I haven’t posted a blog since I graduated and I suppose I had better put one up. This is a semi-impromptu comedy routine perhaps.
I have a pet peeve of people complaining and then refusing to do anything about it. I’m sure you know the situations I’m talking about. I’ll give you an example and help you through my thought process as it unfolds.
Person: I’m cold
Thoughts: Person is cold, therefore a coat or blanket would probably remedy the situation.
Me: Here, take my coat.
Person: No, that’s okay.
Thoughts: Here we go again, one of those people. I thought this was a call for help, but it was just a pity party. If they were going to merely state fact, why didn’t they use the indefinite “It is cold”? Maybe they are doing the whole “I know what it is to be content” part of Philippians 4, but haven’t figured out the “without complaining or arguing” part yet. Is the coat too small or something? Wait, it is mine, so it can’t be that. Maybe it’s….no, it’s mine. Did they notice the time I sneezed or coughed into my sleeve and think that I’m contagious? Ultimately, is it me or them?
Thus I stand with a complainer on one hand and a coat in the other. The chronic complainer. Or were they venting?! That’s a whole different animal. Since I’m rarely in a position to vent, I most often find myself the recipient of the venting. The problem is, now that someone has spewed their crud on me, how am I supposed to clean it up, or even am I? Do they really mean to ask for advice and not vent? How should I respond? The anticipated response is always the other one, it seems. When I think that they want advice, they were really just venting and vice versa. And if they were just venting, why did they pick me and what am I to do with it. Throw it away like junk mail, or polish it like I do at work? (I hoped you’d laugh here) And now that I’ve vented, what are you going to do with it… actually there was a point to this, as always.
JA Menter 3
It is cold, but “…I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
And to you Lincolnites, Philippians 4:14
I’m cold, but I’m simply stating a fact, not requesting a solution. If I weren’t so lazy, I’d turn on my space heater, grab a blanket, or maybe get in bed. As it is, I’ll just complain.
No need to polish it, feel free to throw it away like the junk mail it is!