In the Waiting Room

Waiting rooms test our patience, don’t they? Whether it’s anxiously waiting for the doctor to call your name, a baby to make its grand entrance, or a red light to turn green, waiting always feels like a stretch of eternity.

But here’s the thing — while we’re waiting, something is happening. Surgeries heal what’s broken. New life enters the world. And yes, eventually, that red light turns green.

Advent, the season leading to Christmas, is its own kind of waiting room. It’s a time of anticipation, transformation, and reflection as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth.

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. It brought the lighting of the HOPE candle — a small, flickering reminder that waiting isn’t passive. It’s about believing that God is at work, even when we can’t see it.

When I was a child, waiting for Christmas was almost unbearable. The presents! The tree! The carols! Learning my little Christmas poem and stepping up on the stage to quote it. AND, oh, the excitement of Santa bringing gifts!

But, maturing opened my eyes to this Advent season and the joy of Christmas grew deeper. Lighting candles each Sunday and singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” turned my heart toward the miraculous story of the Savior who left heaven to dwell among us.

This waiting isn’t just about remembering the birth of Christ. It’s about expecting Him to show up in our lives today. Waiting teaches us to trust that His plans are perfect, even if they unfold slower than we’d like.

So, this Advent season, as we wait, let’s embrace the radical life of hope. Let’s teach our children and grandchildren that Christmas isn’t just about a jolly man in a red suit but about the arrival of the King of Kings. Let’s make room in our hearts for a fresh revelation of His love and light.

Oh, come, oh come, Emmanuel and transform our waiting into wonder.

Blessings to you and your family this Advent season. May your waiting room be filled with His peace, His presence, and His promise.