Good Morning Gorgeous,

It’s a brand new dawn. A fresh new start. Saturday morning is peeking around the corner. And very shortly, I will be greeted by twin boys ready to start the day. They are the first ones up each day. They rise long before the sun appears. They will snuggle next to me and ask, “Mom is it wakeup time?” If it is before 5:30am, I tell them no, and they will lay next to me and watch me write. If it is after 5:30, then wakeup time it is. There is no keeping them asleep much beyond that, so I have succumbed to their internal clock and we are up and running early even on weekends.

I have risen this morning with a new well of patience that is not my own. The Lord must have filled me overnight. I went to bed frustrated and confused and very very weary. My boys are struggling to interact with others and play at school without getting overly physical. Sometimes it’s just over excitement and they are playing and other times, they take it a step too far. They hit, kick, and wrestle, and yesterday a new behavior: biting. That one came outta left field, seriously. One of them bit another student at school. They both are claiming that it was to get away from a bigger boy, but because they often have a “reason” each time they act out, we are working really hard on having them tell an adult. It’s my first question every time, “Did you tell someone? Because you cannot put your hands or feet on anyone else, and now I gotta add… or mouth!”

Anyway, I was frustrated last night and they both knew it. I talked to their Occupational Therapist who just happened to call on my drive home, and she got an earful and some of my tears. She started asking if there was a reward chart in place for unstructured play at school. They already have several charts in place, but not for the playground. I felt so overwhelmed by her question that I asked her through tears, “At what point are they just responsible to be kind citizens in society?!”

I know, overdramatic right?! I mean they are only 5, they won’t he heading out into the big world anytime soon. I have lots of time to shape and mold them with the help and guidance of the Lord.

My point is that my patience for the misbehavior was dwindling. And the good news of my post is that God is so so patient with us SO THAT we can be patient with others. He is our model of patient love, so that we can bear the weaknesses in others. Check out these two beautiful scriptures:

First: The Lord is Patient with us.

He is giving us time to turn to Him, grow in Him, be refined and molded and shaped by Him. He is forgiving our wrongdoings and turning us onto paths of righteousness. He is working out our flesh and working in our spirit. He is a good patient Father and the best example of love and patience and continued kindness through molding and teaching.

Here is the 2nd verse where we are now called to do the same to others:

I don’t believe that it’s by accident that I came upon this verse early this morning as I wait for my son to rise. The Lord is reminding me to be patient with his struggles, to love him through his misbehavior, to instruct and guide, and discipline, but ALL in Love and Patience.

Friends, God is not angry with you. His mercies begin afresh every morning and also every time you come to Him in repentance. He is merciful and kind and patient and ever loving.

Just as I will receive my son into my arms this morning and speak words of affirmation and love into him, so much more will the Father receive us and speak words of love into us! Remember according to Zephaniah, the Lord is singing over you. He is good and gracious and amazing. And so so so patient.

This picture is my dear friend’s daughter and she writes a blog to encourage others and empower women. Check it out here: Momstronglife

Takeaway: He bears with us, so go forth today bearing with others around you with patience and love. They need the grace from you as you have received grace from the Father.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Patience and Your kindness. Show us a new way to interact with our children, our spouses, our friends, our family members, and our coworkers so that all we do is done in love. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Grace Wins everytime!

Vanessa Lynn