Thursday, March 13, 2008

My dearest God,

He came home so full of joy. A dream he has held for a long time has finally been accepted by others who can put flesh to the dream. He talked on and on. I've not seen him this joyous in years.

Retirement is the epitome of some dreams. Not my husband's. He's always seen bigger, wider, better for our whole church.

His dream may finally be realized. Another meeting is set to continue the movement forward.

A dream can lay dormant for a long time. Or maybe not dormant, maybe it's just not the environment for change, yet. But your time comes when all the pieces are in place. Then you gently whisper, "It's time." And the shift takes place.

Faith is what lives in the gap of time. That stirring of the heart and soul won't stop. Trusting you in the "in-between" time is the stuff faith is made of. Waiting, yielding, expectant with God, until you call time is the joy of the Lord. Can we wait or will we run ahead alone? Will we pout and cry because we have not gotten our own way? Will we throw away the dream because it was not enacted in our time? Will we grouse, angry with God because we believe God doesn't care? Will we be so disappointed as to turn on ourself thinking we were so dumb to think of such an idea? Oh so many choices to make in the "in-between" time.

Perhaps the "in-between" time is the most important time. The attitudes we hold, the behaviors we exhibit, the ways in which we are good "wait...ers" are the gift we give to you as we anticipate your movement. We are content in the "in-between" time because this is our time to do what we want, to rest in arms who can hold us all, to sing and dance, to offer glory, to have fun knowing our future is awaiting us in the only hands that can offer it. Soon our time will come and we will have the "work" of our future to do. But now in the present, in the "not time yet" we can enjoy the God who is the center of our faith. And why not? Why not enjoy this grand and glorious God whose love knows no bounds?

Embrace it, I hear your voice saying. Embrace the "in-between" time. It is a gift you have given us. Our response is our gift back.

Dreams,
those ethereal visions
that dance,
swirling and twirling
in our minds.
Dreams,
your picture
of our possibilities.
Dreams,
the work of God,
are the gift
of "in-between" time.
Dreams,
the future
in the present.
How grand,
how glorious.
Dance with me,
God,
as I dream
with you.

Love, Andrea