IMPATIENS-IMPATIENCE
"And let us run with perseverance..."  Hebrews  12:1B

      This story is about two similar sounding words whose meanings are worlds apart, and, what the effect of this discovery had on me.

      Impatiens, spelled i-m-p-a-t-i-e-n-s,  is the name of a pretty little flower of the balsam family growing in profusion in flower beds all over Southern California.  I do not know where else they are grown; I just know you see them everywhere around the area where I live.

      Impatience, spelled i-m-p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e, although sounding similar, is, as everyone is aware of, a common affliction affecting the greater part of the population, known as 'lack of patience.'  Now, I have been acquainted with some extremely patient people, but, for the life of me, I cannot imagine how they are able keep their composure during troublesome circumstances.

      On a warm Spring day my grandson Eric, who was four years old at the time, was spending the day with me.  As I pondered what "fun" thing we could do I thought of the empty planter under the front window.  So I said, "Eric, would you like to help Grandma plant some pretty flowers in this planter?"

      Excitedly, Eric exclaimed, "Oh yes, Grandma! Where will we get the flowers?" I replied, "Oh, there are lots of pretty plants at the nursery.   Let's go down town and see what we can find."

      There was such a colorful array of flowers we had a difficult time choosing just the right plants, but we finally settled on some healthy looking plants with pink and white blossoms.  We counted out enough plants to alternate pink and white blooms to fill the long planter.  Then we bought a bag of potting soil and hurried home.

      As we mixed the potting and earth together and dug holes for the plants, Eric exclaimed, "This is fun, Grandma!"  Soon we had all the plants evenly spaced in a long neat row.  After wetting them down, we stood back to admire our work.

      Just then Grandpa came out of the house to survey our project and asked, "What is the name of those flowers?"  I had not bothered to ask the man at the nursery because it wasn't important what they were called.  So I replied, "I don't know the name.  Besides, it doesn't matter; we think they are pretty."  I was thinking to myself, why is he so concerned about the name of these plants?  He never paid any attention to flowers I planted before.

      His motto, probably due to his 'farm boy' background, was, as he often stated, "If you can't eat it, forget it."  I recall one time R.J. wanted to plant pole beans in the planter along the front porch.  I objected strongly, exclaiming, "How on earth will be be able to sit on the porch and enjoy the scenery with a row of pole beans directly in our view!"  So you can see why I was puzzled at his interest in these flowers.

      I was further annoyed when Grandpa remarked, "Who ever heard of buying plants without knowing what they are called."  I replied rather sharply, "I don't care what they are called!"

      The next day some friends were joining us for dinner, and as I was greeting them on the front porch, my friend Joan remarked, "how pretty the planter looks!"  I explained to her that R.J. was really annoyed because I didn't know the name of those flowers, whereupon Joan exclaimed, "I know what they are called...impatiens."

      Then, in utter disgust I exclaimed, "Oh no!  I would never have planted them on the premises if I had known that is their name!"

      From that moment on my intention was to completely ignore these plants with such a dismal title, but, it was impossible.  I could not go in or out the front door without noticing these flowers.  I imagined each blossom was smirking at me with glee!  Every time I drove the car into the carport, there they were, staring back at me in the glare of the headlights. If I transplant these flowers along the backyard wall, I could easily forget their existence, I mused,  I never did get around to moving them.

      One day my friend and I met at Cocoa's for lunch and as we walked toward the entrance I was confronted with a vast array of impatiens.  I protested rather angrily, "Good grief!  Is that the only flower available?   Why don't they plant petunias or pansies?  I am sick of looking at impatiens!"  My friend glanced at me with a puzzled look on her face but said nothing.

      It wasn't long before I had to face the truth.  It wasn't these pink and white flowers that irritated me.  Because their name, impatiens, is similar to this obvious fault of mine, a woeful lack of patience, I resented the intrusion of these flowers in my life as a daily reminder.  Yes, my lack of patience is evident everywhere I turn; in check-out line, in traffic, just about any time I must interact with people.

      Sometimes I think I act like a wild, untrained colt, one that takes forever to break so it can become a useful participant, willing to obey the commands of it's master.  If I am to become skilled in the "art" of patience, some changes will have to be made.  The time has come to quit thinking as a child, wanting immediate gratification.  With the help of the Lord, I will learn to be patient.  It is my understanding that if you ask for patience God is very accommodating.  He sends many trials so you can excel in the many and varied off-shoots of patience, such as self-control, tolerance, unflappability, tranquility, peacefulness, and I suppose long-suffering.   Would this resemble that  Old Testament character, Job?  You will have to agree, the Patriarch Job was tested to the very limit of his endurance.  I would hope I never have to endure similar trials.

      I suppose you are wondering what happened to those pretty pink and white flowers my grandson Eric and I planted that beautiful Spring day.  I think perhaps we used too much potting soil, which attracted swarms of flying insects.  Then, when I sprayed insect repellent on the plants they all died.

      When Grandpa surveyed the row of dead flowers he said in an accusing voice, "You probably killed them on purpose because you didn't like their name!"

      "I am not sorry those plants are dead, but I certainly did not intend to kill them!"  Yes, the plants are gone, but the memory and its lesson lingers on.