waiting on watermelons

There is something about stillness that brings about a beautiful contentment in my soul. I have loved the idea of just going for the sake of being gone, about being alone with my own thoughts. I process life through photographs and ink on a page. I have learned to love silence and to share it. Though my thoughts are imperfect and my fears often cross my mind; my soul is restored in stillness.

I rented a cabin about 5 hours away from home and for 3 days I did just that, stayed alone with my thoughts in stillness.

I spoke with this elderly lady at a winery on my little outing to get fresh food from the market and she said she was waiting on her watermelons. I don’t know a lot about farming, but October seems a little late to be waiting on watermelons. But she said that “you can’t rush soil, sunlight, or the weather, I have found that just waiting makes the difference.” We proceeded to talk about all of her jams and preserves. She had me try about 15 different textures and flavors, but my thoughts on waiting echoed for hours after.

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do; you feel helpless, it seems endless, and at the end of the day it may never end. I feel as though I am always waiting on something, and that used to drive me crazy. But if life has taught me anything it’s to trust in the timing of the One who holds time. I now find beauty in waiting, because it’s a season of preparation for things to come. I find grace in the stillness because I know that there is always something bigger going on.

Words aren't always necessary, demanding answers and shaking our fists only get us so far, and is all the energy really worth still having to wait in the end. Be patient with your process, it may take longer for you to “get” something that others have long understood. You may need more time, and let me set you free in saying, THAT’S OK. God finished every work He begins. Time heals wounds, brings understanding, and allows stillness to restore what this world has broken. Don’t rush into a season, or out of one; allow yourself to confidently walk into new beginnings and new seasons if and when the Season Maker sees fit. Taking time is a good thing.