A Crown, A Lesson, And God’s Perfect Timing
A Crown, A Lesson, And God’s Perfect Timing
9.1.2025
03 - a personal blog
“A real queen will fix another crown without letting the world know it was ever crooked.”
Ivy and Indy were meant to be best friends —just like their moms, Cara and me. Our girls were the perfect duo. They had more in common than just their silly faces and wild personalities. Both were born with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and a congenital heart defect that required major surgery. Both were NICU babies at the same hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That’s how Cara and I first connected—two new moms of extraordinary little girls.
After Ivy passed away, I stumbled across photos from a rare September day—pictures I had forgotten I’d even taken. Cara came over to help me plan Ivy’s first birthday party, and for once, all five of us were together for a playdate. Ivy was home and healthy, and so were the other girls. Cara and I watched them laugh and play, their smiles filling the air as we unpacked decorations and organized the little details.
Truthfully, I had been hesitant about having a party. I postponed it three times out of fear related to infection/illness. Ivy’s fragile, unprepared heart and complex medical history couldn’t handle anything else, and too many people would be too risky. But that day, choosing to celebrate Ivy and her birth was one of my best decisions. The party turned out magical, the memories timeless.
⸻
The Crown
In one picture, Ivy has her hand on her heart, eyes fixed on Indy. Indy’s arms are stretched out wide with excitement as she reaches a shiny plastic crown— one of the party favors for Ivy’s fairytale-themed first birthday party.
Scrolling through the photos, I notice the crown passing from head to head. Each girl had a turn to wear it. And in the waiting, something beautiful unfolded.
Instead of impatience or frustration, I saw love. I saw three little girls adjusting the crown for one another, giggling as they placed it just right. They were just as joyful seeing the crown on their friend’s head as when it was finally their turn to wear it.
⸻
The Lesson
Those photos reminded me of a more profound truth: life is filled with seasons of waiting.
When we’re in the valley and the crown has yet to be placed on our head, how do we spend our time? Do we waste it in frustration, or do we wait with grace? Do our actions and attitudes reflect trust in God’s perfect timing?
I want my waiting to look like the girls in the photos - wholesome, patient, and peaceful. Not because I know my turn is coming, but because I know that no matter where I stand—mountain or valley—I am in God’s perfect hands, part of a bigger and better plan. I may not know where I’m at or where I’m going, but I do know that I am exactly where God wants me to be right now.
Our current position is not permanent, nor is it defined as our final destination. Even in the valley, the plan has purpose.
Like the three girls, we can learn to find joy in lifting one another, celebrating each other’s victories, and trusting that when it is our turn, the crown will fit just right.
From Ivy’s Branches,
Waiting is never easy, but even in the valley, God is at work. No season is ever wasted, nor does it go without purpose or worth. May we spend our waiting not in bitterness but joy—helping fix each other’s crowns, celebrating one another, and trusting God’s timing for our own.
