Many years ago, when I was dating Anita, her parents hosted a Japanese foreign exchange student. English was a second language for him, and he knew it well enough to survive in school. One of his first desires was to buy a pair of American jeans, just coming into fashion in the early ’70’s. We took him shopping at a trendy new jean store near the mall in Fort Wayne.
Always the frugal (or should I say cheap) shopper, I took him to a section where the price was best and told him to buy those. He carefully examined the jeans, reading every word on the label. He got one of those silly Japanese horror movie looks on his face when he came upon the word ‘Slightly Irregular’. To a long-haired hippie like me, Slightly Irregular meant ‘great bargain’. To a guy schooled on the King’s English who was unfamiliar with American slang, it meant something altogether different. And its hard to tell someone who understands good English that it really doesn’t mean what he knows it means.
In one version, Paul advises us to “Make allowance for each other’s faults” (Colossians 3:13). Who do you know that is not slightly irregular? But if we Christians can make allowance for slightly irregular people, we will not take up offenses quite so easily. Just keep telling yourself, “When I meet that slightly irregular person today, be sure to make allowance for their slight irregularity.” And, perhaps they’ll make allowance for your irregularity as well.
Tags: irregular, patience
Today is the 18th day since my surgery and the last day with the catheter. I think my biggest problem with this process was the unrealistic expectations that I had. I heard from others that I would be laid up for four weeks off work for this surgery, but when I asked the Doc how long before I went back to work, he asked what I did for a living. I told him I was a minister and most of my work was working at a desk. He said, “Maybe in two weeks if you take it easy.” So, I was thinking I’d be up and about and doing what I wanted to do part time in two weeks and not push myself.
But, its not that easy. Externally, I feel strong and healthy, but internally the healing continues. At 18 days into this, I’m still wearing an uncomfortable catheter and having difficulty sitting up straight. If I had just accepted the four week healing period as a time to just rest, I would be right on schedule. But my unrealistic expectations were just not realistic, and that’s what discouraged me. My advice to others in the future will be to just plan to wait it out at home for a full month. Then good news looks good.
Tags: patience, unrealistic expectations
There are two periods of discouragement in the church calendar. The first occurs in February and is called by church leaders the Winter Doldrums, and the second is during the summer months and is called the Summer Slump. We all understand the Summer Slump, but seldom give attention to the Winter Doldrums.
The Winter Doldrums begin imperceptively right after the high of Christmas, with all its activities, church attendance increases, hubbub, much ado, and excitement. We deal OK with winter throughout January, although the snow problems slow us down. But by the time February settles in we are tired of being cooped up in the house and dealing with snow and ice. Impatience begins to set in. This spills over into our church life. People become cranky and dissillusioned. Why is church attendance down? Why is there not excitement here like we had last year? Whose to blame? Maybe I need to find a new church that is more exciting.
Just in the nick of time, Spring comes, we turn our clocks ahead, the sun shines brighter and we emerge from the Winter Doldrums to the renewed excitement of Spring and Easter. Hallelujah!
February is not the time to make major decisions! We need to patiently await the surely coming Spring and the renewed excitement it brings. Every church has to battle the discouragement of February, and every church awaits the new day when March/April arrives. Be patient!
Tags: discouragement, patience, Summer Slump, Winter Doldrums