I’m tap tap tapping on my keyboard inside the Starbucks at Target when a dad carrying two infant carriers, one in each hand like barbells, comes in to sit at the table next to me. The carriers are draped with matching sky-blue blankets, and I smile knowing it’s likely twin boys snugged under them.
Since I’m also the mama of twin boys, I’m immediately smitten with these two tiny ones and don’t get much work done once they enter the room. I deduce the twins’ mama is the Starbucks barista who made my almond milk chai latte with extra foam.
Given my daughter’s evening activity held across the street ends soon, I feel it’s a good time for me to pack up my things and go. As I place my too-tall stack of books in my bag, I casually say to the dad,
“Twin baby boys?”
“Yep,” he replies with the air of a man who’s answered the same question many times.
“I have twin boys myself, except they’re just a little older at 18.”
He smiles with a far-off look, like eighteen years is a million miles down the road. Eighteen years ago, I thought it was too.
“Oh really?” he replies.
“Yep. And you will sleep again, I promise.”
He laughs and says something about getting them on the same schedule.
I throw my bag over my shoulder and turn to leave. But before I do, I feel that familiar nudge to drop a word of encouragement their way. I won’t be left alone till I leave it, so leave it I do.
“Also,” I add. “You’re doing a good job, Mom and Dad.”
The dad smiles and say something like, “Well, I don’t know, but thanks for that.”
I tell them goodbye then leave Starbucks and head out the sliding Target doors.
When my daughter and I return home, I see my own twin sons, stretching to nearly 6’4” and 6’2”, lounging on the sectional sofa in the flannel pants they’ve basically worn all Christmas break. I think back to those tiny babies from Starbucks, so fresh with the fragrance of heaven, and I feel like time fast-forwarded from when my own babies were that little to today.
In reality, we’ve lived over 9,467,085 minutes within their eighteen years. Within those minutes we’ve known heartache that happened and dreams realized. We’ve lived a mixed bag of good and difficult and hard and easy moments of side-splitting laughter, heart-splitting tears, and heart-healing love.
Time is such an interesting thing, isn’t it? We can look in the rear-view mirror and see it moved miles in a moment.
But when we sit in the middle of a season or look ahead, time seems to drag its feet, moving glacial forming slow.
I read in a book recently about a comet hunter who admitted to logging nine hundred hours at an eyepiece before he saw his first comet. And his advice to other comet hunters goes like this:
- Stay at the eyepiece and keep looking.
- Watch the sky every day.
- Study as many established comets as you can so you’ll recognize one when it appears.
- Be patient. The do-or-die approach rarely works.
I think about this as all of us wait on something. Perhaps that kid you’re raising isn’t embracing what’s best for him as soon as you hoped. Perhaps that change you’re living doesn’t yet feel like home. Perhaps that relationship you’re enduring isn’t moving in an easier direction.
You and I must give it time. We must stay at the eyepiece and be patient.
I imagine while those hunting for comets are in the wait, they see all kinds of other marvelous finds. Fast rotating satellites. Quick-draw shooting stars. Ancient-named constellations. A thousand pictures of God’s wonder made visible while staring through the eyepiece.
It makes me ask myself, “As you wait for the comet in your own life to show, Kristen, what other pictures of beauty can you find while you wait?”
And the Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” And the next day the Lord did this thing. Exodus 9:5-6 (ESV)
Every comet that shows itself is on the divine calendar. Every struggle we are waiting to end is, too.
The time will come when the Lord will do His thing in your situation. We need only remain at the eyepiece to see it. But as we wait, let’s not miss His showering splendor.
Look back and be thankful.
Look forward and keep perspective.
Sit in the moment and see.
Leave a Comment
Michele Morin says
Incredibly, I’m reading this post on my “baby’s” 16th birthday, and it brings back memories of all the sweet times when, lugging an infant carrier with three young sons in tow, I heard the refrain, “Four boys??” Sometimes it was incredulity mixed with horror, but I mostly remember the dear encouragers who, like you, assured me that I would survive.
And I have — so far — and the view has been amazing.
Thanks for this tiny push in the direction of passing along the encouragement to others.
Kristen Strong says
Thank you for sharing here, Michele! Sending love.
Laurie Brady says
Kristin what a lovely story of encouragement! And yes those years do go fast. I don’t have twin boys but I have a pair 30yrs and 17yrs. In so many ways those years feel fleeting as I am now in my 50’s. Then they were a world wind of diapers and chores. I think the message is just live in the moments. Enjoy the fragments of life when you look back on the moments somehow you see that is was less about the a season of us waiting, and more about a season of God waiting for us to be ready…..
