Waiting through Life

Waking up to blue skies after a night of healing rain is refreshing. It would be another eventful day with medical appointments, but I was ready for the task (or so I thought). 

Hubby had been working around the house and was about to change into clean clothes for his appointments.  I was pretty much ready and began my wait glancing out the window. 

While leaning over the kitchen sink to see what winged visitors we had, I noticed something moving about from the corner of my left eye.  My husband had retrieved his clothes from the dryer and was dangling his underclothes from his hand. 

Without notice I turned into my mother, “You’re not going to wear those, they’re blue.”  All I could think of was mom telling us to make sure we always had on clean dainties, especially when going to the doctor. 

Returning to my leaning position of looking out the window hubby came back into the kitchen, but this time he had two undergarments, one in each hand. Holding them up like Rembrandts he asked, “Which one is bluer?”  

I couldn’t help but laugh when he held up his shorts next and said, “Are these too blue?”  Hubby had done the laundry! 

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Waiting While We Wait 

Why is it that after you have been studying a certain area in the Bible the test has to come immediately?  No need to answer, it’s a rhetorical question … 

Our last challenge had to do with the act of compassion. I thought perhaps God was still dealing with me in this area, so I made sure that I was aware of how I was acting throughout the week.  If I didn’t think God had a sense of humor (which I do), I would say that He made sure to bring it to life in our daily activities. 

No matter what we did it seemed to come with a waiting period before completing whatever it was we wanted to do. It would take a lot of restraint this week in the area of compassion when it came to waiting.  

Simple things like waiting in line to get an iced tea at a fast food place took twenty minutes.  Another time we decided to stop in to see the brand new state of the art McDonald’s that had been open for one day.  Walking through the doors you wouldn’t have thought it was a fast food joint, but an actual restaurant where kids hung out after dark. 

There was a self-ordering kiosk and a counter, but the menu seemed confusing.  Hubby ordered a regular hamburger and I had a side salad.  He was given a round disk with a number and we were to find a place to sit. 

Looking around I couldn’t find a seat that I thought would be easy for us to sit and eat our meal.  I was living the Three Bears story acting like Goldilocks trying to find a chair that was just right. 

Yeah, I finally got a new pocketbook!

The booths were too tall, the metal chairs were too cold … but I found two chairs that were just right.  Yes, they were probably not for “regular customers”, but I was thinking of my husband not having to walk too far.  Anyway, another fifteen minutes of waiting; too long hubby said for what we ordered.   

All week long we were in situations where we had to wait, even the doctor’s appointment for that day had a waiting period of six weeks to learn the results of a test (You remember, the one that was supposed to be guaranteed results within 24 hours?). 

Phased Waiting 

We arrived at the doctor’s office about fifteen minutes early.  The television program Bonanza was playing in the waiting room to occupy people. I think they do this so people wouldn’t realize how long they were actually waiting. 

Thirty-five minutes later a nurse came out and called us into the next waiting room, you know the one that’s so small you need a shoe horn to turn around?  The second phase of waiting had begun and to make it more un-relaxing the pendulum clock on the wall was wrong.   

By now we were waiting another fifteen minutes in the inner room for the doctor to give us the medical diagnosis. At least if we were still in the other area we could have finished watching the program. Now how will I find out what happened to Adam? 

Trying not to let the wait bother me I tried to snooze, when the nurse returned and asked if we wanted a bottle of water (which never happens).  That should have been a clue the doctor was nowhere ready to see us. 

He Said What?  

For some unknown reason I wore shorts that day. I never wear shorts to the doctor’s for the very reason that it’s always an ice box in their offices, because they want to keep down germs.  Trying to keep warm I snuggled up to my husband.  That didn’t work; ever since the surgery his body temperature runs colder than usual. 

Looking over at the sink I noticed the paper towel dispenser. Not shedding light on why I wanted it, I asked my husband if he would be so kind and fetch one for me.  Handing it to me he sat back down and watched as I opened it up flat to place it on my head. 

With an awkward look in his face hubby reluctantly asked, “What are you doing?”  Explaining how there was an air conditioning vent blowing directly over my head, and that the paper towel would serve as a hat to block the draft, he questioned me again.  “Is it working?”  Holding it on my head I smiled and said, “Yes.” 

By now the clock that was five hours behind schedule had chimed.  Looking at his phone it was now 3:31 P.M.  We had been officially waiting for one hour and twenty minutes when the wait was about to end. 

