I have the opportunity to work with a little girl with special needs a couple times a week and it is such a blessing. While my role is to teach her, I feel more often the case is she is teaching me something.
On Saturday she really wanted to ride the city bus. Every time we go on a walk she points to the bus stop and says in her cute little voice "I want". Well finally I said "yes" we will ride the bus on Saturday to Greenlake!
So we went to the bus stop and waited for the bus that would arrive in 5 minutes. Waiting is so hard for her, and she quickly became frustrated and emotional because in all her experiences with school buses they come pick you up right away.
In the waiting she jumped to other things that she wanted to do instead of riding the bus. She told me she wanted to walk or read or do anything but wait for the bus. But then the moment we did the other thing she wanted, she remembered how deeply she wanted to ride the bus and cried for the bus. I tried so hard to get to the bus stop right before it would get there but around 6x we tried and failed because she would not wait. I tried to explain how the city buses work, how they come on a schedule and pick you up at certain places. But she had tunnel vision for the promised bus ride and the waiting was painful. Luckily on our last attempt to catch the bus it came within minutes. We rode the bus and the lift and she loved it. She was so delighted. We arrived at Greenlake and the journey was worth the wait.
What I learned was I am so much like her. I don't want to wait for the things that God has promised me. I jump to other worldly things that I want, but deep down I want to see God's faithfulness, it is far better. And I do not understand God's Kingdom a lot of the time. I do not understand why young people die, why their is so much loneliness in this world and so much heartbreak, and waiting amidst the pain is something I frequently choose to avoid. But this weekend I have felt inspired to wait. If my friend can do it, I believe I can too and that it will be worth it.
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