Do you think God ever waits on us? Yes
What does he wait for? (crickets)
Does he wait for us to obey him? Yes
Do you think he gets impatient? Yes
But does he still love us? Yes
So he wont strike us with lightning if we take too long? Eeeeeks!!
If God waits patiently for us, do you think we should be patient in waiting for him to answer our prayers? Yes
Why? I respect him.

While I was having fun making her think, I began to think….. Being anxious, edgy, and impatient doesn’t show God much respect. Let alone faith. God is more than patient with us. He always answers. It may not be in the way we expect or when we would like, but he does in the way he knows is best for us and in his time. Abby also brought to my attention how that even if we know when we are going to receive something, as well as know what it is, we still aren’t satisfied. We feel the wait is too long or that the gift is not enough. We want more, and FAST! Patience is good, but not if we aren't satisfied with the gift.

God’s patience with us is immeasurable. While we are busy trying to do things on our own, he waits, and waits. When we finally call out to him, he is there, and he takes pleasure in it. Instead of saying what took you so long, he is joyful. Instead of being edgy or upset that things are not happening on my time table, I will take joy in knowing he will answer in his time. And when he does, I will take joy. Will I remember this the next time I am in pain or ask for provision? I would love to say yes, yet most likely I will regress. Like Abby, I do not always know how to answer, nor do I answer correctly. If I did, I wouldn’t need God.

Heavenly Father,
I know you hear my prayers. I trust you will provide, in your way, in your time.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

-Mrs. C.

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Celebrating Fathers!

Happy Father's Day!

My little family never does anything small. Nothing is a DAY! Holidays are a weekend event and sometimes a month long event. While most are finishing their plans for tomorrow, we are in the middle of our Father's day celebration. Starting Friday evening, we all went to Abby's Vacation Bible School closing program. There we watched daddy's little girl perform songs celebrating the love our Heavenly Father has for us. After we all went out and had a treat, nothing big, just a little french fries, ice cream, chicken nuggets, coffee and soda! Big were the smiles, laughs and love, for each other, for my children's father and our Heavenly Father. Today is a bit more subdued. Abby and I are both finishing up last minute details to make sure that our surprise tomorrow will show Drew how loved he is. He is a great father to both of our children. To Justin, he is an example of how to be a loving husband and father. To Abby, he is an example of the type of man she should seek to be her husband when she grows up. Drew is an example to both kids and me, of how to follow Jesus Christ. To trust, to follow, to teach, to love, and most importantly how to submit to Christ. He is an example of patience and respect. His faith is not an "in your face" kinda faith, but a quiet and peaceful faith, the kind of peace that makes people want to know more about it. Drew serves Christ and works hard to provide for us, all with very little complaints. I am blessed to have a husband who puts God before me, whose love of God is shared with me and our children.

Tonight we will go praise our Heavenly Father. I plan to praise God for giving me the type of family I dreamed of as a child. A family that plays and prays together. I will praise God for His never ending love.

Romans 8:39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tomorrow we will wrap up our weekend of celebration, but I pray we show our love to both God and Drew everyday.

How do you show thanks to your father, husband, and to God?

May God bless all men who rise to the call and raise their children to love and respect God. Whether quietly or loudly, seen or heard, may your faith be an example to other men.