patience and biscuits
There are a few things you’ll often hear me say while ordering breakfast:
“Do you have blackberry jam or honey?”
“Can I have a cup of coffee to-go?”
“Do you have any hot sauce?”
“Can I substitute toast for a biscuit?”
I have nothing against toast.
For the record, I love toast.
Toast is underrated.
There aren’t many things that are as perfect and delicious as a piece of buttered toast.
But I can make toast at home.
Biscuits are a challenge.
And I always want a biscuit.
“Sure, we can certainly substitute a biscuit for toast! Not a problem,” our waitress said.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Sometimes restaurants don’t have biscuits and it ruins my entire meal (dramatic, I know) and honestly, not serving biscuits is a poor business decision.
However, as I read the menu I realized this particular restaurant served biscuits and gravy, so I knew they would have them.
No, I’m not a detective.
I just like biscuits.
I wasn’t worried about the upcharge, if there was one.
Some people are quick to order guacamole or queso for an upcharge.
Not me.
I often hesitate when the word “upcharge” gets thrown around.
Unless it is for a biscuit.
In which case, you can have all my money and I’ll do the dishes.
A few minutes later our waitress returned to our table.
“Excuse me, sir.”
I guess I look like a sir.
I looked up and raised my eyebrows as I said or asked, “Yes?”
“I am so sorry, but our biscuits won’t be ready for another 15 minutes, is that okay? I can get you something else if you’d like.”
I wasn’t too surprised by this.
I tend to have bad luck at restaurants.
Forgotten food, spilled drinks, wrong order, leaking roofs, random charges, food poisoning, etc.
Once a waitress cursed at me, but that’s a story for another time.
“I can wait,” I eventually said. I went back and forth. They had blueberry muffins and cinnamon rolls. But I really wanted a biscuit. In the end, you always risk it for the biscuit.
Our food arrived and she mentioned the biscuit would be out shortly.
I ate my eggs and bacon and made eyes at the toast on my friend’s plate.
A few minutes later she came back to tell me it would be a little longer and asked if I wanted anything else while I waited.
“No, thanks. Just the biscuit.”
Lately, I feel like I am waiting for a lot of things to happen.
Goals to be accomplished.
Messages to be responded to.
Lessons to be learned.
Covid to disappear.
The next episode of “Ted Lasso” to be released.
The season to change.
Basketball season to begin.
Prayers to be answered.
Biscuits to arrive.
Waiting is exhausting.
Necessary for growth, but exhausting.
She returned with a smile on her face (well, her eyes were smiling... you know, masks...) and a box in her hand.
“I got you an extra biscuit. Oh, and I took it off your check. Again, I am so sorry about your wait!”
I thanked her again and again and told her she didn’t need to do what she did, but that I was grateful.
This feels a lot like praying and waiting and hoping and wondering.
I’ve had prayers answered in ways I could never have imagined.
I asked for one biscuit and received two for free.
All it took was a little waiting, a few conversations, and some trust.
Other times, it’s the opposite.
Slow and discouraging.
Infuriating and painful.
Empty hands and a broken heart.
However, God is slowly opening my eyes and showing me good is always on the way.
Even when I cannot see it, and most of the time I cannot see it, good is on the way.
In my frustration, God is still patient.
In my discomfort, God is still kind.
In my waiting, God is still present.
In my wondering, God is still good.
In my anger, God is still loving.
In my doubt, God is still faithful.
Good is on the way.
For more of my poetry, check out my books!