We're still here. Now what?

It's the end of the world as we know it! (Or not.) Today was predicted to be the rapture. I don't know why people even try to predict that, considering the Bible says no one knows when it will come, not even the Son. "It will come like a thief in the night."
While I wasn't involved in many conversations about the rapture coming today, I was in a few, some with Christians, some without. It really got me thinking about how we should always be expecting the Lord to come back. We are supposed to be prepared. In Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, he talks of a lady, Grandma Clara, who while watching a play or movie or something says she wouldn't really like to be there if Jesus came back in that moment. What a crazy realization. We don't know when Jesus will come back, so we should never being anything we would be ashamed of just in case.
Tonight when the clock struck 6 p.m., I was chatting with good friends, celebrating an academic milestone for a kid in our church youth group. Although I wasn't praying, singing or reading my Bible, I think God would approve of my conversations and the joy I had in sharing time with his sons and daughters. In all things we can praise God. That is definitely something I need to be reminded of from time to time. So often I think we beat ourselves up about our lack of commitment to reading or praying. Yes, God does desire those things from us. However, he delights in our joy and gave us friends and family for a reason. 
Aside from being reminded of that little tidbit today, I have also been challenged a lot lately with patience. I must have asked for patience somewhere along the line and now I'm really getting a lesson in it. I am continually being put in situations where those around me are joyful over things I want, things I desire. It is not a secret that I long to be married, that I long to have kids. In moving here I thought surely those things would quickly come my way. Instead, they have come to everyone else around me. A couple of weeks ago I counted 17 people that I know who are pregnant, a few days later I found out there were more. Wow! That is a lot of pregnant women!
While my heart rejoices for the new life and knows these men and women will make great parents, I hate myself for being jealous. I don't want to be that way. I am not jealous as in I want to take the opportunity away from those who have it, but just that I'm sad it isn't me yet. I know I have plenty of time. I know I will eventually find someone. I know I can be perfectly happy in this stage in my life. I know I should enjoy this time. I know all of the things so many people insist on telling me as if I haven't heard them before. I know. I know. I know.
I am not looking for sympathy, a condescending or empathetic look or comment here. I am simply sharing where I'm at. I can't continue to hide the fact that I feel this. I know God put these desires in my heart and I hope that someday soon he will allow me to experience them. If not, then I know he will give me new desires. In the mean time, I am just waiting....buried under a ton of laundry and a lot of dishes!

Keeping me going this week...
The sleeping pup next me who insists on putting her head on my keyboard
Playing Mafia with awesome friends
The thunder rumbling outside my window
Sitting out by the fire roasting smores
And knowing that although I didn't meet Jesus face to face today, I will eventually!