Odds and Ends

A Case Of The Mondays

109 Comments

Today is a Monday with everything that implies. I woke up late. Then I took a typhoid pill which is making me feel tired and sick (more on that in a big announcement tomorrow). I got to work and was immediately slammed with multiple people wanting my attention for tasks that I have little interest in doing. All this and I haven’t had a cup of coffee in five days. It’s a Monday of Garfieldian proportions.

From where I sit now I can see that this is nothing unusual. It’s not a failure of character to get a little stressed and grumpy. It’s not a “bad testimony” to not grin like a manic mannequin through each hour of the day as if the very souls of those around me depended on the strength of my cheek muscles. This tiredness is not unique to me. This crabbiness is normal. Into each life some Mondays must fall.

The beautiful treasure of our light is hidden inside fragile clay jars but He remembers that we are only dust. Don’t fret. Don’t add the stress of self-condemnation to the already busy day. You’ll feel like smiling some other time. And someday we’ll all have coffee again.

So how is your Monday so far? I’d love to hear about it.

109 thoughts on “A Case Of The Mondays”

  3. It’s gonna be hot and humid here and the mommobile is in the shop. However, I do have my kids doing housework, so that’s a plus. I am in the middle of doing laundry.

  4. Wow, I don’t know which part to respond to first. I guest first, I’m sorry you’ve been sick, and having to take medication that make you feel sick and tired. Does the medication have anything to do with why you haven’t had coffee in 5 days? I know 5 days without coffee would mean 5 days of headaches.

    God definitely understands that we’re human and can’t smile all the time. And those fundys who say we must because otherwise someone might take that moment to look at us and decide our Christ is someone they don’t want to know because of our “lousy testimony” are quite mistaken.

    This Monday is about like any other, only it’s going to be very hot. I like Mondays since I don’t have to get up and go to a job. In the past, when in Fundyville Monday was my favourite day of the week. I dreaded Sundays and wished every Sunday morning of my life that it was Monday! Now that I’m out of that church I look forward to Sundays. The only fly in the ointment now, is that our pastor has cancer. He’s a very humble man of God, so very different from the fundy pastors of the past. I hope God will choose to heal him and that we won’t lose him. 🙁

    1. I’m sorry to hear about your pastor.

      I look forward to the weekends now too. We haven’t been in church for nine years so it’s nice to get the rest we need. We are looking at one church online that has only one service on Sundays.

      I always felt so tired on Mondays when we went to the IFB church. Our pastor expected my hubby and I to be in church three times a week even though he worked sixty hours a week. It’s no wonder so many IFBers have “health problems.” They run themselves ragged.

      1. Yeah it’s a constant refrain of “do more, give more, sacrifice more!” til you burn out. And then you continually hear that you’re not doing enough, and whatever you do isn’t good enough. Constant guilt manipulation. I get so tired of it! 👿

  5. We’re recovering from a round of summer flu at our house. Mommy is the last to get it – me and the boys had it first. It was some nasty stuff. The baby got it bad but he’s doing better now.

    praying for rain here in Central Illinois. the cracks in my yard are about two inches wide now. Crazy stuff.

  6. Woke up with a headache, but nothing some ibuprofen isn’t mellowing out. Just slept wrong and woke up with a stiff neck which moved into my head.

    Cool thing is that I’m off tomorrow.

  7. Posted my email address wrong, so my earlier comment must wait to pass muster. 😉

  8. I’m drinking my coffee and feel like I have finally caught up on my sleep from our Jr. High mission trip. One of our older church members died last night, so know that I will be having to move some stuff for the funeral this week.

  9. My boss is out on vacation for a week. My crews are all up and working and when we talked this morning they didn’t seem to have the usual number of small disasters and minor catastrophes that we contend with daily. My family is healthy and seem happy and dinner with my in-laws over the weekend went well.

