Waiting is the Gift

Have to be brief today. I guess this is a time with meeting up with people, and so I want to take away from that as much as I can. Between yesterday and today morning, met up with 2 bros, Tim and Drew, to talk life. What's come up is... a lot of stuff. But what's sticking out is a piece from Tish Harrison Warren (Liturgy of the Ordinary) from her chapter on waiting in traffic and a TS Eliot quote that I come back to frequently.

Warren writes about a painter friend, Jan, who went through a lot of pain due to cancer and waiting. She says about it, "I always felt like I was waiting for the gift. But I've come to see that the waiting is the gift." I shared that with Tim and I don't think it went over very well. How can he see a gift in his situation with his wife Jordan? https://thewell.intervarsity.org/blog/waiting-ache-and-gift-between

With Drew we talked a lot about "Christianity 101". The idea that we're at bedrock when we living basic. Christianity is not all about the basics, but you have to live out the basics to get to... well, 101 again, but better the second time around. Made me think of TS Eliot.

TS Eliot know it for the first time
T. S. Eliot Quotes. We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
Lord Jesus, help me to be firm in the basics, but to ever look for Your hand. Yet bring me to a place where I look for Your face.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

James 1:4 New King James Version (NKJV)

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [a]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

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