The Green-Eyed Monster

 

 

A few weeks ago, I was hired by a company to telephone their clients and remind them of an upcoming event.  These days, many of us work from home, and I discovered that if a person doesn't recognize the name or the number displayed on their device, they often don't answer the phone, so I leave messages.

I called a Bill Fiserdelley. (Not a real name. I can’t tell you who it really was). Anyway, Bill didn’t answer, so I left a message and continued with my phone calls.

About ten minutes later, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the displayed number, but since I’m phoning people I don’t know, I thought it best to answer. It might be one of the clients calling back to ask a question. Many do.

It was ole Bill’s wife on the phone. I suppose she had listened to the message and heard my female voice. Perhaps she’d noted a lady's name on the caller ID. She rang me back. The conversation went something like this:

Wife:  "Did you just now call Bill?" (Her tone sounded irate.)

Me:  (His name didn't immediately come to mind, but being the quick mind that I am, I replied) "Yes, I'm calling to make sure he knows about our event coming up in San Diego. He attended last year, and we hope he can attend again this year."

Wife:  "Oh."

Me:  "Did he get our company email?"

Wife: "Maybe. Would you resend it?"

Me:  Certainly, I’ll be happy to send it to you.” I ended the phone call.

She must be one curious wife.

On the other hand, she might be a jealous, suspicious spouse.

Living with Jealousy can’t be fun or productive.

Perhaps ole Bill gave his wife a reason to be green-eyed. If so, that’s sad, too.

Maybe she’s trying to trust her husband after an infidelity. I’ve known several wives who’ve experienced unfaithful husbands and now have a healthy, happy marriage.

Was it easy for them?

Absolutely not!

Learning to trust a mate again after a betrayal is a day-to-day occurrence.

If the husband is faithful, and the wife is merely jealous because she chooses to be, then that’s a miserable situation also.  It’s not healthy. Suspicion doesn’t build a strong marriage.

Jealousy can exist in other relationships besides marriage. I’ve seen co-workers with the green-eyed monster. Children are often jealous of each other in the classroom—even after adulthood, siblings continue to envy each other . Wherever people gather, jealousy can materialize.

What Is Jealousy?

Anyone can experience a stab of this emotion. A person may perceive an individual as a threat in a marriage, workplace, or family situation.

Anger and depression usually accompany jealousy. Severe jealousy can lead to physical violence.

What to do about that awful, possessive feeling?

My suggestion is to talk freely about it with someone you trust. Sometimes a friend can help, but more often than not, a trained therapist is whom you should seek.

And don’t forget to tell your anxieties to the Lord! He understands.  After all, He tells us He is a jealous God.

“You shall not bow down to them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God.”  Exodus 20:5.

God is perfect, and His jealousy is not a sin. He expects us to love and worship Him, and He does not want us to worship anything or anyone other than Him.

Even though our jealousy is sin, and God’s isn’t, God understands it! Isn’t He amazing? Ask Him to forgive you of your jealousy, and then talk to a therapist. Throw that negative emotion away and never invite it back into your life. It destroys relationships and makes you miserable.

                               Faith and Humor

The Little Old Lady from Pasadena, oops, I mean from India!

 

I had an unusual experience at the grocery store today. A lot of weird stuff happens to me, so I’ve learned to take most of the incidents in stride. Here’s another one.

As I unloaded my grocery cart and placed sacks into the backseat of my car, a little old lady from India appeared from nowhere.

Oh, I know, she was from somewhere, but I didn’t see her approach. So, she surprised me, and as far as I knew, she came from somewhere…like nowhere.

She made me think of my little angel, Sarah. The angel I write about in my fantasy novels. Sarah is always popping up to astonish someone. She can assume any disguise and can speak with any accent she chooses.  She has made several appearances on earth as a little old lady named Estella, but she arrived as an American and spoke English.

This tiny, old lady dressed in traditional attire from India spoke in broken English. She said, “How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

My eyebrows shot up. Where did you come from, and why are you asking about my toilet tissue? I looked around. She had no shopping cart with her, and no one was nearby. Just this small lady wrapped in a Sari with traditional headgear.

She held in her hands a plastic see-through coin purse full of nickels and pennies.

She spoke again. “How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

I replied, “I beg your pardon?”

“How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

“I don’t know. Why?” 

“I see three packages.” She pointed to my bags inside my car and opened her coin purse.

“I’m not selling any.” I responded.

She smiled. “If you go back inside, they will give you one for free.”

Yesterday was Halloween. What sort of trick was this lady playing?

Once more, I’m looking around. What’s next? A black cat jeering at me?

I replied, “Thanks, that’s nice to know.” I closed my rear passenger door and prepared to get into the driver’s seat.

“Go inside and get one for free.”

I nodded. “Thanks for the information.”

I closed my door. As fast as a cheetah, I examined the interior of my car. Nothing appeared out of place.

I watched the lady amble off toward another row of cars.

I drove away with my three rolls of tissue.

You'll find Sarah on Amazon and all online booksellers.

                            ON AMAZON

Another Lucy Ricardo Moment

 

I write about a petite, dyslexic angel, Sarah.  Her chaos reminds me of Lucy Ricardo. I get my ideas for Sarah from MY Lucy-life experiences.

Take what happened to me yesterday as an example.

I went to Costco. That store is laid out in a bizarre fashion, and I find it difficult to find my car when I leave the store. I park next to the liquor sign so I have a better chance to find my auto. Like Angel Sarah, I’m dyslexic. Parking near the liquor sign doesn’t always help. As a pastor’s wife, I'm embarrassed when I ask for directions to the liquor part of the store. 

To top that off, I fell once when I stumbled over one of the concrete, parking stops as I looked for the liquor sign. I was carrying packages and didn’t see the block. A man helped me up and we searched for my car. I told him I parked near the liquor section. I said to him, “I’m not drinking.”  He replied, “Yes mam.”

Yesterday, while at Costco, a downpour came. I waited until it slacked and raced to my car. I was proud of myself for finding it. Oops! The door wouldn’t open. I glanced into the front seat. My stuff wasn’t there. I was trying to open a red car like mine. In the meantime, rain was coming down.

I glanced down the aisle. Another red car. Thankfully, it was the correct one. I got in and drove to Hobby Lobby.

It was still raining hard, but there was a picture frame I wanted. I pulled into a spot next to a big SUV. The lady in the driver’s seat had the motor running and was obviously waiting for the rain to end.

I had a pop-up umbrella in the back seat. I reached for it, and finally opened the contrary thing. “Yay!” I said to myself.

I began my trek to the store as the rain pelted my green umbrella. It was in one hand and my purse rested on my shoulder. As I got to the place where cars cross, traffic stopped for me. I nodded to several and waved. When I lifted my foot out of a puddle to continue, the sole of my shoe came off! 

I held up my foot and there it was—the sole of my sandal dangled from my shoe. I smiled at the lady in the first car. She was laughing. I shrugged. How could I get back to my car? I finally made an executive decision and pulled the shoe off. I then hobbled back to my car.

The SUV driver was still waiting. Now she was watching me. She didn’t want me to bang into her vehicle as I get into mine.  I carefully opened my door.

I couldn’t get the green umbrella to close.

I begged the thing to cooperate.  It was stubborn.

I threw the open umbrella into the backseat. “I’ll deal with you later.” I spoke sharply to the thing.

I made it home.

The shoes are now in the trash.

I ordered a picture frame from Amazon.

 Faith and Humor