Fruit of the Spirit.

                                                                                                       The Fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. These things seem so far away at times. I have a bad temper; patience is not something that comes easily. I get frustrated easily. I can be doing something and will just get exasperated because it isn't happening right away. My health issues seem to take joy from me. But even when I am feeling relatively good, joy seems far off. I struggle to keep my lust for material things under control and envy is a problem. Self-control would allow me to say it is no big deal, but I can't seem to get there. It IS a big deal. I have some gentleness at times but when the cat comes barreling onto my shoulder and sinks his claws into me I feel anything but gentle and kind. My wife tells me he didn't mean it but at that moment I just don't see it and I am incensed. He is a big cat he weighs almost twenty lbs. That may be an exaggeration, but he is a big tomcat and his claws hurt. Especially when I am currently dealing with my skin feeling like it is electrified. I threw him out of my room the other day and he was upset with me. But it was very difficult for me to say that it was an accident. The fruits of the spirit sometimes do not always come easily. Painting at least brings some of these things out in me. When it is difficult to see the fruits of a Godly relationship, looking at a sunset helps. Seeing a beautiful flower. My wife's smile can instill in me a gentleness that may not always be readily accessible. Just the idea that I know I am loved and appreciated is enough to stir many of these feelings. And that is awfully nice... Dale
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