Waiting

By Caroline T. Jackson

The dictionary (yes, I still use one) defines waiting as “a period in which one waits.” Now that explains it all, doesn’t it? It leaves out the element of anticipation, excitement and, yes, even dread when you are waiting on some event to take place in your life. We had made plans for an extensive road trip and already packed and ready to roll when the doctors decided it was necessary to do some extensive testing on a recent and recurring medical issue my husband was experiencing. The doctors involved didn’t know what was wrong and finding out that we were going to be gone longer than a week, decided that they better test now rather than later. That way we wouldn’t have to wait! I find it necessary to share with you that the so called patient is not a patient man…having spent a life time in a very precise occupation.

 As we all know, the wheels of medical testing don’t always run on the fast track and I can attest to the fact that we felt like we were on the side track. The MRI’s or the CAT scans were done on a Thursday afternoon two weeks in a row and ,of course, no results would be available before the following Monday. The following week a biopsy was again performed on a Thursday with the promise of results the following Monday. I thought all doctors took Thursday afternoons off! Yesterday was Monday and when finally pinned to a wall, the nurse responded that it might be 5 to 7 days before we heard!  What was it I said about waiting?

This morning we are placing the bags packed three weeks ago in the car…closing up the house in anticipation of a possible hurricane…which we are secretly praying for because it hasn’t rained on our coast for almost a year, and moving forward on our journey. We can wait anywhere and what is the worst thing that can happen? We have to turn around and come home.  We are heading north to cooler air and higher elevations. Our trip has been shortened because we are also “waiting” for the birth of our first grandchild. This coming event is punctuated with the anticipation and excitement mentioned above.

Most of our lives are spent in some sort of waiting…waiting to be born…to grow up….to find that perfect mate…to become successful…to find our passion…to grow old ….some even waiting to die.  Yet in all of this, the only thing that we need to wait on is God’s timing. Our daily lives are totally under His control and if we only take the time to stop and listen for His direction, we wouldn’t have to “wait” on anything.  God knows the out come of each and every moment in our lives and when we are not “waiting” for the time constraints we place on ourselves, we are free to be and do what His will is, not ours. So I will anticipate the joy of the road, a clean bill of health for my mate, the blessed birth of our grandchild and I will wait for God to show me His way for me along life’s journey.