Our area was hit by one of the craziest storms we have had in a long time. We received 12+ inches of snow, followed by rapidly dropping temperatures that plummeted down to -17 degrees, and then came blustering cold winds that took the -17 and made it feel like -30 degrees. The winds also became a huge problem after the snow stopped because it began blowing the snow back on the roads. We stayed inside as much as possible those few days, but when we did go out we saw people in ditches, fender benders and people swerving every which way.
I consider myself a good driver. If you were to ask my husband they same question, he may say otherwise! It is all about perspective right?! Anyway, I am a chicago driver. I enjoy getting to places on time, even it that means I have to drive a little fast or perhaps cut someone off "by accident". I can multi-task, yes that is me applying mascara at the stoplight….and it might also be me that you are honking at because I missed the second the light turned green because of that quick makeup application. I am also experienced at driving in all types of weather. We have four seasons here, I consider myself able to handle all of them quite nicely. Unfortunately, I have to admit that being a Chicago driver also means I'm impatient, distracted and fearless sometimes when I am driving! Yes, big breakthrough here for this chicago driver!
This afternoon I decided to venture out into the wilderness to run some errands. I began to notice a few things about my driving. If I stayed focused, went well under the speed limit, and allowed enough time to stop, I wouldn't swerve or loose control. But, if I began to get a little impatient or distracted by daughters cuteness in the backseat my car would start to have a mind of its own. Through this observation God decided to speak to me in this moment!(P.S.A. I might have swerved during this time…just saying) Our God is very creative in how he chooses to speak to his followers. Just as he spoke in parables to his disciples, he speaks to us the same way! He encourages us to seek him, find him and know the truth in everyday life.
I began to think about the journey God has put us on with adopting. I wanted so badly to be put on the fast track because it had taken us so long to get to this point and I wanted to get things moving right away. I wanted a baby in my arms, like yesterday! Ha! Can you hear God laughing up there? Yea…I can. Expectedly, there have been a few bumps in the road that have slowed us down a bit. If we were to speed this process up on our own and do things that we normally wouldn't do just to get there faster (a.k.a taking out a big loan on a credit card) it might turn around and bite us in the end or slow us down. Just like this afternoon, on the icy roads, if I would have forced my car to go faster than it should I would have began to swerve or me and the car would have been in the ditch.
God wants us to go at "God Speed". He wants us to stop forcing our own way and let him get in the drivers seat. When we go at God's speed…..the timing is perfect. The bumps in the road don't surprise God one bit. He knows where those bumps are, he knows when we will need to stop and get gas and he knows when we need to speed up or slow down. God showed me that when I worry about the timing of this adoption or worry about not raising enough funds that is me being a backseat driver, or better yet, the passenger that leans over and turns the wheel for you or does the "air break" in his seat. I don't want to be that person, I want to be a passenger that can sit back and let God do all the driving. Because, in the end there is the perfect child out there for us…and we need God's speed to get us to that child in his perfect timing, slow or fast.
"God are we there yet?"
"we will get there when we get there, enjoy the ride!" :)
