“Patience is a virtue; virtue is a grace.” — Jacob Rees-Mogg
When my children were still young and often had to wait for something, such as their mother getting something done for them, I would often tell them that patience was a great virtue. I’m sure they didn’t consider the wisdom of my words, but instead wanted to shut their ears.
Patience is often hard to come by. We must wait for many things. The sun to rise. The day to dawn. The sun to set. The day to end. The reason for our need for patience can change from day to day, year to year. Person to person.
People are often what strains our patience the most, just as I, no doubt, often strained the patience of my children. Perhaps I still do. But what has me thinking about patience today?
The thought of patience wasn’t stirred by my own need for or show of patience. It was stirred by the sight of Marley and Frankie on our early morning walk. Recently, I wrote a post about Frankie and how he can strain my patience when we go on our walks with his tendency to follow his own paths. Often I have to wait patiently for him to come back from a rush off in a different direction or for him to realize that he isn’t going to be able to dig a hole deep enough to find whatever he thinks is lurking in the ground.
But today, the dogs were the ones waiting for me. Snow came during the night and we awoke to a winter wonderland of snow covering the ground, clinging to the cedars and tracing every limb. The snow was icing on the beauty of the day. And, of course, I wanted to capture some of that with the camera in my pocket.
Oscar, the dog I had before Frankie, was always patient with me when I stopped to take pictures. Not Frankie. Usually, when I stop to take a picture of something, that’s when Frankie is off to somewhere and I lose sight of him. This morning when I paused at the top of a cliff area to see if I could get a good picture, I figured he would be down the hill, off in the woods, headed for who knows where.
I was pretty sure Marley would be waiting, but Frankie? Patient? Waiting? That’s why seeing both Marley AND Frankie sitting together patiently waiting for me to be ready to resume our walk after trying to capture a snowy picture was a surprise. So, I snapped their picture above before Frankie could think “finally” and take off back up the path.
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
I wonder if sometimes the Lord is surprised when I am patient enough to wait for whatever it is that I am hoping will happen. Maybe finding the right story to share. And am I patient enough with those around me and willing to wait for them to be ready to resume a “walk” as I expect them to? Often, I probably am not.
Those who are patient have great understanding. …Proverbs 14:29 (TNIV)
Perhaps the exercise of patience gives us understanding of what is important in life and in our relationships with others. Not that I expect Frankie to be patiently waiting next time I pause along our walks, but that he did this morning made me smile. Maybe if I stop and patiently wait for someone or something tomorrow, I will make that someone smile and the Lord will reward me with an extra boost of patience.
Do you agree that patience is a virtue?
Comments 16
I have gotten a lesson in patience the last few days from my computer acting up and am just now able to read your devotional. It was frustrating seeing messages and not being able to read them and my computer is still acting up and it has been a good lesson in being patient and not throwing it out the window! 🙂 I love the picture of your boys waiting on you instead of Frankie running off, it is sweet. 🙂
Author
Computers are excellent as trying one’s patience. Glad it’s working a little for you, but one that is acting wonky can give you headaches. So to make you smile (I hope), here’s a little funny I came across years ago and saved.
“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.” (Emo Phillips)
A pitch out the window might be easier on the toes. lol
Absolutely! Patience with others & yourself is so important.
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You are so right, Lucy. I sent the books you won in the giveaway here last month today. Watch for them in a few days. Hope you will enjoy visiting Hidden Springs where things can be down homey and sometimes a little sinister.
Yes, it’s great to have patience. but hard at times.
Author
Very hard, Connie. Have you ever heard the story about the woman asking her pastor to pray with her that she would have more patience. He agreed and began praying she would have all sorts of problems and troubles. When she was astounded and stopped the preacher to ask what he was doing, he reminded her that the Bible seays tribulation worketh patience. That was another thing I sometimes told my kids. They probably thought I was the one giving them trouble to work on their patience.
Patience is definitely a virtue. I find myself repeating that phrase often, especially with small kids. A friend laughed at me once because I said it to a baby who obviously didn’t care one bit about being patient. Babies (and pups too) don’t care to wait at all!
That’s a great picture of Frankie and Marley! You all got a lot more snow than we did up here. There was just a little dusting on my porch and barely any on the ground. I’m ok with no snow though. It’s beautiful but I just don’t like cold weather. So I guess you could say I’m impatient for spring already. 😉
Author
Sounds as though you might be wishing to be a snowbird and head to warmer climes in the winter, Lavon. I actually like the changing seasons, but usually in February and March I’m ready for the warmer days. I might be ready for the warmer days the next couple of morning from the way the weather people are talking.
And no, babies are not born with patience although I’ve known a few who seemed to be.
Ann, I tell people that my second child taught me patience. I learned his methodical manner as he performed tasks as a child could not to be hurried without causing frustration. I learned to smile and watch him work carefully. Each time I recall those treasured memories, I am reminded of the peace that patience offers.
Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos of your snow bedecked countryside and the precious picture of Frankie and Marley.
Author
Well, you learned for a wonderful reason and in a wonderful way as you watched your child learning how to navigate the world in his or her own best way, GB. And you are so right that taking a breath and practicing patience can make the world around us better.
Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I can’t usually get one that good of Frankie because he’s usually off and running somewhere.
I agree that patience is a virture. One I wasn’t blessed with until having children to raise. And the older I get, the more patient I become. My husband is the opposite, though. We seem to have traded modes.
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If you knew both my husband and me, you would think he would be the more patient one and he might even say he is, Lee, but I think he runs out of his patience before I do. At least some of the time. There are just so many things that aren’t worth getting in a stir over.
I definitely agree. I will remember now that vision of the Lord smiling when I am patient and remember to wait. This is also goes with this 1st Sunday in Advenr’s theme of hope – to wait expectantly.
Author
I did talk about patience at the right time then, didn’t I, Birdie? I love seeing the Advent candles and stories in churches I’ve visited, but we’ve never done that at our church. Maybe I should suggest it for next year and see if the pastor would like to do it. I think our last pastor, who has passed on now, did preach about the Advent Sundays.
Yes, patience is a virtue and it’s one of my favorite things that I remember about my late grandmother. My brother and I were the youngest of her grandchildren. She was 60 when I was born and had already loved many grandchildren but she never failed to sit still while I brushed her hair and she always had time for me to make biscuits with her. She used her biscuit cutter made from a can that it been cut off and I used the lid from an alka-seltzer bottle. (You have to am advanced age to remember those tall glass bottles that alka-seltzers came in). I’m sure she was tired and often felt unwell but she had the patience to let me be a kid! I loved her so much and just wish that I’d had ber love and patience for more than 12 years!
Author
What sweet memories, Connie. And you know, maybe grandparents are the best teachers of patience since many of them do have that special love and patience for their grandchildren. I hope my grandchildren will have some of those special memories about me, but I don’t know. My granddaughter who is about to graduate from college was laughing and telling a story about me combing their hair before we went to church and how awful that was. LOL. But I couldn’t take them to church without them combing their hair. I do remember it being an ordeal, probably bigger for me than them. I’m hoping their good memories will overpower any bad ones.