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The children were running around the backyard enjoying the spring day. The sun was shining and it was actually warm outside, a rare occasion when you live in the Pacific North West. It is only warm enough here to go without a coat about six weeks out of the year.  The birds were chirping happily in the tree above me. My spring bulbs were blooming and my Iris’s were gorgeous. Our two dogs were wagging their tails, happy to be taking in new smells around the yard. What could be more peaceful than this day?  How then could I be so downcast?

I was frustrated with God for taking so long to answer my prayer. How could He let me down? I had said so many prayers about finding a job that I had lost count. Didn’t He realize how much I wanted and needed a new job? Perhaps the problem was I wanted the wrong thing. Maybe it wasn’t His will for me to go back to work now. Look at how happy the children were today. Would they be that happy if they were in daycare?

I breathed in a huge breath of fresh air and slowly let it out. I bit my lip. Maybe I was just impatient with God’s timing. Why couldn’t I just enjoy this beautiful day He had given all of us? Perhaps I needed to be more patient, and wait on God’s timing for things in my life, instead of my own demanding wants.  I leaned back in my chair, and reached up to stretch, enjoying the sun on my face. I began to silently pray, “Dear Lord, please help me to find the perfect job I have been waiting for. I have been waiting a long time for you to answer this particular prayer. Can’t you hurry up?”

Just then, I heard the children squealing loudly behind me. I turn around to see what all the fuss was about. To my surprise, I see Ryan holding a turtle in his hands. He was holding it over his little sister Whitney’s, head making her scream in fear. So typical of him. He always found a way to irritate his sister. He just laughed at her in his contentment.

“Ryan, stop scaring your sister. Stop holding the turtle over your sister’s head and tormenting her.  Bring it over here so I can see it.”  Ryan ran over to me and said, “Look mom, it’s a real turtle! Can we keep it?” Upon examining the new creature I discovered it was a water turtle. It had webbed feet for spending most of its time in a pond. I wondered where it came from. There wasn’t a pond or any body of water for miles from here. We lived in a typical neighborhood with blocks and blocks of houses. You would have to drive more than a mile just to find a grassy meadow, let alone a pond.

My son chimed in again, “Can we keep it please?” With a sigh I said, “Ok, but we will have to buy a wading pool to keep it in. It is a water turtle, not a land tortoise.” He immediately took his new found friend and placed it into one of his big dump trucks for a ride around the yard. I smiled watching  both of my golden haired children so happy as they played with their new pet.  The sun and the day seemed brighter as it reflected off their heads . The same scene before me seemed to have a happier glow than before the turtle entered our yard.

Then, I realized what a gift from God this turtle was to me that day. I was just praying for God to hurry up and answer my prayer, instead He sent a turtle to remind me that sometimes we must follow the slow pace of a turtle, and practice patience to get to our goal. God was telling me to be patient while waiting for my prayer to be answered. Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing… Psalms 37:34 (TLB)