Blessings to all.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Kristen,
So true that when we are desperately waiting for something to happen – the baby to sleep through the night, a prodigal to return, a marriage to be repaired, time inches by “glacier forming slow”. But at other times, life seems to speed past us at lightening speed and we feel like we want it to slow down so we can take it all in. Thank you so much for the needed reminder that whether I’m wanting to speed up time or slow it down, I can be intentional right where I am. I can look into the eye piece and see what is happening in the NOW. Lord, may I not miss your blessings because I’m too busy waiting or wishing for something else. Awesome!!
Blessings,
Bev xo
Kristen Strong says
” Lord, may I not miss your blessings because I’m too busy waiting or wishing for something else. ” ~ Amen, Bev. May it be so for us both! xo
Nancy says
Kristen, thank you for the reminder to enjoy the flowers along the pathway as we journey through life . Even when the path is through pain, difficulties, or just a season of waiting, we would miss so much of what the Lord has for us if we did not stop and smell the roses along the way. Our lives are so much richer for them. Blessings!
Debra says
Thank you Kristen for your beautiful and encouraging sharing – yesterday we had a powerful wind storm blow through our city and we were without power until late in the evening – time seemed to “drag its feet moving glacial forming slow” and yet, as I sat in the darkness, I was mesmerized by beauty of the single flickering flame of the candle that I had lit – while I couldn’t see much else with my physical “eyepiece”, I marvelled at being able to see through the lens of my spiritual “eyepiece” – despite the fact that there was no electrical “power” in my home, I could see/ feel the “power” of the Holy Spirit – I was thankful that I was able to just sit patiently in the moment – I was content in the knowledge that in His time I would see the comet but until then I would enjoy the beauty of the dancing flame of the candle – blessings to all
Kristen Strong says
I LOVE your words about seeing through the lens of your spiritual “eyepiece.” I will carry that image with me as well. Thank you, Debra. xo
Beth Williams says
Kristen,
Waiting is hard. Now I’m waiting on biopsy results for my father-in-law. He has prostate cancer & the doctor found a mass in his bladder. Time seems to be inching along. While waiting I will marvel at beauty of snow covered mountains. Last year time seemed to fly by so fast that Thanksgiving was here & my mind was back on Labor day. I guess the older & busier you get the more you want time to slow down some. God’s splendor today is nice warm weather & sunshine. This world runs at breakneck speed. We barely have time to say hi, encourage someone or meet our neighbors. We all need to take a Sabbath Rest & look at God’s splendor!!
Blessings 🙂
Rhonda Quaney says
Kristen. Such beauty wrapped in wisdom and truth here. Grateful to begin a new week with your words lingering in my heart.
Amy Connell says
I pray this gives encouragement to all the mamas out there who are just trying to survive each day. While I don’t have twins, I easily remember 14 years ago feeling the same exhaustion and desperation. Time does pass; you do sleep again. We just keep looking through the eyepiece and await beautiful experiences.
Kristen Strong says
Me too–the exhaustion and desperation is for real, isn’t it? I’m never one to tell a mama of littles to “Enjoy every minute!” because that doesn’t feel practical or encouraging–at least it didn’t to me at that time! Rather, I like to meet her where she’s at in the moment and, as you mentioned, offer something that encourages her to keep looking through the eyepiece.
So grateful for your words here, Amy!
Pearl Allard says
Keep looking through the eyepiece…900 hours?! Wow. Kristen, thanks for sharing this piece of your heart with us. “Look up sometimes” is the name of my blog, and I very much appreciated the look up sometimes perspective you shared! Keep looking up. 🙂
Kristen Strong says
Love your blog name, Pearl, and your comments here. I’ll keep looking up!
Catherine Morgan says
Really good encouragement today! You snagged my heart with the title, and it will be ringing in my ears all day as I wait for comets. Thank you!
Kristen Strong says
Thank YOU for your kind words here, Catherine!
Vickie says
Beautiful, Kristen. Thank you. I do know from decades of life that time goes by faster and faster. When I see young mothers in public places who are approaching a big blow up because their little ones are loud, demanding, crying, I take the precious time to tell them: “My children were just like that the day before yesterday and now they’re in their 40s. I don’t know what happened. So enjoy your time with your babies, throughout all the crying, laughter, kicking, screaming, hugging and falling asleep in your arms.”
Brenda says
Oh, the mystery of time! Sometimes I think about heaven’s sense of time. I think about those who’ve gone to heaven before us…I wonder if, when we get there, it’ll literally have felt like a day to them. — Babies growing sure gives us a vantage of time unlike any other, doesn’t it? Lovely post, Kristen; thank you. 🙂 — P.S.) Not sure if it’s happening for everyone, but thought I’d mention, just in case. The post doesn’t appear to be linked in the email today. I needed type in the site to read this morning. Just FYI in case it’s that way for everyone. 🙂
Kristen Strong says
Thanks for the head’s up, Brenda!
