The Pain and Power of Patience
James 1:2-6 12.27.10
By: Daria Dillard Stone, The Servant
I wanted to talk to you as always from my heart. Yesterday 12.26.10, I had planned a lovely day for myself as I struggle at times to do that, I thought I had my agenda tight! Well, I know nothing in my life or yours takes GOD by surprise, but yet I still get anxious when “things don’t go my way” – go figure. I know – most folks aren’t as honest as me, but I am not that girl – the girl that hides behind fears, doubts, tears or bouts (with this that or the other). Anyway, I wanted to go to church and visit a dear friend and his family who had members from out of town that I really wanted to see. This friend has made a powerful impact on my life and I need the shot in the arm/spirit that we give each other. But I WAS SICK and I got mad and started crying like some big baby because I WAS SICK. How could I get sick so quick? Well I consumed too much on Christmas Day – even though I did not think so, my body proved to me that I did!!! Or did I really have some type of virus? Go figure.
It is hard to take the advice you attempt to give to others and make it more applicable to yourself. I am getting there – thanks for the PUSH some of you give me – often times without even knowing it.
I was not only sick but I was alone and SICK. However, I tried not to let anyone know I was SICK and that did not happen either. Thank GOD for friends and family who always check on me and whom I can’t “hide” my weaknesses from. As upset as I was because I could not exercise the plans I had for my day – I still prayed and spoke life OVER ME (in between going to the restroom J). Yep, I did over do it on Christmas, but I had so much enjoyment being with my family and friends and making popcorn visits here and there and for the first time I fed the less fortunate on Christmas Day at St. Vincent.
The Pain and Power of Patience: at around 3 pm (I would not have been home if I had not been sick) a friend stopped by to check on my water tank that I recently had to purchase and while he was there he discovered my filter in my furnace had not been changed since 2007 (when Todd died) and my pipes in the kitchen were about to burst (they were frozen outside the house) because I am suppose to detach the hose from the water spout during the winter (something Todd obviously knew to do). He then showed me where the necessary on/off areas were in the house as it relates to water, gas, etc. You feel me yet? HAD I NOT BEEN HOME JOHNNY SAID MY PIPES MAY HAVE BURST (he had to get pliers or some kind of tool because the hose was frozen and the on/off water handle was also frozen) and I would not have known that I was not getting the correct circulation in my furnace because of the dirty filter. Also, I would NOT have gotten the “what’s in your house 101” course that my friend taught me.
So TODAY I can rejoice or at least be grateful and thankful because I WAS SICK YESTERDAY! I am more patient and more powerful in my faith walk too. I hope somehow this “sharing” will help you understand that our Heavenly Father is concerned with every finite detail of our lives – some of the stuff I never would even consider going to HIM with - I give it ALL to HIM NOW.
The Pain and Power of Patience!
ENOUGH SAID.
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