The joy is in the waiting!

Waiting.....who in their right mind likes to wait? Waiting for a special day ............ to celebrate a life, your love, a special accomplishment finally achieved, the arrival of a new baby in the family, or adding a child to your already existing family. Waiting in line, in traffic, in the DMV. Waiting for news of a loved one far away, waiting for blood tests results, waiting for a diagnosis, waiting for the ball to drop.....or not.

We can wait in expectation, frustration, or anticipation

Here are the definitions I found on the following words:

expectate (v) the mental attitude of looking forward to something coming

frustrate (v) to prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire

anticipate (v) to think, speak, act, or feel an emotional response in advance.

We have all experienced these things.

In expectation, we have all awaited that special day to come with great hope. Standing at the altar looking at our soon-to-be-spouse. That moment we will never forget as we look into their eyes. Waiting for the day we finally accomplish the great task before us, whether it be graduating from college, a promotion at work, or getting the job we have always wanted.

In frustration, we have all looked for the shortest line at the department/grocery store only to find all them 5-6 people long, all with arm/cart loads of items. We have all been stuck in an endless parking lot called traffic, even worse if you or someone in your car needs a bathroom. Or, as a fellow facebooker posted, waiting at DMV in a roomful of people watching the numbers change all too slowly, if at all.

In anticipation, thinking the worst sometimes but wanting the best. When a child or loved one is going through something difficult, we want to know that everything really is going to be ok, and start acting like it's going to be ok, only then to have your thoughts do a flip-flop and now thinking that nothing good could possibly come out of the situation. We have acted on what we want to happen believing it will change the outcome.

But what is it that the Bible says about waiting?

Psm 130:5 ~ I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His work I put my hope.

Lam. 3:25-26 ~ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Prov 8:34 ~ Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

All these are reminders that waiting is something we all have to do. Life isn't just about now. It's trusting that God has good things in store but we have to wait for them to be finished. Many things take time and to take it early would be to take a project not yet completed, thus we would be disappointed in the results or complaining that it didn't turn out right. It is clearly stated in Proverbs that we will be blessed when we listen and wait. Not always our favorite pasttimes but definitely character builders. In Lamentations we are reminded that the Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him and that it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Waiting......actually, I started this post more than a month ago, but wasn't sure how to finish it, so i just left it. I have had lots of thoughts about lots of things re: this adoption, our child, my children, how we will adapt, what changes will be instant and what changes will be gradual. So much unknown, so much to do before he/she gets here, so much waiting........ I have spent lots of time praying for all the above situations....and today was completely blessed when I got to rock a 2 year old to sleep. She curled up in my lap with her blankie and went right to sleep.....what trust, what a huge reminder that very soon, there will come another who will need loving, understanding, patience, tenderness, and more love. My heart rejoices over the day that our new child completely trusts me..... not out of fear because no one else is around, but out of complete love. When he/she knows that I'm here for the long haul, that I want whats best for them, that I will protect them, love them, even discipline them when the time comes. When they know that I love them and it's forever.......all this because I have spent time waiting.

God's grace has surely been evident in this process. The waiting has given us time to think about certain situations and be better prepared. It has caused a longing to be stirred and an appreciation and thankfulness to be cemented in my heart. This waiting causes me to long for God's timing. It has caused me to pray in ways that I have never prayed before. With a fervency and passion for God's will in the lives of these innocent children. For the tribes, who desperately need to know a God who is loving, forgiving, and redeeming. For the tribes to know He has already paid a price.....

Waiting on the Lord........there is no place I would rather be. I know I will never be disappointed with what He chooses for me.
blessings,
Anne