Patience and Perserverance

I sit here with the house to myself. Riobamba, Ecuador. Listening to Rich Terfry on CBC Radio 2 Drive. I have had a busy afternoon of emailing. Actually, it took almost 3 hours to get it all done. I have a problem where I read an email and forget all about it. I find it rather frustrating. I should make a rule where I reply as soon as I get it and if not then later that day.

I think this might be known as procrastination. I seem to do it a lot with God as well. To make that time in the day for Him is often something that never gets done first. It I get these things done first, get myself in order for the day, then I sacrifice some time (as if it is a sacrifice). Too often I have to remind myself that time spend with God is time that focus' my day. It is time that aligns God's values and plans with my values and plan. Rather, it is time where I receive His values and plans as I set mine aside.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. I have been driven to frustration because of my lack of it. Concidering myself a laidback, worry free guy, I am taken back by the lack of patients that I have. I say these things in light of my situation in Riobamba of coarse. The time that it takes to get visa, banking, or really anything accomplished is remarkable. I think that I can aprieciate the efficiency that we operate with in Canada. Although, the more daunting task requiring patience is that of learning another language. No matter how much you try to bottleneck nouns, verbs, expressions, or whatever else into your brain, it is only going to get in there so fast.

A race is something that is seemingly conflicting with patience. The motivation behind a race is to get to the end as fast as possible. No holds bar. This is the exact picture that we are given in Hebrew 12 regarding the life of faith. I have been continually trying to understand the relationship between the two of these thought. I believe that it is my job to run after God and run hard the race marked out for me. On the other hand can anything be rushed? I wouldn't say I have come to a conclusion, although I do have some thoughts.

It is easy for me to associate patience with waiting and doing nothing. Likewise, I have no trouble thinking of a race as taking as many steps as possible in the shortest amount of time. I guess the pinnacle of what I want to say is this. Patience and waiting on God is part of the race that we are running. We are told to run the race of faith with perseverance. What is perseverance if not accompanied by patience. At time we feel as though we may not be making headway, we are loosing ground to the things that we are running against, and this is where patience and perseverance come in to aid us while we run the race.

Cheers

Finding Familiarity

I have been in Ecuador for almost one month now. That is just really weird for me to think about. As someone would have told me who has done this sort of thing before, it gets much difficult after the first couple weeks. I would tell that person now that they are correct. Being in a culture with no real proficient way to communicate is tough. Particularly it is difficult find familiarity in any day to day experiences. Here are a few of my top things to do in order that I feel Canadian!

Listen to CBC radio one or two (mostly two)

Skype with friend and family in Canada

Drink a cup of coffee and read a book

Go for a run

Taking pictures

Those are just a few of the things that have provided me with some sort of nostalgic feeling that says "you are going to be alright." I suppose that I have been feeling slightly down lately. I know that this is a temporary feeling. It isn't something that lasts. It is a feeling that I assume has not bottomed out yet. I believe that routine is something that provides emotional stability for me. I like that about myself. I would like it more if I could stay that I am naturally creature of routine and that it come naturally for me. It takes effort. Especially initially. One could feel welcomed to draw a connection between this statement and the date of my last post.

I need to practice the things that I am familiar with, I need to become familiar with the things that are important. These things are what I want to make routine.

I had a discussion with a friend last week about stability. How I have never been someone that would consider himself stable. I sway one way to another. I would like to think this is something that can be changed, much like my friend does, but I am not so sure. Have I been created with the ability to be stable or are my thoughts, emotions, feeling a moving target?

I don't know the answer to this question but I would suspect that it is A and B. I can practice stability through acting routinely with things that I value. This of coarse would be the ongoing search for God and Jesus and His Spirit.