When I was growing up there was a TV game show called, “Let’s Make a Deal”. At the end of the show the host would offer cash prizes for the woman who would have the most absurd thing in her purse. He would call out “$50 for the first woman who can find a 3 sippy cups and a bottle of ketchup in her purse!” It was amazing because someone ALWAYS had the items, no matter how outlandish it seemed.
Of course this is just the nature of women’s purses. Women, if it doesn’t take 3 coal miners and an oxygen tank to retrieve your car keys then you are not using your purse to it’s full potential.
I used to ask my Mom, “Why is your purse so heavy?! Empty it out Mom!” Unfortunately, I have to confess, the apple has not fallen far from the tree.
I realised this a few weeks ago when I had gone days weeks with an entire packet of salted peanuts in my purse. Unfortunately, the peanuts were not in the packet. It had burst open and the peanuts were rattling around all over the bottom of my purse, slowly morfing into purse peanut butter.
I have to admit… it raised questions for me. Am I so dirty and unorganised that a purse full of salted peanuts does not even give me pause? Am I slipping into some state of hoarders anonymous?
It’s amazing, though, how easily we accommodate small issues and learn to live with it. So many things in life we learn to accommodate. They are not major. They are not issues of life and death. Just little things that we “live with” because… well, we’ll deal with it later.
Right around the time I dealt with my purse peanut-butter I realised there were several relationship issues rattling around in my head and heart.
It had been bothering me for days how I spoke about someone to a group of people. I used words which were less than honouring and loving. Now, because of me, people possibly thought less of a fellow friend.
I realised that I had not been as encouraging as I could have been to a co-worker. It just bothered me when I thought about it.
I realised that I had dominated the conversation, in a meeting at work, by speaking too quickly and forcefully. I did not keep my mouth shut and listen intently enough.
So, after I cleaned out my purse I quickly sat down and wrote three e-mails. I apologised to the people that heard my criticism of a fellow friend. I asked them to forgive me for my words. I wrote an encouragement to the person who hadn’t heard it from me nearly enough. I asked someone to give me honest feedback when I was speaking too much and listening to little.
It took me 10 minutes to do all three. That’s it. How long would I have let those things go on for? I want to grow in quickness to humble myself and deal with those things that I am accommodating.
I want to be better at quickly cleaning out my relational purse before it turns in to peanut butter.
What about you?
A good relational reminder! On a side note, do you find the big, mom purse to be an American thing? Here in Romania I notice that women only carry purses as an accessory, and that there is almost nothing in them! They are shocked when I can pull out a whole pharmacy from mine, and that is just for starters.
Summer, yes, South African’s can be similar. They do carry big purses but they can be almost completely empty! They generally carry their phone on them (in a pocket or their bra). I often wonder if it’s due to so much theft here… they don’t want stuff getting stolen. But, when you see them travel… they take luggage to a whole ‘nother level. They put everything but the kitchen sink in their suitcases! It’s so interesting to see these differences… thanks for commenting!