Last night I was all tucked in bed and Lyd and I were saying good night to each other when Mom came into our bedroom, announcing that she was in one of those moods where she wanted to talk. Having told us that, she made herself at home on my bed. We talked to each other in the darkness, and I guess Josiah was listening in on our conversation from his bedroom, because he added a comment every once in a while.
You know how sometimes you will be doing something totally normal and then suddenly you are struck with an astounding thought that leaves you feeling almost numb with the reality of it? That’s what happened to me last night as I listened to my family chattering around me.
The thought struck me that I won’t always live in this house with my family. I won’t always hear their voices just in the next room over. They won’t always be only an arm-length away, easily within reach of a hug or a kiss.
Someday I’m going to be leaving them to get married and live with my husband, and only God knows when and where that will be. It’s sort of a frightening thought, because I know I often take this short time with my family for granted, and when you consider that about 20 years are spent living in your father’s house as opposed to about 40 or 50 being married, that’s definitely a short time!
It seems like just yesterday that I was happily scampering up the driveway from school. I was eager to hold baby Josiah and feed him his baby cereal. Now he’s bigger and taller than I am and has a voice like a man. Where does time go? Those precious days of the past are gone forever, never to be recaptured. Looking back I realize that I took them for granted. Can I afford to do that now? No, I don’t think so.
When I look at life from this perspective, suddenly every daily irritation and teasing word and playful poke is a blessing to be cherished and not to be frustrated about. If I can keep this thought in mind my words will be kinder and my touch gentler.
It’s every girl’s dream to marry a handsome young man, and that’s not a bad thing. I know I certainly look forward to the day when God gives me a husband and a houseful of little ones, but I shouldn’t be in such a hurry for the future to unfold itself that I forget to enjoy the present. God’s glorious plan for my life will be revealed in due course, but for now I must wait patiently and trust Him.
“Trust in the LORD, and do good [keep serving God as you ought to]; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed [God will provide!].
Delight thyself also in the LORD [first find all your pleasure in Him alone]; and he [then] shall give thee the desires of thine heart [a husband or wife].
Commit thy way unto the LORD [pray about everything you do and then leave it in the Lord’s hands]; trust also in him; and he shall bring it [the desire of your heart] to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD [don’t worry about it!], and wait patiently for him [to bring you your spouse]: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way [all those around you who are getting married]…
Cease from anger [because it wasn’t you who got married], and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil [marry the wrong person just so you can say you’re married].
For evildoers shall be cut off [it doesn’t pay to marry the wrong person!!!]: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth [receive God’s absolute best].
Hannah’s version of Psalm 37:2-9 =)
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