Time Control

Have you ever noticed that when you are having a great time, TIME goes by very quickly.  When you are sad, angry, sick, tired, WAITING....well, the time space continuum changes and time begins to move by slowly--I'm sure its got to have something to do with parallel universe theory and plasma physics.  You've had the experience.  Think about how fast a great weekend speeds by contrasted with standing in the ONE check out line open in WalMart at 9 at night buying tylenol for a sick kid...maybe stopped in the midst of traffic when you are trying to get somewhere and you're already 30 minutes late.....waiting for those little pieces of paper to come in the mail so that your homestudy packet will be complete and can be put back in the mail to the agency so you can WAIT for your homestudy appointment and then WAIT for the report, then WAIT for whatever comes next.

I guess when you get started with all the adoption stuff, you know you'll have to wait.  You know that it takes time to get a referral, that it takes time to get your paperwork in, that it takes time to get things in order so you can travel to meet you new child.  I really feel like time has started to move slower than I ever thought possible before we started this process.  At least it is moving slower, EARLIER than I ever thought it would.  I expected waiting pains once we had our referral and knew the name of our child.  I didn't expect that the waiting pains would come so soon, I think it has to do with KNOWING that we have a son or daughter that we will be meeting in a few months.  I think it has to do with WONDERING who that little boy or girl is and where they are sleeping tonite.  I think it has to do with needing CONTROL, something I shouldn't want nor have any business looking for.

TIME is such a pesky little creature for the main reason that we can't CONTROL it.  IT passes whether we want it to or not, and despite our perceptions, moves along at a steady rate. So what can we do?  Well....

I for one am going to keep reminding myself that I am NOT in CONTROL of TIME or this ADOPTION process.  I am going to remind myself that I do NOT WANT to be in CONTROL.  I am going to tell myself that GOD is in CONTROL and that I want him to be.  HE knows my son or daughter and has since before TIME existed.  HE has led me THIS far at THIS time, HE will make sure I get to where I need to be WHEN I need to be there.  GOD will have the patience to lead me through HIS plan, even if that means I have to give up CONTROL (kicking and screaming as time goes by too slow for my taste).

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

"O LORD, you are my God;

I will exalt you and praise your name,

for in perfect faithfulness

you have done marvelous things,

things planned long ago."

Isiah 25:1

 

 God's plan is WAY better than mine could ever be.  I suppose since he designed the whole TIME thing--- I guess his TIMEline is better than mine too.  So, now we are in the season of WAITING.  I have a feeling it might be a long one (anything slower than 45 minutes would be too long in my book).  But in the end....our seasons here on earthare limited so I suppose we should enjoy TIME as it flies and TIME as it crawls.  I wonder what our wait on Earth will feel like when we wake up one day to all ETERNITY ahead of us?

Excuses

I have been following Chrissy's Blog for several weeks (they are waiting on 3 little ones from Ethiopia).  Today, she copied a post from Amy's Blog that I think sums up what not only goes through our mind when we are faced with making a life changing decision, but also what really should be in our heart.  It certainly hits on most of the excuses that have gone through my head quite often.

I've had my share of excuses in the past....

Too busy

Not enough money

Not enough time

Too young

Too old

Can't afford it

Already have 4 children

Not sure if it's God's will

Not sure

Can't afford it

What will others say?

What will others think?

People will think we are crazy

What if they are right?

Can't afford it.

What if it's hard on our other kids?

It's not the right time

Not sure if I would be good at it.

House is too small.

Can't afford it.

Not sure if I want to start all over again.

What would we drive?

What if it's to much work?

What if it's too hard?

Can't afford it.

Yet for every excuse God has the answer-

Him.

It's all about Him- period.

He must increase,

but I must decrease.

John 3:30

We limit God with our excuses.

We limit God with our fears.

We limit God by putting Him inside a box-

A box we have designed on our own.

But by doing this we are actually robbing ourselves-

robbing ourselves of the blessings.

Robbing ourselves of true joy

Robbing ourselves of truly living.

Because you see when we take 'us' out of the picture

Our worries,

Our fears,

Our excuses,

And we put God in the center of our lives

The possibilities are endless.

He has the way...

He IS the way...

And all you have to do is

stop making excuses and take that first step.

Stop listening to the world.

Stop being afraid of the what ifs-

And listen to the one who knows.

The one who has the answers.

The one who really matters.

The truth is

we don't have to be perfect

because He is.

We don't have to have all of the answers

because He already does.

We don't have to know how

because He will show us.

Each day you wait

is a day that they wait too...

The cost of your excuse is a lot higher than the cost of an adoption

because look at what it's costing them.

Stop making excuses.

They are waiting

And so is He...

To show you the way.