This morning one of our readings talked about waiting. Yesterday’s “Slice of Infinity” by Margaret Manning spoke of ‘Waiting Houses’. Of course then a song…comes along to my mind, both which I will attach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIVk7JXZsIw
This is a time of waiting. Christmas has all the angst of ‘waiting’. The day, the presents, the presence of family and friends, the party to begin, the party to end, the new year to come. I imagine that better than half of the excitement of a day is ‘waiting’ to see what it will bring. It is for us. Being home bound at our age (relatively young at 65 & 67) awaiting progress one day at a time a has made us ‘introspective’. What are we waiting for? What will become the plan and purpose in the end? Lots of questions and not much in the way of answers. But the waiting has brought some wonderful things to us that would not have come had we been the ones out and about ‘doing for others’. We have found that giving others opportunity to minister to us as we once ministered joyfully to others, is a ‘gift’. We see the joy and fulfillment when even the smallest errand can be done by someone who longs to be of value. The world needs to feel needed. So while we wait, we are able to still live with purpose. It is being needy and not doing that gets to me…we couldn’t attend a couple celebrations with our church family this year. Lessons and Carols, and the annual staff Christmas party, but I was able to make fudge for both occasions. Someone came by and picked it up. I was able to fulfill a desire for someone else and it made me feel needed and useful.
Waiting does not make you feel needed or useful. There is a quality in waiting though. We learn patience and examine our motives for the things we can do and we wait with expectation to see what God has in store, the plan and the purpose we may never know. This we do know…Jesus came as ‘baby’ (in human form), lived and died (in human form) to redeem our souls for eternities purposes. We are grateful.
Melanie Hoover 