I can list a million times that things just didn't seem like the right timing for me and my family and I become a little bitter. I tend to store those events up and think, "Here we go, again!" I've told anyone and everyone about how this and this and that happened and how terrible the timing is. I think to myself and out loud sometimes, "What in the world is God thinking?"
Sometimes I forget to look at all of the incredibly-timed events in my life, both big and small that help ease those upsets. Here are some recent big and small ones that come to mind:
-When your parents stay with you for an extended amount of time. My parents have been living with us off-and-on since Madelyn was born because they are working on their house. While it was and has been quite crazy with all the people and animals in our house, some really good things have happened. My parents have taken on so much for us around the house and have helped a ton with our wild and crazy Matthew. My mom helped me organize my house project-by-project and it has been a big blessing. We've gotten to spend a lot of quality time as a family and Matthew and Madelyn have grown more and more attached to them each day they are here. We have gotten to run errands and not have to worry about taking both kiddos. Daniel has been busy with college, so it's been nice to have some extra hands to help. There's just so many positives to the perfectly-timed renovation in both our lives and their kitchen. Through this, I've learned that sometimes you just need help and that's O.K. Thanks for re-doing your kitchen, mom and dad!
-When someone contacts you exactly when you need them to during a difficult time.
-When the Lord puts it on someone's heart to share something with you exactly the same time you are talking/thinking about it. Example: Recently, I felt like the Lord was telling me to sing "Thy Will" for the church congregation and the opportunity arose. Since having my miscarriage (see previous post titled 'Thy Will be Done,' as time has gone on, the song has become easier for me to listen to and believe the powerful words. But, actually singing those lyrics for everyone and going back to that place mentally and emotionally was very difficult for me to think about, much less actually go through with it at church. One Sunday, I was discussing with our worship pastor the idea of singing the song and at the exact same moment, my sweet friend came up to me and told me that she got the accompaniment for this song and wanted to see if I wanted to borrow it to sing at church. Wow! Ok, God..I get it! By the way, I barely got through the song without crying, but I did it with God's help!!
-When you read an article that completely confirms exactly what is wrong with your baby and why she's crying all of the time. Madelyn was very fussy right after she was born and I really wondered what was going on. She wasn't even being comforted when I was holding her and seemed very 'mad' all the time or uncomfortable. She was crying ALL of the time and honestly, I was about to lose it. I was looking up symptoms that she was showing and this video came up about silent reflux and almost every symptom she listed, Madelyn had. After I listened to the video, I called the doctor for an appointment to see if there was anything we could do. I mentioned reflux medicine to him and he said we could try it. After the 1st dose of medicine, I noticed a difference. She has had some difficult times every so often, but the medicine is definitely helping a ton. This mama is soooo glad!
-When you get invited to be a part of something that will change your perspective on patterns of unhealthy thinking and challenges you to be more joyful. Example: I recently chose to sign up to be a part of Candace Payne's (Chewbacca Mom) launch team for her new book called Laugh it Up! on a whim, thinking it would be fun to get to read it and it would be a good deal. I found out through email one day that I was selected to be on it! I was more excited than I thought I would be about this, but had no idea how much I needed this book during this season. I haven't finished the book yet, but it is seriously such an incredible and encouraging book. I am learning how to find moments of joy in the middle of any circumstance I am going through by clinging to hope through Him. I am more than grateful for the timing of this!!!
-When the Lord brings people into your life for you to to speak encouragement for something they are going through that you've been through and you remember that's what you're here for. *May I always remember to comfort others in their time of need just like the Lord and others have done so many times for me. (2 Corinthians 1:4)
-When you find those friends that can come alongside you in your season in life and you can just lay it all out there with and vent/share knowing they will always support you.
-When you turn on the radio and a song comes on and you know that God wanted you to hear it in that exact moment.
And I could go on, and on, and on. I could easily just call it coincidences or 'luck'. But I know that my God deserves all the credit. He has proven to me time and time again that He is the author of these "perfect timings" and without them, I would miss the bigger picture in life sometimes. I would be focusing on all of the bad timing of events in my life if I didn't have these glimmers of hope and moments of truly seeing Him find ways to show me that He's there. It's incredible to me that He takes the time to give me these moments, just because He loves me. How I long for these times so that I can get to know His character a little better.
But I have to say that even though I thrive during those "perfect timing" moments, the "poorly timed" ones are just as necessary. If it wasn't for those hard and sad events in my life, I wouldn't be giving Him the credit for the good. I tend to seek people and things of the world that comfort me if I believe that everything is all going wonderfully and "perfect" all the time. We gotta give credit where credit is due, and the truth is, we have a God who longs for us to acknowledge Him and spend time with Him in every moment of our lives. I'm speaking to the choir...trying to figure out how to spend time with Him with a busy and full life is still difficult for me. But every time I remember how He proves Himself and His love for me in ALL the details and circumstances in my life, good or bad, it makes me want to run to Him for everything. He's the only One that sees the 'why' of what I'm going through and knows exactly what's ahead. I gotta trust Him on that with all the good and bad in each and every situation that comes my way because I know that He is working it all out for my good as I've been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Praise God for His timing through it all.
