Have you guys ever sat down and really read Oh The Places You’ll go by Dr. Suess? I've had it in my classroom library for years and somehow never sat down and read it to a class full of children. Y'ALL, THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK. It's such a treasure with so many life lessons about fear, failure, success, waiting, and living life with great faith and expectations.

Here's my favorite part...

“The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO! That’s not for you! Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where the Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!"

Here's how my heart jumped out of those pages and flew into this blog post.

Sweet friend, what is your waiting place looking like in this season? How long have you been waiting there? What does your heart look like? What exactly are you waiting for?

I've never considered myself a patient waiter. People say all the time, "You're a Kindergarten teacher! You must be the most patient person!" Maybe my words or my actions look like that from the outside (and that's a solid maybe), but if you people could see my heart. Y'all, my ugly, impatient, grumbling, selfish heart... then you'd see that what makes a person patient genuinely involves the heart posture.

I embarrassingly catch myself ALWAYS waiting for the next season. Discontentment sneaks it's way into my already impatient heart.

As a pre-teen, "I can't wait to be in high school, I'm SO OVER middle school drama and stinky boys."

Then high school Cait proclaims, "Ah, I can't wait to get my license so I can drive myself places!" (You'd think with that impatience, I wouldn't procrastinate, think again!)

In the next breath, "I can't wait to go to college!"

Then in college, "I cannot wait to be in the real world, to have a classroom of my own!"

To have a husband, to have kids, to have summer break, to have peace. This list goes on. It's always somethin', y'all. When will I learn to be content in this season of the "not yet"? 

I've believed a (very convincing) lie my entire life, that the next out-of-reach season will be what sets my soul on fire. It will FINALLY satisfy my heart. The NEXT season will fulfill all my desires. THEN I'll truly be happy! Convincing, huh? Pretty appealing!

It sounds silly to even type all that. Yet, I'm tempted to believe it.  I am certain I'm not alone in this one.

There have been seasons (ashamed to tell you how recent) where my heart has been hideous in the waiting. It's been jealous and selfish and impatient and angry. So much anger, so much less grace. It's been covered with undeserved grace and been forgiven through each passing day. My heart has been poured out and refilled with new mercies every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Praise God, there is grace for us in our waiting. I've seen the Lord very recently work miracles in my heart and mind, giving me loads of patience where I never thought possible. This peace paired with patience is so indescribable. I am so grateful that the Lord hears our cries and knows our hearts.

What does your heart look like today? What are you waiting for, friend? We're all waiting for something. Like a dog waits for their owner to return home.

We're waiting for...

...the forecast to change.

...joy to be restored.

...two lines to appear.

...a date on the calendar.

...the oven to ding. (I see you, pizza rolls!)

...payday.

...a relationship to blossom.

...a soldier to return home.

...the alarm to awaken.

...the next holiday.

...the web page to load.

...the next life stage.

...see Heaven.

...the next season.

...arrival on a road trip. ("Five more minutes!")

...the storm to pass.

...another chance.

...those test results.

...traffic to move.

...wounds to heal.

...approval.

...paint to dry.

...a miracle.

...a number on the scale.

...a child to grow.

...that big promotion.

The list goes on.

We're all waiting for something. These are the verses I cling to in the waiting.