The Annoyance Factor

Annoyed, irritated, agitated, aggravated, disgruntled, frustrated and even mad – these are all terms that I could use to describe my current state of mind, but I think you will appreciate a new term I have come up with that incorporates them all:

HUSBAND

Don’t get me wrong. Most of the time my husband is terrific. He is a great father that takes his kids to practice and stays to watch them. Housecleaning does not make him physically ill. And even diapers are not off limits to this guy (who was brought up an only child and never experienced diapers until after our kids were born).

The problem is that when he misses the mark he REALLY misses the mark.

As a Proverbs 31 woman it is my purpose to encourage my husband but when the mark is off it can be a difficult process. My flesh wants to say one thing but my spirit holds me back (because it will do nothing helpful in the situation besides making me feel better temporarily).

It seems that these times always coincide with a certain time of the month. You know that time when you are less poised, less patience, more tired and much easier to provoke. It’s like strife has my schedule and knows just when to push my buttons.

Since I know the time is near and I can see the water starting to boil, I’m going to do just what I would do if I knew I was going to face traffic or a long wait at the doctor’s office. I’m going to create a plan of attack.

1. I’m going to set aside some time each day for me to relax and talk to God. He sympathizes with my feelings in the situation and has a way of giving me the heart to find hope.
2. Get ahead. The week before is not the time to procrastinate. I need to get as much done as I physically can so there is less on my plate to deal with.
3. Keep to a schedule. Know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done so that I’m not fretting over times or situations.
4. Freeze dinner. Have some quick fix meals in the freezer ready to thaw and eat. Not having to cook will release some stress (and free up some time).
5. Use paper plates and cups. Tell the kids you are having an indoor picnic (even eat on a blanket in the floor if you want). You’ll have less clean up and be able to act like a kid for a few minutes during the day.
6. Avoid assigning jobs. If you normally have to explain to everyone what chores they need to do, let it go for a week and just do what you can do. Not cooking and eating off paper plates will cut down on the chores you’d normally do and letting things go for a couple of days will not bring the world to a halt!

Everyone gets upset with their spouse now and then (although sometimes it’s more now than its then). The key is to be prepared for the situations so that you can handle them with grace and patience when they do come up.