This time of year, greenhouses are brimming with impatiens.
They are my go-to flowers for our shady front porch.
Every year.
Four big pots are filled with the red variety
with some white ones planted in the middle of each one.
Every single year.

The word “impatiens” is Latin for “impatient,” named thus because of the way their seed pods explosively release seeds at the slightest touch. In other words, impatiens are touchy and tend to blow up at the smallest disturbance.

As I carried out my yearly ritual of planting red and white impatiens, I was reminded that this is year #4 in my nine-year study on the Fruit of the Spirit, as found in Galatians 5:22.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
(Kinda glad self-control is at the end.)

Love, joy, peace….patience.
Oh boy.
This could be a long year.

Years ago, I tried to teach my young children the concept of patience
and found this definition:

“Patience is waiting with a happy spirit.”

I can grit my teeth and wait when I have to—
it’s the happy spirit that needs some work.
Less touchiness, no blowing up.

Hopefully, this summer as my impatiens grow on the front porch,
the Holy Spirit will help the fruit of patience to grow in me.