There are a few sayings that seriously make me want to spit. When people say them, I roll my eyes and usually say some crazy sarcastic something and then they probably walk away clicking their tongues and committing me to prayer. So I will tell you the ones I hate and some that I love and I want to here your "faves" (she said sarcastically).
HATED
#1: "All I want is for you to be happy."
Did you ever watch a TV show or a movie or even (gulp) said this to your children? I just can't believe that anyone would want just "happiness" for their children! Seriously? On more than one occasion, I've been known to give the TV the raspberries because of this line on a show. My husband loves to tell my children: "Remember, your mother doesn't want you happy, she wants you miserable....now go clean your room!"
WHY?
Do you wonder why we have produced a generation of video game playing, temper tantrum throwing, selfish individuals? I'm sure that last statement pretty much says it all and it's not that I want my kids to be UNhappy. It's just that I want SO MUCH MORE for them.
I want them to be: considerate, generous, courageous, loving, giving, full of grace and forgiveness, smart, wise discerning, creative, etc.
Do you see what I mean? When you tell a child that ALL you want is for them to be happy then all they will EVER DO is pursue happiness (for themselves and no one else).
This is why parenting is so hard. If I just wanted my kids to be happy all I would have to do is give them whatever they want and watch them smile and giggle. Let me tell you, throwing candy at a video game playing 22 year old and watching him giggle and suck his thumb is not a pretty picture to me. I want my kids to grow up to be responsible adults.
#2: "When your children are little they step on your toes, when they're older they step on your hearts."
Seriously, telling this to the parent of teenagers does not help. At least not me. Usually these "words of wisdom" are thrown at me when I'm telling someone how my kid just ripped my heart out of my chest and did a flamingo dance on it. I really don't want to hear your cute little saying. I need more than this. I need help (maybe drugs?)
#3: "I don't pray for patience because then I'm going to NEED it."
Well that's just brilliant. I got a newsflash for you. That thing that's going to happen that makes you impatient is going to happen whether you pray for patience or not. I'm thinkin' you BETTER be praying for patience instead of handling that little gem on your own.
#4: "Woman of God"
How could someone who loves God HATE this phrase?! I guess it happened when someone came to my house one time and saw how unkept it was and wouldn't speak to me for weeks because they thought I was "a woman of God". Then they saw my house was messy and they changed their opinion of me. Mind you, they came to help me move and were mortified to find that we were not prepared with all of our boxes packed and the house swept and ready. It was then, that this phrase being thrown around made my eye twitch.
Oh NO! Wait! It was before that! It was when I was having coffee with a friend and she commented on my two other friends about what "women of God" they were and then she said, "And you're so funny." I HATE this phrase!
Now for a couple of sayings I LOVE
#1: "You know what your problem is? You've got a freak flag and you're just not flying it." From the movie "The Family Stone"
Yep! I've got to admit it and you may find it hard to believe, there are days I DON'T fly my freak flag. It's true. In my line of work, I meet with city officials, pastors, commissioners, judges and flying a freak flag COULD be detrimental. But the truth is: I'm a freak! And I love it! I say if you have a freak flag....fly it...with discernment.
#2: "The Bible in the hand of one man is more dangerous than a whiskey bottle in the hand of another." From the book "To Kill A Mockingbird"
I have seen this at work. People who use the Bible to intimidate, manipulate, and hurt people. I've seen people totally destroyed because someone took a scripture out of context and pulverized another person's self esteem. People have used the Bible to create their own power trips....(shall we talk about Adolf Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan?). To be honest, these people used the Bible as a rule book and more than likely did NOT have a relationship with God. There's real danger there.
So those are a few of my favorite sayings I hate and sayings I love. What about you? Do you have any? Please share.
6 comments:
Wow. This isn't easy. There are so many ... However, here's a few I dislike. "God helps those who help themselves.", "A woman's place is in the home," and an out-of-context quote from the Bible, "women should be silent in the church."
One that I like (based on the fact that we are raising a generation of savages ... "Children should be seen and not often."
JB
I knew I could count on you Jack. Just a side note to those who don't know: "God helps those who help themselves" and "cleanliness is next to godliness" are NOT scriptures. And I HATE that last one!
I hate the phrase "God is no respecter of persons"-- I know it comes from a King James rendering of a verse but the saying has taken on a life of its own. Now it is used in a 'you don't matter and God doesn't want to hear from individuals, anything individual is obviously selfish, so just shut up and obey my authority.' (I think I slipped into South Park, I'll just wipe it on the grass). I find this ironic because the actual passage is about God's lack of partiality for position or prestige.
I'm on a roll now - ya got me started. I hate this one. "I missed you in Church last Sunday," which translates as "I'm keeping score, so ya better watch out." One of my favorites is "I missed you in Church last Sunday," which translates as, "I missed you." Awww ...
My favorite of all - "Would you like fries with that?" Don't think it's exactly spiritual, but it sure sounds like something Peter would say.
JB
I think every requested answer should end with "Would you like fries with that?" Oh my gosh...that's hysterical. Someone told me that they actually ordered fries one time and the person on the intercom asked if they wanted fries with it. I, too, hate the phrase "God is no respecter of persons." It has been misused so many times and thrown in my face more than once. Are we cynical? I can't stand cynical people. Being cynical sometimes is okay, but all the time is annoying. I can't stand annoying people who are cynical. Oh my GOD, I'm annoying AND cynical! Am I paranoid?
Hahaha! I am LMAO! Hated sayings: almost anything with "Unequally yoked" naturally leaving off the ending.("with Unbelievers")
This becomes the excuse for Christians who don't want to work at hard relationships.
Favorites sayings: "Imagination is more important than know-ledge." A. Einstein. Thanks for a thought-provoking read and some great laughs.
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