PATIENCE

I'm not a very patient person.  I hate to wait for things and tend to get frustrated easily when things don't happen "right now!"  I've heard that praying for patience helps, but God won't just GIVE me patience.  Nope, that would be too easy and wouldn't help me in the least.  Instead, He will give me things in life that REQUIRE patience and that's when I will LEARN patience. URGH! See...again...I want the patience NOW...when I need it most!  However, I am trying to follow God's plan for me instead of my own.  For instance, I want to lose some weight and I want to see the results NOW!  Nope...I need to work on it and the patience will come as I progress...but I need to get myself started and not wait for the pounds to melt off as fast as the ice cream is melting in my bowl!  I also want my laundry done...NOW!  Nope...I need take it one step at a time...first the sorting...then the first load, second, etc., until the pile is gone one load at a time and I can cross it off my list.  Where I really need patience is with my kids.  I need to remember what it was like to be little and not be able to reach something and needing my mom to help...even though she was in the middle of doing something else.  I need to remember how it felt to want someone to play with me...like mom...even if just for a few minutes.  I need to remember that my kids like to make cookies and craft projects and do fun things...even though it pushes my tasks aside and I have to do some of them after they have gone to bed.  God did not just simply give us a working "patience gene" when he made us.  He gave us unworking patience that must be learned on a daily basis.  I need help in this particular area, which will require a lot of prayer!  Wish me luck...and feel free to add a couple prayers of patience for me if you've got the time!