Thursday, March 6, 2008

Confessions - I want your comments!!

I've thought all day about what I'm going to blog about. That makes for great speech therapy, let me tell you. "Oh, I'm sorry, you were telling me about your dog. I could've sworn you were the first 80-yr-old I know with a blog." Does this mean I'm addicted to blogging?

There are two important things I want to cover today. First, my daughter's new accomplishment, because she is, afterall, the Headliner of this blog. Second, I'll get to my profession of guilt, which is the title of today's blog (see section two for the part I most want your comments about).

Sophie started "pulling up" last night. I've thought for awhile that she might pull up if we had good furniture for "cruising" (who knew we would ever consider our furniture in this way?!). So Ben and I got out one of our boxes from moving and sat her down in front of it. Sure enough, she grabbed onto it and began to strain upward until she was stuck in a half-up position. She stood there looking at us as if we were going to help her. But just like any good parents who want to see their child reach the next milestone, we did nothing. So she heaved and hoed a little more until she was at the top!
Once she'd reached the summit, she stood there flashing her big gummy grin at us as if she'd just climbed Everest. Needless to say, future attempts proved much more efficient and less effortful for our little monkey. Way to go, Soph!

Item number 2 looms. BLOGGER POLL: How do you stand up for yourself and still act like a Christian? I need major tips here. Confession time: Last night I had a talk with the man who owns the painting company. Yes, the same company I was thankful for just yesterday morning (and overall am still thankful for). The guy who had been painting left many things, well, haphazard, if you will. On top of that, he still needed to come and finish today, when originally we'd been told probably Tuesday, but definitely Wednesday. So on the phone I kindly but firmly told the owner that I was frustrated for X reasons. He in turn basically said there was "nothing he could do about it now." Now I have to say that staying calm in situations like this has never been my strong point. However, after being married to the most patient person in the entire universe, God has begun to mold me into some semblance of tolerance, if not patience. At this point, therefore, I continued to calmly yet firmly reiterate my point. Now is the point things got a little hairy. The man began to yell at me. He yelled again that there was nothing he could do. I was getting more frustrated, but remaining calm. Then he said it: "Well then just don't hire me next time!" (Really a shout, not a statement). So I in turn, a little more forcefully than I had been before, said, "Okay, we won't! And we'll make sure to tell our realtor not to recommend you to anyone else!" Now I truly cannot say I kept my cool. Even though this is astoundingly better than it would've been 5 years ago, I cannot be proud of this. HELP!!! I need your tips for situations just like these. And I just have to praise God that he can forgive me! Here's to many future chances to practice and succeed!

5 comments:

Matt & Lori said...

So when are y'all making the big move?

Anonymous said...

Aw, she's pulling up! It's so sad that I don't get to see her more often.

As far as your poll goes, I don't have a good answer. I do think a Christian, if the situation calls for him/her to stand up for him/herself, can be firm without being rude.
It sounds like this guy was not easy to deal with -- the fact that he yelled at you is ridiculous. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.

Just a thought - in a case like that, one option might be (once he started yelling) to politely and calmly say, "I don't appreciate the way you're talking to me" and maybe wrapping up the conversation. You could always send him a letter (or talk to him again later) and let him politely know why you wouldn't recommend him to anyone. I don't know!! Like I said, it's just a thought.

Anonymous said...

After telling him the 2nd time how disappointed you were, you could ask for a discount. AFter he gives the discount then tell him you won't recommend him for another job.

I was also blessed with a very patient husband.

Amy

Anonymous said...

I say we teepee his house. That's the Christian thing to do. Anything less would let Jesus down.
You can even be creative and scratch a note in his car that invites him to church!

Holly said...

Kelly, I totally struggle with stuff like this. Somehow I can be totally patient in the most difficult situations but when it comes to people that I am paying to do something I turn into a person that I really don't like! It is so frustrating. I am praying for God to work on my heart about this. I really want my heart to be different toward people so that when they start to treat me in a way that is rude or whatever I don't have that reaction. I just want to be more humble!