“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.”
~ Isaiah 30:18, ESV

The Ibis has become one of my very favorite beach birds, maybe even a favorite all-around birds since I captured five of them on a trip a few years ago. The white plumed bird with is long curved, crimson bill, matching webbed feet and stockinged legs is a delight to behold.

After we settled into our beach holiday, I finally hauled my camera with its zoom lens down to the water and waves, eager to find a wandering Ibis. No birds. Even at our favorite dock-side restaurant, where the Oysters Rockefeller are worth the trip alone, no pelicans, no great egrets, no cormorants. It left me wondering if they’d gone on their own holiday.

The first day I trekked with my camera, the Great Blue Heron, wearing its more dappled brown than blue plumage, was the only bird that showed up for my camera shoot. I considered continuing my walk down the beach and ignoring the heron. After all, I was after an Ibis–and God knew that. I’d told Him what I was looking for, and I came with expectation. I’d seen one the day before. Surely, he’d be here today.

I had to check those self-made expectations right there. I reminded myself, smiling inwardly, maybe even outwardly, that God’s plans for my expectations don’t often come according to my visuals. I’m just supposed to show up. He brings the answer to my hope–and often it is a surprise. I identify the desire of my heart to be an Ibis, but He brings me crab, or, well, maybe a Great Blue Heron. . . I turn back. . . because God is better at understanding the desires of my heart better than I am.

The next morning, two Ibis’s took their strolling breakfast in front of me. I’d left my camera in the room. By the time I retrieved it, they had moved beyond my reach and my zoom. However, a Snowy Egret stopped by for a visit. An inward voice pressed me do a photoshoot with what God had brought me, a different blessing than what’d I was seeking. I did a photoshoot with a Snowy Egret. It wasn’t what I’d asked for, but I recognized it as a blessing God sent in the Ibis’s stead.

God’s message was clear: Gather the blessings I send while you wait for what you’ve sought me to provide. Don’t turn away what I send because it doesn’t fit your visuals of what hope realized should be. Trust me as you shamelessly hope in my answer to your call.

Wait still with anticipation. Stop living paused. Breath! Live fully, intentionally! See and receive the blessings He intentionally leaves in the inbetween.

I continued showing up, camera read. Then one sunset evening, camera in the crook of my arm on a sunset walk, He gave me the Ibis.

Yes! Blessed are those who wait on the Lord. Maybe doubly blessed are those who see Him ministering to us in that wait. I find myself wondering if He would have sent the Ibis when He did if I hadn’t gathered the blessings He sent me in the wait.

Remember Me Monday: #137 Link-up

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
    all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
    his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
.    love extravagant.”
~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message

In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!”  (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a father to a child who has forgotten all the love, all the saving, helping, little and big blessings – and it leaves me stunned when I realize our Father, the creator of the universe, who knows things I cannot begin to fathom, who authors storylines that leave me amazed, delights in all of us so much, He cries out, “Remember Me.”

While every day is a Remember God Day, I am inviting you to join me on Monday mornings to come by and remember what God has done for you, for your family. Maybe God sent a cardinal darting out in front of you, as if to tell you, “I’m here,” or broke a child’s fever after you laid it all down at His feet in a 2 a.m. bedside vigil. Maybe He stood with you in the wait of a prayer sent out, or brought someone you loved to Christ. Maybe He healed your broken heart, gave your courage, or you gave Him your dreams as a love offering only to have Him give them back in an unimaginable way. Maybe God helped you survive to bedtime after a crazy Monday, or forgive yourself for missing it with your kiddos –– Whatever it is, let’s Remember Him. . . in a “Remember Me Monday” love letter.

“My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
Of your salvation all the day long,
Though I know not its measure.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord”
~ Psalm 71:15-16.

Let us delight in Him by telling the  stories of what He’s done!  If you wrote a blog post remembering what He’s done for you, join the linky. If you didn’t but still want to praise Him for what He’s done – write it in the comment section. Then visit a comment before or after yours! One of the beautiful things about the blogging community is the relationships it builds!

Rules?  Write long or short, a list or a story, include photos or not. Just Remember Him and what He has done, and let the gratitude of your heart guide you. Let’s make Monday so Rejoice, that the goodness of God spills into the rest of the week!

Link Up Below:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter

Places I’m Linking at This Week:
  Instaencouragements, Legacy Link-Up, 
Let’s Have Coffee Wednesday 
Recharge Wednesday, Scripture & a Snapshot
 Grace&Truth, Sweet Tea & Friends