DO YOU GIVE BACK WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

FINALLY,  the papers have been signed and I am now the proud owner of my second craftsman bungalow circa 1917.  HOPEFULLY--until they drag me to the nursing home or the funeral home--I am DONE moving!  Although, I am something of an expert in the process--it has REALLY gotten old!  The signing on my end went smoothly---I am organized--to a fault--if nothing else.  The signing on the other end--NOT SO SMOOTHLY.  




The previous owners had already left town and were signing their part remotely--NO PROBLEM.  The problem was----they had my funds---they had my signature---I had NO keys.  The realtor representing the former owner had dropped the ball and there were NO keys at the closing AND no representative for them.  NOW--I have done this enough that your bodily presence is not required, BUT what is required are the keys to MY house.  

I have the beginning of a line of contractors showing up the next morning bright and early and I have no way to get into the house.  My sweet realtor, God love her, had a solution, BUT, sadly, the longer I stewed on this---the more irked I became.  It was CERTAINLY no fault of my realtor, but she got to hear my displeasure.  Remember us talking about deferred anger--THIS is a classic case.  BUT, shame on me, she got to hear all about what I thought of her fellow realtor.  It was NOT pretty.

Problem was solved by my realtor---but I then began to feel the shame of how I had acted.  For someone who has had a WHOLE LOT OF GRACE heaped upon their head, I was NOT really extending much grace--in fact was extending a lot of angst.  I had not considered perhaps the realtor had a personal conflict for the day, perhaps she forgot I needed keys, perhaps she thought the owner had conveyed the keys to someone---there are many possibilities of things which could have happened.  I did not give any benefit of doubt--but instead jumped on her case without hesitation.  I am sorry---I have apologized to my realtor--for she was the one who got to hear all about it.  AND--in the grand scheme of things---small potatoes for me on not having the keys.  SO NOW--I am off to meet the attic guy--to talk about insulation.  Hopefully I can have a kinder--gentler forbearance in all my negotiations with the crews to come.  In the meantime--I volunteer to be your example of how NOT to respond or react when things are not lining up exactly the way you planned.  I CAN DO BETTER!  When grace has been given, we are charged to extend grace to others.

"If one has a complaint against another,

forgiving each other;

as the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive."

Colossians 3:13



2 comments

  1. Such a great lesson and admonition for all of us, Lulu. We should all keep our anger in check at such times as we don't know what the other person is going through. Believe me, I've been known to fly of a handle or two when I should have taken a deep breath and prayed.
    Blessings to you and your new home!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Martha! New to me---built in 1917.
      Blessings!

      Delete

Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!