just wait

Today, I find myself in a hospital. Just waiting and waiting. Thankful for the books we brought along to pass the time. I’m never good at waiting, ever. Are you? I usually can’t even stand at our sink long enough to fill a water jug, but today, here I wait for hours.

Our Waiting Room Books

I hate being confined and controlled by waiting. But waiting is good for us. In Psalm 26, David closes with the words, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” In our waiting we find God’s timing to be perfect. And when we wait it causes us to stop or at least pause and reflect.

Sitting here in this hospital has filled my mind with hospital memories. The days I spent in the hospital almost 3 decades ago learning that I had Hodgkin's disease and was in for a knock down drag out fight against the cancer that was trying to steal my joy. Remembering the day each of my children was born. Those experiences were joyful and as different as each of my children have turned out to be. A handful of years ago, in this same hospital where I sit now, I held a woman I had come to love and cherish as she died. That was hard. And not any easier was the day a friend called me from the hospital to tell me they had to rush my husband to be admitted. He was admitted just three days after I had a major surgery, but nothing was keeping me from going to my husband. That was a long, painful, and scary night.

Now, I’m sitting here on another journey. Not fearful and not overly joyful. The wait feels benign. But I’m waiting. Reflecting. And now I’ve found something intrinsically wonderful in the waiting.

I’ve found stories that I want to save for my family. Not because of how inherently good or bad the moments were but because my family will be able to understand my heart, my character, and how God changed me in each of those moments.

When I think about what we do at red dirt recollective, that’s what gets me most excited. It’s helping you save your stories and knowing that together we get to show our children and grandchildren who Jesus is and what He does for us when life is hard and when it is full of joy. 

Searching for wisdom and asking for grace,

Jody

P.S. And just because I don’t want to leave you hanging, we came here for a possible case of appendicitis. False alarm.