What Am I Complaining About?

Today, I took my son to Eastside Pediatrics in Taylors, South Carolina for a follow up visit concerning an ear infection he had a few days ago. Our appointment was at 10:50 a.m. I arrived punctually at 10:45, expecting to be admitted into the room within ten minutes. The ten minutes passed, and soon another ten minutes passed. Nearly an hour had passed. I went from being slightly impatient to being downright angry about this unexpected wait. "How can they just let me wait like this?" I thought. "This is ridiculous!" I continued. The nurse finally opened the door and said, "Judson Phillips." I thought, "It's about stinking time!"

About 8:00 this evening, my friend Koumaly Thongdy emailed me an update about our dear friends, the Keos, first-term missionaries to Cambodia. Mrs. Keo delivered their fourth child, Sophea Sharon Keo, eleven weeks early. You can read more details about little Sophea in the previous post. In that update, Bro. David Board included a picture of the pediatric hospital in Phnom Penh where little Sophia was taken. Here is a picture of that hospital, and some of Bro. Board's comments.

"One of the men who attends our church works at the hospital as a pediatrics nurse. He has shared with us the terrible stress that the medical staff is under do to the volume of patients who must be cared for on a daily basis. The line begins to form at about 4:00 a.m. Every day an average of 1500 children are "cared for" at this hospital. If you were able to see the conditions firsthand you would certainly be more thankful for what you have been given in the United States. We often complain over the slightest things. Yet these hundreds of people who are standing in line from early morning until late evening will consider themselves very fortunate to be able to get their child into this hospital. It gives us all something to think about. Please pray for baby Sophea, the Keos, and all the ladies who are serving the Lord by caring for this baby." -Bro. David Board

Needless to say, after reading this commentary, seeing this picture, and learning of the Keos' situation, I felt utterly ridiculous and extremely guilty about complaining earlier today at the doctor's office. Just something for you to think about the next time you start to complain. (: