Monday, March 14, 2005

Thoughts... or the lack there of...

I spent all night Thursday and from Friday morning around 10:00 until Saturday morning at 1:00 writing a paper on personality theories. Due to the fact that all of my "extra" brain cells went towards writing a semi-coherent paper worthy of a master's level student... and the fact that this child is sucking away at any intelligence I formerly housed in my cerebral cortex, I now have zero energy to sit at my computer and type anything of particular interest or humor.

I will say that my hormones have officially taken over my sensory functioning and if I thought my mouth was uncontrollable earlier, boy was I mistaken!!! It seems as though Mrs. Say-what-you-think/feel/should-be-said has been embedded in my body.

Yesterday the family that sits in front of us at church (usually two parents, a grandmother, and three children ages 8 to 12, plus a friend or two) was rather slim. It was only Dad, little sister, middle brother and a friend. Dad got an emergency page for work, leaving children and friend all alone. The two boys began thumping knuckles (we called it a horrendously derogatory name when I was in school, which shall be left out of this blog entirely). I sat, and sat, and sat waiting for them to end the game. It continued through the entire sermon, the song of invitation, a couple coming forward and asking for prayers from the church, two interval songs, and the shepherd's challenge and even a prayer on the family's behalf. I was annoyed, then irritated, and then IRATE!!! This is not something that would be tolerated had any familial adults been near, so I decided to step in. I leaned forward, put a hand on each of the boys shoulders and said, "Stop, please." in the most controlled, caring, teeth clenched fashion I could muster. I got a look that said many things and then the boys both turned beet red and did actually stop. I ask you, had it been your child or children and you had to leave, would you want another adult correcting their behavior? Because if I'm near enough to say something, believe me, I will. I certainly hope that it will be the same for my children, though I am certain they will be as near perfection as I was and will need no correction what-so-ever.

Stopping the endless, mind numbing babbling.

6 comments:

BabyJ20 said...

I can only hope that if/when I have children that I am so lucky as to have someone sitting close enough during worship to keep such and eye on my rugrats!! As long as you weren't hateful or abusive, which I certainly don't believe YOU were or ever would be, on behalf of other worshippers, Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'd want you to do the same if it were my kids. Then I'd want you to tell me about it afterwards so I could punish them for it also. I'm actually surprised you waited that long to say anything.

Anonymous said...

Tricia says: Billy Freeze would be so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!:)

Karen said...

Practically every parent I know (me included) would appreciate what you did; most would only wish you'd done it sooner!

Clarissa said...

Yes, you're truly a mom (well, you're almost halfway through cookin', anyway!) You can now correct every child in hearing distance. I do! :-)

SG said...

"though I am certain they will be as near perfection as I was and will need no correction what-so-ever"

You know, You really are tempting fate with those words! :) What I can't stand is when the parents are there while the kids are acting up and do nothing. I have been known when really pushed to say something even then. The school teacher in me just can't help it.