PATIENCE
Something I always heard while growing up was, “patience is a virtue.” We haven’t been able to see our son Brody since March 15 because of the Covid-19 quarantine, so I looked up the definition of both patience and virtue.
Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.
Virtue is defined as the quality of being morally good.
When you put those two words together in a sentence, “patience is a virtue,” the phrase might be described as the ability to wait for something without frustration and is considered a useful skill and a good aspect of one’s personality.
Our son Brody attends a boarding school for children with challenges that often keep them out of public school. Brody lives in a group home and attends a private school called The Learning Tree. He moved there when he was 12 and is turning 17. This will be his 5th birthday to celebrate at his school and his first one to celebrate without his family. We normally visit Brody every two weeks as I trim his finger and toenails, and once a month, I cut his hair. He is non-verbal, so we can’t talk on the phone. We have the ability to Facetime, but Brody currently won’t have anything to do with it. I am quite sure he thinks we have abandoned him as he no longer wants to Facetime us. He is healthy and safe and well cared for. All of his needs are met, and he has quality time on his Ipad.
As sad as this is, we made it through Mother’s Day, and we will make it through his birthday. The order which follows the guidelines similar to those of a nursing home has been extended to at least June 30th. We miss him, but time will pass quickly, and we will see each other soon.
One of the benefits I have learned from patience is to keep things in a proper perspective. I tell myself to step back and remain calm. Often, it is not the situation at hand, but how you react to it. Secondly, the less I assume, the better I feel mentally and physically. Assumptions can lead to impatience, and lack of knowledge and uncertainty can make you feel uncomfortable. Instead, concentrate on the positive and have the wisdom to change the things you can.
The first thing you can change is you. I will spend more time concentrating on how to make a positive impact on his life when we do see Brody. I pray to have insight about Brody and his happiness rather than my own.
Please remember that time is a gift. As we are practicing patience, let us remember the fruits of the spirit in scripture. They can be found in Galatians 5:22-23. They are:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
Revelation 14:12 “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.”
Wendy Griffin
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#wendygriffinblogs