There’s a magnetic notepad and pen hanging on my refrigerator. One morning as we were somewhat frantically making breakfasts and packing lunches, my 7-year-old daughter said she thought the notepad would be a good place to list what she wants me to get from the grocery.
Hello, independence. Have I told you I love this age? And, um, she wins for being the first member of my family to want to invest in the grocery list. {Sorry, husband of a dozen years …}
So she wrote down “bagles” and “cream chees” – I told you, she’s 7. We had finished what we had of those two items that morning and she figured they needed to be replaced.
We went about our morning. I honestly didn’t think about the list as I went about my day because I wasn’t meal planning or grocery shopping that day. I figured I’d consult the list another day. When Cate got home from school that afternoon, she wanted to talk about the list.
“So did you get the bagels and cream cheese? You know I want the white cream cheese and not the pink one?”
“Yes, I know you like the white better. But I haven’t been to the grocery store yet.”
She seemed disappointed in me. “But we’re out of those things,” she said.
I started to explain instant gratification – and why we don’t need to live like that. Bagels and cream cheese don’t require a special trip to the grocery. They’re on the list. I’ll get them when I’m there next.
I think I was fairly convincing. She seemed to understand. It wasn’t long before she added other things to the list. {Another point for helping! Not that we actually keep score around here …}
And then I caught myself doing the same thing – with Amazon.com, because, hello, epitome of {nearly} instant gratification with Prime shipping. I was out of light bulbs – added them to the cart. I needed a certain size battery – check. Talk about convenience.
I suppose instant gratification doesn’t matter much when it comes to batteries and light bulbs or even bagels and cream cheese. But I’ve learned some of my most profound lessons of trusting God when I had to wait. {Tweet that.}
I waited to get pregnant, never actually did, and learned God hears the desires of my heart.
I’ve waited for the phone to ring or mail to arrive.
I’ve waited for clarity on pursuing adoption again. I’ve started to dive in – more than once – and then remember God works while we wait.
I’ve waited for a friend to understand or my husband and I to get on the same page.
I’ve waited for my kids to get well this winter.
Like I share in my ebook, we are sanctified and perfected in the waiting. {Tweet that.}
Even knowing that, I don’t always wait patiently. Sometimes I want to rush the silence and uncertainty. Other times I assume I’ve got it all figured out and don’t need to wait on anyone or The One who actually is in control.
I eventually bought a bag of blueberry bagels and whipped cream cheese, not the strawberry flavor. The batteries and light bulbs arrived on my door step 48 hours later. God led us to adoption twice after he made it clear we were supposed to stop trying to conceive. My phone rang. Necessary conversations happened in the right time. I still don’t know about that third adoption. And I’m not sure how long my kids will stay well.
But I believe God is working.
Sometimes he makes it clear what we should do, where we should go, and when the changes should happen. Other times we have to wait. But we can worship and live and serve and rest and learn while we wait because God’s got a plan – because our names are scribbled on the notepad in heaven.
An InLinkz Link-up
I’m also linking with Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory and Meredith Bernard’s Woman to Woman Wednesday.
Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”
I love this story, Kristin! Your little girl is just precious, and sounds exactly like mine at that age :). My baby girl turns 21 today, so this is so perfect to take me down memory lane today. Thank you! I'm incredibly impatient and I adore Amazon too. I'm also so with you on this: "But I’ve learned some of my most profound lessons of trusting God when I had to wait." Me too, my friend!
Thanks, Candace! I'm glad you were encouraged and able to reminisce! Funny thing, I wrote about ordering stuff from Amazon here and then we had this snow storm … so UPS and our mail have been slow. I'm awaiting a couple orders! 🙂
Thank you for this lovely word today. God is certainly reminding me today that He's got me in His hands and HIs timing. It has been a very rough couple of weeks. And just this morning I was worrying – again. I am in the waiting right now. Waiting to see what great things God will do. And He always shows up! Thanks!! -Dana
Waiting is hard, especially when you're in the midst of it. But God is working. Even when you can't see that. I'm glad you're here today. I'm looking forward to checking out your post!
These thoughts on waiting are ALL OVER MY LIFE this week…through The Pointed Life group I'm in to every blog I read (it seems like.) These words are powerful and true, "But we can worship and live and serve and rest and learn while we wait because God’s got a plan – because our names are scribbled on the notepad in heaven." Thank you for this Kristin! xoxo
I love your little Independence. 🙂 It's funny when our kids pick up things before our husbands do. ha. I've recently become distracted by the instant gratification of my library offering Kindle books. I have plenty of books to read; I don't need more. But the lure of one more free one to tack on is often too much. But waiting is good… God works in the waiting. Thanks for this, Kristin.
My little Independence is so much like me that it really shouldn't be a surprise she gets my system around here. 🙂 Books on the Kindle is another good example of instant gratification in my own life, Lisa! I'm glad you're here!
God does that with messages for me too. He knows I need repetition to really learn something. I'm glad to see you here, Meredith! xoxo
Like you, I've learned to wait over the IMPORTANT things – the things we have zero control over. And, like you, I've learned not to wait for things I can get via Amazon Prime! Oh, let me back up, I do put things in the wish list once in a while and wait…maybe 2 days! I love your posts!!!
Wouldn't you just love a peek at that heavenly notepad … what's up next on the to-do, Lord? 🙂 Loved this post, Kristin. So true – as hard as the waiting and the wondering and the longing are – God moves in beautiful ways and teaches us through the stillness. He is always worth the wait! Blessings to you, friend!
Waiting can be so very difficult, especially when we are in pain. How encouraging to be reminded that God grows us through waiting.
Yes, amen! Thanks for being here, Ginger!
Oh, yes, there are days I'd love to know what God is up to! 🙂 Thanks for your encouragement, as always, Tiffany!
You should have seen the big 'ole box that showed up from Amazon today. On a snow day, it was lovely to have bottled water, toilet paper, dish soap, and dryer sheets show up on my front porch. But, yes, there is plenty we have absolutely NO CONTROL over! Thanks for your sweet presence here, Susan!
Love the picture of you and your youngens. Ya'll are so cute. And yes…..patience is so very stinkin' hard at times. I love how you are leaning into His timing.
because our names are scribbled on the notepad in heaven — love it! I think I may be really slow because I just now, this second realized your kids are adopted! I'm slow like that. AND they do look just like you and each other! A. Maz. Ing! 🙂
Yep, they're both adopted AND they do somehow still look like us. Funny thing is, we fully expected our daughter not to look like us. God's always surprising us! I'm glad you're here, Michelle!
Thanks, Melody! Glad to have you here.
I love this pic of you and you kids! So much joy! 🙂 And waiting…just like your 7 year old, I don't like it either. I'm trying to learn to rest in the timelessness of the Lord.
Thank you Kristin for the Link up. I guess I have to schedule my timing properly. God Bless
You're welcome! The link up is open from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Join us anytime!
Thanks, Laura! I don't really know anyone who likes waiting, but it's a relief to me to know God doesn't waste that time. Thanks for being here!
Sweet picture of you guys! Thank you for your words on waiting. As I get older (I'm really not that old, right?!), I feel like I'm learning more and more vividly about patience and waiting. Good reminder here – thank you, friend!
Anne
Hi, Anne! Waiting is one of those lessons I feel like I'm continually being taught. That and letting go. 🙂 I'm glad you were encouraged here.
Living while waiting – yes. Sometimes we put ourselves in a holding pattern (and are not usually very happy about it…) begging God to move when really He just says wait. And oh the lessons we learn in the waiting, right? Great post Kristin – but they always are : )
You're so kind, Mindy! Thank you for that.