You know, everything you do with your first born is an experiment. When we were young parents of 4 and got strange looks and funny comments about having so many, we used to say.. “With four there is never a dull moment.” Having moved from those childhood years into the young adult years the saying has held true and intensified. We do get a few peaceful moments away now, but they can’t be considered dull because they are filled with the reverberations of so many intensely exciting moments. There’s quite a difference between getting your first tricycle and getting your first car.
Look! Mom. I bought a new Saturn.
The last couple of years our Scientist has been steadily working and saving his money for college and a car… huge steps toward his calling. He saved over $10,000 in insurance cost by waiting until he actually needed a car before getting a driver’s license and a car. He has patiently waited for God’s direction and timing. I am very proud of him.
I was asking God this morning for the right word to describe what it is about our Scientist that makes me feel so proud. He is faithful, hardworking, persistent, patient, kind, attentive and so many other things. God gave me the word “fortitude.”
Mamalene blessed me with a copy of Webster’s 1828 dictionary several years ago. It’s one of his first published dictionaries. If you want to really know what a word means, look it up in this dictionary. You’ll be blown away by how rich our language is. There is actually an searchable version online. I included the link below. It makes a great Bible study tool.
Below is what it said about fortitude. It’s a very good description of our Scientist (of course, God knew) and I know that as our Scientist leans into God for fortitude that he will find the grace to become exactly who He wants him to be.
FOR’TITUDE, n. [L. fortitudo, from fortis, strong.]
That strength or firmness of mind or soul which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage, or to bear pain or adversity without murmuring, depression or despondency. Fortitude is the basis or source of genuine courage or intrepidity in danger, of patience in suffering, of forbearance under injuries, and of magnanimity in all conditions of life. We sometimes confound the effect with the cause, and use fortitude as synonymous with courage or patience; but courage is an active virtue or vice, and patience is the effect of fortitude.
Fortitude is the guard and support of the other virtues.
