Split Personality

So this morning I have about 10 feet of snow to shovel off of the driveway. Thankfully my neighbor came over with his snowblower to help. We talk a little bit and exchange pleasantries. "Yeah, the new job's going well. How about your new job?"

I come inside trying to stop sweating. Ethan is supposed to be getting ready for school, and Karen is attempting to clean and sweep the kitchen. Ethan isn't doing what he's being asked to do, and his emotions start to sky-rocket. (By the way, I get sort of "cranky" when I am trying to cool down and it isn't happening fast enough...)

I end up getting angry at Ethan because he is getting upset about not being able to put on his snow boots which leads to me being irritated at Karen for no good reason which leads to me getting more upset because she is upset with me and because she pointed out that I should probably warm up the van to take Ethan to school which of course I know that I should but my pride says "I don't care" which leads me to being more angry with Ethan because he's not putting on his snow boots fast enough which leads to Ethan getting even more emotional... aaarrgh!!!

So after Ethan finally gets everything ready for school, we hop in the van. We talk some about emotions and temper control (for both of us I think), and all is well when I drop him off at school. After I drop him off, I go to the gas station for some milk. As I am preparing to purchase it, I pull out my card, and the lady behind the counter says, "We can only accept credit at this time. The debit isn't working."

"No problem," I respond, "I don't even have a debit card."

"Thanks for your understanding, sir," she replies, "A lot of people haven't been as understanding."

"Well, I'm a pastor, and we're all about grace and forgiveness and patience."

Except for at home evidently where it is perfectly fine to treat the ones you love the most worse than the anonymous lady at the gas station. Talk about a smackdown from God as soon as those words rolled out of my mouth. I came home and apologized to Karen and will apologize to Ethan when he gets home from school.