Patience is a Virtue I Need to Work On (by Amanda)

For Christmas this year when family asked me what I wanted I didn’t have any great ideas, but I did have one thing that I really wanted. It was a hanging basket to put fruit and vegetables in. My fridge isn’t really big so I thought it would save some space both in the fridge and on my counter top. I also thought it would be great because it was inexpensive and compact so it would fit well in a box. When Christmas came around my family got me some wonderful gifts including things I hadn’t thought to ask for, but I really use, but as we all know when we get something set in our minds that is what we want. I was still remembering that elusive hanging basket though and kept thinking what a great addition to my kitchen it would be.
Today I was thinking that is often how we are with God. We get a plan stuck in our heads that we think is best and we keep pestering God for that. Often we are so frustrated when it doesn’t come in our timing. We say God knows best, but do we really put that into belief and action or do we continue to moan to God saying poor me. I know often I find myself in that cycle. Oh, I say "God knows best" and tell Him I’ll be patient, but continue to complain in my heart. As I write this I think "when will I ever learn to just trust and wait patiently"? Of course, sometimes God wants us to approach him over and over again to seek what we want such as the persistent widow did, but we also need stop moaning poor me.
There is a happy ending to this story; it may seem trivial, but I got my hanging basket on Saturday. We have a couple here leaving Senegal for the US and they were having a moving sale. So I was blessed enough to buy her hanging basket and she was happy because she got rid of it. It is amusing to me that this whole experience reminded me how important our wait can be and how gracious and merciful God is. Sometimes he is just preparing us for the unexpected; as you all know I have twins! :)