A Carouser, a Cat and a Client

The title sounds like the beginning of a good comedy bit, but unfortunately it is not; it was reality for me last evening. We know life's complexities can come at the most inopportune times. and in droves, and this is precisely what happened to me last evening.

I went to bed at 10 p.m. (30 minutes later than normal) after praying, totally exhausted after having to write a rush article for a client after an extended electrical brownout in my province. I typically arise at 3:30 to 4 a.m., hence my early retreat to my pillow each evening.

The carouser

Everybody knows a drunk, either as a friend or perhaps as a family member. While some are funny drunks, others are mean and violent. Some are functional drunks who one would not normally recognize. Either way, drunkenness is not a disease as many believe but rather it is a sin.

The word of God states: "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry" (1 Peter 4:3, NIV).

Still exhausted, I was awakened by my male neighbor, a fellow American, who was so drunk that he was unable to climb the stairs to his nearby apartment, so I let him into my home. He is an alcoholic (in laymen's terms) and drinks daily.

Anyway, he promptly vomited and clogged my bathroom sink, mumbled a few incoherent words about watching American football, and then passed out on a spare mattress where he remains passed out. I had to unclog and clean the sink. Fun task at 1 a.m. in the morning, right?

The cat

Meanwhile, my cat had been out since the early afternoon carousing about, and upon hearing all the commotion, began howling like a banshee for his food.

I began to feel that familiar emotion of impatience tinged with a bit of anger over the circumstances but managed to remain calm. I fed the cat and, of course, he didn't appreciate the food I gave him. He's spoiled wouldn't you know.

As a consequence, I filled up a bowl of water and gave him some other food whereupon he gladly munched it down like a ravenous wolf. Within 10 minutes he was howling to go outside to carouse some more. I don't know for sure, but methinks he has a hot babe in the neighborhood.

The client

Thinking my worries were finally over, and since I had left my laptop on sleep mode, I decided to check my main email where my clients reach me.

Lo and behold, a client needed a rush assignment for his work. He's both an EMT always on call and an adjunct professor at a New York university.

Since the man has been a client for well past five years I could not find it in my heart to turn him down. Instead. I cranked up my Microsoft Word software and began researching his topic on leadership models. Thankfully, I finished his project in a couple of hours and sent it to him. He had paid me via PayPal in advance and it was a handsome sum, so all was well.

Patience

People say patience is a virtue. But that is a philosophical concept proffered by many of the ancient and even contemporary philosophers. I can agree to this to a point since I studied philosophy extensively at university, with a preference for Aristotle and Immanuel Kant.

Now I do not have the patience of Job, I'll tell you that right up front. But what I do have is a modicum of God's word stored up in my heart. These consist of various verses, chapters, and stories found in the Bible.

One particular passage came to mind last night that was helpful in maintaining my cool, and I'd like to share it with you. Perhaps it may help you to memorize it as well.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise" (Philippians 4:8, NLT).

My hope and prayer is that you will make it through today with this in mind. Oh, and without a drunk, a cat and a client keeping you from your slumber.