Waiting

I don't know about you, but I am not good at waiting. Not good at all. My oldest "little gentleman" has the same impatience complex I do. I find myself encouraging him that when opportunities of waiting arise, it's just a chance to grow some patience. I think I need to eat my words.

Recently, I have had three opportunities to grow some patience and I'm not sure I did so well. Once situation involved waiting a matter of weeks, another a matter of months and another over a year, yes, over a year, actually in some ways, years! However, God has seen fit to end the waiting (to some degree) in all three areas this week. Whew! I was becoming weary in the waiting.

It disappoints me that I would become weary, worry and stress over things that are not in my control. I know God's word teaches and trains us for these situations, yet I chose the flesh instead of His Spirit. One of my favorite verses that I have to depend on regularly is Philippians 4: 6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I love this verse, it is simple, straight to the point, it tells you exactly what to do and tells you exactly what will happen if you do it. But many times I choose not do this and how it makes me weary.

Another verse I love is Isaiah 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." Ahh, the answer to defeat my weariness, to wait!

Dear Father:
You are wise and loving. Please forgive me of my impatience and choosing weariness instead of waiting for You. Help me (gulp) to be more patient, to remember that You see the end when I only see the beginning.

Vacation

Since it has been 5 months since my last blog, I'm not sure I'll be followed by many readers. However, that is not really my intent in beginning this. I have so many thoughts throughout the day that I wish I could capture. Time flies so fast with the everyday things that you must do and with the precious moments you have with your family, that it helps to sometimes sit down, take a moment and make those intangible ideas, tangible.

In Deuteronomy, it states for parents to share the word of God with your children all throughout the day. I've heard some parents state they found that hard to do. I find it pretty easy to bring up things just during regular conversation. Whether it's a discussion about Hell while making a fire, Heaven while in a cemetary, everyday sin and our need for a Savior. Here is a couple of examples:

N had a bad day with his school work, just a plain terrible attitude. Our rule at our home, if you complain and whine about a chore or task you simply earn more chores. So with the terrible attitude he earn extra school work that day. One part included copying Eph. 6:1 10 times, "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right." Fitting, huh? He had to sit at the playroom table and do it by himself while the rest of us talked, played and spent the evening together. When he FINALLY finished, I danced and praised him and just acted plain silly to emphasize how great it was that he was finished, not to mention he was pretty repentive also. But that is exactly how God is when we sin, there are consequences and part of it, probably the worst part is the broken fellowship with God. But when we repent and turn to him, it's just like the prodigal son returning and the celebration begins. I explained that to N and I think he got it.

Another time N and I were talking about being citizens of the USA. I told N that the bible said we are citizens of Heaven when you become a Christian. That this world that we live in now is not our home and that for a Christian, when they die and go to Heaven it is actually just going home. So he said, " So it's like we're just on vacation." I said, yes, we're just on vacation and one day we'll be home.