I've thought a lot about waiting today. Our bird is still here, although we don't for how long. It's been a day of waiting and although the life or death a bird is really a minor in life, I know that today it has felt like a major in the Thomas household, particularly for our children.
People wait all the time, they always have. Abraham waited for a promised child, Jacob waited for the woman he loved, Moses waited for the promised land...it's nothing new. Nothing that is special to our culture or our time.
Recently I've watched two families wait in similar circumstances. One family has waited with worry, stress, and tears. The other has waited with steadfastness, faith, and assurance of God's sovereignty. The first families wait doesn't go any faster, make God move any quicker, or change the situation in any direction. I want to be like the second.
Jesus waited for the cross...I need to brainstorm right now at how He did as I know this second family wants to be just like Jesus. He spent time with God, He took others with Him, He was honest with God even asking God to take the cup, He trusted in God's timing (I often just want to rush things). These are good things for me to think about tonight.
I am grateful for the little bird, even if he dies tonight. I know God will use this in our children's lives to prepare them for whatever may come. I want them to be prepared, so I know I need to be patient and trust Him in just how He knows best to do this.
It's been a hard day that included ups and downs, both were great opportunities to teach our children.
I'm going to share two pictures tonight that I sent to Ed in Guam (He's been there this week helping with the B-52 crash that took lives of our Airman...see I told you baby birds are minors even when they feel like majors.) The first is of our daughter, tears and all, when we really saw the bird going down hill and thought he was almost gone:
Poor thing, her heart is breaking and her mother is taking pictures. I just couldn't help myself as I so wanted to capture her tenderness. She was very understanding.
The second, a little comic relief, sometimes I think I'm so funny. This one I emailed to Ed so he could see what we were having for dinner:
He emailed back: "showed the NCO's (non commissioned officer) here the picture of dinner...they said, "that's just wrong,"...I ate a fiber one bar for dinner last night."
I just wanted to guarantee that my man was getting on that plane tomorrow. He'd swim home for my food!
By the way, I know in my own life waiting is hard just simply because I do not trust Him like I should. Do I live like I believe that He knows what's next? I certainly want to...
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops
