Learning patience!

A Weekend Read  Saturday/Sunday March 18 2012

Many people refuse to pray for patience because they fear the tests that may teach them patience.

While there are many tests for us to experience, God never gives us more than we can handle and He promises to walk through the “flames" with us. When the test is over, we always exit with a maturity that was not there before

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In my own life, I believe, my patience was increased many times by waiting for God to answer my prayers. I am naturally an impatient person, being born with an instantaneous desire to see my wishes and hopes appear. As I grow older, I realize that these expectations are immature and unrealistic.

I believe God must have a great sense of humor! He realized my impatient personality and “blessed” us with five children. If anything in this world can teach  and try one’s patience, it is definitely children.  My patience was tried constantly but each time we encountered a dilemma, we realized we were becoming more equipped to handle (almost) any  problems. Our home was often in chaos but somehow, through a miracle, our children all grew up and became responsible citizens

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One particular night, my husband was away on a business trip and our son, Drew, wanted to sleep in the backyard with a buddy in a shack they had spent all day building. I didn’t see any problem with this and  consented.  

About 4:00 AM, the phone rang!  It was the City Police asking me if I knew where my son was.  I said, “yes, he’s sleeping in the back yard.” They asked me if I was sure because they had a 10 yr. old boy in custody who had been caught taking money out of the neighbourhood milk chutes who said he was my son.  (milk chutes were little boxes built into houses beside the back door with little doors. You left the milk money there and in the morning the milkman took the money and left your milk)  Sure enough, my little “darlin” and his buddy were guilty and I had to take the bus downtown to the Police station to  “collect” the boys!  Was God trying to teach me patience?

It was a devastating discovery and my trust in Drew needed time to be renewed, but I believe this little escapade, like many others, helped me realize my children weren’t beyond illegal “escapades”.  I needed to be aware of that, but it also helped me gain wisdom and understanding of the awesome job of parenting that God entrusted to me.

Many times I have been able to see the wondrous love and patience of my Heavenly Father through my children’s relationship with myself.  So many times I have disobeyed and realized, on my own  I fail  time and time again.

Just as my son needed my help to get him out of his predicament, I need my  Heavenly Father to rescue me, often. As our son matured he realized the importance of obeying his parents and the law and as I mature, I realize the importance of following the precepts that God has ordained and the joy that comes by being an obedient child and listening to His voice. I am so thankful my Father in Heaven is patient and forgiving to me, because I am often a negligent and immature child.