With pep the doctor burst into the room at 3:32 P.M. as if all was well in the world.  He sat down on a wheeled stool pulling it close to us and said a few sentences to my husband about the hospital tests.  

When he asked, “Why didn’t you call?”  We both looked at him and said, “We did, for six weeks we’ve been calling!” His bright come back, “Oh, sorry about that. Do you have any questions?” 

Tell me he didn’t say that!  It was probably good I had that towel on my head to stop the smoke that was virtually steaming.  You can imagine what went through our minds. Things like why did we even have to come here … couldn’t you have called?  Both of us wanted to say something, but refrained because that wouldn’t be showing compassion on an unsaved soul.   

Self-control made it so that our mouth didn’t cause us to sin by saying something unkind.  Whew, we thought we succeeded in keeping calm. 

“I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue.” (Psalm 39:1a NKJV) 

Even though we didn’t say anything, I don’t know that our body language reflected we were Jesus followers, and for a brief moment we took on characteristics of a mime as the doctor left the room. 

Stepping out in the hall I told my husband to look at his phone for the time. It was 3:34 P.M.  Two minutes, can you believe it?  Sure we expected some period of waiting as normal, but it was the unexplained wait that was getting to me.  That’s when the mind starts taking roads it shouldn’t travel. 

On our way out I asked the receptionist if there were some sort of emergency as to why all the waiting.  Adding fuel to the fire she responded, “No, the doctor just had two new patients and that takes longer.” 

Affirmation and Confirmation 

When I got home that day my mind was wondering contemplating what I was to write this week.  At first I thought it was about birthdays, fun things with the family. Then I started feeling pressured to write on the September 11 fall-out, when I realized it wasn’t God directing me to take that path.  It was when I answered an email that the Lord confirmed what He wanted from His children. 

As we grow in our faith and start believing God at His Word there will come times when we have to wait on answers to prayer.  It’s not always a test from the Lord to see if we believe, but sometimes the waiting has to do with things falling into place.   

Such was an instance of sister in Christ Tonya Lee Carrie, who had been waiting for twenty-two years for God to open a door to speak at a conference for women.  For her, it was long term waiting.

On Saturday, September 12^th, 2015 that conference took place at Faith Cathedral World Outreach Center in Louisiana, with people who are living out their God vision and dreams.

What God was pointing out to me was that I’m not always coming through as a compassionate believer as I wait, whether it is for answered prayer or simple everyday things.  In my thinking, I really believed I was compassionate, but it seems when time is involved I get a little unnerved because I always have something in the works that needs tending to immediately.  Well, that’s the way I saw it anyway. 

The Three C’s 

Something I’ve realize about myself is that even when I’m doing things for the Lord I can get so absorbed in the task that I don’t hear clear direction from Him.  All I had on my mind in the doctor’s office was being able to receive favor from God and man so we could get out of there with a good report in record time.  

It didn’t dawn on me that waiting in the proper spirit would allow me to receive a brief reprieve from my other responsibilities.  For the most part I can squash unbelief when it comes to believing God for the big stuff that may be more long term; it’s the short term waiting that is often more difficult. 

I believe it’s the issue most Christians face on a regular basis.  We could all learn to be calmer, caring, more compassionate people and enjoy the moment while we wait.  

Waiting is A Way of Life 

Realizing that waiting in general is a big problem for people I did some research. The Internet is great in the way that you can find almost anything if you look hard and long enough. That requires time … ugh! 

So this is what I wanted to know concerning the correction of wrongful waiting or even long periods of waiting.  Waiting as it turns out is a way of life and there’s no getting away from it.  The question is, how long are we willing to wait for something we deem as worthwhile? 

Six Facts You’ve Been Waiting to Read 

The average person spends 62 minutes a day in a mode of waiting.  If you’re about the age of 70 that means you spent approximately 3 years waiting on something. 

In Brazil a customer is entitled to a bit of cash if they are kept waiting longer than 20 minutes in a grocery store.  *Most don’t take the option because it takes longer to fill out the paperwork causing them to go through the waiting list all over again.

The longest waiting for quick medical attention in the United States will take you to Newark, New Jersey, where you might have to wait up to 90 minutes before being seen by the emergency room physician. 

While waiting for information from an airline, customers can expect to be on hold for up to 180 minutes. 

Disneyland Club 33 main dining room.

A little peckish?  Better pack some snacks if you want to eat at the exclusive Disney Land’s Club 33.

