My fingers are covered in post-it glue.
I’ve been furiously planning; leafing through pages and pages of “visit here!” slogans and photos of larger-than-life castles, endless greenery and hearty bowls of potato stew. My notes are scribbled and stuck everywhere… from “pack a sweater!” to “eat here!” to “how much is 10 euros?”
In a few months, my cute husband and I will be flying over the Atlantic to visit Ireland for 10 days of vacation and exploring. It’s months away and still I could hardly sleep last night; counting the seconds until I get to see those impossibly beautiful cliffs and otherworldly ruins.
All my life, I’ve wanted to travel. Ever since I learned about the Egyptian pyramids in grade school and then heard the impossible words “they’re still here,” I’ve been determined to see “Out There.”
But my husband and I are only a few years out of college, and travelling money hasn’t been easy to come by. Neither, for that matter, has gas money or rent money or eating-something-other-than-oatmeal-for-dinner money. Don’t get me wrong; we’ve had a blast navigating the beginning of our marriage and the art of creative money-saving (did you know Frisbees can make perfectly good dinner plates?) But in my heart of hearts for the past few years, I’ve been anxiously sweating over my desperateness to travel.
So when God gave us the gift this year of financially being able to hop over to the Emerald Isle, something happened. I said these words to my husband:
“I feel like my life just stopped being something I was waiting for.”
Oh, to repent of that thought!
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I felt the gravity of how deeply I was betraying the significance of the years I’ve already lived. These years haven’t been significant in that I cured cancer or converted multitudes. Rather, they are significant because they were Now.
God exists now. God says “I Am.” Not “I Was” or “I Will Be” or “I’ll Be Ready For You When You Get That Thing You Want.” He Is, Now, always.
During my travel-less years, when I’ve answered the phone at work, He’s had something to teach me. When I’ve bought milk and eggs at the store, He’s had something to show me. When I’ve ironed Aaron’s work shirts, again, He’s longed for me. When I dreamed fitful dreams of far-off places I didn’t think I’d ever see, He tried to help me fix my eyes, instead, on Right Then.
One of the most miraculous gifts that God gives his people is that every second we breathe is significant; because in these seconds, we can commune with Him.
Even though I still can’t wait for our trip and to see the wonders of God’s Irish creations that I’ve post-it-marked up and down, I want to live Now and realize that I can commune with God both in the break room at work and at the Glendalough monastic ruins.
And that communion, my friends, is what we were waiting for. But then He came, and died. And rose.
Stop waiting.
By Maria B
Leave a Comment
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) says
Such a great reminder to start living and stop waiting for the next best thing. God is waiting to bless us each and every day. We need to have our eyes open, today, to see his blessings rather than focusing our eyes on what we think will make us happy. Loved this post.
Jennifer Sikora says
Hi Maria
Thanks for sharing this post. I, too, know all about the waiting thing. God has been trying so hard to get me to do something for Him and I keep trying to give Him reasons why I can’t because to me, the timing isn’t just right, but God’s moment is ALWAYS the right time.
Thanks for the reminder to stop waiting. 🙂
Blessings!
Jennifer
Jen’s Journey
http://www.jennifersikora.com
Kerry @ Made For Real says
Thank you for this! Exactly what I have based my new bloggy adventure on… Living the everyday real moments and relating through it all. So glad someone else is thinking the same. 🙂
Have a wonderful, life-changing trip!!
Martha McNeal says
I’m mindful today of my late husband Tony, who served in Vietnam in the 1960’s doing 2 tours in the USMC. Also, my niece Stephanie who served in the USN in Aphganistan until she was medically discharged last year…we remain grateful for who they were and are in thier military service to our country and for the freedoms we still can appreciate every day because of thier patriotism…may God get the glory through the memory of the service they offered and thank you for the opportunity to
submit this comment to thier memory.
Micki says
Maria, you are absolutely going to worship God while you are in Ireland. We had the privilege of going there 2 years ago and I still remember the awe and beauty of not only the countryside, but the people of Ireland.
Our best experiences were heading out in the van with my husband’s aunt, uncle, his cousin and her hubby each morning from Kenmare. We would turn the GPS off, decide which “small” road we were going on and then head out into the beauty and wonder that was ahead of us that day! We met some of the most awesome folks on those journeys, experienced indescribable views of fields and rock fences, flocks of sheep in our paths, a couple of awesome bed and breakfasts nestled in the hills…the list goes on. And every day started with a prayer, but never ended until bedtime…because we knew that along the way we would be reminded of God’s beauty in nature and would in our thoughts be thanking Him for our experiences to witness all He had created!!!
You are in for a wild and wonderful ride…totally enjoy! 🙂
Beth Williams says
Maria,
What a powerful message! How very true–we humans always wait for something “special” in our lives–new job, spouse, child, new home, etc. We should be thankful for what we have & enjoy each moment as God sees fit to give it to us!
Loved northern AZ & grandcanyon. It is a beautiful state to live in–you are truly blessed as a writer & a woman who gets to travel.
Thank God for every tiny little item He brings your way & stop waiting to enjoy life!
Kasey Krawiec says
Beautifully stated… and with great timing!
Roxann Morgan says
I’m excited for you, and thoroughly rebuked too lol. I’ve doubted God in so many ways. Not to mention forgetting to say thanks for what He’s given me. I agree with Kasey, great timing!
Jennifer says
God has been dealing with me about this lately. In fact, I was talking with a friend about this topic yesterday. I want to sqeeze the life out of every day God gives me, maybe not in my way, but in His. Thanks, Maria!
Darcy @ Message in a Mason Jar says
I’m a traveler, too. There’s just something about being someplace new that really knocks your senses to life. If we could only live our everyday lives through the eyes of a tourist, we’d feel the depth of all these meaningful moments, right here and now. His mercies are new every morning, may our eyes be fresh to see them. 🙂
Teresa says
Thanks for these thoughts. This is truly one of my greatest struggles, I have always felt like i am “waiting the time when my life is “ready” for me to begin living it.
I appreciate your words and hope they will help me to focus on my life now and all the blessings I have today.
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs says
I have these thoughts all the time… shamefully. Thank you for the reminder that every moment of every day is a gift.
I’m reading “Humility” by CJ Mahaney and he says “God doesn’t need us.” It’s a reminder of the fact that to wake up each morning and to fellowship with him is a gift. The trials of life are a gift. Who are we, the pots, to claim to our Maker that we’re not happy with what we’ve been tasked and gifted to do?!
Kaitlin @ Perceptions & Passions says
I love this. Rest in Him in all you do.
And have a BLAST in Ireland! 🙂 Find a leprechaun.