Guest Post: Teatime Thoughts

posted on: 4.29.2011

I'm honored to be posting for the lovely lady behind this blog. She's been both a friend and inspiration to me, and I'm so happy to have shared many a cup of tea and a laugh with her!

I just want to share with you for a few moments on waiting. This is something that has been a central theme of life for me recently. Waiting is not something I particularly enjoy, perhaps that can be blamed on my choleric personality which likes to be in charge, and know what's going on, so things can get done.  
Let's rewind to the end of May last year. It seemed like everything was in place for me; I knew what my major was, had ideas for a ministry, and all my plans were going to work out just perfectly. (Everything always goes according to plan, right?) Well, I ended up changing schools, switching majors, finding myself without the constant social life I'd previously enjoyed, attending a new church and dance studio. So much had changed, and here I was without a plan to follow. Yikes. The first thing I wanted to do was ask 'What's going on?' and 'how am I suppose to get where I know I'm called to be?' I felt like a person doing a puzzle without the picture on the box to follow. Totally confused.
    I asked God why I had to go through all of this change, and it seemed that he was showing me how to learn to wait on him. We always seem to think that if things don't happen in our timeframe, then it's not ever going to happen. What may be 'late' for us can really be 'right on time' for God; our timing is not always His timing. 

  I'll share one quick personal story with you. 
When I was about 4 years old, my grandma took me to see the Nutcracker ballet. I remember being enchanted by the beautiful scenery, music, costumes, and most of all, the dancing. I had been taking a few dance classes, but it was then that I realized I wanted to train in classical ballet. My parents found a new school for me to attend, and for 9 years I danced and performed in the Nutcracker and other ballets. Most dancers have a "dream role" that they would like to dance at some point in their career, for me, this was the role of the Snow Queen in the Nutcracker. I danced my way through middle and the first year of high school, and then ended up taking 2 years off to pursue horseback riding. 
( Performing as Princess Aurora)

  I then returned to ballet and within 2 years was given the lead role of Princess Aurora in the Sleeping Beauty ballet. (still no Snow Queen role) It came time for me to go off to school, and truthfully, I'd basically given up on the whole Snow Queen dream. I stopped intensive training, and began a dance group at the university. It was a wonderful experience, and gave me some time to utilize my choreography skills. Remember how I switched schools and dance studios? Well, it was now August, and I'd not really trained for about a year. Cue Russian ballet training, and exceptional principal dancers as teachers. This past December, I realized that God is a dream creator and fulfiller, as he gave me my dream of dancing as the Snow Queen in the Nutcracker ballet. I cannot tell you how amazing it was to make my entrance on stage, leaping, sparkling and twirling in that white tutu. All of the waiting for this dream was truly worth it. 
(Performing as the Snow Queen! Dreams do come true!)

Perhaps you're in a waiting season, like myself. You have big dreams and plans, and are looking for the path to get there, but you don't see the full thing yet. That's ok; you'll not walk alone on any part of your journey. You see, even when it feels like you're just there, sitting around, God is at work in your life. You're being shaped, learning lessons, and experiencing things that are essential to the great things God will do through you. When you look back on these times someday, you'll see how much you gained from this experience! Patience and waiting may be difficult lessons to learn...but their rewards are truly great. 

I wear a ring that has one of my most favorite verses inscribed on the surface. It's served as such a powerful reminder in regards to this waiting season. It says, 
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Blessings and Patience,

Candice

Be sure to check Candice at her blog Teatime Thoughts and follow her on twitter.

8 Smiles:

  1. Lovely post...Lovely blog... Thank you!!

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  2. This is such a great guest post. A difficult theme to learn...

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  3. These pictures are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your story. I am in a moment of waiting myself and this was very encouraging. :)

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  4. Thank you Ashley for having me here :)

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  5. It's crazy, but I was talking about some people recently about how God always knows the desires of our hearts and, in HIS time, will grant them!

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  6. Psalm 37:4 is actually my all-time favorite verse... when we delight in Him, waiting is no longer such a difficult task, and in due time He will fulfill the desires of our heart.

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  7. yes, i think i am in waiting season, too... that post was quite inspirational, thank you.

    best wishes,
    edie
    www.chocolatesandmartinis.com

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  8. something i can certainly relate to like most people in the mid 20s.... just figuring it out. thanks for the reminder.

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