A PATIENT MOTHER


"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee."  Isaiah 26:3


     Patience is required of every mother. Mothers need to have the kind of patience that prevails under pressure. Instead of being patient, we fuss and fret; we nag and scold; we complain and criticize; and we become cross and irritable.
     Sometimes we feel torn apart in the middle of our many daily tasks and the pressures of this world. So we take it out on our husbands and our children. We become impatient.
     Satan is always ready to take advantage of our self-control and calm spirits. Life is more complicated than ever before. How can we learn to be calm when life is so hurried, or we feel rushed and pushed?
     One thing that keeps a mother from being as calm as she should be is that she is wearing herself out. She feels her home must be spotless. Some mothers feel they must take part in many activities outside of the home.
     The many decisions she has to make cause her to be weary and frustrated. All day long it is hurry! hurry! hurry! We also push this onto our children. It's "hurry and eat", "hurry and dress", and "hurry and get your work done!" We even have to hurry to get to sleep at night!
    How can we get our work done without a sense of pressure? How can we keep our tempers calm and keep our words from hurting those around us when we are under pressure?
     We make excuses and say we are worn out and we just can't help it. But we can help it and we must make every effort to do so.
     Of course we must keep our homes clean and in order, but when we must keep our homes so immaculate that our children cannot play in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and all they hear all the time is "don't do this or that", then the home atmosphere is not right. This is putting the house before the children.
     The children will not remember whether the house was always in order, but they will remember if mother was kind, cheerful, and patient.
     Worry will cause us to be irritable and impatient. We must learn to "let go and let God." "Be still and know that I am God." In the middle of our many duties it is sometimes difficult to find quiet and rest. We must let the peace of God rule in our hearts. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
    For us to be patient and calm we must be at peace with ourselves. If we carry sin and guilt on our hearts it will make us easily irritated and offended.
     We can never fool our children. We cannot deceive them. They are quick to sense our inner feelings. We need God's help and grace every day and every hour to keep us calm and patient.
     Let us examine ourselves as mothers, or even wives. Are we patient mothers and wives? What kind of fruit do our families see in us?
     After all.... PATIENCE truly is a virtue!