Patience

Patience seems to be the theme in my life right now. I was talking with a friend over breakfast before work one day last week and we got on the topic of babies. As you already know, I'm 24, a full-time grad student, and work a full-time job. I'm not married. I'm not even currently dating. And I'm definitely not planning on having babies any time soon. (Though I desperately wish I were married and getting ready to have a child.) My friend's story is a little different. She's almost 30, has been married 5+ years (they've been together 10+ years), and is definitely ready for a baby.

The two of them have been arguing a lot lately over this and other, though still related, things. She has always been the one to hold down a good job while allowing him to pursue his creative talents. He's been in several bands and recently wrote a book. He is currently recording the audio version of said book and is also working on a short promo video for it. He's said (for years now) that they'll have a baby 'in two years.' They've finally come to a point where they've decided that they will begin to try in fall. Unfortunately, he's frustrated at her and recently said 'Well, why don't we just start trying in March?!' For most this would probably be a good thing, but for them, it's not. They're financially strapped and have to watch everything they spend, which includes some heavy planning for when would be a good time to have a due date for a baby.

The point is, my friend thought that things with him would be different after they'd been married for a while. They didn't. And now she's having to face the consequences of choosing someone she thought would change. I think that too many people today choose their spouses based on this kind of thinking.

'Oh, he'll get better about that.'

'She'll change her ways in time.'

But he doesn't get better and she doesn't change her ways and they end up divorced. It's a sad thing, divorce. As a child of divorced parents, I know how much I was hurt. I can only imagine what emotional roller-coasters my parents went through. I don't think that my friend and her husband will divorce, I don't think they're to that point. And knowing their personalities, I feel that when they took their vows, they meant them and nothing short of severe infidelity would separate the two of them...perhaps not even that if the one who stepped out were repentant.

But back to the theme of patience.

Having a baby takes patience.

To meet the man that will be my husband a develop a relationship with him takes patience.

Finishing my degree and getting my license takes patience.

All morning I've been listening to one song: Lead Us Back. It's one of my favorite songs. The lyrics are beautiful. It's a song that brings me comfort, puts forth to me a challenge, and shines with a soft inspiration to change my life. To be brought back to life in Christ takes patience.

I think that I'm stuck with this theme for a while...

Lead Us Back
by Bobby Gilles, Brooks Ritter

Falling down upon our knees
Sharing now in common shame
We have sought security
Not the cross that bears Your name
Fences guard our hearts and homes
Comfort sings a siren tune
We’re a valley of dry bones
Lead us back to life in You

Lord we fall upon our knees
We have shunned the weak and poor
Worshipped beauty, courted kings
And the things their gold affords
Prayed for those we’d like to know
Favor sings a siren tune
We’ve become a talent show
Lead us back to life in You

You have caused the blind to see
We have blinded him again
With our man-made laws and creeds
Eager, ready to condemn
Now we plead before Your throne
Power sings a siren tune
We’ve been throwing heavy stones
Lead us back to life in You

We’re a valley of dry bones
Lead us back to life in You
We’ve become a talent show
Lead us back to life in You
We’ve been throwing heavy stones
Lead us back to life in You