AAAAARGH!!!!!!!

I think tonight (Wednesday) was the most frustrating night of work I've had yet. OH MY WORD....

There's one lady that tests my patience like no other. Yesterday she was a bit of a pain at bedtime, but today she completely freaked out, becoming extremely agitated and angry due to a consequence being enforced. When that happens she gets really whiney, demanding, and manipulative. I really wished we could force her to sit or go to her room or something, but of course we can't do anything "restrictive" or mean. So the other staff and I reasoned or talked calmly with her, got the other residents out of the way, and tried to keep ourselves out of her way. Eventually she got calmed down but was far from docile the rest of the night.

I can see that she is in my life to make me more Christ-like! Please pray for me that I'd remember this and thank God for it! She will help me grow, but I'm sure it'll be a hard process. I really cannot love her on my own, only through Jesus. So I pray that I'll be able to love her as He would - unselfishly giving and serving. It'll be really strange to be kind to her and still offering to serve her when she least deserves it, but I believe that's what He'd do. (He did do that with all of us, saving us when we were still sinners who hated Him!) And just maybe that'll be the thing that finally breaks through to her. No sarcastic comments or cutting reprimands, but wisdom in knowing how to answer her and serve her while still teaching her some things and not letting her "win" so the behavior continues. What a hard balance.

Thanks for your prayers, friends.