    So far so good. Catch me at 4pm. 😉

  10. I’m finally able to walk without my boot after breaking three bones in my left foot 10 weeks ago. I still have to use crutches so I can ease my muscles into being used again. I’ve never been this laid up before. I’m proud of my kiddos who jumped right in and helped their crippled mother. 😛

    We need rain here in VA too like many other states in the country.

    1. Wow, sorry to hear that. When I scanned over it and I saw “kiddos” and “jumped,” I was afraid you were going to say the kiddos jumped ON their crippled mother.

  11. Oh, and thanks for putting that movie into my head: Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.
    Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.

      1. Natalie, how’s it going? I’m going to go ahead and have you come in on Sunday, too.

        My pleasure, Natalie. And just as a bonus, it posted twice.

  12. Oh, and thanks for putting that movie into my head: Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.

    Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.

  13. You are such a sweetheart. I hope you’ll have a bright patch in your Monday today. If not, you’re right, you’ll smile another time.

  14. Just another manic Monday…

    Take care of yourself D.
    You are absolutely correct this idea of Christian perfectionism is a load of horse hockey. We are human and we live in a broken imperfect world. This idea of the happy, Leave it to Beaver, 1950’s sitcom, everything is always roses, Religious Prozac attitude creates an unrealistic view of Christiainty. That does not show Christ to the world, Christ lived in reality, he hungered, thirsted, hurt, was wearly, and dealt with life on a daily basis… and he says specifically that the servant is no greater than the master.

    So forget about this crap that says, “If you lose your cool and just for a moment your humanness cries out ‘Bull-shit!'” you will lose your testimony, and everyone who hears it or reads it will end up in hell and their blood will be on your hands. That is the religion of the small god, in the immortal words of the Hulk, “Puny god.”

    God is soooo much more. He is able to see us through the very worst of times, even Garfieldian Mondays. Be well my friend!

    1. Your Hulk quote gave me images of grabbing a fundy ‘pastor’ by the feet and smashing him into the ground about 15 times. 😯

      1. Would the Incredible Hulk be strong enough to lift the Incredible Bulk?
        Wow, that would be worth seeing!

    2. Don, you have made my evening with a great Hulk reference. I, sir, salute you. 😎

    3. Have you ever read “Mere Churchianity” by Michael Spencer? I read it again last week. One of the issues he touches on in the fact that Christians are somehow expected to be better than human (especially if they have some clout within the Christian subculture, like pastors, ministers or priests). No troubles, no doubts, no faults. As a result some of the best actors in the world are Christians – you have to be to survive. I have just finished reading another book, which addresses this, by John Ortberg, called “Everybody is Normal till you get to know them”. However, I doubt if either book would get onto the Fundy Best-Seller List.

      1. I watched part 1 of Ken Burns “Prohibition” this weekend and that was one of the things he pointed out. This heretical idea by the Billy Sundays and the Anti-Saloon League types, that if we could only get rid of the demon alcohol then we would shortly arrive in Utopia right here on earth. This idea of Christian perfectionism… And it has stuck. Even today there is this idea that we could be perfect if only we would _________________. Then by association, “We could have a Revival to return America to her Christian roots if only we would _______________. If we ____________enough or if we _____________enough then we would see revival, and God Bless America again. If only we could be perfect enough to earn God’s favor. If only we were good enough to show God we deserve his blessing. That was the thought behind the 18th Amendment, that we could cure all of society’s moral ills by ridding ourselves of alcohol. Then we would be a nation right with gawd!

        1. By the way, did you know that John Steinbeck wrote a novel about the dangers of alcohol.
          It is called “The Wrath Of Grapes.”

        2. I know of many Fundy Pastors – and many non-Fundy ones as well – who are constantly drunk on POWER.
          That would be harder to ban.

