On Waiting for Life to Be Good
My mom came out of the guest room wearing this cute little hoody, and I found myself scoffing at the logo.
I am considering creating my own clothing brand called “Life Is Hard.” Instead of delightful stick figures riding bicycles we can put a picture of my friend’s car that someone totalled last night –two months before they were to pay it off. I’m sure we won’t be able to keep the shelves stocked with those t-shirts.
As my daughter’s wedding approached, I realized how much I hoped it would be good in every way.
Hoping for perfect.
Then there was the hair that took longer to fix than expected, which left that girl of mine rushed to get cinched into her dress and to apply makeup while that nervous young man fidgeted downstairs waiting to see her for the first time. And I might have had a small panic attack a half an hour before the wedding when I realized a few reception things hadn’t fallen into place yet.
Into the expectation of picture-perfect crept a disappointment.
One day I read Paul’s words to the Colossians:
“…we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints –the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven…” (Colossians 1:4-5 NIV)
Like an old recipe favorite recipe you have forgotten about and come across, I thought, Oh yes, the hope is in heaven.
Hope should not rest in a paid-off car or a flawless wedding day or an always-20-year-old body. Hope cannot rest in always having your spouse by your side. Hope should not be in work going smoothly every day.
This life is not always good.
But God is good.
At the beginning of the school year, I asked another teacher what in the world I was supposed to do with all those papers students were handing to me. She said, Never ever let them hand you papers. Always point to the basket and say, “Put it in the basket.” They will never remember this. All year long they will try to hand you their papers, and you will always have to say, “In the basket.”
So the Spirit of God points to us and says, Put your hope in heaven. In heaven –put it in heaven. But we ask questions about life difficulties, like students who still don’t know where to put the hard stuff.
Put your hope in heaven, the Spirit says. (Does he really have to tell us again?) In heaven. Put it in heaven.
Life is hard.
But God is good.
What are you hoping in today?
Christy, I have never witnessed such a beautiful wedding as Jayme and Dylan’s. The wedding that every christian mother would dream of and hope for.
Life as we know it will never be perfect but if you continue to keep your eyes on Christ, you will notice that you have been covered and so protected from things that could have been. You are blessed pretty lady. May God continue to hold you in His hand.
Thank you, Sharon! It was a glorious celebration of what can be possible when two people choose to honor God from the very beginning. So glad you shared in the day with us!