It was a year ago today that we flew in to Cape Town, a trip that was the beginning of journey that was to end after 6 months. Now here we are in Montreal and still awaiting this journey to end sooner than later. Our goal is the move to Kona, Hawaii, as most of you know.
In life our journeys are the playground by which our values by which we live are tested. Patience is the word that I have been thinking about, as I look back this past year, all involved in this journey of ours to get to our destination have been and are practicing patience. Patience is defined as:
The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset
The “capacity” aspect of this sentence that the dictionary gives us is what has made many of our friends wonder. Are you in Hawaii is often the first chat line, or how are things with the papers? When do you think you will be in Hawaii? And of course there are voices that also doubt and say are you sure you are to be there? Do you have a Plan b? Well these are valid questions and I can only answer them in part.
This lesson of Patience that we have been going through is a tough one; it’s a long one. We have been literally living from one suitcase for 12 months! We can’t call any place our home? But we are sure we are to continue on our journey. We are closer than ever, so now that we have covered so much distance, I am ready to trust that this very patience will still result in strengthening the values by which we embarked on this journey. The testimony of suffering for the goal that one has must be rewarding.
Funny how there are times in life where we just know; yep this is it, other times we doubt before even having decided anything. I am well aware this journey has risks, so does patience! Patience does not guarantee a perfect or good result, but rather patience will have made us ready to accept the result and rejoice if on our favor and if not give us strength to then see what other doors might open.
One of my favorite books says: Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises.
Is our world, societies, friends and families living the life of patience? As long as we all try we would every day of our lives, I am sure it will result in a small manner in a better world! Do you agree?