12 April 2015

When is it going to be your turn?

This year, Chris and I have ten weddings on the docket, not to mention the bachelorette and engagement parties, as well as the showers. Starting this month, the remainder of the year is, in no uncertain terms, wedding season. 

I was talking with a friend about it recently and she said that she was so excited to celebrate her friends throughout the rest of the year, but she couldn't help but wonder when it was going to be her turn. 

The phrase "my turn" has come up with a lot of my friends lately and I noticed that a post I wrote in 2014 recently moved to the top of my most frequently read list. So, while I'm still trying to pull together pictures from my family's trip to the beach last week, I thought I'd repost it for anyone who might need to be reminded. Don't forget - you are beautifulyou are enough and your life doesn't not begin when you get married

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This picture of Sally, Melissa and me is one of my favorites. We took it at Oyster Fest, which was almost exactly two years ago. It was springy in February and we got up early and had mimosas and the sun shone all day long. It reminds me of one of my favorite times in Atlanta - when we were all becoming friends and everything was new and exciting and we'd never even been to Oyster Fest before. 

I always think of that when I look at it.

But you know what else I think of? How right after we took this picture I started crying. And they had no idea what to do because I'd never cried in front of them before. How I told them I was sad that all of my friends had boyfriends and I didn't understand why I couldn't find a nice guy and finally just said, "when is it going to be my turn!?"

You get it. Right? So many of my friends want to know that. And so much more.

Why aren't they getting asked on dates?
Why aren't they meeting any quality guys? 
Why do all their friends keep meeting nice guys and they don't?
Why is God making them wait?
What is wrong with them?

When is going to be their turn?

And I get it. I so get get get it. I've had that feeling so many times. After bad dates and break ups and nights when I felt so alone. It's lonely. And loneliness is far worse than actually being alone. It's not having someone who knows you, gets you, makes you a priority.


I don't know why some people get married at 18 and others have to wait until 32 and others at 55 and others not at all. I don't know why we all have to experience these trials differently. 

But I do know that, even though it can be an uphill battle, the best thing we can do is enjoy the right now. 

We cannot waste this season of life because we're tired of waiting for the next one. It might feel like winter in your love life - a little cold, not a lot blooming - but spring will come.

God is doing something. Big time. Two years ago, when that picture was taken, I was so sure I was ready. I think I even told my friends: I'm just ready! And I really, really felt ready.


But God has done crazy cool stuff in my life since then. I've been broken down and built up 37 times. I've felt more real joy than I have in years. I've learned so much more about who I am. I've learned to be comfortable in my own skin and am finally living less for perfection and pleasing and more for the right things.

And it's not even over! Things are happening every day, and I am so grateful that God knew better. I thought I was ready, but, as it turns out, I was wrong. I'm a big time work in progress and the work is just getting started.

4 comments:

  1. Love this post and TOTALLY agree with you that we just need to sit back and enjoy life as it is. I read in a magazine something along the lines that we should "enjoy the vacation" because once we have a husband, kids, the works, we'll be wishing for peace and quiet. Moral of the story: enjoy the present.

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    1. Moral of the story = love it. I so agree!

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  2. Whitney, you always hit it spot on! I love reading your blog. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings with the world!

    Carly

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  3. Wow, you and Chris have a busy year ahead! But how fun that you get to celebrate with so many friends! And I think this was the first post of yours that I ever read and it hit home then and it hits home now... I have definitely found myself wanting to rush through a season and saying how ready I am, but now as I look back on all the times that I thought I was ready, I can see how I really wasn't. I'm thankful that God's plan is greater and am trying to enjoy this season too!

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