A Patient Step

I went to Elizabeth's and discovered she has made another post in the Small Steps category today.

I was very happy. I have missed this! I have had a post bouncing in my head for a bit about this month's virtue: PATIENCE

Patience is that virtue that all my friends tell me not to pray for - God will give me chances to practice it!

But I do pray for it. Really. Mostly because I am discovering I have no patience.

I don't like to wait - period.

And, yet, I DO have to wait. And I have to trust.

I am discovering I have to wait for me. For me to realize that it is not about me.

I tried an experiment over this past weekend. I was not going to speak above a soft voice. Lower than my 'inside voice' but a little louder than a whisper.

NO. MATTER. WHAT.

And I did it! (and it was HARD!) 

There were a lot of "Mom, why are you talking like that?" questions.

I had to really concentrate to do it.

I had to stop my first impulse to yell.

I had to think about why something caused me to feel upset or angry.

And I discovered that I could think more. I could stop and see the situation for what it was instead of what I thought it might be. I could discuss wrong-doings with my children rather than autocratically, and loudly, demand correction.
And I discovered - I liked it.


from last year

It forced me to focus on the person I was dealing with, rather than the situation or how I felt about it. I could be gentle and loving with my children and husband, and most of all, with myself.

Enjoying the mud
(I had to put this one in - he is
too cute!)

I think I will continue this experiment - indefinitely.

Go visit Elizabeth and see what others have to say about patience!