Writing...

I've been keeping a journal. No time to blog since my main source of Internet connect is now via my non-gs iPad. It's good to write words no matter what medium. I hope by the time this post is in printed form that I've converted the written entries to the blog, but I guess it doesn't really matter. Writing is therapeutic and as long as I'm in write-mode, who cares how it's written?

I'm focused this week on pet peeves.  I have a small list. There's not a lot I can do to eliminate them, but it feels good to state them. Here goes.

I am sick (SICK SICK SICK) of nice people. Nice is for the shit heap. Nice is never, ever authentic. It's false. I once had a friend who was nice. Once real life confronted her - and our relationship - well, think of that song with the lyrics "I see your true colors shining..." and stop there. She can't even offer thanks when a courtesy has been extended. And yet she's lauded with the constant refrain of "nice."  A nice side effect of the end of that relationship is that I have been able to curtail the gossip infecting my life; still, the entire situation makes me feel like puking.

I am also tired of bad parents justifying their ineptitude with all manner of mumbo jumbo. Kids get in all sorts of messes caused by all sorts of situations. There are situations were a parent is not at fault because of circumstances beyond his or her control. However, there are many, many cases when poor parenting creates problems for kids. I'm guilty of my own. So are most of us. There are VERY few circumstances affecting a child that parental love and stability cannot cure. I believe that with my entire being and it's the one solid thing that has kept me committed to my marriage through the most difficult of times.

I have other random pet peeves.  Eighties hair.  Self-photos with cellcams.  Long toenails.  Most of them I can live with. 

But I am completely and totally disheartened by people who fail to live the Gospel with their children. I'm absolutely certain we haven't been perfect parents, but we try to share the Gospel and we talk about what's right and our own failures, and we apologize for them. And this week Joe found a slip of paper tucked in front of Jakob's driver license that reads, "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."

Somehow, that piece of paper makes the rest fade into the background.