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"Patience is the Companion of Wisdom" (Augustine of Hippo)

A man’s wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11)
       You're waiting. You've been waiting. It seems like it's been an hour. You haven't killed anyone, said anything unkind, dumped everything and left, or even rolled your eyes or tapped your foot. Congratulations, you're demonstrating patience. You know...that thing you're been warned to never pray for? That thing that when comedians want a laugh, they say something like, "God give me patience, and give it to me NOW!"
     Have you ever thought about why it is we have such a hard time being patient? Maybe it's not so hard to figure out. We want what we want when we want it and that means immediately if not sooner. It's not that we're impatient, it's just that we have places to go, people to see, things to do. Everyone is depending on us. And, of course, we're right. If they would just see that and get their acts together, everything would work just the way it's supposed to.  Why is it taking them so long?
        It's hard being God, isn't it? That's the core of the problem of patience. It requires that we stop being God.  It requires that we give up our sense of entitlement. It requires that we give others the time and space that they need to do our will. It requires that we give others and God time to work, which means we are lining ourselves up, or agreeing, with God. Patience is necessary for peace. When we are patient, we are treating others the way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12)  When we are patient with others, we are loving them (I Corinthians 13:4.)  That is the key. Don't worry about your development of patience, love the person in question.  
    
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Calendar: January 6
Epiphany: Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian feasts. It celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. It was celebrated since the end of the second century, before the Christmas holiday was established. It is commonly known as Twelfth Night, Twelfth Day, or the Feast of Epiphany. It means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians. Epiphany also refers to the church season that follows the day.
Born this Day: Joan of Arc, Carl Sandberg and Sherlock Holmes (somehow, some Baker St. Irregulars found this out....)
"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." Carl Sandberg
"Poetry is an echo asking a shadow to dance." Carl Sandberg
“Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln never saw a movie, heard a radio or looked at television. They had 'Loneliness' and knew what to do with it. They were not afraid of being lonely because they knew that was when the creative mood in them would work.” Carl Sandberg

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