and in summary.... bragging and boasting sound pretty much the same. Regardless if it is about oneself or about one's children.... GUILTY. Yep - I'm guilty. I guess I boast and brag. Hopefully, though, it isn't so much about myself but about others.
Yesterday was another day at work I just couldn't get with it. I did manage to terminate two contracts, and schedule the requested meetings, but I just wasn't in to working. Today I will be 'short' three bosses (whoo hoo!!) and by tomorrow all 5 of those I support will be out on 'vacation'. I am planning an lunch today with a dear 'old' friend (she reminds me I am months older than she is (the nerve!) so there is that. It has been about six weeks since we met up I'm guessing, so catching up is due. We chose to meet at Jack in the Box between us because eating at the restaurants is getting pretty expensive and she is on limited income since her hubby passed, and I prefer cheap. In fact, next time I may tell her we'll just meet at her house and I'll fix something for lunch. In fact, that sounds like a pretty good plan, to me! But I do need to buckle down and get more contracts terminated and things done. Just could not get with it yesterday. And every day seems like Friday this week and it's driving me crazy.
Hubby and I had a disagreement yesterday. I know, that is nothing unusual for us. We rarely see eye-to-eye on anything. But to me, this is silly and I still do not like HOAs running my life. I don't care if he is president of the HOA, I do not like the HOA and if I could sell this place and move to a little house somewhere on my own property, I would do it in a heartbeat. He refuses to move, of course. What was that all about? I think I have mentioned before how lax he is about watering my plants, and if I water them, he gets mad because it is 'his job'. But he will go all week if I wouldn't 'nag' at him. And my plants die. I have spent $100 - $200 on plants each season - and they all die - because he doesn't water them on a regular basis - although he even writes on his calendar to water every 3rd day (in this heat they need to be watered more often!!).
My big brother had sent me sunflower seeds and other seeds to plant and he had said that they need a lot of water to get growing. So I mentioned it to hubby yesterday that we need to water at least a little every day all the plants to keep the soil moist so that they won't die in this heat. Oh my goodness. He started on me about the water bill (which is paid through the management company) and how if our bill goes up higher than anyone else's, we will be called out on it. Really? Is that the real issue? I stood there and let him go off on me and started to walk away when he took a breath. Then he started in on my walking away from the 'conversation'. I just turned and looked at him and said "Well, I guess I need to get back to work so that I can pay for the water that we use." That didn't go over very well either. He followed me down the hall. I get it that we shouldn't abuse watering the plants - but come on! We had our bushes in the back pulled out to save water for the HOA, and then they wouldn't allow me to put plants in the ground!! They have to be put in pots. I don't care about the sprinkler system that is horrible out here. Our lawns look horrible. I don't care if hubby is the president of the HOA (against my wishes, I will add), I deserve to have nice plants and of course our water bill may go up a bit - no one else has any plants in the front courtyard! Yes, I'm frustrated. So I ordered 4 batches of artificial flowers to replace the flowers in the pots on the ledge that have 'died'. At least he won't have to water those! And I told hubby I was done buying plants. BTW, he went out and watered all the plants in the front and back. He knows I'm right. Let's just see how much the water bill would go up. It's not like we're filling a pool every day.
I called Ms. Diane last night and she was upset. She was told by the hospital she had 30 minutes to get her things together and get moved to a rehab place. She said she had been crying because things were moving so fast and she didn't even have any clothes or shoes there with her. As I looked outside, I saw her garage door open, but not her daughter's car. I walked outside as I talked with Ms. Diane to see if someone was there. As I talked, her daughter came out of the house carrying some clothes and putting in Ms. Diane's car. As I walked towards her, she said that she couldn't talk, she had twenty minutes to get back with the clothes so her mother could be moved. The hospital was literally kicking her out! I've heard several 'bad' things about this hospital, and I don't care if it is the closest to us - I'll go to the one a little further away! (Ms. Amy sat in the waiting room 5 hours after being brought in by ambulance (they left her there!) before being seen.) I told Ms. Diane I'd call her back today she didn't know the name of the rehab place she was going to - but at least it wasn't the one she was in before - she hated that place. This one is further away, but I will go visit her this weekend.
I Thessalonians 5:11 (NKJV): Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you are doing.
To edify.... means, according to Webster's dictionary, to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge. It also means to 'uplift' someone. Interesting.
We are to comfort each other and edify - build up, uplift - each other. Just as we are doing. Right. Are WE uplifting, edifying, someone? Do the words that come out of our mouths bring blessings upon someone or are our words harsh and unfeeling? Granted, my example above was NOT uplifting - from either of us - but I do enjoy building people up. But it has to be sincere, and it's more than 'you look nice'.
We can uplift people just by saying the words 'it is so good to see you!' when it really is. We all have someone in our lives that we enjoy hanging around, and perhaps we don't see that often, but when we do have those times of getting together, our hearts are full of joy. You do, don't you, have those people in your life? I know I do. I have friends that I really enjoy being around. They don't have to do anything special, but just being with them brings me joy. And I hope I bring them joy as well. Maybe we ought to think on this scripture a bit and work to apply it more often to those closer to us.
Something to think about.
Blessings!
