While I'm Waiting

I love the movie, "Fireproof" and highly recommend it to any married or dating couple. One song in the movie just spoke right to my heart. For all the waiters out there, you have to check this one out. Powerful.

"While I'm Waiting" John Waller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWI-iZsIKIk

(Sorry..I don't know how to get video in this blog! You have to click on the youtube link. Still learning.)

Pedal, Pedal, Pedal

Hubby and I try to read a short devotional before bed each night. Last night we came across a great one that I wanted to share with my "waiting" buddies. The metaphor was that life is like a bike ride. It's a tandem bike and when we try to control our lives, God is at the back of the bike. Things get good when we let God have the front seat.

When we have control, we take the easy way or the safe way and it's kind of boring. But, when God has control, he takes the bike over mountains, through rocky places and at breakneck speeds. It's all we can do to just hang on sometimes for the adventure.

At first if feels like He is going to wreck our bike. But, when we learn to trust, we realize he knows the bike secrets: how to bend for sharp corners, jump over high rocks and fly to shorten the scary passages.

It ends with this "And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my God. And when I'm sure I just can't do it anymore, He smiles and says 'Pedal'."

The book footnote says the author is unknown. I'd love to give him/her credit. I love this image. Just a word of encouragement for those on a crazy adventure, but especially those waiting....Pedal, Pedal Pedal!

Prov. 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

My Pilot

I can't get enough coverage of the miracle of flight 1549. I guess it is partly because I live in Charlotte, NC where the plane was headed. There were a lot of local people on that plane who are telling their stories to the newspaper. It's so interesting.

There are so many great lessons to be learned from it, I think. The one thing that really amazes me is the man that was piloting that plane. Chesley Sullenberger (and first officer Jeffrey Skiles) were front and center for what was going to be one interesting day in their lives. What are the chances that a man with so many years of experience flying, with glider flying abilities, with enormous knowledge of safety procedures, with military experience, etc, etc would be the one flying this plane? All those years that he had devoted to flying, every single thing he had learned and taught to others, culminated into one crazy, amazing, terrifying moment. It's almost as if he had been hand picked to be in the pilot seat that day.

It just reminds me that we don't always know our purpose in life. That we don't always know why we experience things. We don't know why we have the job we're in. We don't know how what we are learning today may become critically important tomorrow. We can't see the whole plan. Surely, Mr. Sullenberger can see his purpose in life last Thursday! But, it doesn't end there. It may be his most famous accomplishment, but it won't be his last. Who knows what else he'll do now.

Just like us. Who knows what work we are being prepared for right now? Well, actually, someone does know. God is giving us all that we need in order to do all that He has planned for us. It might not be as dramatic as piloting an airplane into a river, but then again, maybe it will be! I better learn my lessons today, so that I am ready when He needs me. I know who is piloting my airplane. Hope you do, too!

Keep those miracles coming!

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Just Walking Around

My favorite blogs are those where the bloggers share things from their personal lives. Funny stuff, interesting tidbits, emotional moments, etc. I would do that today, but nothing too interesting has gone on around here in the past few days. I'm just doing the regular, everyday, Mom stuff. I read a great verse today that did inspire me especially for regular days.

Romans 12: 1 (The Message)

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him."

I take this to mean that even if I am just "walking around," I should be doing it for God and be glad for what he is doing in me. Practical application? Well, I just finished dusting. That is a perfectly annoying job that never ends and only the most detail oriented husband or child actually notices that you have done it. It is not appreciated unless that heavy layer of dust is obvious on your furniture and someone writes you messages in it. If you don't let it get to that point, does anyone even notice your effort? Yup--God does. He notices you taking care of your family and caring for your material things.

I'm grateful to be a wife and a mom. I'm thankful for my home which isn't big enough some days, but has a little mortgage payment that makes me smile and breathe easier! I'm thankful for the things that gather dust in my house--the picture frame holding my daughter's pretty photo, the vase we bought in her birth country when we adopted her, the computer that keeps me connected to family and friends.

It's really not that hard for me to "work" for the Lord, when I go at it with a grateful heart. Wherever you are today, whether working in a busy office, car pooling to soccer practice, checking your favorite blogs or just walking around, remember that God is with you!

