Fairly easy question to answer! Right? Nope! It depends on your perspective and many other factors. Let me explain.
Two weeks ago I went to the dentist with a tooth that lost an inlaid filling. It was a decent experience as far as visits to dentists go. A new young dentist spoke very good English and was extremely polite. The department head is studying the Korean language so we used some Korean during the visit. It was a very enjoyable linguistic experience with the combined use of English, Japanese and Korean languages. Some opportunities were presented to help the dentists with proper English terminology at their request.
Then the appointment was made for the replacing of the inlaid filling two weeks later. There is where the problem began. I was offered a couple dates and times. Still being a little nervous from the 90 minutes in a dentist's chair I did not clearly fix my attention on the date of the next appointment. For me, memory is like a photograph. I need to take a clear focused look at papers and even verbally get my facts straight. If not, I will frequently go away with the wrong information. So, for two weeks I have been convinced that my next appointment was on Tuesday of this week.
So I arranged schedules with others and set my alarm to get up early for a good shower and shave. Even got an ironed dress shirt and the fixings. Took off in the car just a few minutes earlier than normal for an appointment at the hospital dental clinic. It was a wonderful drive this morning. Cloudy and overcast with a threat of rain. On the way, a conversation with the Lord began. It was not necessary to turn on praise music. It was like having a friend along for a quiet drive to the city. This lasted about 20-25 min. The parking lot was nearly full, but after a good conversation with the Lord that did not matter at all.
I was so happy to arrive at the dental clinic 10 minutes EARLY! I first realized something was wrong when a nurse quietly said to the other, why is Mr Corbett here? It was then that I glanced down at the appointment slip which said 11月9日 月曜日(Nov 9th, Monday) I had no problem understanding the Japanese language in this case. I had mistakenly thought that Nov 9th fell on a Tuesday. This wrong perception sadly stayed in my mind for two full weeks.
I arrived at the clinic window thinking I was 10 minutes EARLY when in reality I was 23hrs and 50min LATE! Some might ask why didn't God bother to tell His son, Daniel that he was wrong during this long two week period of mistaken perspective? I am not sure that is God's responsibility. As usual, the Lord turns negative things into positive ones. Today I had a tremendous 50 minute long drive with a very good friend, my Lord! This time praise music was not blaring from the CD player. I was not blubbering and asking for favors or blessings. It was like a pleasant drive with a long time friend. Today I mostly just listened. I felt very satisfied and had a strong feeling that God was pleased with me.
How about you today, in your life? Are you late, early or right on time? So maybe today, I wasn't really late, but right on time. On God's time that is.
God bless you as you listen to His Voice in your busy day!
Dan Corbett
"Reaching One Among Millions"
Two weeks ago I went to the dentist with a tooth that lost an inlaid filling. It was a decent experience as far as visits to dentists go. A new young dentist spoke very good English and was extremely polite. The department head is studying the Korean language so we used some Korean during the visit. It was a very enjoyable linguistic experience with the combined use of English, Japanese and Korean languages. Some opportunities were presented to help the dentists with proper English terminology at their request.
Then the appointment was made for the replacing of the inlaid filling two weeks later. There is where the problem began. I was offered a couple dates and times. Still being a little nervous from the 90 minutes in a dentist's chair I did not clearly fix my attention on the date of the next appointment. For me, memory is like a photograph. I need to take a clear focused look at papers and even verbally get my facts straight. If not, I will frequently go away with the wrong information. So, for two weeks I have been convinced that my next appointment was on Tuesday of this week.
So I arranged schedules with others and set my alarm to get up early for a good shower and shave. Even got an ironed dress shirt and the fixings. Took off in the car just a few minutes earlier than normal for an appointment at the hospital dental clinic. It was a wonderful drive this morning. Cloudy and overcast with a threat of rain. On the way, a conversation with the Lord began. It was not necessary to turn on praise music. It was like having a friend along for a quiet drive to the city. This lasted about 20-25 min. The parking lot was nearly full, but after a good conversation with the Lord that did not matter at all.
I was so happy to arrive at the dental clinic 10 minutes EARLY! I first realized something was wrong when a nurse quietly said to the other, why is Mr Corbett here? It was then that I glanced down at the appointment slip which said 11月9日 月曜日(Nov 9th, Monday) I had no problem understanding the Japanese language in this case. I had mistakenly thought that Nov 9th fell on a Tuesday. This wrong perception sadly stayed in my mind for two full weeks.
I arrived at the clinic window thinking I was 10 minutes EARLY when in reality I was 23hrs and 50min LATE! Some might ask why didn't God bother to tell His son, Daniel that he was wrong during this long two week period of mistaken perspective? I am not sure that is God's responsibility. As usual, the Lord turns negative things into positive ones. Today I had a tremendous 50 minute long drive with a very good friend, my Lord! This time praise music was not blaring from the CD player. I was not blubbering and asking for favors or blessings. It was like a pleasant drive with a long time friend. Today I mostly just listened. I felt very satisfied and had a strong feeling that God was pleased with me.
How about you today, in your life? Are you late, early or right on time? So maybe today, I wasn't really late, but right on time. On God's time that is.
God bless you as you listen to His Voice in your busy day!
Dan Corbett
"Reaching One Among Millions"
1 comment:
I can relate to your experience with your FRIEND. I love it when that happens. For me it's like an open and closed experience. I'm closed in the car with the Lord, yet I'm open, looking through the windshield observing the handy-work of God. Open to His presence. Open to His manifestation. At home and at peace. Yet adrenaline flowing. What a wonderful time. Les
Post a Comment