Frustrated

That's how I feel right now.

This has been a very frustrating day so far.

I started out frustrated, because of some comments made by someone I was having dinner with last night. The comments were ignorant, and hateful, and concerned our new president-elect.

I will go ahead and admit, I did not vote for him. But, I am not as "devastated" as I have heard some folks describe themselves. I am at peace with the outcome of the election. And, my reasons for not voting for him had nothing whatsoever to do with the color of his skin, or whether or not he is a "secret Muslim." I understand, though, that scripture teaches that those who are in authority are put there by God, and that we have a responsibility to pray for them.

I will also admit that I have not prayed for our current President nearly enough, and that is a situation I intend to rectify immediately.

Also, I am frustrated because my very best friend in the world is going through a very difficult time, and while I can comfort her with my words, there is nothing I can do to take away the pain she is feeling. Time will mend it, I know because I've been there, but that knowledge does little at present to fill the emptiness she's experiencing.

And now, my own Darling Daughter has misbehaved so badly that I just got a phone call from her teacher. And I'm frustrated, because, like her teacher, we've tried everything we know to get her to see the importance of following the rules. We've talked to her about how it helps everyone learn better, and makes the teacher's day better, and just generally makes things run smoother.

We've set consequences in place for not following the rules, in addition to the ones that are set in place at school, and have followed through with those consequences.

And yet, here we are, with her having gotten into as much trouble as she possibly can without a trip to the principal's office. And here I am, racking my brain to think what else can be done to get through her thick red head.

(And seriously, I wasn't sure if the teacher was listening on the other end, so I didn't want to tell her that I was going to beat the fire out of her when she got home.)

(I kid! I kid! I'd only half beat the fire out of her. Maybe 3/4.)

Jason and I have a game plan for the evening, including the ever-popular "Come to Jesus Meeting" of which I am a big fan.

(Also including locking her Game Boys up in our lock box. No, I'm not kidding about that one.)

I'm about to leave to get her from school. On the phone, I told her she'd better not make a SINGLE SOUND the rest of the day. Unfortunately, there's only so much of the fear of God I could put into her on the phone, but fortunately, I can do a pretty good job when I get her in the car.

And fortunately, tomorrow is another day, for politics, and my precious friend, and my smart-yet-talkative daughter.