More Lessons

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O.k. So, generosity didn't go so well. At least I'll say there's some room for improvement. And today we're working on patience -- an ongoing task of gargantuan proportions. God knew I needed a talking to on patience after yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon I had to stop into the grocery before I went to grab Joshua from school. I had five minutes to shop and there was probably no way I could actually do it with Peach along. She's normally pretty good in the obedience department, but she had four whole dollars in her pocket that she was determined to put a dent in it. I had exactly five things to get and after we stopped at the toy aisle and determined that there was really nothing worth buying, we headed to the checkout. Unbeknownst to me, Peach did a u-turn halfway there and ran back to the toy aisle for a jump rope. When I got to the checkout, I had no Peach. I threw my stuff on a conveyor belt and ran back, but she wasn't in the toy aisle. Long story short, I covered the store twice before we ran into each other. I was on my way to grab a manager and have the doors locked. I really could have done bodily harm at that point. Needless to say I wasn't patient. And, like so many instances when mother loses her patience, I knew that it was my own fault. I had tried to do the impossible -- again. When will I learn? God is constantly trying to teach me patience, I'm just very thick that way.

So, we had a talk this morning, and today I'm going to work on generosity and patience.

From the Divine Intimacy this morning:

Jesus told his apostles, " 'In patientia vestra possedebitis animas vestras,' in your patience you shall possess your souls (Lk 21, 19). Patience is the virtue which permits us to live in a state of suffering, hardship and privation without losing our serenity. It enables us to remain firm amid storms, contradictions, and dangers, without becoming irritated or despondent, without being deterred by them."

"Teach me to love trials and repute them of small account to attain Your favor, O Lord, who hesitated not to die for me. O my Beloved, all that is rough and toilsome I desire for myself, and all that is sweet and delectable I desire for You." St. John of the Cross

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