Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming.

We have spent a lot of time waiting over the past 4 months.
From the moment Dr. Holly said, "Hmmm...seems like there's something here in your belly that doesn't belong there", we have been waiting.
Waiting for appointments to be scheduled, blood to be drawn, test results to be read, questions to be answered, scans & ultrasounds completed, anesthesia to wear off, pathology to come back, a body to regroup, to be released from the hospital, and for peace to arrive.
Mostly, it's been OK.  We've had Doctors we trusted which in turn helped us to trust the process.
When others were frustrated for us, "why do you have to wait 3 weeks for that test?", we were able to see God's hand in it.  His timing has always been, and will always be, perfect.
I can't tell you specifically why there's been so much waiting -- it's not like when you hear those stories about people who were delayed in leaving the office and there was a 17 car pile-up on their normal route home at the EXACT SAME TIME as they would normally be on that road. 
No, it's more like something deep inside of me, inside of us, has gained a layer of understanding we've never had before. 
We've known God's ways are not our ways.  
We've known you can't tell your body how quickly it's going to recover. 
We've known that often, if you chose it...
trust, faith, wisdom, courage, and even love grows as you WAIT. 
But we've never really understood, as in the kind of "knowing" that penetrates your very soul, how deeply these truths grow in us as we wait. 
For that, we're grateful,
      and surprisingly, reminded of Christmas.
Because Christmas is really all about waiting.
Not waiting for presents, the family to arrive, or the turkey to thaw.
Nope, Christmas is really about celebrating a season of pauses and delays -- waiting.
It's called Advent.
And whether you're aware of it or not, during this season we light candles, celebrate moments, sing songs, and bake yummy things as we wait for something - SOMEONE -- to arrive.
Advent actually means: arrival that has been awaited.

I know what I'm waiting for, I wonder what you're waiting for?
And if you're tempted like me, to give in to frustration or questions...
Remember, Advent is upon us -- and the very thing you and I have been waiting for has come.
And at Christmas -- we get to celebrate His arrival.
So, light a candle, eat a cookie, sing a carol, and wait...
                                                                                          with JOY!
Gratefully,
Suze