Slap on the Wristbands


I mentioned in NEWSFLASH (below) that my church is wearing wristbands to reduce the complaining and arguing in our lives. It hasn't gone so well for me. I really didn't think I complain so much, but I guess I do. Not only that, my memory is kind of faulty so that doesn't help.


I do tend to complain. What is worse, is that I repeat the same complaint over and over and over and over again. That is horrible to hear, I know. I got it from my sister, I guess. She does the same thing. It gets to become habit which is really one of the worst one that one can have.


Here is an example: Yesterday, I took off of work and had a whole list of things that I needed to attend to. I needed to cut and trim the grass, work on my office, and clean do some maintenance on the house that I have been forever trying to sell before showing it last night to a couple of people.


Nothing ever goes as planned. I am at my mother's house to check on her and make sure she had her meds and breakfast when the kitchen faucet breaks. The thing wouldn't shut off. So, I had to go by a new one and spend all day fixing that which doesn't come easy for me. Then, I BARELY had time to go do the maintenance thing at the house before the prospective buyers arrived. After showing the house, I came back to my mom's where my sister was and set out to get my name in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the record holder for saying, "I'm tired," more times in an hour's period than anyone else ever has. This was only rivaled by my sister, who was trying to set her own record with, "My back hurts."


What great company would the two of us would have been. The only good news is that we rid my mother's house of flys because they all flew out of the house screaming from hearing all the incessant bellyaching.


So you would have thought that I would have been switching that wristband from wrist to wrist like a nervous habit. Nope, I forgot to put it on. I definitely wasn't going to sleep with the thing on because, you know, it isn't very comfortable. However, my poor memory prevented me from putting it on. Shoot, I even forgot this morning. Forgetting is pretty convenient, I must say. However, it WILL be on when I get back. I am still going to do this.

14 comments:

The Real Mother Hen said...

Umhm, I insist and have trained my mind to see that blogging doesn't equal to complaining - because God probably doesn't blog so I don't have to repent :)

Galen Brannagh said...

Don't be too hard on yourself. You're just starting out with the wristband thing - which is, in all acuality, an attempt to break a bad habit.

It's been said that you have to do something for at least 21 days straight before it becomes a true habit. And you've been "complaining" for how long? Give it some time.

And if you slip up and say something, or forget to wear your reminder, FORGIVE YOURSELF (God's already forgiven you)... and try it again tomorrow.

Just don't give up.

Tai said...

I wonder where the term 'bellyaching' comes from. My mom used to say it to me all the time.
And like Galen said? Just don't give up!

Michelle said...

I think it depends on the complaining. There are those whingy sorts who live to be miserable. THey don't want solutions or release.. they just want to whine forever.

Avoid them and avoid being one of them!

Otherwise I think a good moan and grumble is cleansing. It's those people who never complain who one day snap and mow down complete strangers with a shotgun.. or chop their family up. You never hear of complainers doing those things.

chosha said...

Hear, hear, Michelle! It's the quiet ones that go postal. :)

Oh, tip for the wristband thing ~ put your car keys inside it at night. That's what I do because I can go anywhere without my keys, so I have to see whatever it is I have to remember to take with me.

Sayre said...

Oh, Jeff... PLEASE don't turn into my Father-in-Law!!!!!

Charles said...

Awhile back I bought wristbands like the ones you have, but they were red and they had a different meaning. Mines broke, and I haven't been able to find any like them since.

Laura said...

hey david bitched and moaned a lot in he psalms. i imagine that God does know we on occasion bellyachers. perhaps He doesn't want us to be but the fact that the man who was after His own heart was one of the biggest bellyachers of all seems to tell me that it depends on whom we complain to.
the bracelets sound like nice little reminders IF you remember to wear them but they are latex and i am allergic to latex (we're talking laura stops breathing allergic) so i will politely decline and continue to bellyache.
on another note, i have diet coke and lime....want some?
seriously, i think of you everytime i open one.
take care

Chris said...

So lemme get this right....

You wrote an entire entry complaining that you complain too much?

(Just teasing - we love ya Jeff!)

Have a great weekend!
Chris
My Blog

Lippy said...

LOL, I sometimes think if I were to stop complaining, I might never speak again. But hey, if we complain about all the things we did, at least it's productive, if noisy. Moan on, my friend.

Michelle said...

Thanks Chosha. :-)

Laura made a good point about David's psalms. What about Job too? Now there was a guy who could whine and complain!

Jeff said...

Mother Hen: I have to agree. Without complaining, there is no blogging - especially if you want it to contain some humor.

Galen: I am not near as hard on myself about the wristbands in real life as I am on the blog. I am wearing it now, though. ;)

Tai: I actually looked up the origin of "bellyaching". I got nothing but the obvious: people complain when their belly aches. :(

Michelle: Yeah, you have a point. The constant whiners are annoying and some of the noncomplainers go postal. I am hoping that I can be a third kind. The ones that eliminate complaining because they find the blessing even in suffering.

Jeff said...

Chosha: Good point, but I forget to put the wristband where my car keys are. ;)

Sayre: Uh . . . I will try not to become your father-in-law? :)

Charles: You can have mine! :)

Laura: You have a point, but David did a lot of things (adultery, murder) that God didn't want him to do and was STILL a man after God's own heart. I think God doesn't mind one being honest with Him as long as it is cleansing.

Jeff said...

Chris: Yep, that is blogging in America (and elsewhere).

Jimmy: Sometimes I think I would be better off if I never spoke again. lol

Michelle: Yep, Job complained but I don't think God was too impressed. ;)