Friday, December 16, 2011

The Third Day: Courage

"On the third day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
three French hens."


The third day is courage. When I used to think of courage, I imagined a shining knight on his battle-ready steed, charging in to fight a dragon. Now, I realize that true courage rarely shines or makes loud sounds; it is found in the small things. For some people, courage is smiling at their children as they tell them their cancer gives them only a few more months of life. For some, it is speaking an unpopular truth.

Courage for me has become quite complicated. It smiling at my children until they are in bed before allowing my tears of sorrow to overwhelm me. It is going back to school. It is doing all I can to support a personal relationship between them and their dad despite knowing him for what he does.

Courage, for me, has become almost synonymous with patience.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

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