  15. Sorry you’re not feeling well, Darrell 🙁
    My Monday is going to be interesting to say the least. After 3 yrs of little to no contact with my fundy in-laws they have decided to come down for a visit this week 😥 I’m so not looking forward to their arrival sometime today.
    I am full of mixed emotions this morning. I’m angry at them for all the past pain they have caused our family, yet I feel guilty that I have this anger towards them. I thought I had resolved it, but now that they are soon to be here the past pain has resurfaced.
    They had made it very clear we are unacceptable in their sight and have done nothing but judge us from how we dress, to the Bible version we use….you know typical fundy behavior towards those who don’t conform.
    I’m sitting here on the verge of tears, I’m so distressed. Why, oh why can’t I get past this????
    We spent 15 yrs. of hell on earth with his family and IFB churches. Their visit makes me feel like my past wounds have been ripped open 😥

    1. I’m so sorry that you can’t look forward to a visit from your inlaws because you’re afraid they will behave like this. Maybe it won’t be so bad. Are they staying in your home? If so, as soon as they say one negative thing about how you’re living now, you or your hubby (preferably him since it’s his family) will have to nip it in the bud. Tell them you are no longer fundy, that you no longer believe in those standards and that this is your home and how you live now is your business. I know that’s hard. But you can’t have them criticizing everything either. I’d try to be as sweet as possible but you can’t take their fundy nonsense either. I will pray for your and your hubby, and the inlaws that things will go smoothly during this visit.

    1. Trump card, extremely well played.

      the denizens of SFL collectively cringed when they read your post

  17. Got a massive blood clot in my right leg and am under doctor’s orders to start swimming to force the leg muscles to work the veins. I don’t know how to swim (first lesson is tonight), so I go t the poo in the early mornings when nobody is there, get in the water, hang onto the ladder, and kick my feet for 30 minutes.

    Today, while hanging on to the ledge, I turned onto my back in the water and pedaled my legs that way for a while. I stared up at the blue, blue sky. I’m supposed to learn to float by filling my lungs and tipping my head back more. And when I did that, all I could see was blue sky. And for just a moment or two, everything was empty and yet full with a silent fullness: blue pool below and blue sky above, and the unchanging, tuneless rhythm of the loud mower.

    2. George got you a good one, Jeri. 3rd line down you said you go t the poo. Sounds like a baby diapering issue! :mrgreen:

  19. Personally, I’m bored out of my skull at work. I may have to resort to moseying down to my supervisor’s office later and asking him for something else to do.

  20. My Monday’s almost over. It started around 3am, when I finally fell asleep. It continued two hours before the alarm when the upstairs neighbor’s son decided bouncing the basketball was an appropriate way to engage his time while waiting for his parents to bike him to school.

    I spent the morning helping my friend pack to return to the States for a month. Everyone of my nationality that I know is back home this summer, or was forced home by visa issues. Most of my local friends and contacts are either out of town, or busy with huge projects at work. So for the rest of the week it’s just me and the dogs and a week off because everything is cancelled. A week off is nice: but it’s kind of lonely.

    Walked through the hutongs to get a taxi for the trip to the airport. Our taxi driver was one of many suffering from serious nationwide problems with mineral deficiencies and/or mercury and cadmium poisoning. Poisoning of one kind of another is the #1 cause of death here. You can tell who’s suffering from it because of the weird quirks. His involved a tic that shook the taxi into other lanes at random intervals.

    At the airport the indoor temperature was 85, with barely a breath of air. I saw my friend off, then walked down to catch the train back into the city. The train area has no air conditioning at all and is covered by an enormous glass dome. It was 100 in that area.

    I got on the train and sat across from a woman with very long hair. She held a short pair of scissors in her hand and carefully inspected strand after strand of her hair for the whole 40 minute ride. Occasionally she would cut off the tip of one and throw it around the car. The man next to her spent the whole trip studiously picking his nose.

    I arrived and walked with hundreds of other people to the exchange for the local subway, took it one stop, and then walked past the Dali Lama temple to home. During my walk I was hit by 4 different people, because there’s no such thing as watching where you go or thinking of another person’s convenience. Even if that’s all YOU do, you can’t avoid being hit. And, it can be hard to walk straight when you need to avoid the gobs of snot and phlegm all over the street. I did also discover that the newest trinket and trash for sale at the shops by the temple is your own cushioned replica of the Lama throne, to use in your own home.

