Looking forward...

"When we define our happiness by some point in the future, it will never arrive. We'll keep waiting until tomorrow. If we allow impatience to govern us, we will miss the gift of the moment. We'll arrive at that point in time that we expected to find fulfillment and find it lacking." --Joshua Harris

I have always liked this quote because it speaks about being content with where God has you, and of course Joshua Harris was talking about dating...  But I've always thought it could be applied to every area of life.

I'm having a hard time applying this truth to my life these days.  It's been too easy for me to dwell on things that I look forward to in the future...  I used to think that this quote meant that it's better if you just don't look forward to anything in the future.  But obviously that's not right; having something to look forward to must be one of the reasons Jesus told us He would be coming back.  In fact, there is some real value in having something to look forward to...

If I were here in Ennis, TX with my in-laws, no job, no friends, no immediate family day in and day out with no change to look forward to, I think I might likely fall in to a depression.  But as it is, I have many great things to look forward to, of course, the most valuable one being that my Saviour is coming back for me... but if God wills it, I also have other things to look forward to...  In the near future, and not quite so meaningful, Lord willing, I get to go to two great concerts this weekend, Mercy Me and Shane & Shane.  Next month I'm looking forward to my two best friends flying down to visit me.  And not too long after that I will finally get to see my husband again when he graduates from basic training.  These are all things that I'm so thankful I have to look forward to... 

What I have to be careful of, and what I think the main point of that quote is, is not spending too much of my daily life pondering and dwelling on those events, because doing that would be a waste of valuable time that God could be using to do much more valuable things through me.  No matter how many things we might have to look forward to, life is still just one day at a time and I am praying that I can live that way while I'm here.

Lord, You are in control and I rest in knowing that Your will is perfect and is always for my best.  Thank You for being with me and for granting me with patience.

On a side note...

No letters from Aaron yet.. hoping for one today. :)