Monday December 22nd, 2008
“U”is rich because there are so many un- words.
And I’m guessing that the word “unruffled” has something to do with feathers and birds, but what I’m leaning (and again, this will be the challenge of my life for the next 50 years) is to be un-bothered by things that are out of my control and un-involved 
with situations that don’t concern me.
with situations that don’t concern me.
I try to be unruffled when I’m putting dinner on the table in the hope that my husband will be home on time and I get THAT phone call – you know, the one when he says he “doesn’t know when he’s leaving.” Foil over plate. Dinner off the table and into the icebox for later. And I sit down to eat with my daughters and an empty chair missing.
I am learning to be unruffled when the telemarketer ridicules ME for asking politely for their company not to call my home again. I am learning to keep my feathers calm when my toddler has a “special” accident in her big-girl underpants behind the Christmas tree. I try to stay undisturbed when giant cylinder of mini Christmas foam stickers spill in millions of tiny piles on the kitchen tile.
Like a cozy afternoon in the middle of a rainstorm. Like a quiet minute in the middle of the night. Like a still ocean, no wind, no waves. Unruffled in the middle of a world of chaos.
Unruffled – screams from the living room.
Unruffled – piles of laundry.
Unruffled – a misplaced to-do list with things that won’t wait.
Unruffled – someone in Target purposely shoves their cart into my ankle.
I am learning to take small steps forward in my projects, to take quiet minutes in my day, and to try to see the whole picture when the NOW of my world begins to splinter.
I am learning to be unruffled. And it is a stubborn journey.
(But please don’t come to my house before bath time or when scissors find their way into the hands of an artistic two-year-old. Then my word might be “UNGLUED“.)
What ruffles your feathers that you wish didn’t?
Things I can’t conrol — which is EVERYTHING. “Unruffled” — I will work on it too.
The biggest thing that ruffles my feathers is WASTED TIME. Interruptions, delays, the unexpected.
What I’m learning is that these things are not the obstacles to my life but rather they define my life.
So I’m learning to get over it. But yes, I’m still resistant even when I wish to be gracious. 
Interruptions!
And my life is one big interruption. I am trying to accept that.
The scissors would do me in too! Oh wow Sarah and you still found sanity to send out Christmas cards! You go girl!
I suppose the thing that ruffles my feathers the most would be random toys that seem to travel into every room of the house serving no purpose whatsoever! And I cannot stand the noise and chaos that ensues right before dinner time. I need to pray during these moments the most. The toys is an on going thing which all moms understand! It will one day end and I will be sad knowing that it is only me making the mess not my 3 sweet children laughing through the house on eachothers heels.
So I will heed the counsel of my husband and your honest words of confession and work out these areas through the help of the Lord. I love you sister.
Keep the heart felt words coming.
you call your refrigerator and “icebox”. that is so cool. ha – no pun intended.
what ruffles me? people who drive waayyy under the speedlimit.
or when i take something personally that i shouldnt. yah. my insecurities at their finest!
- finding my kids’ things spread all over the house
- a clean floor instantly messy
- letting “comments’ from certain people get the best of me or stewing on those comments
good things to think about.
do you really say ‘icebox’?
i get ruffled way too easily. i hate thinking of myself as short-fused, because that just screams “my mom” in my head. but… it may be right.
GASP.