    But…I did get coffee. :mrgreen: That helped a lot.

  21. We really need to get back to talking about Darrell, and boy that’s just a straight shooter with upper management written all over him.

  22. Yep, another 100 degree day here in IL. And the AC unit in the server room here at work just failed for the 3rd time this summer. No AC + multiple racks of servers = overheating within an hour. Yay for Mondays!

  23. Woke up to my current persistent burnout out as a stay-at-home homeschooling mom. It looks bleak when you know that school is starting in a month, but your life looks NO DIFFERENT from what it was all the rest of the year.

    However, my husband and I already scheduled an escape for me in two weekends. And that’s going to include a three-hour zipline canopy tour, which I’ve never done.

    Also, the kids are watching movies and playing computer and I’ve decided not to feel like a failure because of it.

    So things are looking up. Hope your Monday gets better.

      1. sorry for the ridiculously long link. I can’t access South Park Studios’ website at work, and could only get the link by googling it.

  24. Oh, and remember, next Friday is Hawaiian shirt day, soooo…you know, if you want to, you can go ahead and wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.

        2. I’ll bring the…. Jump To Conclusions Mat…. so, we can all have …. conclusions to jump to!

  26. Very good messages on Sunday; there is a lot to do today, being a Monday, but the time goes fast. I may be needed by friends this week:

    One is going to camp with kids. He’s getting up there, so I am concerned for his health.

    Another friend (still caught up in extreme fundamentalism, but starting to waver) is going to be listening to some of the wacked-out types mentioned on these pages. He will probably need some counseling.

    I don’t know anyone who is going to the National Sword of the Lord Conference this week, though.

  27. I like this post. I don’t like the fact that you’re sick Darrell, but I like the attitude. God knows we’re all human and he’s okay with it. No, better than okay, he loves us all! 😀

  28. Typhoid??? Well that just has such a romantic victorian terror to it. How is it that your pitiful yet inspirational post makes me feel like a jerk who needs to move on from their problems? He is mindful of us as well as a patient and kind Father. Praying you’ll feel better soon.

    1. “Romantic victorian terror”. What a perfect phrase!! And so apt. Darrell, I’m anxious to see the next installment.

  29. Yesterday rapidly turned into a tired, grumpy, snappish sort of day for both of us. Today is much better: the air conditioning works and there’s sushi for lunch.

    Hope you’re better soon, Darrell.

  30. I almost feel guilty. I slept in a little, had a relaxed couple of cups of coffee, then changed the thermostat on the Suburban, which overheated on the way home from church. Job went well and fixed the problem. Now I’m hanging out with my future son-in-law, hoping to get a call inviting me to a job interview. (Which would be nice. I miss consistent, gainful employment followed by remuneration) This afternoon I take the other car for tires. Nice, relaxed, expensive Monday.

    Miriam, I’d like to join you, but can’t.
    Macushlalondra, have and will continue to pray for your pastor. Keep us updated.
    Dar-El, wherever you are going, Godspeed. I am eagerly awaiting tomorrows post.
    Jeff and B.G.–Thanks for the Bangles stuck in my head. I think I’ll throw my Three Dog Night CD in the car when I go out. That should displace Manic Monday.

    1. Thank you for praying for my pastor, Uncle Wilver. Good luck with the job, I hope you get it. :mrgreen:

  32. Almost everything in my house is in boxes, and that which is not needs to be soon. Cross-country move at the end of the week. I get to leave my perfect west-coast haven that I just moved to last year, back to the physical and social torment of Oklahoma in August. Weeeee!

