Lord, Give Me Patience

Yesterday while I was working on a decorating project in our bedroom, Adam became enthralled with the books in our bookcase. Which isn't at all surprising. The 4,872 toys and games he has are so boring and so yesterday.

He took a special liking to a book about parenting. I can't remember the title because 1) I have not read the book, though I've had it for years and 2) my short-term memory is so short I'd have to write myself a note about what I had for breakfast if I really cared to remember.

There was a sweet little drawing of a child at the beginning of each chapter and he was especially enthralled with Chapter 9 - Teach a Child Tolerance and He Will Learn Patience. The drawing showed a little boy watering a plant.

What's diss say, Mama? ... his sweet little finger gliding along the words in the chapter title.
It says, "Teach a Child Tolerance and He Will Learn Patience."

Patience? {wrinkles up nose} What's dat mean?
Well, for example when you ask me over and over and over again for some juice and I am right in the middle of something and can't get it for you, you sometimes get mad. When I ask you to wait I am asking you to have patience. It means to be respectful and not try to put yourself and what you want first all the time. That picture with the little boy watering a plant is there because a plant doesn't grow right away. It takes time - days and days and days for a plant to grow. And you have to be patient for it to grow from little to big.
And that was that. He moved on to more books and I moved on to the great lamp / furniture / artwork shuffle that resulted in zero decorating achievements for the afternoon. (But I did make the bed and dust. Amen.)

Later, when Adam and I sat down to read after his bath, he once again became enthralled with that book and turned right to the page with the little boy tending to his plant.

What's diss say again, Mama?
Teach a Child Tolerance and He Will Learn Patience. And do you remember what patience means?

Yes! It means dat if I keep askin' for juice all da time, you should be patient wiff me askin' over and over and work harder on tryin' to get it for me right away.


Well.
I do pray for patience a lot.

Thank the Lord I now have a cute little boy here on Earth to help me along.