Be Patient!

The Be Patient Song
Be patient!
Be patient!
Don’t be in such a hurry!
When you get impatient, you only start to worry.
Remember, remember that God has patience too,
And think of all the times that others have to wait for you.

Wow! What a day today has been! I woke up with a sore throat after not sleeping very well last night. I immediately picked up my sword and started fighting battles on every side:

1. Have to figure out how to scrape together enough money to get a few groceries in this house. We have been creating “pantry meals” all week long and have run out of almost every single staple item which could create a meal. How exactly do you feed a family of 6 for a week on just $36.89? I'm about to find out in a few minutes when I go to Aldi's.

2. I need to FAX!!!!! On Monday the trial version of the faxing software I use ran out. I purchased the full version, but must have screwed something up with my paypal payment because I ended up paying with an echeck which takes 3 to 5 business days to clear. I have been without a fax machine now since Monday. I have been mooching off a coworker to get faxes sent and obsessively checking e-mail to see if the software serial number has been e-mailed to me yet. But no worries! They expect the situation to be resolved between 6/25/09 and 6/29/09! AHHHHHH!

3. I have been trying since February to get this eyeglass/contact prescription issue figured out. On Saturday, I went to reclaim my glasses and was told they did nothing to them because they didn’t need anything done to them only to wear them on Monday and get a KILLER headache from them. Today I ended up just hanging up on the lady after I told her three times I did not have time to schedule another appointment with the doctor right now, and she kept answering but you need another appointment with the doctor.

4. My work has been so up and down lately. NO work AT ALL on Friday GOB on Monday NOTHING yesterday GOB this morning THEN on top of ALL of it: power outage this afternoon took down whole system, and I have been unable to work at all since lunch.

5. I have been deducing lately that I might have allergy-induced asthma. I have noticed that when there are severe changes in the weather (a storm blowing in) or when it is really hot or when I am around second-hand smoke I have a VERY difficult time getting a deep breath. Today has been MISERABLE for me. I cannot get a good breath and that is making me light headed.

I finally turned away from my desk at about 4:30 p.m. and closed my eyes and said, “LORD! What do you want me to learn from this?!?!?” Instantly, The Be Patient Song, started dancing through my mind. Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to be patient? How can I NOT be in such a hurry??? I have 4 children, 2 jobs, and a HUGE move coming up. It is nearing 100 degrees outside, and the second-hand smoke from next door has been choking me for two days. How can I be patient under THESE circumstances?!?!?!

“You can’t. I can.” Was the answer I heard. “You cannot!” In and of myself, I do not possess what it takes to be patient faced with so many stressful situations. Like Peter sinking into the water as the waves and wind crashed around him, I can do nothing to save myself. Also focusing on, stressing over, and rehashing the crummy stressful stuff does absolutely NOTHING.

What is the answer then? I must be pretty darn dense because God has to tell me this answer over and over and over again. Nearly EVERY single DAY! I need to take my eyes off the wind and waves and fix them on the one to whom I am trying to walk across the water towards.

I am little calmer. I still have only $36 and some change to get groceries. I still can’t fax. I still can’t breathe. I still have glasses that give me a headache, and I still cannot get onto my work’s remote site. But standing here in the middle of this storm with my eyes on the One who will eventually calm it, I feel peace surrounding me and calming my spirit. I am so grateful God sang The Be Patient Song to me today, and I am hoping for this craziness to turn around soon.