...Because You Said You Would

My granddaughter was an active little bundle of hops, skips, jumps, spins, and songs all wrapped up in holey-kneed pants and a dirt-smudged shirt. Complete with sparkling blue eyes and long blond hair, she kept asking her grandpa to come outside and push her on the big, big swing.

Well, her grandpa was busy writing a letter on his computer. He had to get it finished and sent as soon as possible. Finally, after the four-year-old bundle of energy had interrupted him for the third or fourth time, he told her to go on outside and play on the swing. He assured her he would be out as soon as he finished his letter. So, out she went...and waited.

While Grandpa typed, I kept checking on the young one. Knowing her, she was as apt to try following one of the flocks of migrating geese flying overhead as she was to disappear into the bushes while trying to catch a garter snake. Thankfully, she sat on the swing--sort of. While she sat there, she would twist around and around until her little legs could barely touch the ground. Then, while she rapidly unwound, the air was filled with her bubbly laughter. Occasionally she would lean backward as far as possible, trying to let her hair touch the ground. Following each successful attempt, she would laugh--probably because it had grass caught in it. Then for awhile, she just sat there, swinging her legs back and forth, singing as loudly as she could, and yelling "Hi" to the birds. She was one happy little girl waiting for her grandpa who still hadn't come.

Finally, with the letter finished and sent off, her grandpa headed out to the back yard. He was immediately greeted by squeals of delight as his granddaughter ran to him and proclaimed, "Papa, I knew you would come." Then she beamed and added, "because you said you would."

As I thought about my granddaughter's reaction to her Papa's arrival as well as the way she waited I had to ask myself these questions. "When I pray and don't get an answer right away, why can't I wait with a song on my lips and laughter in my voice? Why can't I wait while enjoying those moments and the world around me?

After all, I know God will answer...because He said he would.

Learning how to wait and trust,
Jan