room. Just the act of stepping into her home was calming for her, because her home was filled with love.
She went straight to the bedroom she shared with her sister Grace to put her things away, and then went to the kitchen to help her mama with supper. Millie took one look at her drawn face and asked her what happened.
Patience sighed. “I need to learn to live up to my name.” She’d always felt she’d been given the name Patience, because somehow her parents had known she’d be fighting for patience all of her life. Her father said it wasn’t true, but he always had a twinkle in his eye as he said it, so she still believed it had to be the case. Either way, it was certainly a slap in the face every time she thought about it.
Millie smiled. “I’m glad I wasn’t blessed with a name like yours I’d never be able to live up to.”
Patience stared at her mother in shock. “You’re always so patient. No matter what happens, you just smile and keep going. I’ve never once seen you get angry, even when one of us deserved it.”
“I hide it well.” She led Patience to the table and sat down. “Tell me what happened.” Patience knew she had a lot to do, but as always, when she had a problem her mother gave her full attention to the problem.
“You know I’ve been having problems with little Charlie Walker. He doesn’t think he should have to learn anything because he’s going to be a farmer and farmers don’t need to know how to read. He missed all but three of his spelling words this afternoon. And they were easy words, Mama!” Patience was still angry enough to kick something, but she didn’t think her toes could handle any more abuse this afternoon.
Millie nodded. “So what did you do?”
“I made him copy each of the words he missed onto the blackboard five times.”
“That sounds like a reasonable punishment. So what went wrong?”
“He wasn’t finished when his father got there, so I went out to talk to him about Charlie’s attitude. I asked that he encourage him to study harder and learn more so he can better himself.” Patience made a face. “He had the gall to tell me he didn’t think I had respect for farmers.”
Millie smiled. “I’ve talked to Mr. Walker a time or two. He doesn’t like anyone saying anything negative about his son. He’s raised him completely alone, you know.” Millie’s words made Patience sigh. She should have been able to control her temper.
“How did his wife die?”
Millie shook her head. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him that. I only know he’s very proud of his son, and won’t hear anything against him. He’s a good father. Charlie is mostly well behaved. He’s just got a lot of energy like any boy his age.”
Patience nodded. “I was so angry with Mr. Walker for the way he talked to me. I told him I’d pray for him.” She looked down at her hands as she said it, knowing her mama would understand.
Millie laughed. “Did you mean it? Or were you just saying it to avoid saying something spiteful.”
“Oh, I meant it. I thought I’d pray he got a new outlook on life. He asked if I’d pray he got kicked by a mule. It was so close to what I was thinking I was instantly ashamed. I need to apologize to him for what I was thinking, but I don’t ever want to talk to that hateful man again.”
Millie squeezed her daughter’s hands. “He’s not hateful, Patience. He’s really a good man who loves God with all his heart. You need to give him a chance to show you that.”
“I wish I didn’t have hateful thoughts. You’re always so calm. How do you do it?”
Millie laughed. “I remember once your papa got onto me for not having lunch ready on time. I’d just gotten here, and I was working on getting the house cleaned. I don’t know if you remember how dirty it was in the months before I came.”
Patience nodded.
She went straight to the bedroom she shared with her sister Grace to put her things away, and then went to the kitchen to help her mama with supper. Millie took one look at her drawn face and asked her what happened.
Patience sighed. “I need to learn to live up to my name.” She’d always felt she’d been given the name Patience, because somehow her parents had known she’d be fighting for patience all of her life. Her father said it wasn’t true, but he always had a twinkle in his eye as he said it, so she still believed it had to be the case. Either way, it was certainly a slap in the face every time she thought about it.
Millie smiled. “I’m glad I wasn’t blessed with a name like yours I’d never be able to live up to.”
Patience stared at her mother in shock. “You’re always so patient. No matter what happens, you just smile and keep going. I’ve never once seen you get angry, even when one of us deserved it.”
“I hide it well.” She led Patience to the table and sat down. “Tell me what happened.” Patience knew she had a lot to do, but as always, when she had a problem her mother gave her full attention to the problem.
“You know I’ve been having problems with little Charlie Walker. He doesn’t think he should have to learn anything because he’s going to be a farmer and farmers don’t need to know how to read. He missed all but three of his spelling words this afternoon. And they were easy words, Mama!” Patience was still angry enough to kick something, but she didn’t think her toes could handle any more abuse this afternoon.
Millie nodded. “So what did you do?”
“I made him copy each of the words he missed onto the blackboard five times.”
“That sounds like a reasonable punishment. So what went wrong?”
“He wasn’t finished when his father got there, so I went out to talk to him about Charlie’s attitude. I asked that he encourage him to study harder and learn more so he can better himself.” Patience made a face. “He had the gall to tell me he didn’t think I had respect for farmers.”
Millie smiled. “I’ve talked to Mr. Walker a time or two. He doesn’t like anyone saying anything negative about his son. He’s raised him completely alone, you know.” Millie’s words made Patience sigh. She should have been able to control her temper.
“How did his wife die?”
Millie shook her head. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him that. I only know he’s very proud of his son, and won’t hear anything against him. He’s a good father. Charlie is mostly well behaved. He’s just got a lot of energy like any boy his age.”
Patience nodded. “I was so angry with Mr. Walker for the way he talked to me. I told him I’d pray for him.” She looked down at her hands as she said it, knowing her mama would understand.
Millie laughed. “Did you mean it? Or were you just saying it to avoid saying something spiteful.”
“Oh, I meant it. I thought I’d pray he got a new outlook on life. He asked if I’d pray he got kicked by a mule. It was so close to what I was thinking I was instantly ashamed. I need to apologize to him for what I was thinking, but I don’t ever want to talk to that hateful man again.”
Millie squeezed her daughter’s hands. “He’s not hateful, Patience. He’s really a good man who loves God with all his heart. You need to give him a chance to show you that.”
“I wish I didn’t have hateful thoughts. You’re always so calm. How do you do it?”
Millie laughed. “I remember once your papa got onto me for not having lunch ready on time. I’d just gotten here, and I was working on getting the house cleaned. I don’t know if you remember how dirty it was in the months before I came.”
Patience nodded.
Similar Books
