Ruby

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little girl who was worth far more than any precious stone...and her name was Ruby.  And she was from the same orphanage as another certain little girl named Callyrose.  And both girls were waiting...and waiting...for their forever families to come and take them home.  One amazing, wondrous week in July, the wait seemed almost over for Ruby.  She was thrust into the arms of two utterly excited, crying people that she had never met before...but would soon know forever.  And they had kind eyes and trust worthy smiles and full hearts...and for an amazing, wondrous week...she was with her new mommy and daddy.  And they coaxed her to smile and play and laugh...and they LOVED her.  And she knew - and they knew- that they wouldn't be allowed to take her home quite yet...but that it would be SOON.  The mommy was promised "soon" ...the Daddy was promised "soon" and Ruby was promised "soon." 

"Soon" should have been a couple weeks...but a couple weeks turned into a month..and then more weeks.  All the people that were supposed to be helping Ruby and her mommy and her daddy weren't helping.  And so Ruby waited...and her Mommy and her Daddy waited..and they had a REALLY hard time waiting.

WAITING is the hardest part of the adoption process and the hardest part of life in general.  A myriad of faces just cringed as the word "WAIT" was uttered.  A lot are in the adoption process, waiting for their baby's picture to flash onto a computer screen, waiting for a phone call to tell them that it's time "to go," waiting to see if their paperwork and finances come together.  Others aren't in the adoption process, but are waiting for good news from the doctor, to hear back about a job interview, waiting for pregnancy to occur.  So many...waiting.

This morning, I was reminded once again that waiting is a big part of how God seems to work.  Noah, building an ark, waiting 120 years for a flood to come.  Sarah, Elizabeth, Hannah...waiting for a baby to fill their arms.  The Jewish people...waiting for their Messiah.  We, as believers, waiting for Jesus' return.  We wait...and wait...and wait.  Waiting eventually whittles down to utter powerlessness on our behalf - we have done all we can, and can do no more...and then it's just Waiting.  BUT...in the Bible...all of those waits turned into a fantastic display of God's love, power and grace.  Rainbows, Isaac, John the Baptist, Samuel, JESUS CHRIST...all out of the wait.

And so we wait..and wait..because it IS worth the wait.  And we wait on a God who is amazing and kind and has perfect timing even when we can't see it or understand it.  "I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember Your wonderful deeds of long ago."  (Psalm  77:11).   Ruby is waiting...and her Mommy and Daddy are waiting...and we are all waiting...for our Helper.

Tomorrow, Wednesday morning, is a key morning in Ruby's wait.  She and her parents are waiting for their paperwork to be submitted to the US Embassy - and the past 6 Wednesdays, it hasn't been submitted. Please pray for Ruby and her parents in the next 24 hours.  "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my Hope."   Psalm 130:5.