I Just Wish He'd Do It Quicker!

"When Herbert was much younger, he often got in trouble. Forgetting that he was a snail, he did things on the double.

Have patience, have patience, Don't be in such a hurry. When you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember that God is patient, too. And think of all the times when others have to wait for you."

These are a few of the lyrics from a children's Music Machine song. I recently heard my daughter-in-love Stephanie and her sister Sarah singing this song and it took me back to my college days when my dear friend Ronda used to sing it to my boyfriend, Ken. Ken has since become my husband (of almost 40 years now) and must have learned the lesson taught in this very rememberable song. (Yes, I know rememberable isn't a word, but that is a tribute to my husband who is always making up new words.)

I have seen in Ken some amazing examples of patience. He works with senior adults who are in need of some extra help as well as with patients who have had a major health event and are in need of extreme care in order to survive. A senior who is suffering with dementia and tells the same stories over and over will find a listening ear in my husband. A patient who cannot speak due to a ventilator or stroke or other ailment and has to use other means to communicate will find a chaplain willing to sit with them and read lips or wait while they write on their mark-n-wipe board or find someone who can translate from their native language in my husband.

Patience is one of the attributes the Bible assigns to those who love well. Patience is not something a person is born with. It is usually developed over time. I have often heard people say, "Don't pray for patience because God will then give you many opportunities to practice it." Big sigh.

I want to love well. But just how well do I want to love? Am I willing to do the hard stuff? Am I willing to give of my time, my energies enough to slow down and show patience? God has gifted me a person in my life through whom He is teaching me to love well with patience. Some moments I love well and some not so well. But He is building my character one building block at a time. I just wish He'd do it quicker (gotcha!).

Today I will endeavor to love well. I will learn from Herbert the snail:

"As you can well imagine, there's a moral to this tale Some of you may find yourselves behind a creeping snail. So if you get impatient and you're easily disturbed Think about this little song and take a tip from Herb."