    But other than that, everything is going really well. Thanks for asking. 😀

  34. i need coffee filters and new organic sugar but don’t get paid
    my insurance company is being a group of *****s and a half

    i am on pins and needles with women right now as usual

    other than that it’s a normal monday

  35. I attended a two-hour service at a friend’s Pentecostal church last night, finally slipping out at 9:00 p.m., then got to see our town’s fireworks, then stayed up late watching an action/adventure movie on vudu with my husband.

    Mondays tend to be a little bit more of a rest day for pastors’ families, though not when your husband works two jobs, but he’s not scheduled to work until 3:00 so we got a late start on the morning and have been mostly enjoying quiet time at home. Kids are mostly getting along, got the dishes done, went to the library — things are pretty good today, except for my toothache.

    1. OK, my post was prematurely positive! I was told that other members of the praise team started mocking hymns and saying how they hated them as soon as I left the room! That really, really discourages me. I think their intolerance of hymns is as bad as fundamentalists’ scorn of CCM. That hurt my feelings.

      And then a new acquaintance asked on facebook what people thought of God and if God was male or female, and a lot of people shared their different opinions (including a couple Christians). I shared my opinion but was immediately slammed by someone accusing me of spamming. I should have known better since she has lots of pagan friends, but I’m literally shaking right now. You know, it’s safer to stay inside the walls of the IFB and only criticize other Christians. (Not that I think I should stay there, but that it was easier when I did.)

      Anyhow, I’m feeling really sad so Happy Monday to me.

      1. I’m sorry, PW. I’ve known that problem among praise chorus people, too. It seems like there are just a lot of intolerant people everywhere, who disdain anyone who does anything differently from them. But the fact that they waited till you were gone–hopefully that means they realize it isn’t right for them talk like that. Maybe your influence for kindness will go farther than you can see right now.

        Just keep going. Defend what’s true and right because it is true and right and please the Lord. And leave the outcome to Him. Thanks for sharing!

  36. Mondays suck. I hope yours gets better, Darrell.

    Mine so far has included an oven repair guy with a scary Russian accent (“Zee part wheel be een in four to seex days.” Great.), a decent cup of coffee, a super fun debate on gun control (I am becoming the Resident Wack-a-doo Liberal in the family) and, just for gravy, my kid’s beating me mercilessly in Scramble.

  37. I’ve been having a great day, but my poor husband has been slaving all day again at work. He works in a factory that makes RVs. The department he’s in doesn’t have air conditioning and the heat index is about 100. I keep texting him to remind him to drink tons of water.

      1. Yeah the building he’s in is so big that they probably would pay out the butt to cool it off. But they are generous with popsicles 😀

        1. The actual temperature is 98, but yes, I am a total wuss in the heat 😉

        2. It’s 93 here and I’m also a total wuss in the heat. I melt like ice cream. Gimme snow and cold anytime over this! 😳

        3. I live in Northern climes for a reason, I’ll take sub zero 8 days a week over 100+. I wanna move to northern Nunavet the way this summer has been.

        4. Would you like to swop a few days of that weather with what we,re getting here in Ireland? Most weeks this summer it’s only rained twice a week – once for four days and once for three.

        5. Goodness, yes, Paul, I’d like to swap some days of heat for some days of that.
          We’re into our second consecutive year of drought here.

  38. Darrell, I’m sorry your week got off to a bad start. Normally, Monday induces panic attacks for me and I barely sleep, but today is a wonderful day. Today is the start of my vacation, and most of the awesome people that I work with have the day off as well. It is so nice to just relax around the house and not have to worry about work. I sincerely hope that things get better for you, and will be thinking about all you poor people who have to work this week. 😀

  40. Darrell will keep your “Romantic victorian terror” in prayer. Feel better.

  41. Actually, this is a good Monday. Enjoyed a wonderful time of prayer this morning and I’ve been doing some work this afternoon for the church. I thought I’d take a break for some SFL comic relief and you just made my Monday better.

    Hang in there…Just claim one of Jesus’ perfect Mondays that He already lived on your behalf and know that you’re already accepted in Him!

