Monday, November 05, 2007

Irritating People

I think it was Bill Gothard who propounded the theory of difficult people being like a chisel chipping away at the rough rock of your character to produce a diamond. I can still remember that overhead with the drawing of a diamond getting pieces chipped off.

One of the disadvantages of being a hypersensitive person is that people irritate me a lot more than they do, say, my easygoing husband. Paul gets somewhat annoyed at bombastic, know-it-all young men, but that's about it. And he is still nice to them. And he doesn't dwell on them for any length of time.

Then there's me. I get irritated beyond bearing at a) clueless people who steamroll over everyone else b) people who screech when they talk c) sullen teenagers d) people who don't listen e) bombastic men of any age, especially if they're preachers f) women who are syrupy on the surface and poison underneath g) patronizing people h) people who act super-spiritual i) people who interrupt others j) people who don't like my children k) dads with control issues l) people who come up to me and gush about Beverly Lewis and the Ay-mish m) kids who bully others n) well, that's all I can think of at the moment but trust me there are more.

I must be a very very rough diamond.

And then there is the very disconcerting thought that I am probably an equally irritating chisel in the hands of God to refine some other people's characters. Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Quote of the Day:
"My tablecloth is bluer and my things aren't as faded."
--Paul's mom, after a laser procedure on her eye

11 comments:

  1. I love your honesty!

    (she said in a sincere, non syrupy, non screeching voice...)

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  2. Yeah, but was it patronizing and/or "super-spiritual"?

    ;)

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  3. As a faithful reader, this post is one of my favorite! I really wish tho', that I didn't identify. For myself, I'm quite certain that there is no diamond in here somewhere. A lump of coal, maybe.

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  4. I think you just about covered everyone on the planet! Ha Ha!
    Connie

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  5. Good post. LOL, your husband reminds me of my husband. Which begs the question, is it a gender issue? Could it be that being the nurturing sex, women are more sensitive to the people you described, than men. Maybe it is more about how God created the differences in the genders. However that shouldn’t be an excuse for allowing God to work, in order for us women to be beautiful diamonds.

    Ann, from Lititz, Pa.

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  6. Honestly, I don't read blogs hardly ever. But your blog, because of your book, has a home on my bookmarks bar. I am with you on this one! I have to remind myself when my husband is so calm, that God gave us our demeanor for balance. It takes me a few days to recover though! Ha ha. I truly enjoy your books, blog, and newspaper articles.

    Coming to TN anytime soon?

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  7. ....I like that one! Then there's the people who smile knowingly when a partiular subject is mentioned leaving you (me) feeling dumb since they obviously know more but aren't telllng. Mary

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  8. Y'all sound like my husband & I! I am much more easily irritated at "little" things than my husband! :~{ And I can even identify with the things you listed!! I agree with Ann... I tend to think it's a gender issue.

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  9. Oh I like this post!! I can relate too well..but you knew that already... didn't you? :)

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  10. Ann, yeah, it's probably a gender thing.
    anonymous--sorry, I don't have plans to come to TN. Would love to, someday, though.

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  11. lol. Stop reading my mind. These were my private thoughts till you splashed them all over the net.

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