IN THE MEANTIME...
She was small in stature, had the presence of someone who had lived a long life, and spoke with wisdom that conveyed years of experience. I can’t remember her name now, but she said something during a brief conversation that has stuck with me. It’s amazing the impact a stranger can have with a few simple words.
One Wednesday afternoon a lady, I’ll call her Betty, walked into the roastery where I worked in need of some coffee and conversation. My friend Travis and I talked with her for about 10 minutes when she asked me if I was single. She asked in such a way that made me feel like my grandmother had suddenly walked into the room. I let her know that I was, in fact, single, much to my chagrin. As only a grandmother can do, she comforted me with words that let me know she had been in the same valley I was in.
She shared about her earlier days, about meeting her husband and falling in love. She shared about how decades of that love was spent traversing the highs and lows that come with relationships. One of the things she’s learned over the years is that God sometimes has us in a state of the “meantime.” This is a time of waiting, a time of cultivating patience and trust in Him. I commented that sometimes the “meantime” can feel like a really mean time. Waiting for something to happen isn’t always sunshines and rainbows; in fact, it rarely seems to be that way. But the “meantime” is where we learn an appreciation of the fact that God is God, and we are not.
I’ve had times in life in which I’ve had to wait for things, had to endure some “meantime.” That’s where I am now. About a month and a half ago, I moved back down to Arkansas from Idaho to be closer to my family. I’m not sure what’s next for me--and it is certainly easier to type this than believe it sometimes--but this “meantime” has actually been very sweet. Not always easy, but sweet.
While I search for a job and a community, every day I have gotten to hold my new baby nephew and have gotten to wrestle with my 4-year-old nephew. I’ve helped my brother and sister-in-law transition from one child to two, and it has been a very cherished time of service for me. I’ve changed more diapers and given more baths than most single men in their 30’s probably ever have, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it! While I wait for what’s next, I have felt God telling me to serve my brother and sister-in-law in this “meantime.” Because of it, I have grown to love them and my nephews even more.
I’ve heard it said that when a tough circumstance arises we have two options: we can get bitter, or we can get better. Any “meantime,” regardless of the length or severity, is an opportunity to choose one of those options. I am choosing to have more better days than bitter. That has been my focus each day as I rise out of bed and ask God what my very next step should be that day.