Sunday, December 16, 2007

Secrets

I used to think it would be cool to know people's deep dark secrets, but I have become less fond of secrets as the years go by.

Thanks to being a minister's wife plus a few strange circumstances, I am privy to a few secrets. Some of them are pretty deep and dark. And the downside of knowing secrets is that you can't tell anyone.

I know ugly things like who was sexually abused when they were young, and by whom. And I know that this one man still loves this other lady, even though he married someone else. I know someone who thinks they ought to have been ordained in an ordination-by-lot, (a Mennonite method of letting God do the choosing between several men), and someone else was chosen instead.

And I know that this one young lady likes that nice oblivious young man, and I would love to pull some strings in the situation, but I can't.

I even know about some bizarre undercover stuff in the Middle East.

By saying all this I don't mean to dangle something tempting in front of you and have you beg me to tell you--pleeezzzeee, I promise I won't tell!--and then I feel all powerful because I won't.

I'm just saying this is one of those mostly-unseen character-builders in my life. I was not meant to keep secrets. I was meant to talk and to tell. I have to fight the flesh on this one often.

Quote of the Day:
"I made an Excel spreadsheet, and I put all the guys I could think of in the rows, and all the girls in the columns, and then I evaluated the potential combinations."
--Matt, after I told him I'm sitting on a who-likes-who secret

14 comments:

  1. So glad you know how to keep secrets! Keep sitting on it!

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  2. I would think it would be difficult to still act "normal" towards certain people knowing something that you almost wished you didn't! Sometimes, being outside the loop is so much better!
    Connie

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  3. And let me guess. Matt is pursueing an engineering degree! Right?!
    My engineer-BIL has a spreadsheet for everything!

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  4. I have my own secret: I know who posted the first anonymous comment!! I'll sit on that one, too. =)

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  5. Yes dearie, do sit on it! This is too hilarious!Hee Hee!!

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  6. Can I share a secret with you? I am a mom of 7 children, and way to often I start with reading one blogger but than I read another one and then another and so on till I was on this computer way to long. The children get neglected the laundry doesn't get done and so on. So do you have guideline to help you and are you accoutable to someone? Or is this just my problem? I just started with blogging about 3 months ago and I was hoping it would wear off but I think it more addictive than ever. Thanks in advance for any reply.

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  7. In my family we used to sing a tantalizing, disgusting [depending who had the secret]song when we had a secret. It went: A SECRET, a SECRET, I have a little SECRET, Who told me, Who told me, I'll never, never tell! A SECRET, a SECRET, I have a little SECRET, Who told me , Who told me, I'll never, never tell!
    Chorus: Singing tra-la-la-la-la-la!
    Repeat 3 more times.
    The melody went very well with the words, all joyous and dangling the power in front of the wanting to know victims. ~Edith

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  8. I think I'm good at keeping secrets from getting out, but the problem is how it eats at me, keeping them in. I stew over them, worry, puzzle, etc. before finally remembering I need to give over the worrying and doing to God and try to let go of the situations. That's the tough part for me.

    As for blog reading, I have the same problem as anonymous (but at work-yikes!). Sometimes I tell myself I can only look at them on certain days of the week. Setting a time limit is too hard because you never know how much content you need to catch up on. I also try to keep it at about 5 blogs I actively follow, and delete links to the others so I forget about them. Hope this helps.

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  9. I hate secrets. I cant keep them for nothing. So my dear husband, who really has no desire to hear secrets, has to listen to all mine because telling him is like telling a stone!. He never responds and besides he always forgets them anyway. Its comforting to have somewhere safe to spill the secrets!

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  10. Love the post, and I am so glad that you keep secrets...I have dumped my share on you too!:)
    Mrs. Darling, I love your comment, cuz I can just picture that hubby of yours when you tell him a secret!:) If you want too, you could tell me your secrets, but then again how could ya cuz its a secret who I am.

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  11. "Bizarre undercover stuff in the Middle East" You better be careful or you'll have the Taliban coming over Tea.

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  12. Anonymous #2: you bet I'm pursuing an engineering degree! :-) Mechanical engineering to be specific.

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  13. QOTD- that sounds kinda scary, who was i matched up with?
    bethany

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  14. Go to a nursing home and spill all your secrets to the residents. They won't remember to pass them on!
    Louise

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