Patience, emotions, and a gentle reminder

Today, I had a female customer in with her little girl, who was probably about four. This little girl was so well behaved while her mother shopped for her husband, son, and self. All totaled, they probably spent about half an hour in the store, and not one negative comment from the little girl. She was respectful, she was quiet, she was polite, and didn't run around making a mess of the store. Not that she was completely silent, by any means, but just a very well-behaved young lady. So when it came time for the mom to pay for her purchases, I commented on the daughter's behavior, telling her that I was very impressed by the little girl's manners. The mother's response was very profound: 'Kids are like any relationship, you only get out of it what you put in. And my husband and I are a team, a good strong place for the kids to come home to. It's about setting a good example.'

I was blown away. I don't know why. But it kinda clicked I think, that I really should be looking for my teammate, my other half. Someone I can be strong with, someone that challenges me to be my best, all the time. I should never feel like he's not worth the fight, or he's not worth the effort. I should always want to be my best with him, and that's something I've never experienced.

I believe marriage IS forever. So why have I wasted so much time dating guys I don't work well with, when I could be finding the one God wants to lead me to? It seems selfish of me to have done that. That maybe, in my past attempts at security, I've kept someone from finding THEIR teammate. God plans out our lives for us ... Why do I keep trying to fight that?

Blah. I've had a that kind of day. Yesterday was a little hard, I had a pretty massive rush of old emotions that just wore me out emotionally. And I think that's okay. It's really only when we're broken that we can be made new, in our weakness that we can develop our strengths. So. I'm (again) vowing to let go and let God - maybe THIS time this lesson will stick.

So my prayer today is for patience. The comprehension that God is God and we are not. Today, I pray for the strength and obedience to wait for the things that I struggle with, because they will come - in God's time, not mine.

xme