A Blue and White Tea for Two

by Cathy Baker

During the frenzied search for my diamond a couple weeks ago, Piper spotted a stack of blue and white china tea cups set aside for posting on Craig’s List. Picking up a tea cup ever so carefully, Piper let out a giggle and asked if we could have a tea party.

Now, I’ve dreamed of tea parties with granddaughters for years but I didn’t
expect my first opportunity to occur while frantically searching for
such a sentimental stone. It was, however, impossible to turn down such a delightful invitation so I set aside the search and began washing tea cups.

We put the kettle on, listened for the perky whistle, and buttered a little bread, excited about our impromptu tea party.

Notice whose cup is empty first!

I stood in the kitchen waiting for the perfect shade of English to appear in our cups while Piper set the tea tray. Within moments, I caught sight of the diamond lying upside down on the kitchen counter, only inches away from our cups.

This happens so often in life, doesn’t it? 

What we need—what we really need—often emerges during a time of waiting.

• We wait for test results.
• We wait for deep needs to be met and understood by those we love most.
• We wait for loneliness to subside.
• We wait for answers to questions that may never be resolved this side of heaven.
• We wait for the tea to brew.

I’m not a fan of waiting. Divine works, however, seem to thrive where a willingness to wait exists. Not the twiddling-my-thumbs kind of wait but one that’s willing to trust in God’s strength and sovereignty, regardless of the outcome. His courage is ours for the taking!

Leave it to a grinning granddaughter with a teacup pinched between her fingers to serve as a reminder that oftentimes our greatest blessings are discovered in the waiting.

What’s one thing you’ve discovered during a time of waiting?