Would you describe your favorite date to us?

As you are reading this post, you may not be able to shake off that feeling of waiting. Whether you’re waiting to hear back from a job interview, waiting to get lab results back, or waiting for that promised breakthrough, the fact still remains that you are waiting.  I just finished reading a chapter titled “Waiting” in Joni Eareckson Tada’s book a lifetime of wisdom and I wanted to share her wisdom with you in the hope that it will make whatever you are waiting for a bit easier.

These are some of the things I picked up:

*Waiting is not easy.

*“It is important to be still when waiting on God so that He can give you Himself.”

*God will give you the strength to wait and He grants you peace as you are waiting if you surrender your heart and mind to Him.

*“We should not wait to live. We have to keep living while we are waiting.”

*“All and all, it’s worth the wait.”

*Keep in mind Isaiah 40:31:

But those who hope in the LORD
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not be faint.

I am the last person to praise the process of waiting.  Waiting is very difficult for me, especially this last month when we discovered my dad had melanoma skin cancer.  My mom shared the news with tears running down her cheeks.  I asked her what the next step was and she said, “Well, we have to wait to get back the results from the lab tests.”  That week of waiting seemed almost unbearable. I tossed and turned in my sleep and I was miserable during the day.  It seemed like every what if I could think of plagued my mind.

After that long and difficult week, the results were not very favorable.  Surgery would have to be done immediately.  We had to wait for my dad to get an appointment, wait for my dad to see a surgeon, wait for other lab work to be done, and finally wait to see how the surgery took.

Joni’s statement, “All and all, it’s worth the wait,” resonated with me; I can understand the truth behind her words. We pulled together as a family and we had all of our loved ones praying for my dad. He was showered with more love than he could probably take in.  I had several emotional wrestling matches with God and He showed me each time His strength.  I am pleased to say that my dad’s surgery was a success and that he is cancer-free!!  Now tears are rolling down my cheeks.

What is it that you are waiting for? Do you have any prayer requests you would like to share with us? Do you feel like God is BIG enough to handle your situation? Are you sick of hearing about God because you felt let down in the past? Please tell me what is on your heart. Sharing is never easy, but it sure feels good once you do.

God bless,

Garrett, Michelle, Stastny (Ruff),and Isabel (ruff)

When I close my eyes, I can remember what it was like to smell those crisp, powdered sugar cookies.  I must try not to salivate while explaining this childhood treasure. Tears flow down my cheeks as I type this because I realize that I will never get to taste those special Czech cookies again. But for now, I  would like to go back to that moment…

Me: “Baba, can we make cookies now?”

My grandmother: “Let me make sure we have everything Misa and then,…Yes we can start to make cookies.”

Me “Baba, how come you have to put so many things into the bowl to make a cookie?”

My grandmother: “Well, every ingredient is necessary to make the cookie taste the way you like.”

All the ingredients were carefully poured into the mixing bowl by Baba and I was there determined to help her as best I could.  I was not old enough to crack the eggs, but I was given the opportunity to roll the dough and poke holes in the cookie balls. I took my position very seriously and I even refrained from eating the cookie dough (my willpower has diminished over the years). Baba had an old a scale in which she carefully would weigh each ingredient. Every Christmas the scale came out for the first time, I felt like a dog hearing kibbles of food being poured into her dog dish and I would immediately ask if I could help her make the special Czech cookies.

I miss Baba and I enjoy remembering our precious baking time together.

I remember when our family would take off for Mammoth during Christmas break. My dad, being an avid skier, got us all started on skiing at the early age of 3.  By age 8, I was tearing down black diamond runs.  Interestingly enough, I did not mind skiing down practically vertical slopes, but I was terrified of a particular chairlift…Chair 23.  The name still sends chills down my spine…

Dad: “Misa, come on, let’s go. We need to get on the chairlift otherwise we can’t ski the mountain.”

Me: “But, daddy, the chair scares me and I am afraid of falling off.”

Dad: “Nonsense, I got you.”

I begrudgingly moved to the chairlift and as soon as we got on it, my dad wrapped his arms around my shoulder and placed the pole like a seat belt in front of me.  “You see,  he said, “I have got you.”

I think back to how many times our Father in heaven sees our fear and wraps His arms around us and secures us where we are.  So many times, I have feared falling, but like my dad, God has protected me each time.

How has God protected you from falling or wrapped His arms around you?