Patience is a Pain!

As my family sits and waits for our departure date to go get Ezekiel, I realized we are not a patient family. We are hoping to have Zeke before his second birthday, June 16, but there is absolutely nothing else we can do to get their quicker. We are totally dependant upon another government and another agency to make our adoption official. I guess it wouldn't be that bad, if we hadn't been told in the beginning that we would probably have him by early Spring!

Jennifer and I are both checking her email 20 times a day to see if a new message has come in about the court process. We are currently waiting on the final two court procedures to make the adoption official. I am usually the one getting on our boys for not having patience, and have realized that I need to make sure I am practicing the godly virtue of patience.

Patience is a pain, because it requires us to release control. It is a pain, because it challenges us to forego natural selfish responses to people and to be loving towards them. Patience is a pain because it takes work.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

Patience is part of what you and I are to clothe ourselves in! Can you imagine how much of a better follower of Christ, husband, dad, or friend I would be if I continually clothe myself with patience? There was a funny cartoon I saw once that said, "Lord, please give me patience. And give it to me right now!" That is cute, but maybe our prayer should be more like, "Lord, help me to be more patient so I can live life as you intended me to live!"

Still trying to be patient,
Jeff

Time with Dad

Today is Wednesday. My son Caleb, is out of school today. (He is actually typing this blog :) ) He asked me if he could come to work with me today. We played a quick game of basketball, in which he beat me 20-13. I was thinking how great it was that he wanted to spend time with me on his free day. I love it that he chose to spend time with me over doing things at home this afternoon.

That got me thinking about spending time with my Heavenly Father. Do I bring joyto him by choosing to spend time with him daily? He should be my first priority every day.

Do we love our heavenly father? If so, we should make sure he knows by spending time with him every day. Jesus went out while it was still early to spend time with His Daddy! If Jesus did it, and encouraged us to do it...I think we should! I guarantee we will be glad we spent time with Dad!

Jeff