The Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.  For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.   Isaiah 30:18

How many of us find it easy to dream about what we will be grateful for in the future?  Any dream, hope, or longing is easy to conjure up.  Yet, if we spend too much time on the not yet we may miss the enjoyment of the now.  We are blessed in the waiting-read the last part of today's verse once more.  There are reasons to be thankful today no matter where you are or what you are facing.

Waiting doesn't have to be boring or painful.  We truly can learn to enjoy the slower pace in the in-between periods.  We don't have to ignore the longing we feel in the waiting.  However, when we shift our perspective to what is true, what is good, and what is precious in the present, we expand our awareness of the presence of God with us.  God is so gracious, and his grace is abundant toward us today.

Pay attention to the little things that make you feel connected to the present today.