convenience will cost you

 So I was in a hurry.  I paid way too much!!!!  I had an honest motive but I was in a hurry.  I wanted to bake a dessert for homegroup and I was tired.  I was home from work at 5:45, dinner cleaned up by 6:30.  I was searching through the cookbooks for ideas, list made and off to the store. It was 7:30.  I just wanted to relax and usually baking is relaxing for me…..normally.  But, I was in a hurry. I paid way too much for premade cookie dough.  I had no coupon & it wasn't on sale. Let me truthfully tell you all these ingredients I had at home.  They were ready and waiting, they just needed to be combined together in the proper order, a little time and I would arrive at the same result as that package of dough from the store. 

As I was unpacking the groceries, eager to get the dough baking, the Lord speaks to me, "Convenience will cost you."  Why did I do it……..pay that much?  I used tiredness as an excuse. I really did want to make a dessert for homegroup.  I was just going about it the lazy way.  I would have had to clean up the kitchen again and I just wanted the easiest path to arrive at the same promised destination. Convenience will cost you.  Did I end up with a dessert? Yes.  Could I have arrived there with less of a price tag? Yes. 

I even bought other products that trip on a whim, no forethought.  Items I could have clipped a coupon for and didn't. Or waited till they went on sale.  Why, too much time…… Did I have the money, sure.  I didn't bother to simply wait AND the items cost me MORE!

I joke about cookie dough…….I don't joke about sin.  Are you guilty of rushing the Lord's plan for your life?  He might have cookie dough for you (i.e. job, spouse, home, dream) and you might rush it too quickly.  Will it cost you?  Just ask King David.  Did God bless him, sure.  Did it cost him? Lots!  Pray for wisdom, guidance and God's timing most of all. 

Nobody signs up for a commitment and says "Yes, I can't wait for the really hard part where my patience and dedication are tested. Oh, I can't wait to see how much I can endure."  No we say, "Where is the short cut?  Where is the convenience of the microwave?" Or store bought cookie dough.

Oh, and I'd bet the quick, store bought, cookie dough didn't taste as good as the homemade recipe would have.  Enjoy God's recipe, it's worth waiting for. 

i’m not in a hurry...so i can enjoy where i’m at

I love Saturdays.  It is the only day I don’t have to set the alarm clock.  I even take it as far as turning of the display on my clock.  I don't need to know what time it is until I feel like getting up.   This way I don't care if it is "too early" or "too late" but JUST THE RIGHT TIME.  I protect these mornings with full determination to not rush anywhere.


I love to sleep in.  I have ever since I was a teenager and I don’t think I ever grew out of it.  Having coffee and sitting in my pj’s might take hours to move on from.  I think my son doesn’t mind either because noon comes sometimes before he even gets up.  Why not? It’s Saturday! 

Sunday through Friday I have to be somewhere.  Sundays we go to church and this is the most important day to me.  We fellowship with church family, get fed the Word and worship together with other believers.  I also have something to give to the body.  If I’m absent, a part is missing.  That is important. 

Monday through Friday I take my son to school and then go to work.  Day in and day out the routine is the same.  Some days I just feel like a robot.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love being able to bring my son to school every morning and seeing him off each day.  I enjoy my work very much.  I wouldn’t pick any other job to pay the bills. 

Life is pretty predictable though, until Saturday.

Spiritually speaking we have different seasons.  I’m learning and trying to be in a state of “Saturday” wherever I am at or whatever I am going through. Why rush to the next season and miss out on the current one.  So many good things are happening right now and some things you just can’t learn any other way.

BY WAITING…….

I had an eventful morning this past week.  Winter is here in Michigan and that brings challenges.  My driveway requires four-wheel drive whenever there is a decent amount of snow covering it.  Due to the incline, it just doesn’t work with a regular car.  Well, because of an icy layer under many inches of snow I couldn’t get up it at all.  I was almost sideways (not upside down, just turned) two different times.  I called my Dad to the rescue and he came and plowed.  I was on my way after I WAITED for the situation to be resolved.  Then I was onto the highway entrance ramp and without even getting up to 15 mph I was in the ditch from the ice.  Call #2 to Dad within 15 minutes.  He must love me LOTS!  Bryce and I were fine.  My Jeep was fine.  But now I was WAITING for the tow truck.  Within 15 minutes I was having an exciting morning. 

My reaction was just simply sitting still and waiting until I could move forward.  I wasn’t upset.  I wasn’t in a hurry.  To be honest that day wasn’t predictable and I was kind of enjoying it.  When I was on my way, after many thanks to God for protecting us, I just starting smiling and began singing “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Really, what would any other response have gotten me?

While I’m in a season of waiting in certain areas of my life, I have purposely tried to enjoy just where I am.  It is a learning process and not every day I succeed.  We all are in multiple seasons at any given point in our lives.  We all experience waiting for something.  For some it might be for a new job opportunity, a big move, a spouse, a healing, to become parents, grandparents.  I could go on and on and on.  Don’t be inactive while WAITING.  There is something you may need to learn until the next step. 

How I have settled my heart and I am learning contentment is by simply knowing that my heavenly Daddy is working.  Just like my earthly Dad came to my rescue quickly at the right time, my heavenly Daddy is working.  He knows what is going on.  He knows JUST THE RIGHT TIME to bless me.  He knows JUST THE RIGHT TIME for inconveniences.  He knows JUST THE RIGHT TIME for lessons that can only be learned by waiting. 

The purpose of your waiting might be just so you KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW……..you can trust your Daddy.  He’s working.