Sunday, November 26, 2006

mrs grumpy pants

confession time ... i am STILL learning about patience!

you'd think that after an 11 month wait for a condo - my patience with the trivial would be a little better refined! sigh ... well, i was surprised to learn - 'tis not so!

friday, before leaving for a quick trip to the city - i read joe stowell's devotional entitled "life in the waiting room" ... here is part of it:


When life or people don’t measure up to our expectations, being patient can be quite a challenge. But it’s clear that God wants us to develop this character trait. After all, patience is more than a virtue—it’s a fruit of the Spirit. It reflects His very presence in our lives, for He is a patient God. If He weren’t, we all would have been annihilated long ago.

So what’s our problem?

There’s a good probability that our struggle with patience has been unsuccessful because we’ve been trying to focus on our own agendas and timelines and not trusting that, for reasons best known to Him, God may have a whole different schedule for us. Our propensity to live with a short fuse is all about forgetting that God puts us in His waiting room on purpose, because He is often doing something behind the scenes while we wait.

now before i tell you about my little experience, let me just say that when i get tired (excitement over condo = 3 nights of very little sleep), i have great difficulties being "mrs. christian nice lady" ...


sooooooo, now the story ... i drove into the city yesterday, over ice covered roads, to do some very necessary banking re our condo purchase ... i also made arrangements to have lunch with some folks who were in the city for only a few days (out of province) ...

i had already set my mind to the "they will be late" mode, i told myself not to get upset over this ... you see, i am an EXACT and extreme opposite - i have being on time down to an artform!


i was at the appointed place, at the appointed time ... and only 20 minutes had elapsed (which isn't bad), when i saw one of the ladies come through the restaurant doors ... only she was coming to pull me out of my comfy seat - to trek to another restaurant ... sigh ... ok ... i left, but i felt the "i'm not happy" bug start to bite ...

it was a short drive to this other eatery - through friday afternoon traffic ... a wait for our seats met me at the door of this noisy place, plus after we were seated - the next chore was to line up, fill your plate - and stand in line so that they could stir fry your food ...

i just had a soup and a sandwich and went to sit at our table - the ladies waited for their stir fry in a line that snaked itself around the chefs cooking it ... another 20 minutes ...

i became "mrs grumpy pants" as i ate lunch by myself - but i needed the time to pray for inner peace and forgiveness for my small mindedness and total non-enjoyment of this visit ... i felt this overwhelming urge to just sit there and bawl - it was then that i realized it must be the lack of sleep and the excitement of the condo plus the long list of stuff needing to be done in a short period - which was taking it's toll ...

i prayed that i would "get over it!" ... and the shorter version of lunch, with the ladies and their spicy stir fry, worked out nicely ...

my sweet aunt, who is a kindred spirit and was at lunch as well, reminded me to read over the joe stowell devotional that i had e-mailed her ...

when i got home - i did just that - and the words rang MORE true after my lack of patience in a trivial setting ...

i wanted to share, 'cause in my blogging world i don't want to puff myself up - and seem like "mrs nice christian lady" all the time ... there can be a grumpy ole soul that wants to make an appearance and shoot holes in the "nice nice" at the oddest times ... i have my struggles with those "little things" that can ruin whole days, if i let them.

* * * * * *
on a happy note ... we visited our condo again ... and now it's only 5 sleeps until we get the keys ... :o) .... i am patiently waiting ...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Saija, it does seem that the little annoyances are often harder to bear than the larger, more obvious problems in life, doesn't it? Lack of sleep makes me grumpy, too.

Saija said...

sabine ... well i'm glad i'm not the only one! :o)

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Well I guess I have been so busy with family being here that I missed out knowing that you and hubby have a condo now!! So your "patience" has finally worked out!! I love Your sentence only 5 sleeps until we get the keys!! GREAT!! I am so happy for you guys. I know that you have been wanting to be permantely settled for some time now. I understand how you feel and you do realize that ALL of US are the same way. We get grumpy too. today I am very SAD because we cannot find our LUCY!! She is our BIG RED SWEET CAT!! We love her dearly and she is gone!! My hubby and I are really upset!! I have prayed for her all day. God knows her and hopefully will send her home...or take her home.
Sandy

Maggie Ann said...

'5 sleeps'...that sounds like excitement under pressure...it would be for me I know. I love the picture of the little guy pouting..I could put my face there at times..you bet. I told my hubby just last night..remember, I get even grouchier when I'm tired! Meaning I wasn't my usual sweet?? self while putting up a curtain rod with him. Him-twisting in a screw with an OLDfashioned screwdriver....ME-don't you have that electric drill thing that does that for you? HIM-downstairs somewhere...Me- I"LL (note self-importance here) go get it for you! I'm back...handing him the drill..proudly. HIM-big grin..as he decends the stool and points to the end of the drill-NO BIT! Miss Important didn't notice that. We carefully measured for success. This morning I take a look and lo and behold...the curtain is hung 2 inchs too high! I take a silent vow to myself NOT to mention it. Will I break this vow? Probably...well yes.I think. This is a confession to keep you company in your sweet, honest..post. *hugs* Maggie

Saija said...

Sandy ... awww, i hope lucy found her way home ... :o( ... we have a big ole black cat that is 12 years old and i know how you feel!

maggie ann ... i chuckled to myself when i read your note ... and i read it to leo too ... we saw our relationship in it too! (hugs)

jel said...

when I first read this, I thought you were talking about me, and thinking , how does she know!
cause that is me grumpy pants, and I got no reason to be!

I'm glad that you are getting to move in to your condo :)

Saija said...

jel ... well who knew that there were others out there with the same grumpy parts? :o) ... blessings on ya!

Catherine said...

I am glad I'm not the only one who can become grumpy and impatient for no good reason at times! :) I'm glad you ended up enjoying your lunch!

Saija said...

catherine ... i just hate it when i get cranky ... i think i need to lose my watch! i am such an "on-time" nut ...