The Waiting Place

Number of hours until we get Johnny's test results: 41 hours
Number of days until we leave for Zambia: 37 days

Yes, my world has revolved around waiting lately. I am counting the hours until we find out about Johnny's new medication. Is it effective? Is he healthy? Will this work for us in Zambia? 41 hours to go. I am in the Waiting Place.

I am counting the days until we leave for Zambia. Will we ever really go? Will we have everything ready? What is the best method for purifying water? Where can I get good solar lamps? 37 days to go. I am in the Waiting Place.

It would seem so much more appropriate if we were in Advent. I love that expectant wait: for the birth of the Holy Child, for Love to become Flesh, for God to be incarnate in the world. Preparing for the arrival of Jesus as I prepared for my son's birth. Make room for that which is new and exciting and holy and mysterious. Wait and wonder and prepare, knowing that a good thing, an amazing thing, transformation, new life....is on its way.

But now it feels like the end of my pregnancy, when I was two weeks overdue for my oldest child, and all I wanted was to go into labor. Get here, already! I am sick of waiting! I want to meet you! Get born, little boy; get born THIS SECOND!

Oh, Dr. Seuss, I know exactly what you are talking about, sitting here in the waiting place...
"…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a
Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for
Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky."

When I combine Dr. Seuss logic, with my faith in Jesus Christ (which I tend to weigh much more heavily!), I can be pretty sure that those bright places are on the other side of this waiting, that once more I will ride high. The waiting will be over, and the day will come, when I will hear that Johnny's medication is effective, that my child is healthy and doing well, that it is time - time to go serve God in Zambia, time to experience God's love in Lusaka. In the midst of the waiting, I have the promise of a faithful God to see me though.

The Waiting Place is not my favorite place. One thing that has helped, A LOT, is knowing that so many people are praying for our family. Thank you for praying for Johnny's test results. I carry those prayers, your presence, and the presence of our amazing God, into our doctor's appointment on Wednesday. Thank you for praying for our ministry in Zambia. I carry those prayers, your presence, and the presence of our amazing God, as we begin to pack up bins, sort through donations, and say our good-byes. Your prayers, and your presence, matter to me. And even though it is not very fun, they make The Waiting Place just a little bit more bearable!

I hope that if you are waiting for something right now, you can also hold onto the hope that something is coming, that God is being born, somewhere, in some way, for you, too!

God bless,
Kari