1. Really, what is up with Kleenex boxes? Why do I have to reach in and pull up half the tissues when I open a new box and try to get just one? Am I missing something simple? Please advise.
Sanctification will come if I simply take my time, not curse the designers of the tissue box, and be patient. Indeed, this is an opportunity that the Lord provides for the exercise of the virtue of patience.
2. It is infuriating to be driving along, follow the rules of the road, when another driver does something illegal or dangerous and then gestures angrily at ME as if I were the one at fault!! Hello???
This is surely an opportunity for holiness. Instead of cursing the offending driver, I could immediately pray for him, giving him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps his mother just died, or his wife left him. Perhaps he was distracted and truly did think that I was the one at fault. Perhaps he came from a culture where this type of behavior is not seen as offensive. Prayer and forgiveness are the answer here.
3. Just having a good time at a social event, feeling great, mingling, strike up a conversation with an acquaintance who says, "You look really tired, Leila."
If I were a saint, the best response would be to thank her for her concern. Always assume the good intention. Try not to be so vain that the rest of the evening is spent preoccupied with how bad I must really look, when I actually thought I looked kinda cute.
Ugh all three of those things are so frustrating!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you looked beautiful at the social event! What did you say to this person?
Haha, that last one cracks me up just because I've gotten that one so many times before. I used to get really dark circles under my eyes sometimes when I was around a lot of dust or other allergens, and when visiting my inlaws 6 years ago in the dry, dry desert of Roswell, every morning my MIL would remark on how tired I looked! I finally figured out that I needed to apply a little bit of eye makeup BEFORE coming out for breakfast. That fixed that :).
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, other drivers do make me curse...but that comes with the territory in the DC area!
I love it...especially #3. Check out my post from today to see my "other" social opportunity for "sanctification", of which I will now refer my pet peeves as! Love it!
ReplyDeleteAll of those can bug the crap outta me! Apparently, I need to work on the sanctification.
ReplyDeleteBecause for 1, I would yank on the kleenex, half would go flying across the room, and I would swear.
No. 2, I would throw all lady like-ness out the window, swear, honk and maybe throw the hello middle finger.
No. 3, tell her to bite me. HAHAHAHAHAH!
Obviously, I need to work on things!! Thanks for the reminders of how I SHOULD handle things!
Oh Leila. How you make me laugh! Thanks, friend.
ReplyDeleteLol... this really made me giggle. Oh how far I have to go to be a Saint! #2 gets to me... And #3... my Dad ALWAYS tells me I look tired! And my poor twin! Dad thinks telling her "You look so maternal" is a compliment. No, Dear Dad, while we love our Blessed Mother dearly, telling a woman she looks "motherly" (without prefacing that she also looks radiantly beautiful) is dangerous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh Leila!!!
ReplyDeleteSo funny and great ideas for sanctification!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I can identify with every one of those! Thanks for the laugh! :)
ReplyDeleteWHO SAID THAT TO YOU? Oh my goodness...I'm SURE I know them and I will give them the tongue lashing they deserve!
ReplyDeleteHa, I actually was shocked, but I quickly said, quizzically, "Nope, not tired." And then tried to talk over my shock by saying that it was hot, and then joking that I was old.
ReplyDeleteAt the time, I was holding my baby and having a really nice time. It's just hard to believe that people say these things out loud. Especially women should know not to say that stuff to other women!
#3 definitely challenges me to act graciously! The only thing is sometimes I say it out of concern to others and it probably makes them as upset as I get when people say it to me :)
ReplyDeleteHa! My MIL is famous for telling people (especially me) how tired we look.
ReplyDeleteAnother favorite back-handed compliment that I get is that I look great *for a mom of 8*. Um, okay... does that mean I wouldn't look great if I was a mom of 2?