Am I Done Yet?

My house smells wonderful right now!

Freshly baked bread (almost) ready to come out of the oven. Yummmmm!

But this culinary adventure has not been without frustration.
The recipe said to bake the bread for 50-60 minutes, so I set the timer for a little past 50 and got involved with other things. When I heard the familiar beeping noise of a timer going off, I rose to test the bread. Took one loaf out of the oven, noticed the top was nicely browned and had the cracked look that "done" bread usually has, but I decided to test it anyway.
A thorough search through my utensil drawer produced no bread-poker-tester-thingy, so I resorted to a knife. And discovered the bread was not done, in spite of how lovely it appeared on the top. So I returned it to the oven to give it five more minutes.
Another beep, another test, and another conclusion the bread was not yet done. *sigh*
Back into the oven. (This time with foil on top, cuz I didn't want the top to burn while the insides were baking.) Back to waiting.
Have I ever mentioned I do.not.like.waiting? I kept thinking, Alright, already! I have other things to do besides babysit this bread. Can we be done?!

And it was just about right then - at the end of that thought - when God showed me His involvement in my bread-making exploit.
As I considered the reality that I am not a good wait-er; as I recalled my desire to get to the end of a journey, more than happy to skip over the bumps and curves and obstacles along the way; as I recognized my bent toward just wanting to be done - it was as if God were speaking through the not-yet-done bread in the oven.
His words to my heart sounded something like this, Karen, dear, I know you don't like to wait. I know you would like to KNOW when that bread will be done so you don't have to keep getting up and checking. I know you would like to KNOW when you're going to be done, when your trials and testing will be over. Oh, little one, I know everything about you!
That's why I want you to trust Me. That's why I want you to surrender all of your concerns and your angst about waiting to Me. Because I know what you need. I know what is necessary in your life to make you more like My Son. And I am working it out. In MY time. And My time is perfect, you know.
I love you, child. Keep trusting in My love.
What can I say? My Father knows what I need to hear!
Did He have anything to say to you through what He said to me???

Ahhhh. The bread is done now. Out of the oven and on the cooling rack. Looking forward to sharing it with my family for dinner. It's going to be yummy!

And so worth the wait!