People are Just More Important. . .

than all this stuff I always have to do. That is the hardest thing for me to remember.

People are difficult. They're hard. They're complicated and messy and they don't clean up easily. They are easily offended and it takes great effort to make it all ok again. You tell them the truth and they get mad. Or they just get mad at you for no reason. The person at the grocery is having a bad day, the bank teller is not feeling well. Rose had to walk home. JB thought she had a track meet and needed to hurry hurry hurry and why isn't her sweatshirt washed and ready?

No matter the irritation, they usually will take it out on you without even knowing it.

Laundry, on the other hand, is wonderful. You wash it, you fold it, you put it away and it's done. Very neat. It even smells great. Washing dishes is the same way. You have this great big mess and then it's all clean and nice. Everything is put in its place.

I had a nice day going today of quiet and peace, doing laundry and dishes. And then B came over to have coffee and talk. We spent about an hour or so sitting and chatting and drinking coffee. I love that she does that. She's young enough to be my daughter, actually (well, just barely). She's at a stage of life where I was about 10-12 years ago. She needs me to listen to her, and she often needs me to say "Hey, B, it's no big deal. There are more important things." See, I know this because I've already sweated all the small stuff with little kids, and I got wisdom. Yep, that's me, the wiser one. I'm all about being wiser than to sweat the small stuff.

(Those of you who know me well, please, stop it. Get up off the floor and for heaven's sake stop laughing. It's embarassing. You're ruining my image here).

B was leaving, at the door, and mentioned that she was sorry she took all this time from me that I could have spent doing yet more laundry or dishes. My first thought? You betcha, B. I don't have all day to sit and chitchat with you when I've got STUFF to do.

Instead, the Holy Spirit intervened. And something amazing came out of my mouth. I told her she was more important. Because she is.

I love it when that happens.

Have you ever noticed in the bible how Jesus never hurried and yet never was late? I'll bet that drove the Pharisees right up the wall. He just didn't do things by the book. He took his time, and everything was still there to do when he got to it. Even Lazarus -- who, by the way, was dead.

I was born 16 days late and have been catching up ever since. Maybe that's why I'm always running. Running from one project thing to the next, always making that more important than all these (ewww) people.

I spent part of today on the phone, something I detest. I hate phones. I love email and in person, but I absolutely cannot abide the phone. I would throw every one I own away if it were at all possible to survive without it. I do not like talking to people when I am in the midst of my stuff. I have things to do, and people just mess it up.

I was calling everyone to make sure we didn't get 29 green bean cassaroles at the covered dish dinner on Friday night for the Danish students. I wondered how I got talked into that job, calling everyone. I drank another short glass of Diet Coke and put on my smile.

And it got done, along with a fair amount of laundry and all the dishes. It will be fine, even though I waited until today (Tuesday) to get it all handled (it's happening Friday).

I think God is having a good laugh on me. Here I am, this introvert who would never leave her house if at all possible, and He gives me an extroverted husband and five chatty girls. All these people around me, and a cruise-ship full of work to do to serve them. No wonder I'm crazy.