The One That Got Away

My friend Kinda and I were traveling through Austria on a two week trip in Europe. We had started out with five girls, but now it was just the two of us. The others had to fly back early for work. We had planned to go see some of the countryside or castles but it was rainy and cold so we decided to let it be our down day and just have fun in the city. Kinda was on the hunt for a pair of shoes and I was in search of a painting to add to my collection.

I was pretty disappointed that I hadn't found one I liked in Paris. That's where I was sure I would find one— the City of Love. I had searched the stands of local paintings but not one had stood out to me. But now, as we were on our last day or two of the trip I was starting to regret not buying one there.

We perused the local galleries and found some paintings by a known local artist. I tried to like them but just couldn't. One older gentlemen had several shops next to each other that he even opened to let me look around, but no matter how many I passed by I just couldn't pick one. I didn't see MY painting. 

As I left, I started thinking that maybe I should just settle on one to bring home or I might not end up with one at all. I was just too picky! That was the problem. 

But my frustration went a little bit deeper than that. Inside, I was having a silent little conversation with God that maybe the problem with me was that I just needed to learn to take what was in front of me instead of always waiting for that "perfect" thing...including the perfect guy. Maybe I was just too picky.

As I walked away from the "not quite right" paintings, holding on to the money set aside for my purchase, I turned a corner and out of the corner of my eye, spotted an older gentleman in a little grey tam standing next to what looked like a table of small paintings. I detoured from our path to go see.

As I came up to the table, I discovered a display of the most wonderful assortment of paintings! The colors were exactly what I was looking for and the sketches were perfect replicas of all the things we had experienced on the trip.

As I went through the paintings of Austria, picking out my favorites, all of a sudden I came across a beautiful watercolor of the Eiffel Tower!

It was more lovely than any of the paintings I had passed up in Paris! ! I couldn't believe it. It was as if God were answering my earlier conversation with him, letting me know that I hadn't missed anything.

As we walked away, totally delighted in our finds, I felt like I heard God say to my heart,  

"I always have something "perfect" for you...if you're willing to wait on it." 

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory..." Ephesians 3:20

Have you ever felt that way? Like maybe you should just go ahead and settle for something you've been waiting on? Have you heard, "You're just too picky!"? Talk to me. I feel ya, sis.