Monthly Archives: June 2021

Patience as a Virtue

Posted on by
1

We had a little lesson in patience this week. Okay, we’ve been having a big lesson in patience this whole year, haven’t we? I don’t know about you, but I think I am finally getting sick of this lockdown — even as an introvert. We’ve been waiting. We’ve been waiting for haircuts and restaurant meals and movie theatres. We’ve been waiting in grocery lineups and online check out queues for the free shipping days. We’ve been waiting to get back to family gatherings and celebrations and hugging. Yes, even me. I’ve been waiting, too.

We had a smaller lesson in patience this week — a simple one that no one really noticed except me. Which was the inspiration for this week’s muse. Let me explain. One of our favourite “snacks” is something called Butterscotch Confetti. It’s easy to make and yummy. I was going to post the recipe, but remembered I already did! So… check that out here. Anyway… the youngest decided to make up a batch of the decadent “squares” (Did you know that Canadians call them “squares” and American’s call them “bars”… total side note but I am just free writing… so, hey what the heck…go on a rabbit trail… Wonder what other countries call such desserts… oh, a muse for anther time….)

Where was I? Oh yeah. Butterscotch squares. So, when you make these things, you melt all kinds of yummy goodness in a pot and then you have to “wait until you can hold your hand on the bottom of the pot before adding your coloured marshmallows”. Herein lies the lesson in patience. Wait. It’s a delicate balance, because if you don’t wait, your marshmallows melt and you get a sticky mess… I’ve seen it done. But if you wait too long, then your other ingredients start to harden into the fudge-like dessert they are supposed to be… without your marshmallows. You get it. Now, I have a fairly high heat bearing feel, so I tend to be impatient and throw in the coloured package of squishes fairly early. So far they have not melted away yet, though. And so I marveled as the pot sat on the stove as my daughter “waited” for it to cool. I usually have something to fill in my time so never have I “waited” for this task to occur… at least not that I have noticed before. Hence, this week’s muse.

Patience. The old time phrase “patience is a virtue” was never actually quoted as such in the Bible. Patience is not a “virtue”. Or is it?

“Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.” Prov. 15:18. “Love is patient. Love is kind” 1 Corinthians 4:13, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Rom 12:12. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Eph. 4:2. And that is only a sampling of the verses that talk about this all important fruit of the spirit. Obviously, patience is something we need to work on in our lives. Let’s be honest, though, it’s a difficult one. To the mom who has the two year old who wants to put on her own shoes when you are already late leaving for your appointment. To the parent who has the wayward teenager who must learn the hard way. To the senior who has to care for the body who doesn’t work the way it used to. Sometimes there is no answer and we just have to go through it. Then patience is not in the waiting …but in the day to day, one foot in front of the other kind of patience which is linked arm and arm with endurance.

Learning patience is not simply an emotional response to a trying situation, either. It involves your belief system, your physical ability to self control and self regulate as well as your thoughts about gratitude. Does your impatience lead to anger, or can you hold your breath, count to 10 and take control of the time? Are you grateful for where you are now or are you waiting for the next best thing…now. Do you dump those marshmallows too early?? It takes practice.

I discovered that the word “virtue” is used to describe a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good. In other words, it is a behavior that shows high moral standards: doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. Is patience worthy of “virtue” then? Perhaps. It certainly is a Biblical truth that should be practiced and “worked on”. Especially if you want perfectly decadent butterscotch confetti.

Faith Journey

Posted on by
2

Do you have a favourite car? I’m not a big car buff, so as long as the vehicle gets me from A to B safely, I’m happy. The eldest and I were chatting about cars recently — she wants a mini cooper. She has yet to get her driver’s license, and is nervous about driving, so thinks a cooper will be “safe” and easy to maneuver. The youngest wants a big truck for the same reasons. So many vehicles out there on the roads. So many choices for travelling. So many arguments and thoughts about what brand, what qualifications, what this, what that. Fuel mileage. Safety features. Electric?

Photo via the Car Connection

Remember the good old days where you shoved all your kids in the back of a big ol’ wood paneled station wagon and went “road tripping”? Seat belts? Not a thing. Car seats, ha! (Not that I am condoning such reckless behaviour…buckle up, people!) Yet, you understand, right? The ultimate road trip was fun. It was exciting to see who would barf first, or get all the alphabet letters in license plate guessing games. And trips back then were screen free! How did we ever survive?? How did our parents survive? And who was in charge of the map? A paper map… that had to be folded back together….

