Time, Tulips, and Testimony

Tulips and daffodils are my favorite harbingers of spring, and I'm seeing plenty of both in the last couple of weeks. Their vivid colors always brighten my spirits, but probably not as much as they lift the hearts of those who see gray skies and snow for most of the winter. We always appreciate things more when we have to wait for them, don't we?

I've been thinking about this a lot in reference to my own life and the lives of people I love. I happen to be an impatient person by nature, though life experience has mitigated that trait to a degree. Still, my tendency is to want what I want when I want it––and I usually want it now. (Yesterday would be even better!)

Happily, the years have taught me that my timetable isn't necessarily the best one. A piece of fruit plucked too early can never taste as sweet. Every slow, steady day of exposure to sun...and rain...is necessary to its growth. By the same token, a good stew (aptly named) needs to stew a bit before the full flavor can be manifested. Floral, culinary, or otherwise, a masterpiece must be created one stroke at a time.

When eager hopes begin to feel like unmet expectations––when I've been waiting forever for that first little daffodil and spring seems an eternity away––it helps to remind myself that we, and the lives we inhabit, are the Lord's masterpieces. Sometimes He lets the paint dry awhile, or introduces a new texture that is painstakingly slow in its application. For me, the process can be tedious, even excruciating, but the saving grace is this: God is the Master Artisan of our earthly experience, and He knows what He's doing. (In fact, He's rather good at it.)

Perfect,even.

And when push comes to shove, that's good enough for me.