"Date Night," by Kelli Zaniel

Fighting. Hair-pulling. Refereeing. Disciplining. That is the topic of conversation during date night. My husband and I sit Indian style around our leather ottoman a/k/a supper table. Chopsticks in hand, I describe the difficulty of my stay-at-home mom day. My husband says, “You need a little more patience.” Well girls I admit that statement went over like a lead balloon.

“More patient?” I scowl. By 4:00 p.m. patience is long gone never to be seen again until 8:00 a.m. the next morning.

My eyebrows crinkle together and my eyes squint. I convince myself I am a force to be reckoned with. I feel my heart beating and my blood pumping as frustration builds. I shout, “What do you mean, impatient? I have plenty of patience!” I storm away huffing and puffing cancelling date night indefinitely.

The next morning the word impatient slaps me awake like a bucket of cold water. That word stings. It hurts. It’s sort of true. My patience does run thin most days.

I decide to make a minor adjustment to the word. I only add an apostrophe but it changes everything!

Impatient; I’m-patient! That sounds better, don’t you think? This week I am committed to turning my impatient into I'm-patient!

Power Verses:

“They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience,” Titus 2:2 (NLT).

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need,” Col. 1:11 (NLT).

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Gal. 5:22 (NLT).