I’m frustrated.
No, frustrated’s not the right word.
I’m pissed, hot and streaming.
Jessica goes to a women’s meeting on Monday afternoons at four. I’m all for such things: connection, reflection and discussions are good things.
But it drives me crazy that the meetings last three or four hours, cause her to miss dinner with the rest of us, and leave me without ten measly minutes to shower or even slam out a mean-spirited post to my blog because I have to make dinner, do dishes, bathe children, take out the garbage, and pick up three days’ worth of their mess, which is strewn everywhere I look. All after rushing frenetically through nine hours of heavy lifting for Pepsi (since five a.m.), limping around with a deep gash in my foot, looking forward with great anticipation to the time when I get home, so I can “rest.”
I lead a men’s meeting on Wednesday nights. We meet at seven, and I told the men up front that the meetings would be over by nine or thereabouts, barring some emergency situation (such as Jesus appears in bodily form to say something, or for some inexplicable reason--probably severe mental illness--I suddenly feel like droning on for four hours...pray for me, brothers). Most of us have very demanding schedules, and are trying to juggle families, careers, ministry, relationships and personal devotion. Everyone nodded in agreement at the time limit. Two or three were visibly relieved. Eight to ten guys usually show up, and I make sure everyone shares something related to the topic (bringing them back if they go down rabbit trails), we pray, it’s real, dudes feel blessed and challenged, and guess what? We get done around nine.
Women’s meeting: four or five women. One for each hour.
It’s now 7:45 and if my wife were here RIGHT NOW to watch the kids I’d have time to shower, shave, brush my teeth, and read for ten minutes before going to bed.
I express my anger about this nearly every week, but I guess she doesn’t care enough to make any boundaries. Boundaries, you understand, are only for men.
In other news, I just filled out an online application for admission to Regent University. I want to learn some things.
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6 comments:
That is the exact reason I refuse to attend women's meetings. And honestly from my experience, they are all gossip fests disguised as prayer requests. Then again, I am just a jaded PK who has been forced her entire life to attend those suck-fests until recent years.
Sorry for the rant.
I don't think they're gossiping or anything. I think they just like to talk. For a LONG, LONG TIME.
Just the thought of having to sit in a meeting for over three hours gives me and my ass great anxiety, but I'm a man. I understand women are different. Apparently their butts don't fall asleep and their mouths don't go dry from all the chattiness and bonding. I WANT my wife to be involved with this kind of thing.
I just don't want it to take all afternoon, evening, and night.
Yeah, Jared would like me to go to those things too, but I guess I just got burned out after all these years. Plus, when Jared is home I like to spend time bugging him since he's not home too often these days. (And he's a horrible babysitter.) ;)
Four hours is a little a much, but I guess after being stuck home with kids all day I can understand how women need the adult fellowship/bonding. My problem is that I am too shy to "bond" with anyone anyway so it's pointless for me to go to those things. I just get bored.
It was more like three hours because we almost never start on time and it takes a 20 minutes to actually get out the door and drive home.
AND...I didn't try and defend it last night, BUT I also had to make copies for dear ol' Stevie Boy.
I was sincerely shocked when I got in the car and the clock said 7:28. One of these days, I'm going to buy clocks for every classroom in that church.
Buy some alarm clocks, sikki. ;) I used to tease my dad about setting an alarm clock and when it went off his sermon would have to be over. (he tends to be long winded sometimes)
Making copies can definitely take a lot of time.
Oh by the way, I hope all goes well with the Regent University thing. Sounds wicked cool!
Can't say anything b/c you once asked why I never talk bad about my husband...we don't want to ruin whatever impression you have about me.
I have an opinion on this but it's not coming out right so I'm keeping my mouth shut
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