Sir Prize

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:19 (NIV)

Lost parakeet! The colorful roadside sign immediately caught my attention. I couldn't help but chuckle as I drove the scenic, two-lane country road to meet a graphic designer at his home office located in rural central Pennsylvania. A lost dog I get. A lost cat makes sense. But, a lost bird?

My business associate and I exchanged typical business pleasantries as he greeted me at his front door. We walked in the direction of his lower-level office and our conversation quickly turned to a delightful tale of his recent encounter with one of nature's fine feathered friends.

While washing off debris from his backyard patio a few days earlier, my colleague stooped down to loosen the coiled garden hose that lay at his feet. A cornflower-colored tuft of feathers caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Surprisingly, closer examination of the small bundle revealed a statuesque-like blue parakeet fiercely clutching the bottom rung of a wrought iron deck chair.

Big hearted guy that he is, not to mention previous bird owner, my associate lifted the chair ever so carefully and carried it--winged friend and all--into his house straightaway. He pulled out an old bird cage from storage. Then at an unhurried pace, he tenderly coaxed the frightened budgerigar into the wire coop.

Sir Prize. With the exception of an occasional nap, the newly named, quite content budgie sat atop his perch and entertained us with his chirps and chatter during our entire meeting. And what bird wouldn't? Strategically placed on a baby grand piano, his lovely new digs are surrounded by windows. He is afforded fantastic views, not to mention companionship, safety, and a continuous supply of food and water.

In the New Testament book of Romans 8, the Apostle Paul embraced the metaphor of adoption in order to describe the status of Christians in relation to God. He also wrote of the inheritance that belongs to believers because God has adopted us as His children. Present adversity didn't make Paul stumble. They faded in comparison. So real to him was the magnificent unseen age to come.

For now, we also wait. With expectation and earnest longing, we wait for the glory God will reveal to us, and in us, for us, and confer on us. What a prize!

Blessings, dear friend.
Faithfully Following

PS If you know someone who's lost a blue parakeet, give me a shout. Until then, Sir Prize is at home and thriving in central Pennsylvania.

Sir Prize Photo: Lance Dietrich

Actively waiting

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.
Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

I think I'm actually developing an appreciation for the period of time I've come to know as "actively waiting." You know the time I'm talking about. It's the time in between the time when something you value ends and something different takes its place.

It's the span between your husband telling you he's lost his job and announcing he's accepted a new position. It's the duration between receiving a difficult medical report and the health issue being resolved. It's the period between listing your house "For Sale" and signing closing papers that transfer ownership, and mortgage payments, to another person.

Actively waiting involves living energetically in the here and now while knowing full well the world as you know it is dramatically changing. It's an exercise in blending passion with patience.

To keep a household functioning and children thriving during these periods, I've learned a few fundamental do's and don'ts.

Don't complain or argue. It only makes a situation worse.

Do develop a thankful attitude. Your heart will be much healthier.

Don't panic or worry. It's a complete waste of precious emotional assets, which are already in short supply.

Do hurl your anxieties into God's lap. It makes for a lighter load to carry. Besides, He's bigger, stronger, and more capable of handling anything you cast His way.

Don't go it alone. Remain involved with friends and in church activities, groups, and organizations.

Do get up, get dressed, give thanks, and expect something to happen each day.

Don't get down on yourself when you feel tired or weary. Jesus is gentle and humble in heart; find rest in Him.

Confident expectation in God and His control of the situation is a must. When we actively wait upon the Lord, our strength is renewed. We lose our strength if we wait upon the "thing," e.g., an event, date, or person.

I've been fortunate. The longest span of time I've persisted through actively waiting began the day my children and I watched their daddy drive away to take a job hundreds of miles away in another state. It ended the day we joined him 10 months later. I have friends who've endured much longer periods.

Of this I am sure, my friend. The Lord longs to be gracious. He rises to show compassion. There truly is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Sometimes that time is an in-between time of actively waiting.

Blessings, dear friend.
Faithfully Following