Thin Skin Girls Need Not Apply

I answered the phone with a smile.  I was out busy shopping for groceries (sans the makeup & wearing some crazy jogging shorts)….I was trying to get as much accomplished as I could with my "day off".  The voice on the other end was the sub coordinator at the schools.  She asked if I had a minute to go over some "issues".  Huh?  What?  Issues?  Immediately, my heart sank with worry.  I pulled the car over in a parking lot and told her to go on.  Inside my head, I scanned every memory of all the classes I'd subbed in and searched for something…anything out of the ordinary.  She wasn't aggessive or confrontational, it was just the words…."we need to go over a couple issues".

okAY

EEEK!!  Why is it so easy to fall into defense mode when put in a situation such as this? 

I listened to her as she brought up an incident where I reported to work for a teacher who needed to leave at a certain time.  That particular day the school schedule was changed and when I arrived at her door, the teacher was up instructing the class.  I waited a minute or two and then looked at my paperwork to find that the class time was a few minutes longer.  So, I walked down the hall and waited in the Library.  Once I arrived in the room (10 min later), an aide was there instead of the teacher.  I thought it was odd but she didn't mention it.  Later in the day as I was signing out, the secretary asked me where I was earlier?  I told her about going to the door and then realizing the school schedule was changed and not interrupting as she was instructing.  She assured me all was okay but that the teacher had called in a panic because I didn't show up and she had to leave at 11am.

The next day, I passed the teacher in the hallway and tried to apologize for the mix-up.  Her face was blank but I rattled on thinking I could convince this lady that I wasn't some sort of goof!  Little did I know, she was taking my conversation as hostile.

chin up

I felt crushed!  Embarrassed!  Frustrated!  The situation was a complete misunderstanding and part of the mix-up fell onto the teacher as well.  She never told the front office (in light of the school schedule change) that she needed someone to come relieve her at 11:00!  So, I jumped right into the role of defender and that's never pretty.  I realized after I hung up the phone just how stupid I must've sounded.  I had no reason to defend myself.  It was a simple mistake and I wasn't completely to blame for any of it.

But, that old thin skin.

hard thigs

I've got it and I bet you do too (some time or another).  The poor coordinator was just doing her job and after thinking about it as I wandered down the grocery aisle….it was probably NOT her favorite conversation to have to have.  With me or anyone else. 

I thought about the whole situation all day and I've decided, I NEED TO GET A THICKER SKIN!

call on J

That phone call wasn't an indictment into who I am or what I'm capable of.   The unfriendliness of my neighbors isn't worth losing my joy over either.  I can't let little things like these run roughshod over my heart!  They are petty and insignificant in the big picture.

be secure

I am in a constant state of refining.  One day it might be my attitude the next it might be my personal holiness.  Either way, God is still working on me and I am ever grateful!

thick skinny

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