Tween Times

     Many times, we catch ourselves in places that we desired to be, but not for an extended time period. A doctor’s appointment.  An unplanned conversation with an acquaintance or friend that drags on too long.  A traffic jam on a busy highway.   A relationship or a season in our lives that we’re ready to get out of and move on to something new and exciting.   Don’t you just hate these times? If we had planned to be caught in these types of circumstances for this long, we would have planned ahead and made preparations or arranged to have a “Plan B” in place.  But more often than not, we get in the middle of a situation, and neither know how to get out of it, or have any source of comfort or contentment to carry us on to its ultimate conclusion.

  I like to carry a book or a notepad with me when I am going to be in a situation where there may be some waiting time.  My first preference would be to get this appointment over and done, so that I can move on.  But sometimes there are just no good options or choices in a situation, so we make the best of it, sometimes enduring it more than enjoying it.

   These are the “tween times” of our lives.  The points of our journey in between Point A and Point B.  The places that we find ourselves, rather than put ourselves.   And even though many of us may like to plan our lives out in an organized fashion, these “tween times” are inevitable.   Our interactions with other people cause some of these times.  Perhaps a period of unemployment or transition to a new career.  Sometimes, it’s just the Stuff of Life.   They can become the grit and gristle that knaws at our inner beings, and cause us stress, anxiety, frustration and bitterness.

  People have referred to me before as an easy-going, laid back kind of person.  My exterior may appear this way, but truth is, I get as annoyed and frustrated at things as any other person.   It’s not so easy making choices about big things, like what career or job path we will follow, who we may choose as a spouse and life partner, or how we will plan our finances and pay our bills.   Fact is, we make unconscious choices every day of our lives, the kind that seem to be forced on us by uncontrolled circumstances.

   Whether it be a short or long-term situation, one that lasts thirty minutes or thirty years, it is important to make a conscious decision before these times develop, that we will face them with a peace and contentment, and trust God himself to use them in our lives.   He knows what we are going through and what we need to get us through it.  When we ask him to take our situation, he will either remove it, or more often, use it to make us better because of it.

  I've heard it said before, "I enjoyed the journey more than I did the destination." You see, sometimes these periods of waiting are necessary for our success and development. Hopefully, a new perspective on our "tween times" will help us enjoy them more, and not just be anxious for them to go away before their time.

  Hey, next time you get caught waiting too long in the doctor’s office, or in a traffic jam, or even in a difficult relationship, bring up one of my blogs and maybe it will bring you a smile in the midst of your little (or big) inconveniences.

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"Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6,7

 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;  they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."      Isaiah 40:31