“End of Construction. Thank you for your patience.”

“End of Construction. Thank you for your patience.” Have you seen this sigh on the road? I had, but I did not make the connection that Ruth Graham did. She saw the sign toward the end of her life and she wanted the words on her tombstone. So if you visit her gravesite you will see those words. Ruth was the missionary daughter of Dr. Bell who served in China. She also is the better half with Billy Graham. I know he would agree with me. 

I remember when I was younger "Please be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet." The idea is that my life is under construction and that has taught me to be patient with myself. The hope is others may also be patient with me. Nobody has been more patient with me then my wife, Barb. It is not that I am at the end of my life right now but I am further down the road than I was. One thing about being patient, has something to do with kindness, looking for the good of somebody else.

Meryl Streep had recently said that she is no longer patient, I just saw the headline and I didn't read the article. I think I understand the gist of the need to move on and not be under the burden of stupid ideas or actions. 

For me both the request “please” and response “thank you” has a certain civility about it. I think

there's also a sentiment of the idea that I'm working on it. My efforts in the blog is to try to write better, but I can see where somebody would lose patience with it. It is time to read something better. Life is too short. But for the reader who visits my blog it is a working process that I hope encourages you as we try to improve our health.

God to me has been very patient. In every turn where I moved from some dysfunctional thought or behavior, to a principal or an idea that benefits myself or those around me; He has been there not to beat me down but to encourage me. Of course, if you are patient with me and God is patient with me than the real hard part is I have to be patient with you. I'm smiling as I wrote that last line. Think about the road we travel, where our lives are under construction, never really finished, where both please and thank you for your patience is part of our journey. At the heart of it I think is grace and love. Keep walking

Graham, Billy (2011-10-18). Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well (p. 95). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.