Watching Paint Dry

Have you ever just stood and watched paint dry? Maybe the cable was out, maybe you needed to do other things in the room...but have you ever just watched? Besides being a little boring, watching a second coat dry is a little nerve-wracking. Paint does not dry uniformly; blotches show up as one section fades into the previous coat, while two inches down, the fresh paint stands out like a sore thumb. I have to resist the urge to keep going over it with the roller, trying to blend it in myself. If I leave the room and come back, as opposed to standing there glassy-eyed staring it down, I get to see the finished product and realize that it has worked itself out without my help.

Watching my husband grow in his faith with Jesus Christ is a little like watching paint dry. His accepting of Christ as His Savior was a bit of a process for Him. Recognizing that he couldn't reach heaven by being a pretty good guy was step one, so He walked across that bridge that Jesus offers. The layers and second coats have been going on for awhile, and seldom have I resisted an opportunity to get out my roller and try to hasten the process.

At some point, I stopped staring at his process. And His process, for that matter. I stopped trying to be his "holy spirit", and showed a little respect for the abilities of God to work in the hubby's life. This past week has been interesting...

Tuesday, the hubs says to me, "Did you know that the line Sean Hannity (Fox News Channel) says at the end of his show, 'Let not your hearts be troubled' actually comes from John 14?"

"Uh...yeah. I did. How do you know that?"

"It's in the reading we are supposed to be doing for church."

Yesterday he brought his Billy Graham "Gospel of John" with him to the doctor's office because the assignment was to read John 13-17. When I commented, he said "Don't go getting all excited now" with a goofy smile on his face. I can't help it...I'm all excited. It's been a long road.

I know there will be blotches and unevenness in this process and that I will have to resist the urge to step in and "fix" things, but I can see the promise of what lies ahead: a beautiful work of art infused with the breath of God that looks alot like my husband.