I should be...

...at work for a few hours even thought it's my day off.  Yesterday was a holiday so I should work today, right?
...quilting.  I call it my therapy.  And boy do I need therapy.
...making scripture covers to put it our etsy shop.  Next week is the big "give away" and we want to have lots of scripture covers and quilts posted.
...cleaning house. 
...finishing laundry.  One load is in the washer and one in the dryer and two are waiting their turn.
...resting??? I have been sick for the last 2+ weeks and rest would be nice.
...taking my blood pressure.  Which I know is high right now but I can't find the blood pressure monitor so I guess I DO need to clean my house.

But instead I am here. Not posting but venting.  I have already called Tim and expressed my frustration.  But he already knows and I am trying hard not to make his life more difficult than it is already.  So here you are blog. 

Why do members of our ward think their Bishop is home during a work day?  And why do they get annoyed with me when he is not?  And why do they hang up on me, angry, when I say yes, of course he is at work?  And why do they think I know the reason he wants to schedule a meeting with them?  And why do they think he needs to make their decisions for them?  And why do they leave their life history/problems on our family answering machine?  Why do they think it is ok to wait outside our home or follow us to talk to the Bishop?  And why do people think the church and it's members should solve their problems?  And why does all the negative enter our home, not from the Bishop, but from members who think dumping their life's yuck on ME is ok????  I do not get it.  I have enough yuck of my own.  I have come to the conclusion that the Lord called Tim to be Bishop and I am just along for the (very bumpy) ride.  I am not a good Bishop's wife.  When someone asks "how ya doing"??  I tell them, the truth.  It is not the time away from home or the meetings or the what ever else that is hard.  It is the negative coming into MY HOME. MY SAFE PLACE.

I was reading an article from President Hinckley recently, trying to understand a little about what is a Bishop.  Of course, I would pick out these two sentences from his talk--
"Bishops:  You must not rob your employer of the time and energy that are rightfully his. You must not rob your family of time which belongs to them."

I have come to the conclusion, one of any Bishop's biggest jobs is to try and remind the members that: 
He is a guy with a job, a wife, some kids, grandkids, a house payment, cars that can have dead batteries and flat tires, a yard that needs to be mowed.  He is a guy with kids that want and deserve their dad at band concerts, football games, birthday parties, family home evenings, vacations, and just to be with them.  He is a guy with a family that needs him.  He is a guy that needs to sleep and eat and recharge his battery for all he needs to do.  He is a guy who has to take care of his dad and all his problems because no one else will.  He is a guy who does not have a degree in marriage counseling, family counseling, finance or human resourses. 

He is a guy that relies on the Lord to guide him to do what is right.  Even when it is not the popular choice.  He is a guy that the Lord has called to be bishop.  Members don't get to choose their bishop.  Remember in Pollyanna where the preacher is told what to preach?  Nope.  The Lord is in charge.  Deal with it people. 

He is a guy who will do whatever he can to help.  He is a guy who, if someone needs him, he will be there.  He is a guy who wants the Lord in charge. He is a guy who wants you to call the Bishop when you need a Bishop.  He's a guy who knows it's his calling not his wife's.  He's a guy with two counselors and an executive secretary who is in charge of his appointments. 

Oh how I wish the executive secretary would handle all phone calls and appointments. 

I have also come to the conclusion, that one of a Bishop's wife's biggest jobs is to support and protect her husband. And to block out all this yuck.  And obviously, blocking out yuck--I am not good at. 

My blood pressure can't take it.  My health can't take it.  Phone calls like the one I shouldn't have answered today, they ruin my day.  And make me negative when I'm trying to be positive. 

And I know it's not my job to tell anyone any of these things. 
Even though I think they need to hear it.
Thanks for listening blog. 
Now I'm gonna go take a shower and cry.