Patience.

     

     Patience. It's a difficult thing to work on, but it makes everything easier in the long run. I'm patient in some ways and not in a lot of ways. When I'm patient I don't get bored easily. It also helps me to accept situations for what they are, without losing the knowledge that they will change. Impatience leads me to prayer and prayer leads me back to patience. Patience helps us to deal with all situations. It lets us be calm in our responses. It gives our hearts time to prepare to act in God's will and not our own.

     I spent last night working on patience. I sat outside for 2 hours waiting for a Thunderstorm. It didn't show. You could feel the air getting charged and the winds change. It cooled down and that wonderful rain smell came out to play. Still, nothing. I thought about being disappointed (I'm weird that way). Not worth it. I'm good until next one. I'll sit outside and wait another day. Some things are worth the wait. Some things are also worth not having. It's not up to us to determine what's best. I wanted to sit and watch a storm. That could have been a horrible thing. I can't plan out the details of this world. By the end of my watch it was too dark to see anymore. I'd sat and listened to music and read my dailies and then some of my favourite short stories. Definitely not a waste of my time.

     This generation has a tendency to move fast in all things. I have a different pace. It's more than a natural inclination and it's certainly not a coincidence (I hate that word - see His order instead). Not everyone is supposed to live at the same speed. When you try to keep pace with others you lose bits of yourself. You lose your uniqueness. You lose the way you see and respond to things. You lose the individuality which weaves people together, like in the body of the Church described in the Bible. Be patient with the things around you. Know the order of God. Know that He has plans for you. Work in the timing He has provided by being who He made you.

     Last night I worked on patience, today some of it was rewarded. My sister Sarah got engaged on March 12th and I've been waiting to hug her since then. Before then actually. I haven't seen her since February!  That's a long time for me. Today Sarah and Jeff were in town and I got to see them. Yay! I had to work hard at being patient with that wait, but it was worth it. I was so excited. They came to see me at work. They pulled a funny and asked for a different colour of milk (you have to hear my work lemonade story to understand). Hilarious. I was so hyper that I got teased the whole rest of my shift. I didn't mind. I focused on the minutes (at this point I was impatient, but entertaining) left until I could see 'em some more. Got to go enjoy my night. Later!

Romans 8:24
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?"

Psalm 37:7
"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him"

Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Proverbs 16:32
"Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city."