We live in a neighborhood that is under construction (in fact, we were the first house in the neighborhood) – a LOT of construction.

This morning, I was editing the chapter I wrote yesterday, and music blaring from the home-site behind us kept interrupting my train of thought. Let’s just be honest, it was driving me nuts. We’ve had a serious issue with this, and I don’t know how many times I have calmly driven around the neighborhood asking the various workers to turn down their music. We homeschool, my husband works at home, and I write at home–we are home all the time. (I know, we’re not the average family – but that’s a long story in and of itself) 🙂 Anyway, I got so aggravated that I actually opened the door and yelled out, “PLEASE!! Turn down the music!”

Yes, I know, highly intelligent – since the music is so loud that I can hear it inside my house, how on earth were they supposed to hear me? So, I drove around the block and walked up to the site. I asked them nicely to turn down the music. That didn’t go over well with the workers. Or the guy in charge. He looked at me like I was the meanest person ever (he probably thought something else, but let’s not even venture there). One guy yelled from the upper floor, “It’s a job site!” To which I replied, “it’s also my home.” I won’t tell you the other choice words spoken to me. They weren’t very nice. I asked him to please turn down the music.

Fuming inside, I climbed into my truck and drove back home. I wanted to do something about it. I wanted the annoying noise to stop. I wanted to be able to work in my own home in peace. And…I realized my attitude stunk, even if I had been treated poorly.

So, what did I do? I made cookies. And then I brought them a plate of those cookies. Did it make anything better? I don’t know. It didn’t bring world peace, and as I’m typing this – music again reverberates through my walls. It’s taking me twice as long to get my thoughts down, but I’m still trying to accomplish something. Do they think I’m a nice person? Probably not. Do I care? Not really. Not anymore. I realized I’m responsible for me, my attitude, and my actions. Other people see those attitudes and actions, and what are they going to see?

I know what I want them to see, but also understand that I have a long ways to go before I am “mature and complete” like it states in James 1.

Perseverance…
Must…
Finish…
Its…
Work.

Maybe I should go make some more cookies.