The "P" Word

I just don't have it. I mean...I've worked with kids my whole life. And there are days I totally nail it, but some days...I just don't have it.

And I want to have more of it. I want to be patient {the "P" word}. I really do.

And then the house is trashed and Miss R somehow gets in the bathroom and unravels an entire roll of toilet paper. And D only does his chores half-way and then the "Cleaning lady" - ahem - I mean the dishes didn't do themselves {and are piling up endlessly}. Not to mention the piles of paperwork and to-do lists that never seem to get smaller. My nerves get shot. And then patience goes right down the drain.

So then the hyper active 7 year old and the temper-tantrum-throwing toddler need a fresh loving face and instead get the worst of me. The non-patient me.

I am confident I'm not alone. But I'm also confident it doesn't have to be this way.

We're doing our summer "Boot Camp" on Fruits of the Spirit @ church. And it's so very interesting how God is talking with me about these "fruits" that are {and should be} growing in my life.

Tonight, I had a treat for each child {a starburst}, but if they were PATIENT and waited to the end of the night, the treat would be far greater {a secret to them, but it was an entire pack of candy}. About 30% of them chose to wait, agonizing and watching their friends eat their starbursts right in front of them. But I assured them, their treat would be greater if they could wait. They did, and they were so happy and surprised to get a starburst PLUS a whole pack of candy at the end of the night. 

And as I retold it, I got a little catch in my throat. I need to remember this in my life, too. And I'm holding out for the greater blessings ahead. But I'm not going to lie - Patience is not my strong point OR easy in any way, shape or form. But I know God will grow it in me as I dwell in Him.

Because it IS all about dwelling in him. How else will we grow these fruits? And how many of those fruits still need to grow in my life? So many, though I do see evidence of the work and growing that has gone on.

In the area of love, I have truly. truly grown. God has used people, situations, and long, hard conversations to understand that that's all we're REALLY here to do...love. {See this post for more details.}

So, I look forward to a future blog post...the one where I can talk to you about God's work in my life regarding patience. Because there are many things on my heart that I'm pleading with God about. And I hear Him whispering {through a PreK lesson on patience} that the best is yet to come. The best. Is yet. To come.

And so I wait.