You’ll have to wait 14 years before you can dine in that restaurant (This doesn’t include the $25K joining fee, the annual $10K membership or the cost of food or drinks!).  There are over 800 people waiting on the list. 

This one is perhaps the most valued among sportsmen/women … waiting for tickets!  Sure we stand in line as we enter a field where the game will be played, but getting tickets to the “perfect” game is another thing. 

If you want tickets to a Green Bay Packers game you can add your name to the approximate 115 thousand fans who are willing to wait 30 years (that’s right) for their seat at Lambeau Field. 

The tickets are so precious that people have reserved them for their infant children in hope that they will be able to attend a game together.  The price tag just if you were wondering, a whopping $2,100 per seat for one game. No waiting for television though since the blackout games were suspended as of 2015.

How much of human life is lost in waiting?

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Anticipation in Waiting 

Although it was interesting to see what people are willing to wait for in life, I’d like to direct our attention to what we do while we short term wait.  Are we enjoying the journey as we believe God for the good outcome He has promised? 

For the most part, no one likes waiting yet it is an inevitable part of life. Life is a waiting line unfolding every minute.  We wait in grocery or banking lines, at traffic stops, in birth, in receiving news, for the computer to boot-up, food to cook, for phone calls, healing to occur, people to come and go, or answered prayer to manifest.  

The list is too long and yours is probably different than mine.  What we do have in common is our belief in God to help us through the waiting whether it is short or long term. 

Years ago while my husband waited for me to finish my therapy sessions from an accident, he read over thirty books in one summer.  He set his focus on something else rather than the nine hour long days three times a week. 

If we’re not careful we can get caught up in negativity and that stops God from being able to manifest His blessings on us. Mr. Rogers the famous children’s storyteller taught a lesson on waiting when he sang the song, “Let’s think of something to do while we’re waiting.”  So, let’s do that while we wait in anticipation.

This Week’s Challenge:

Waiting through Life 

I’m pleased to learn how the challenges to believe what you believe have been working in your lives, and that your patience in waiting on the Lord is growing by faith.  Reminding ourselves that “God’s got this” will help us target areas that need some refining so that the favor of God continues to fall on each of us. 

Our challenge this week would have us work on our behavior aspect in the short term waiting through life. 

Understanding that occupied time makes the waiting seem faster, we can develop a strategy for dealing with those specific times.  Parents and teachers you do this all the time with your kids. 

Instead of getting frustrated over the time you have to wait try these suggestions to distract you so you don’t fall into sin while waiting. 

Having music, television, magazines in a waiting area is a psychological move so take advantage of those.  It helps distract a customer so they won’t react in a negative way during their wait. 

My husband usually plays with his phone or reads something. I’ve cleaned out my purse, talked to strangers and listened to Christian music.  What I do most is jot down notes about what I see around me.  For a writer these are golden moments to hear from God. 

Try counting something like ceiling tiles (like my husband does) or lights (like I do).  Anything, even your freckles! 

Rearrange your shopping cart separating wet items from dry, boxes from cans, etc. 

Keep a book/Kindle with you. 

Call or message someone you haven’t talked to in a while. 

Write a letter or note to someone (not in the grocery line though). 

Make out your shopping list for the week or for an upcoming celebration. 

List the blessings of God that you can see right where you are. 

Enjoy watching what’s going on around you. 

Pray for the person you’re staring at (but don’t let them see you doing it … staring that is). 

“The LORD is good to those who wait (confidently) on Him, to those who seek Him (on the authority of God’s word.”  (Lamentations 3:25a AMP)

It’s not an accident that you were kept waiting. Relax and have fun. Believe God is in control and allow Him to work through those impatient moments with compassion. Treasure them as you grow in faith and favor while waiting through life. 

“So the LORD must wait for you to come to Him, so He can show you

 His love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God.

Blessed are those who wait for His help.” (Isaiah 30:18a NLT)

Let's Think of Something To Do

Listen to Mr. Roger’s sing the song.

Until next time, waiting on God has its own favor!

“I will bless those who show compassion.”

Jesus Christ

Note: The words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him no place in our lives.

Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness.

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Enjoying Where You Are on the Way

to Where You Are Going:

Learning How to Live a Joyful Spirit-Led Life

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Scripture reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by  Bible Gateway.
Image credit: Google Images Creative Common License if not specified.
*(Richard Ruffin, Storyteller/Traveler) 
Image:  3 C's Calm, Caring, Compassion  Packers Season Ticket Postcard  Waiting in Line
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