One Day at a Time in 2009

Happy new year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Today was our first day to get back into the swing of things. Welcome back to reality and alarm clocks. Ugh. Got up early to take my daughter to speech therapy. Apparently, when she first got there, she wouldn't talk to her therapist. She was too tired to talk, she said. Glad I got up for that. It seems like speaking would be an important part of speech therapy!

So, I'm on the "one day at a time" plan in '09. I am trying to enjoy the moment and live in the now. Focus on what God is doing in my life today, this very minute and not on what might happen 3 months from now, 6 months from now, etc. I love this familiar verse about not worrying about tomorrow. This translation from the message is great:

Matthew 6:34 (The Message)
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

So, I guess that's one of my resolutions. The rest are the same ones I try for every year: read the Bible more, eat less, exercise more, eat less, pray more, eat less....you get the idea.

Good luck with all of your resolutions. Let me know what they are in the comments. I love to know people are reading this. In the meanwhile, seize the day, friends!

Psalm 118:24 (New International Version)
"This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. "

Spinning in Circles

Greetings, fellow waiters! Hope this holiday season is finding you full of joy. We've been enjoying our share of Christmas celebrations. Our church has always done a children's nativity where the children act out the story of Christmas. This is my 9th Christmas at this church and ever since my first Christmas there, I couldn't wait to have a child old enough to be a "sheep" in the nativity.

Long before we even thought of having children (we had just gotten engaged that first Christmas), I loved the sheep. The sheep are 4 and 5 year olds who dress in sweatsuits turned inside-out. They enter from the back of the church and crawl down the aisle on their hands and knees "BAAing" with all their might. It makes me teary-eyed every year. The older children are shepherds and try their best to herd the unruly sheep. It's a mess every year, but such a delight!

This year, my daughter was finally old enough to be a sheep! I was so excited. She, however, was not. She did not want to be a sheep. I tried everything to convince her. I told her how sad Mommy would be if she didn't do it. I told her how much fun it would be. I pointed out other kids she knew who would be sheep, too. Finally, I gave up and told her Santa was still watching and he wanted her to be a sheep. (hangs head in shame). Parenting is not easy, you know.

The big day arrives and I have my camera in hand hanging out of my pew to capture the big moment. For a second, I think she may have "baacked out" of this, but there she is....last sheep in the flock. She's straggling behind, but she's moving. She finally gets up to the stage where they have practiced how they are going to sit and face baby Jesus. Focus on baby Jesus, the director has told them over and over.

I notice that my precious sheep is the only one without ears. This does not surprise me. I'm just glad she made it down the aisle. However, sitting still isn't her thing, really. So, she stays on her bottom, but instead of focusing on Jesus she spins in circles. Constant motion the entire time. At one point, she looks like she is going to jump off the stage, but I give her the "Mommy face" and a strong head nod, "no" and she goes back to spinning.

Later, I see that I failed to capture her coming down the aisle. I was so busy trying to find her and wave to her, I missed her completely. I did get a nice shot of the back of her head.

After I tell this story a few times, it occurs to me that once again, God is teaching me through my child. I know all too well that I am called to focus on Jesus, too. God knows all too well, that usually I can be found spinning in circles, totally distracted and looking like I may jump off, too! How many times does he gently shake his head, "no" and ask me to be still?

It's been a disappointing year around here. There were several big things that God said, "No, not yet, maybe later" to this year. It's frustrating. We get the message that he would like us to sit still. As we finish out the year, I am going to do my best to focus on Jesus. I'm thinking of making this blog more of a waiting devotional next year. Let me know if you like that idea.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours. May 2009 bring us abundant joy!

Psalm 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..."

Holiday Waiting

The holiday season is upon us and this festive time of year can be tough on waiting families. On one hand, there is so much to do that there isn't much time to dwell on the waiting. However, the pain seems a bit deeper this time of year. We all want to hang another stocking by the chimney with care, in hopes our referral soon will be here!

How can we support each other during the holiday waiting? Any good ideas out there? Do you buy a present or two for the child that will be part of your family or does that make it harder? We did buy gifts for our daughter before we had a referral. Of course, we got a referral two weeks after Christmas, so it seemed more reasonable then!

A friend just emailed me and asked how she can love us better while we wait. Just by asking that question, she is loving us well already. Sometimes all you need is a little reminder that other people remember you are waiting and hurt with you. So, for all of you reading this, I remember you are waiting!

Now, go drown your sorrows in turkey and pumpkin pie!