Today, I was tested in my ability to practice patience. It was the end of a very long day at work. I needed to go to Wal-mart to pick up just a few items. I was barely in the store 10 minutes gathering the 7 items I needed. I pulled up to the express check-out line and waited my turn. It appeared there may be a problem and so I scanned the other aisles looking for an alternative. I started to turn the cart and realized there wasn't a better line and to just sit tight.
I am already slightly irritated because I see that the person in front of the person in front of me is checking out with clearly more than 20 items. The small counter is loaded. This is the point where I either cross the line to fully irritated or I cool my jets and wait patiently. I pull out my phone and look at my emails. After reading everything new and answering what I can, I move on to my texts. I initiate 5 separate conversations with friends and co-workers and proceed to complete 4 of those and realize I still have not moved my cart any closer to the counter.
I open facebook and proceed to review today's postings. There are pictures of my friends kids, jokes, and various other entries. Just as I am closing facebook and preparing to open my "words with friends" app, the line moves. The man in front of me has not said a word, but he clearly crossed the line into fully irritated many minutes back. He boldly states to the cashier, "I thought it was suppose to be 20 items or less!" The cashiers are switching out and he is further irritated thinking he is going to have to wait for them to exchange their batons or something. The switch is very quick and he puts his items up on the counter. The new cashier tells him, "It is suppose to be 20 items or less, but we are not allowed to say anything to the customer if it is more." He is agast and proceeds to say something I cannot repeat here.
Before I know it, I am at the counter piling my items, paying for them and out the door. I realize walking to the car that I actually accomplished quite a bit standing in line. They are all things I will not have to do when I get home, because what is left to take care of is long enough as it is. I am a little bit proud of myself for not losing my witness in the check out line. I started to lose it and then I found it again. Lessons in patience aren't always so easy, but I am grateful I was sparred on this one.
The bible tells us much about patience. There are verses all throughtout the new testament to include Matthew, Luke, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Galations, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, should I go on....?! Galatians tells us that one of the fruits of the spirit is patience. In other words, if the Holy Spirit is alive and working in us then one result will be patience.
In His service
Mally
I am already slightly irritated because I see that the person in front of the person in front of me is checking out with clearly more than 20 items. The small counter is loaded. This is the point where I either cross the line to fully irritated or I cool my jets and wait patiently. I pull out my phone and look at my emails. After reading everything new and answering what I can, I move on to my texts. I initiate 5 separate conversations with friends and co-workers and proceed to complete 4 of those and realize I still have not moved my cart any closer to the counter.
I open facebook and proceed to review today's postings. There are pictures of my friends kids, jokes, and various other entries. Just as I am closing facebook and preparing to open my "words with friends" app, the line moves. The man in front of me has not said a word, but he clearly crossed the line into fully irritated many minutes back. He boldly states to the cashier, "I thought it was suppose to be 20 items or less!" The cashiers are switching out and he is further irritated thinking he is going to have to wait for them to exchange their batons or something. The switch is very quick and he puts his items up on the counter. The new cashier tells him, "It is suppose to be 20 items or less, but we are not allowed to say anything to the customer if it is more." He is agast and proceeds to say something I cannot repeat here.
Before I know it, I am at the counter piling my items, paying for them and out the door. I realize walking to the car that I actually accomplished quite a bit standing in line. They are all things I will not have to do when I get home, because what is left to take care of is long enough as it is. I am a little bit proud of myself for not losing my witness in the check out line. I started to lose it and then I found it again. Lessons in patience aren't always so easy, but I am grateful I was sparred on this one.
The bible tells us much about patience. There are verses all throughtout the new testament to include Matthew, Luke, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Galations, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, should I go on....?! Galatians tells us that one of the fruits of the spirit is patience. In other words, if the Holy Spirit is alive and working in us then one result will be patience.
In His service
Mally
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