Broken, Waiting, and Prepared

Broken. And I'm not talking about glass this time. Or the brokenness that each of us knows because we're human and fallen. Nope, this is much simpler: I broke my elbow. On the first day of our vacation in Europe. The FIRST day! (We had a great vacation anyway, traveling through England, Scotland, and Iceland.)

So, now there is no glass work, no swimming, no kayaking, no bike riding, no lifting anything heavier than my iPhone with my left hand. (Which means no dishes!) At this point, they don't think I'll have to have surgery, but I'm going back in a couple of weeks for another round of x-rays to be sure.

It means another form of waiting. Waiting to be able to continue my glass projects. Waiting to be able to go without the brace on my arm (I graduated from the sling above to a brace when I saw my doctor at Mayo). Waiting to take our little one swimming again before summer is over... hopefully! Waiting to be able to lift my weights and swim my laps.

When you add this waiting to the fact that my husband is still waiting for a church call so he can be a pastor, which he spent five years preparing for and feels called to do, it's a LOT of waiting! And I know I've said before that I'm not a good waiter... I'm pretty impatient, really.

However, God has somehow prepared me well for this waiting period in my life. I'm not anxious about my arm's progress; I'm doing okay. And as for waiting for a church call, I wait with anticipation of a call, but I am able to enjoy where we are right here, right now. I find many blessings here and now. My parents are nearby, and my older daughter and my brother aren't too far away. My son is within driving distance. We're living in a fun place with just under 6 acres of land to play on. I'm able to stay at home and create art and homeschool our youngest child for kindergarten. This is a good place and time.

When my frustration mounts regarding my limitations with my arm or regarding the uncertainty of our family's future, I turn to God and ask for more peace, more patience, more awareness of the blessings of here and now.  And He provides. Every time. Not always in the same way, but in the best way for here  and now.  I rest in Him.