And yes yes yes–babies growing sure do give us a vantage of time unlike any other. Well said!
Katheryn says
Thank you so much for sharing. As of yesterday I entered the happier part in my season of waiting; I’ve shared a few times about finding my future husband who I prayed for for two years. Currently we are sort-of engaged (by that I mean that he has asked me to marry him, we’ve sworn before God to keep each other for the rest of our lives and do our best to live in a way that is pleasing and glorifying to Him–my fiance just doesn’t want to officially announce it to those outside of our family until he has a ring for me), and as of yesterday, we have taken his family up on the offer of renting-to-own the family home that they are moving out of this summer. This whole situation has been blessed more than I could have imagined when we’ve taken the time to stop and put our impatience on hold and trust God’s timing.
And now, as excitement builds in me for moving in to a home that is graciously being fixed and even partially furnished, and the wedding plans that will begin shortly thereafter, I know that I need to continue to exhibit patience and wait on The Lord. He’s proven to me that His timing is best, and that when I wait on Him and don’t push my own plans and agendas to the front, when I stop and pray about those plans and that they would be in-keeping with His will for me and my future-husband, things work out a lot better and there’s a lot less frustration and stress and even disappointment involved.
So thank you for the reminder this morning to continue to have patience, to continue to wait on The Lord. Because I know that in doing that, everything will fall into place the way that it is meant to.
Little Mary says
So happy for you Katheryn!! Best wishes to you both and may you always continue to experience God’s wisdom and LOVE in His dealing with you!!
Katheryn says
Thank you so much!
Kristen Strong says
From a sometimes push-her-own-plans girl to you, thanks for your wise words here! I will carry them with me. And congratulations on your engagement + future plans. May God bless and keep you and yours during this exciting time!
Kim B Smith says
Kristen
Every time I hear something about time I think of Pink Floyd’s song Time. LOL When they wrote that many years ago, they were on to something.
I take this with me today:
Look back and be thankful.
Look forward and keep perspective.
Sit in the moment and see.
Thank you!
Elizabeth A Curry says
Thank you for this beautiful post. It hits many notes for me including watching my 17 year old “baby” grow up and waiting for God’s hand in another area of life. Thank you for the encouragement.
Kristen Strong says
And thank you for yours. It’s so lovely to walk alongside fellow mamas like you who get it! Sending love.
Katrina says
This was for me today. Your words touched me in a huge way. God has been working on my heart and this gave me more courage to keep leaning into Him and opening my heart to Him. Thank you.
Kristen Strong says
Thank you, Katrina. May we both keep on leaning in.
Cynthia McGarity says
Kristen, I believe this is my most favorite of all of your posts…so eloquently said, not to mention, very timely for my life and circumstances right now. Thank you for your dogged years of encouragement here at (in)courage and for sharing your beautiful wisdom with us. I’ll take this thought into my day and week and know that it will make it easier. His abounding grace to you!
Kristen Strong says
Your kind words bless me to no end, Cynthia. It’s an honor to serve you here!
Abounding grace to you as well. May the Lord bless and keep you and yours.
Cynthia says
❤️
Joey Rudder says
Thank you, Kristen. It’s so encouraging to know I’m not the only one struggling with waiting. I love how you wrote “time seems to drag its feet, moving glacial forming slow.” That’s where I’m at now. Funny, I just blogged about waiting on God today and wondered if it would touch anyone or am I the only one agonizing over waiting. As I continue to wait on God, for His direction in my life, I’m going to “sit in the moment and see.” Thanks again! 🙂
Kristen Strong says
Thank you, Joey. I so appreciate other voices such as yours echoing the same message–it makes it sink in all the more. Sending love!
Joey Rudder says
😉
Rebecca Jones says
I don’t want to miss His showers of splendor.
Angie Ryg says
Yes! “We must stay at the eyepiece and be patient.”
Thank you for this encouragement to stay at the eyepiece no matter how long it takes or how smudgy that eyepiece may look to me 🙂 – God sees the end plan!
Thankful for you and your words!
XO,
Angie
Kristen Strong says
Here! Here! And I love the visual of a “smudgy” eyepiece. That’s a real thing, isn’t it? But as you wisely say, God sees the end plan. May we lean into that truth today and always. Sending love, Angie!
Kerry Campbell says
Gosh, it does feel like lots of people are in a waiting season these days. I am seeing signs of light and growth on the horizon, and it is balm for my clenched, waiting heart. Praying the same for you!