When we need strength to wait.

I would not describe myself as "patient". But, no one can really tell as I am effective as "quietly impatient". I can put on a "good face" for those around me. Cool. Calm. Collected.
But inside, that' a different story. I am a wreck.

My SIL in the photo I took for their pregnancy

announcement. Her and my brother are 

waiting for the most precious gift worth

waiting on.

I have gotten to learn a LOT about being patient the older I am. I think God has gotten a good chuckle on how I have had to learn patience over the years. I am pretty sure that every time I'm shopping I pick the slowest, longest check out line. I can be next, and there will be a manager's override, price check, multiple forms of payment, or technical issues. It is pretty hilarious after the 5th time it happens. It's so much easier to take a deep breath and just wait. The pressure and stress I can cause myself emotionally is much worse. So it's pretty ironic that at church one of our monthly lessons recently for our preschoolers  was on "Patience".  I don't know any child that doesn't need that lesson, and apparently I still need it too.

"Wait for the Lord.  Be strong and don't lose hope. Wait for the Lord."  Psalm 27:14.

Hmmm. I'm pretty sure there is a reason that God wanted us to hear "wait" twice in this verse.

"Wait" - as an act of obedience. Waiting on God to do what He's going to do rather than letting our fear and anxiety put the focus on us instead of Him. Our own needs to have control over our lives or arrogance that we might know better than God can be driven by impatience. I can think of many times I've been so nervous about something that my anxiety literally made me sick. Feeling sick from anxiety is not from God. Waiting, and then submitting to the Lord to guide me through is far smarter than the stress I create all by myself.

"Wait" - to grow our faith. How many people from Bible Scripture can you think of that were required to wait a really long time before they received the one thing their heart desired? I first think of Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was of "old age" when Sarah conceived Isaac. (Genesis 21:2) God was faithful in what he promised them both and to the time he promised. Sarah laughed when God spoke the promise to her. (She waited so long already, and a pregnancy at her age was unimagineable!) I think God seeks to strengthen our faith and our relationship with Him when we are made to wait.

 Isaiah 40:31 says "But they who wait 

for the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up 

with wings like eagles; they shall run 

and not be weary; they shall walk 

and not faint" (ESV)

"Wait" - because waiting means there are more good things to come.
If it's not good. It's not over.  

It doesn't take a preschool lesson to understand that God wants good things for us. If we are willing to use the strength only He can provide, and hold on to the hope that following Him provides, there is no need to fear. Our God is with us. He is for us and not against us. That makes waiting feel like a pretty good deal to wait for.

Busy Day Meal Time Savers

Top 10 Meal Time Savers:

If you can’t already tell, we’re in the business of making you prepared and saving you time and money. As the nights are longer and days are shorter, check out the below list of items that you can “grab and go” throughout all of you store’s departments:

·         Frozen Pie Crust – the crust is usually one of the hardest parts of pie assembly. Grab a pre-made crust so you can focus on the delicious filling and baking!

·         Mirepoix & Pre-Cut Squash and Garlic – Mirepoix is the perfect “grab and go” item for your Crock Pot. And pre-cut squash and garlic will save you precious minuets of prep time in the kitchen.

·         Frozen Rice in a Bag – makes rice cooking easy and worry-free, especially if you don’t have a rice cooker

·         Frozen Rolls – fresh from the bakery department and frozen, so you can break these out and throw them in the oven when the dinner menu calls for rolls!

·         Stuffed Cornish Game Hens – not only is all the work already done for you, but these hens are a wonderful alternative to turkey or ham for your holiday table

·         Pre-made Appetizers – a wide variety of appetizers that are already plated and ready to serve can make attending a party while bringing something to share both easy and delicious

·         Cocktail Shrimp Platters – again, ready to serve and be enjoyed!

·         Instacart – depending on where you live, Instacart’s delivery on demand is the ultimate in stress-free shopping during the holidays

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