This week I was verbally assaulted TWO times in one week and both times it was by complete strangers. Y'all I couldn't believe it either time and both times about 5 minutes after the shock wore off I came up with something very non-Christian but super funny that I wish I would have said to these people. I wish I could tell you what I came up with, but I promise you would judge me and look down on me.
Assault #1:
When & Where: Tuesday morning at the kids gym.
Aaron and I took the kids to the first day at their new school and we stuck around the gym to see exactly what goes on during this time when they are all waiting to go to their prospective rooms. The kids were on one side of the gym and we were sitting in the bleachers on the other end of the gym. There was one other parent in the bleachers about 10 yards away from us. I never noticed him until he assaulted his words on us like we were the enemy itself.
Aaron and I were there chatting and trying to keep Story entertained because she could not process why we were there still and not on our way home where her breakfast was waiting for her. I believe there were tears and she was squirming and we were trying our best to not look agitated with our daughter in front of our kids brand new principal, when next thing we know the kids are up and saying the pledge. Looking back now I think we should have stood. Of course we should have stood. I'm not sure why we didn't, except that I swear they were half way through when I realized what was happening as I hauled Story off the ground from the fit she was throwing because she wanted breakfast. I pulled her in my lap and we both put our hands over our hearts and said the pledge. As we were mumbling our way through the Texas pledge (who still remembers that anyways?!?!) we hear a man yell at us from behind us. We turn around as he is waving his arms at us and yelling “have some respect. Stand up for your country.” Aaron and I literally look around as we are certain this man is not seriously yelling at us in the gym in front of everyone. When we realize that oh yes we are the only other people in his eye sight and sure enough we didn't even realize we are indeed still sitting we look bewildered at him as he goes again “I'm a vet and you have no respect for me. Show some respect for your country.” I was so embarrassed I could have crawled under the bleachers. The good thing is that the school is very small and the kids were all on the other side of the gym and they were all reciting the Texas pledge so beautifully that they never heard the harassment from the bleachers.
I now see this man all the time and I swear he glares at me and wants to take me down. I almost feel the need to put an American flag sticker on my car just so he knows I'm on his team.
Assault #2
When & Where: Friday as I was dropping my friend Staci off at her house in her driveway
My friend Staci and I were having a great conversation today as I drove her back to her house. We had spent the last 20 minutes in the car discussing God's faithfulness, trusting in God's will, the thought of asking God to do something and fearing that he won't or that he will, the reasons we struggle with believing God and on and on and on. We were praising God for healing Deacon and I was expressing to her some of my struggles with praising him for that even though it's so good. Anyhow … my point I'm trying to make is that we were having a great conversation that was full of laughter and tears.
I pull into her driveway and this car stops behind me on the street and rolls down the passenger window. There's a sweet old woman, well at the time I thought she was sweet, in the passenger side and a man in the driver side. I see them stop and roll down the window and think they are probably lost, or know Staci, or live in the neighborhood and are just checking up on her.
I get out of my car and smile and wave as I'm sure they are nice people that just need directions or something. The sweet old woman glares at me with a very evil look and the man leans down so he can see me and begins to yell at me. I'm so utterly caught off guard and confused. He says “I bet that Ford you have there comes with a turn signal!!”. I am so confused and think maybe somethings wrong with my car and he's trying to earn his citizen-of-the-day badge and be nice to me. Oh no. I give the ‘what was that sir' look and he repeats “your turn signal. You think you could learn to use it. You have a turn signal use it.”
He then gives me his best go-to-hell glare and drives off. I get in the car and tell Staci and we both laugh. This poor man went out of his way to follow me so that he could verbally assault me! I wanted to yell at him that we were talking about how my son was healed of something and we were talking about how we can trust God no matter what and discussing God's will for our lives, and he felt better about himself because he yelled at me for not using my turn signal.
The point of this is that if you think about yelling at someone, don't. It's rude and really it's you that looks stupid. Also I'll never accidentally not stand for the pledge ever. Ever.
Once, several years ago, my brother attempted suicide. I learned that he was hospitalized (across the country) just minutes before I left for a women’s retreat. Our group of women stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner. It was winter and super cold outside. I called my mom to find out what was going on and left our table to try to find a quiet place to talk. A woman at another table called me out for being rude and talking on the phone in the restaurant. I said I was sorry and wandered out … but I still think about that – how I was hearing really bad news and processing my brother’s pain and hurt, and someone just wanted me to know I was being rude. I try to remember that when I’m irritated at someone. Maybe they’re driving badly because they are on their way to the hospital, or maybe that clerk has problems at home and is having trouble focusing at work. Who knows?
You don’t give that patriatism run-a-muck assault another thought. That is so warped. Pledge-smedge. So yes, it’s good to to stand out of respect for others mad-allegiance to nationhood but other than that, who cares. Your daughter is more important. A lot of bad things are done in the name of patriatism and that assault is one of them. It’s an ‘ism’ and for the most part ‘ism’s lead to madness and anger and …. A couple of times a year our church sings the national anthem. I don’t agree with it but I stand out of respect for others who think it’s important but I refuse to sing. Next time you ask that man to show some respect for the vocation of mothering.
Yikes! Rough, especially in one day. This type of thing can really wear a person down and it takes effort (as I’m learning) to not allow another person or even to steal my joy.