I remember the title of a movie that came out a few years ago. "Dumb and Dumber" was the movie. I never saw it, but the fact that a movie would be titled that stuck with me. (Some day I'll do a post about misused words - starting with "dumb").
Today's topic is the Rude Tongue. The author speaks to our busy lives and all the devices we employ to make us more 'efficient.' We are all in a hurry and we all expect instant results.
On Friday Google was having some trouble with e-mail and with blogs. It was making me crazy. I had gotten up at 4:30 a.m. to put the child with a field trip to NYC on her bus. I knew the bus wasn't returning until midnight. I was, a bit cranky during the day (except for when I was drumming. That was the high point of the day). Every other Friday evening we have a Bible study group in our home. I know my heart and my energy was less than normally engaged. So when Google was slow, I was . . . um . . . rude. To everyone in my household. Saturday was so busy that my brow furrowed with dark thoughts more and more. By 3 p.m. I was about to explode. So I went to take a nap. I'm sure my family and the entire Washington DC metro area sighed with relief.
I find that when I am tired or feeling pressed for time, I am more inclined to be rudely impatient. And I am more likely to express it verbally. Why can't I remember that God has ordained my time and I will not be any earlier or any more late than what He already knows will be the case? And if the God of the universe is okay with it, then I should be too.
Ahh...Lord, forgive my impatience. Help my family forgive my rudeness and uncharitable behavior. Help me to remember to seek you first before opening my mouth. Again. Amen.
4 comments:
I think we all get like when we are tired. It's not intentional and as long as we can say sorry all is well if you ask me. It's just a function of our body.
Isn't that the truth! If you don't mind, I'm going to print out your little prayer and put it in my kitchen (and on my computer monitor!) to remind me to try to behave!
Oh my. This is a post for me today! I did not say anything, but I certainly thought it, which really, is no better. When church was over I waited patiently in the pew for the isles to clear out, then I hopeed up and headed for the bathroom -- only to find a small group meeting in the hall outside the bathroom doors. I said "Excuse me," several times and no one moved. No one even looked up.
I wondered what made these people so important and so privileged that they had the right to block access to one of the most critical rooms in the building. Almost immediately I wondered what made me think I was so important and so privileged that I couldn't wait 20 seconds.
I took a calming breath, touched the arm of the lady in front of me and, when I had her attention, pointed toward the bathroom door and said, "Excuse me." She immediately perceived the problem and roused her friends to move, which they all dod post-haste and apologetically.
All-in-all, I probably reached the bathroom only 30 seconds less quickly than I would have had the church been empty.
I agree Thom, that most of us get this way...I'm trying to learn to not express it so readily!
Mary - feel free to print it out! I hope you are blessed by the challenge!
Quilly - I think one of the most difficult things about starting at a new church is find that knot of people that you belong with. That probably didn't help the initial feeling. But I'm so glad God put His filter on you! And that nothing embarrassing happened!
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