If you’ve followed along at mittonmusings.com for any length of time, you’ve certainly noticed our references to our “faith journeys” or our “spiritual journeys”. Maybe you are wondering what exactly that means. It’s what I’ve been thinking about recently as well. And there is no simple answer. Let’s start with the word “journey”. The simplest definition is this:

“an act of traveling from one place to another” or

“a long and often difficult process of personal change and development”

Oxford online dictionary

Those two statements may not be as simple as they appear. Journeys involve ups and downs and backwards and forwards. Not to mention pit stops along the way. “Faith” adds a deeper and even more complex thought to the definition. Faith in what? Faith in whom? Then we can chat about how does that faith affect the life choices you make on the journey? Spirituality can mean something quite different. I believe humans are intensely spiritual beings. We’ve been designed that way. Consequently, our world is relatively open to “spiritual” things these days. It’s when we draw lines and point fingers that things get complicated. No one wants to be intolerant. And I’m not talking about “church” or “religious beliefs”. Although they certainly play a role in the journey.

Let’s break it down a little more. A road trip begins and ends. There is a point A and a point B. How you get to point B from point A is up to you…. you can take the scenic route up the mountain and through the valleys, or straight across the highway. But the journey always starts with choices. Who or what will be the master of the journey? Who will be in the driver’s seat? Who will you trust to get you to your final destination and where will that be? The crew here at mittonmusings, hopes that driver will be the Christ of the living Bible. It’s who we’ve chosen to be in the driver’s seat of our spiritual journeys that will one day unite us with Him in Heaven. He’s our point A and Heaven is our point B. The Bible is our map and we are making stops along the way to share the experience with you! Are you ready to start the journey? Share with us! Follow along as we chat each week about our journey. And maybe a little bit about our favourite cars!

Photo by Leio McLaren (leiomclaren.com) on Unsplash

Who is Watching?

Posted on by
3

Welcome back! We celebrated a graduation this weekend! Our eldest has now officially finished four long years of University! We are proud of her, and this week’s guest post seemed especially timely in light of all that we are celebrating!

Our guest blogger this week is a special family friend, who often finds herself pondering and reflecting on something that she sees. This nugget was originally an email sent to encourage, and I asked if I could post it, as it spoke to me, as I hope it speaks to you! Last week we shared some favourite verses, and Margie does here, as well! Isn’t it great how God works things together to follow a theme? Hope you are blessed as well this week!

On this rainy day after getting control of my migraine (thanks to medicine), I am reflecting…So, here’s the thread of thought….

Yesterday, G (her hubby!) and I were out for a walk in the beautiful sunshine trying to avoid scattered garbage cans on the sidewalk (it was garbage collection day in our neighbourhood), I startled as something flew by my knee about a foot away and landed just past me by the road. I looked over to see a wee baby robin very much like the one in the picture below. (Photo credit: Here) It was hopping about — heading towards the road!

It was then that I noticed “Mom Robin” sitting on the fence watching her baby try to fly and gain some independence.

I doubt robins worry, but as we humans do, I did the worrying for her, concerned the baby may step into the road…luckily, it turned and hopped back to the yard.

Mom watched intently but didn’t move. Baby decided to fly. It took off — headed straight for a collision with the wall of the house….oh dear, said I, it’s about to get injured. Peeking through one eye, I saw it land on the wall — somehow amazingly clinging to the little crack between the bricks. How long would it be able to perch there precariously before falling, I wondered? It let go and landed on the mailbox. All this time mother never moved, but kept her eye on her baby. As it landed on the mailbox, mom flew closer, landing on the grass nearer her baby. She was there, watching over, close enough to help if needed, but letting baby grow and learn and even make some mistakes.

Robin on the Fence is a photograph by Brenda Ackerman

Later in the evening I was preparing for a book study tonight when the author directed me to one of my favourite verses in scripture…

 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,

Who rides the heavens to help you,

And in His excellency on the clouds.

27 The eternal God is your refuge,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

Deuteronomy 33:26-27 NKJV

He is around us, above us, upholding us as we live and move and be!

Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

In reference to Jacob…..

Deuteronomy 32:10 – In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.

A favourite Psalm of mine….

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

I read elsewhere….

If we feel alone during our time of need, instead of running with the assumption that God has left us, we should work on opening our eyes to see where He is in the situation. The good that can come out of something bad isn’t always obvious or immediate, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. If you continue to have difficulty having faith that God has His eyes on us, you can always call out to Him to help you recognize His presence.

At first my eyes were only on the baby robin and it’s predicament. It’s vulnerability. But then I noticed mom and her hovering presence on the apple of her eye…

G and I continued our walk….

May your walk today be secure in knowing you are in full view of your loving Father.