  42. Lady at work keeps getting viruses on her laptop (11 times in 18 months including twice in the last 6 weeks now). Is outraged we are locking her laptop down for limited internet/network access, and the best part is screaming up all the wrong trees about how important it is she get that laptop back ASAP. You’d think if you were the one causing problems and have had meetings about it with your boss in the past, you’d take the hint that IT is going to have you fired if you keep it up, and not try raising a bigger stink. I’m estimating October she’ll be someone else’s problem! 🙂

  43. Typhoid pills? What third world area are you going to visit?

    I remember that when I went to Africa, the Typhoid pills made me really sick.

    1. I never had to take the typhoid pills, but the once a week malaria pills made my head “fuzzy” the nights I took them.

  44. Today was the start of the second week of mandatory overtime at work. We are behind schedule but last week we really caught up in some areas. I’m hoping I can stay off the crew this week that has the greatest pressure to make no more mistakes and the stress that goes with it. Today was fine in that the work was good, but it was still hot as usual. Mom picked me up after work and we ate out at Perkins with one of my siblings. I had the Tangler Burger and it was tasty! I’m praying that my bosses will approve my time off next month so I can have some friends over at my place for a few days. I have had like one or two of my friends stay in the past several years so this is kind of a big deal for me.

  45. Hope you (and those around you) have survived your caffeine free day.
    Monday started out innocently enough, then my on-call day turned into a work day and it was all down hill from there.

    1. My daughter and I love that show. We’re gonna be sad when it ends this summer even though they have a spinoff coming this September. It won’t be the same without Brenda.

  47. Sounds like you are going on a major trip, Darrell! God’s best with that to you and yours. Hope this doesn’t mean we here at SFL will be in withdrawal for fresh posts… I love the line about people’s salvation or whatever does not rely on my cheek muscles… My day was okay, the kids I watch were being unpleasant. Just had a glass of Zinfandel and am unwinding for the evening. I’m glad God loves us all despite our moods and that we don’t have to pretend to like other people’s moods. Driving home this evening I saw a large group of shorts-wearing, buff, shirtless runners going down the street and I took great delight oogling them! :mrgreen:

    1. I go for my morning run in the same park where the fire brigade go for theirs (in their little shorts). They’re quite easy on the eye. I see it as taking pleasure in the beauty of God’s creation. 😉

      1. Why they’re shameless to go around looking like that and inciting your lust! They should cover up!

        That’s not what you’ll hear in a fundy church though. While women are the blame of male lust for dressing “inappropriately” men are never to blame for women’s lust since we’re not supposed to lust, we’re supposed to have thoughts pure as the driven snow.

        I think I may join you tomorrow Bella lolol! :mrgreen:

  49. I can’t believe you feel lousy, Darrell — why, you should be claiming the victory in Jesus! Christians don’t have bad days!! :mrgreen:

    Actually, friend, chill and get some rest. You do a great job with this blog and we need you.

    Your post reminds me of the story of a pastor friend of mine who was a Methodist. She studied at a well-known evangelical seminary for two years and then transferred to a mainline United Methodist seminary to complete her preparation for ordination. She told me that everyone at the evangelical school had this false-face perkiness about them and that if she dared to mention that she was having a bad day, she was looked at as though she were from another planet. OTOH, when she transferred to the Methodist school, she would occasionally ask a fellow-student, “How’re you doing?” and would get the reply, “Shitty, thank you.” She said it was SO refreshing.

  50. “And someday we’ll all have coffee again.”

    Sorry, I don’t like coffee.
    Nobody is perfect.
    But I would join you in a cup of tay or three
    (“Tay” is Irish for tea 🙂 )

    1. Coffee? Meh. I like one cup in the morning, and once in a while I’ll have one when I’m on the road.

      But tea . . . ahhhh. A good cup of tea is one of the great pleasures of life. 🙂

      1. I’m not big on American coffee either. One of the best things about living in Korea is Korean coffee. It comes in a stick and is perfectly flavored every time. Heaven in a cup!

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