bump #3: waiting

If there is anything God is teaching me throughout these baby bump hurdles, it is how to wait with hope. {You probably thought I was going to say that He is teaching me patience. Ha! I'm 28 years old and can honestly tell you that i will struggle with patience the rest of my life. Infertility issues have definitely not helped in the patience department. I'll leave it at that.}

My dad is always good for advice. He is the one who told me so many, many years ago that "anything worth having is worth waiting for." I'm almost certain this conversation took place in the toy section at Target in 1992 and was in reference to the Beverly Hills 90210 Kelly Taylor Barbie Doll I had been wanting. I put it in the cart, and dad put it back on the shelf, mumbling something about waiting for it.

If you're reaching for relevance here, it's this: My dad had already bought that doll and was just wating to give it to me until a later time.

He knew what he was doing. I didn't.

I did not see the whole picture.
I could only see exactly what I wanted,
just out of my reach.

1 week later he gave me the doll.

And I thought "it's about flipping time! I've been waiting for this all season!" You thought I was going to say how grateful I was, didn't you?
I was grateful, but I was also tired of waiting.

I keep hearing this voice, a whisper, remiding me ever so gently to "be grateful for the waiting."

I also keep hearing the voice of Tom Petty, "the waiting is the hardest part."

I'm inclined to agree with Tommy.

Why would anyone be grateful for waiting?

Every major event in my life has involved waiting.

Waiting to grow up.
Waiting to graduate.
Waiting to hear back from colleges.
Waiting to move.
Waiting in a long distance relationship.
Waiting for my wedding day
Waiting to hear back from the doctors.
Waiting for my new insurance policy.
Waiting to decorate a nursery.


All of this waiting and I'm not sure I would desbribe any of these as my most grateful moments.

The Bible says this: "In all things give thanks (be grateful)."

Especially in waiting.

I have been somewhat blind-sided by how long we have been waiting for a baby.

I am still not sure how to be grateful for it, but I am learning how to hope through it.

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

There is overwhelming hope that God is in control

I am grateful that

He sees the whole picture, and I just can't.

And, as always, my dad was right... "Anything worth having is worth waiting for."

And so we wait.