Venting

After working at the same place for so long, I have certain expectations about when I can take time off. I plan those days carefully and never leave the office in a bind. However, I've been there so long that I get 4 weeks of vacation each year and I must take those 20 days so that I don't lose the time. This week I asked off for Thanksgiving week, the same week I've had off for longer than I can remember. It never occurred to me that there might be an issue with it.

Within an hour of submitting the request, I received a message that left doubt that I would be granted the week off. I was so mad! It was close to lunchtime, so I headed out to just get away. After an hour I responded to the message with my reasons for why I needed to be absent and that the office would be fine without me that week.  Still, I got no word about the decision.

Then I did what I should not have done. I began to tell my coworkers how aggravated and angry I was about the request not being approved immediately. I should have stayed quiet and waited, because the next day my time off was approved.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

As I look back, I realize how petty I was and how fortunate I am for that to have been my big issue this week.