Every morning, before he leaves for work, my dear one blesses me by asking, “what can I pray for today?” For a long time my answer was “peace.” I needed to be peaceful in my home so that our children would be peaceful. I learned that peace is a gift and you have to open it to receive it.
One morning “peaceful fortitude” came out of my mouth. My dear one chuckled a bit and went off to work and to pray for me. I asked him later why he chuckled and he said he was having a hard time putting peaceful and fortitude together because he pictured fortitude as a concerted effort to get something done.
That’s exactly what I envisioned, too.
My days are busy with all the normal things that come with running a home, schooling three children, and being available for all ten people who count on me everyday. I need to be peaceful while I listen, instead of being antsy to get back to an undone job. I need to be peaceful when I’m teaching, what I feel is a fairly easy concept, and the child really doesn’t get it. I need to be peaceful when little or big things disrupt my “to do” list. (See, Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening.)
I also need fortitude to keep going through it all when I want to go hide in my room and read a book, (or write a blog).
And, so, because he prays for peaceful fortitude, I accomplish what God calls me to do that day and I do it as peacefully as I am able.
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