Good things are really worth waiting for.Sometimes I can't be sure why God says "no" or "not yet" to me, but He surely does. I just have to trust Him at moments like that.
Today is the sweet conclusion to a long, 58-day wait. It was for this Miraculous Medal for which my heart longed but for which God told me to wait.
I first saw it at the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. I loved it instantly because I had seen no other medal quite like this one, Our Lady being framed by such a light blue color. But I felt God telling me, "Not yet," and so I left it behind.
When I returned to the basilica a few weeks later, I hoped desperately that it would still be there. In fact, before I departed, I even called ahead, described the medal in detail to the gift shop manager, who had an incredible eye for detail because she was able to identify this medal based only on description from the hundreds of others that are in the store, many of which are also blue.
She had truly set aside the correct one, and I was so happy! When I purchased it, I felt joyful. But I did not realize that God was still saying, "Not yet." For, when I was on the Metro just an hour later, the medal slipped from my neck into oblivion. Truly, God can giveith and takeith away!
When I returned home, I registered the lost medal with the Metro's Lost & Found. But weeks passed and nothing turned up. I could only believe that perhaps the medal was to be found by someone else who needed it more than me.
So then I decided to search for another one online. But nothing as beautiful as it appeared on eBay. I had nothing more than the SKU number on my receipt to identify it. After a rather difficult search, I finally found it and ordered it through an online Catholic gift shop.
Joyful, I thought it would be here soon. But God was still quietly saying, "Not yet."
Another week passed, and then I got an email from the store owner, explaining that the medal had been discontinued and no more would be available. She refunded my credit card. I was so distraught! No wonder this medal was so difficult--if not impossible--to find!
Another week passed, and I decided to look on eBay. And suddenly, there it was! I couldn't beleive it. So I bought it, and the seller shipped it, and I thought that all would be well. But God was still whispering, "Not yet."
Another week or two passed, and the medal never arrived. When I contacted the seller, we concluded that the medal had gotten lost in the mail. How how very sad! It was the last of its kind! She kindly refunded my credit card and took the loss herself.
Dejected, I almost gave up hope completely. Maybe God would always say no to me having this Miraculous Medal. But last week, I decided to browse eBay once more. And there it was, for the cheapest I've ever it: a modest $10.
Finally, on my fourth try, the medal came to me. Praise God! And thank you, God, for teaching me to learn patience. This medal is even sweeter to me now than it ever could have ever been in the beginning!
If only I could demonstrate the same fortidue in other areas of my life. Pray for me!
