Mini-Bible-Philosophy-Worldview Study (18) Of The Day- On The Patience To Wait For Change And God
Verse Of The Day
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. (Psalms 37:34)
Related Quotes
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”- Barack Obama
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait — it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.”- Joyce Meyer
“Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown.”- Soren Kierkegaard
Questions For Discussion
Are you the type of person who pushes the elevator button repeatedly when it fails to arrive quickly?
Do you enjoy looking forward to big events as much as the event itself?
Would you be shocked if the world ended today?
Are you surprised Jesus has yet to return?
Bonus Verses
“The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” (Lamentations 3:25)
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; [sic] (Ephesians 4:2)
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:3)
Commentary- On A Broken Clock And Waiting To Be More
Craig note- I have been in a thinking mood as I wait for my life to change.
On A Broken Clock And A Life That Passes Quickly
The other day my living room clock broke. Well, more specifically, the battery died. The hands of the clock spun around at warp speed. It was an apt manifestation of my recent winter vacation and my life.
People say “Time flies when you are having fun.” I know that is true. But, recently, I have come to understand that time flies when you are really living life, too. Of course, some people don’t get the chance to live a long life.
And, that troubles me.
In the news, there is a viral letter from a terminal cancer patient. She writes about what she finds important in life. She had this idea she was going to grow old and grey.
But, she will not get the chance.
Oddly, this applies to my life currently. I have my annual health check in two weeks. It’s the worst time of year for me. I hate hospitals, doctors, nurses, and healthcare-related things and people of all manner.
No offense.
Mostly, I hate them, because they know a lot I do not. And, worse, they know: The truth is I am not Superman. No matter how hard I try to convince myself that I am.
In America, I rarely had health insurance as a working adult. I was a healthy, young man. And, I was darn lucky I avoided any major maladies. I have family and friends who were (are) not nearly as lucky.
Of course, Japan offers health insurance. I paid my premiums for years before I went to the doctor. I was okay with that. Later, I got married, and my wife made me go to the doctor for a health check. I believe her exact words were, “If you don’t go, I’ll divorce you.”
I considered divorce.
(Joking.)
I went. I sat through the tests. And, I left. Two weeks later the test results came in the mail. I was in perfect health. I playfully mocked my wife for, “worrying about nothing.”
On Going To The Doctor Yet Again
(Fast forward.)
I got a job at a Japanese company. They, too, required a full pre-employment health check. So, I went. And, I had trouble with a few tests. Like before, I got the test results in the mail. And, this time I was not perfect. And, I spent weeks feeling sick and weak.
My wife made me go to various doctors for follow-up exams. They found nothing wrong. Everyone chalked it up to, “”Craig’s Japanese is terrible.”
I protested. But, it beat admitting I was sick.
I returned to my genki self. And, life went on much the same. But, I know one day the health check result is going to come in the mail. And, the result will not be good. Unfortunately, it will not be because, as my wife puts it, “You $%$% at Japanese.”
Remind me to write an article about Japanese wives one day.
All kidding aside, it is why I have pushed my writing. I had this idea one day, “when I retire.” I would sit around all day and write books. But, once I turned 40, many friends were beset by health problems. In fact, one or two died.
I took it as a wakeup call to make “tomorrow” a reality “today.”
In the last two years, I have written two novels, 100s of blog posts, several guest blogs, newspaper features, company handbooks, several ESL courses, built a social media company, and became rather popular. And, I have worked 5–6 days a week at a regular job.
I write that not to toot my horn.
My life does not require anyone’s praise or approval. I tell you the above in the hopes if you are sitting around waiting for the time to “be more” in Japan (or anywhere), you get off your butt.
Your life does not have to be: “a broken clock.”
Grey, Grizzled, and Gaijin
