I wrote yesterday that I’m having trouble seeing the good and beauty in seemingly juxtaposed heartaches right now.
Turns out I was just impatient.
I walked into my daughters’ school today at noon to pick up my preschooler. I usually walk by the elementary school playground so I can give a quick hug to my second grader during her lunchtime recess.
She’s been having difficulty with her seven- and eight-year-old girlfriends at school lately. So, confession: I spy on her to see who she’s playing with.
I try to remember what I dressed her in that morning, and because the sea of navy, khaki and white uniforms, she’s hard to locate. I can’t always find her so sometimes I walk away not having hugged her.
But yesterday I found her at the right moment. She was being led away from the playground holding her forehead and crying because someone had accidentally kicked her in an over-enthusiastic leap from the swings into the wood chips. She was surrounded by four girls, each of them gently touching her in some way. A hand on a shoulder, someone holding her hand, another touching her arm, all acts of genuine concern.
She saw me and began to cry harder. One of her little friends recognized me and ran up to tell me what happened. When I finally reached her, the girls were comforting her; hugging her and promising to invite her to their birthday parties.
Hope let me hug her for a minute or two, but then retreated into the huddle of second grade girls, all offering some other form of comfort that her mother could not.
And I walked away and shook my head.
Not because I was surprised that her girls loved her. But because I was amazed at how I’d failed to trust God.
Yesterday I whined about how my own heart ached for my daughter and her seeming lack of friends who loved her. I just want to see her accepted and drawn in. And today, almost as if in response, God shows me in living, breathing color, how much He loves my daughter and cares for her heart. But He showed me how much He loves me by caring enough to bring to my eyes a scene alive with his grace and care.
God was late. By a day.
But it was in His perfect timing. His “lateness” created a need in me to trust him more. He forced me to watch for Him with greater attentiveness and to be careful not to miss Him.
Are you watching for His grace today?
Tags: elementary school, Friendship, grace, trusting God
God’s perfect timing never ceases to amaze me! But His love and grace is always there, in some way or another.
I too am learning a hard, but beautiful lesson in God’s timing. I was just talking about this last night; how I would have not been adequately prepared to embarking on learning how to see and feel God in my abusive childhood; if it had not been for His divine love and patience with my tentative steps towards faith these last few years.
I love the reminder in your post to keep my eyes open, to pay attention. I’ve “missed” seeing Him there for so long, that I can only pray that through this counseling His presence will be revealed to me through the eyes of a woman who loves God and depends on that grace; not through the eyes of a damaged child in the midst of pain and rejection.
Have a blessed day!
Oh, how I jump ahead of God so many times…. man! Do I think I know better? Do I think, just maybe, He needs my help?
The God of the universe, needing my help? Sighhhhhhhh…..
I pray that each little lesson I get “taught” by my Heavenly Father, I will respond a little quicker, learn a little faster, and let go of the “grip I have” upon controlling my life.
He sees the big picture; I do not.
I want the beauty and blessing of trusting and watching Him work, Him tell the story!
Love you!
Isn’t He amazing? I love His timing. Maybe not while I’m waiting, but afterwards when I can see how He worked it all out.
Thanks for sharing this. Beautiful.
Yes, God is amazing!!!!!! We just talked about Grace the other night in our study group. God’s grace is abounding- to us and our children. God’s timing will always amaze me and thrill me. He’s been reminding me a lot lately that He’s big enough……
I don’t think of him being late…just a little busy to be right where I need him, at that very moment ….
love your thinking and writing !!
One day is as a thousand to Him … and vice versa … and since our times are in His hands, it must be our clocks that are a bit off. Love your site!
His timing is amazing! What a beautiful story. Your daughters will love reading their stories through your eyes one day.
I once heard someone say…”God has no grandchildren, just children.” Your daughter is God’s daughter, and He gives you her as a gift…What a gift he gives us in children.
Charish every moment.
God’s timing is perfect. He is never late – but he’s never EARLY either.
But then again, we don’t see the “big picture” the way He does either.
yes. watching and waiting.
I was just telling someone the other day that I just love how God shows us in tangible ways His love and mercy and kindness, yes, IN HIS TIME. But that is the time we are ready to see it and KNOW how much He loves and cares for us and our hearts. SO happy for you to see His answer to your prayer.
What a blessing that you were able to capture and be present for that moment, and be affirmed of God’s grace and timing.
His timing is something I can’t really understand. How do I decide what is a right time? Or a right response from God? What do you do when God is “late” by more than a day? When its a month? Or a year? Or you’re still waiting? Or maybe the answer already came. Maybe it was right, but I didn’t realize it. Or maybe I just need to wait longer. I dunno, I didn’t mean to take this in a different (perhaps somewhat discouraging) direction. Sorry.
It was a very nice story you shared. I’m glad you are seeing God’s brush strokes of grace.
Sarah,
with every blog post you amaze me! You so eloquently write the words that I am feeling! I look forward to each new post. May God continue you to bless you and your family.
Love and Prayers,
Jessica
This is SUCH a hard one for me. I’m the Christian girl who has followed all the rules and STILL wait for the husband and children I’ve always longed for…thanks for the reminder to be patient, use my single time wisely, and seek His grace in everyday life.
It’s funny how God works that way–sometimes we have to go through the painful things in order to really appreciate the good things. Would you have been as touched by that scene if you hadn’t had a chance to have that conversation with Hope the day before? I don’t know….
This made me tear up. Thanks for the wonderful reminder that he always knows best!
He might seem late for ur … but HIs time is perfect
what a beautiful moment–so glad you got to be a part of it. God is good. I love you.
what a wonderful illustration to the both of you! Thank you for sharing it with us
He does always know best.
I love your writing Sarah! I often feel like God is late. Right now waiting for our house to sell… He feels late. Thanks for the reminder to look for His grace. I will think of that and yes, His timing is perfect.
I have been completely lost in your World for the past 1/2 hour…so happy to have found your words of truth and love…
HUGS
Char.
Amazing, God’s timing. We work so hard to live out our timeline and yet He consistently remains. So perfectly awesome.
Sarah, your posting reminded me of my son’s first couple years of life. He has cerebral palsy and other health issues and delays. He missed every typical milestone as far as when to start turning over, when to start crawling, when to start walking, etc. He made these milestone in his own way, when it was right for him. We just don’t always know what the right time is. God does, and He is always on time.
Just tears. I have someone I have prayed similar prayers for. I have no way to really know if God has answered them, but I don’t need to anymore. I just need to trust.