Thoughts On Waiting …

This little turtledove was waiting for something out on our deck today. His head kept bobbing back and forth, side to side. He was checking out the world, patiently waiting for his turn to jump into the fray.

Today I am also waiting .

Waiting for news about my dad who is having surgery at this very moment. Waiting on the Lord for blessings of help and healing to carry him through it. Waiting, but unlike the turtledove, I’m head on into the fray, life swirling around me. This kind of waiting is purposeful and unavoidable.

Sometimes I fall into the trap of another kind of waiting. Waiting for things to get easier, better, more to my liking. Does anyone else do that? Almost always when I do, I find myself disappointed, my expectations unmet, or opportunities lost because I didn’t take action at the time. It looks a little like this:

I’ll wait to contact that friend after my life is a little less busy.

I’ll wait to forgive that person until they apologize to me first.

I’ll wait to love myself more until I’ve lost that weight and fit in those clothes again.

I’ll wait to develop that talent until my kids are all out of the house.

I’ll wait to say something to that teacher until the situation has blown over.

I’ll wait and see if they really need my help, then I’ll volunteer.

Sometimes waiting is a necessity. We can’t control a situation, but have to be patient for its resolution or the timing to work out so we can proceed. Other times, our waiting is self imposed and really works contrary to our benefit or the benefit of others.

In those cases I’m ready to stop waiting on the things I have control over. I’m ready to be more purposeful and action oriented. Time is short. I don’t have to wait to do so many things.

The second after I took the picture of this bird, it shot off the porch suddenly, startling me enough that I let out a little yelp. It had decided which direction to go. The waiting part was over. I felt excited. It’s time to fly, people.