I could tell you that my sinful, evil nature means I am a glutton. That would be true, but that's not what this post is about.
I could tell you that my sinful, evil nature means I can be slothful. (Don't you just love that old English word for lazy that makes you think of a porch slug?) But that's not what this post is about, either.
Today my sinful, evil nature has many words: meanness, orneriness, irritability, unkindness, or just plain old grumpiness.
I am an adult. I don't feel that old most days, but the reality is, I'm old enough that I'm considered old-school. Don't believe me? You should have seen the looks on teenage faces over Thanksgiving when I told them they should turn their cell phones off before going to bed (as one teen had sent a garbled text to her boyfriend in her sleep and was showing it to everyone while others talked of being awakened to an incoming text or call during the night) and was met with shocked faces and stunned silences. Then one of the boys said, "And then how will the alarms go off in the morning to wake us up?" Yeah, dumb me. Cell phones have alarm clocks, or at least the cool ones do. And kids today don't wear watches, either. Who needs one when your phone gives you the time?
So I feel a little on the mature side. Until I come home. I have my nicely organized laundry, my "to do" list of activities, things I need to get done today and things I'd like to get done today, and then the phone call comes. Someone who's trying to be helpful and loving, but in reality is checking up on us because we are unable to care for ourselves (see how mean-spirited I can be!) and I get more than a little testy/irritable/snippy with her on the phone. And I hang up and think 'ooh. I wasn't very nice." But that can't be undone.
I don't like being told what to do. I don't like have to explain my rationale for things and the way I do them to people. Sometimes I know it has to be, but when it comes to running my own household...really?
It's not even 10:30am, and I've already blown it in the loving/kindness/graciousness department this morning. His mercies are new every morning, and I"m SO thankful for that, because today I need an extra dose of them.
I could tell you that my sinful, evil nature means I can be slothful. (Don't you just love that old English word for lazy that makes you think of a porch slug?) But that's not what this post is about, either.
Today my sinful, evil nature has many words: meanness, orneriness, irritability, unkindness, or just plain old grumpiness.
I am an adult. I don't feel that old most days, but the reality is, I'm old enough that I'm considered old-school. Don't believe me? You should have seen the looks on teenage faces over Thanksgiving when I told them they should turn their cell phones off before going to bed (as one teen had sent a garbled text to her boyfriend in her sleep and was showing it to everyone while others talked of being awakened to an incoming text or call during the night) and was met with shocked faces and stunned silences. Then one of the boys said, "And then how will the alarms go off in the morning to wake us up?" Yeah, dumb me. Cell phones have alarm clocks, or at least the cool ones do. And kids today don't wear watches, either. Who needs one when your phone gives you the time?
So I feel a little on the mature side. Until I come home. I have my nicely organized laundry, my "to do" list of activities, things I need to get done today and things I'd like to get done today, and then the phone call comes. Someone who's trying to be helpful and loving, but in reality is checking up on us because we are unable to care for ourselves (see how mean-spirited I can be!) and I get more than a little testy/irritable/snippy with her on the phone. And I hang up and think 'ooh. I wasn't very nice." But that can't be undone.
I don't like being told what to do. I don't like have to explain my rationale for things and the way I do them to people. Sometimes I know it has to be, but when it comes to running my own household...really?
It's not even 10:30am, and I've already blown it in the loving/kindness/graciousness department this morning. His mercies are new every morning, and I"m SO thankful for that, because today I need an extra dose of them.
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Or you can always just keep a Bible handy and flip to James 1:19 when in need. Or perhaps you're at that desperate stage where you need to bind a phylactery on your forehead with this verse in it? On second thought, that didn't seem to work too well for the Pharisees so maybe you better pass on that one. But I'll be sure to let you know if I come up with any other stupendous ideas!!!
~Still learning to grin and bear it~