Pages

Thursday, September 20, 2012

"R" is for Respect

I have a really hard time with people I work with lately! I am focused, hard working and ready to roll as my day starts! This is not the case with those around me! Instead of rallying round each other it is mostly a fight, a division of sorts and really rotten!
Regardless of this mayhem I have tried to resolve some of the issues and respect the people involved. It is hard to do! So I have to consult the guy who gets big results! You might know Him. He is God! I am constantly referring to Him! He reminds me to be respectful. Often the kinder you are the worse the results! He disagrees! He feels the reality of it all is going to work itself out. So I pray. Then I pray harder. It is my mantra. Those are words burned into my brain! My mother, God rest her soul. repeated this to me in my life on a daily basis. So I tell my children the same thing!
This is good advice: Always say a prayer. So while I am trying to sort through difficult feelings in the work place I remember these  phrases and rely on them heavily!

Now I don't want to act disrespectful and drag a persons character through the mud but my co worker has been having some wild times since her husband asked her for a divorce. They were married a long time, thirty years and he wants out! She has met a variety of men on line and the process is rude and ruthless  . I certainly do not wish to come off as judgmental but I think sometime we can set ourselves up for failure by the bad choices we make. We have all done it. My concern is, that although she and I are not close and she is difficult to work with, often piling work on others, I feel badly for her. I feel like a shrink at times, because I start to analyze her situation. I don't think she had a lot of love as a child from her parents and apparently the marriage had its difficulties she may not disclose.  Something has caused her to break to the point I feel she is risking her safety and putting herself into very dangerous situations with strangers. Her story is rather long and unconventional but I think Satan is attacking her on all fronts! Last week she had a mammogram and having survived breast cancer on her left side she received a call stating they needed her to return tomorrow to do more testing. They don't like something they are seeing on her right side! I was alone with her at the time and I tried my best to console her. It is always scary facing the unknown. So I told her I would share this and pray and ask for prayer.
I own a copy of this portrait. It is called a "Hook Head" and the late artist Richard Hook portrayed Christ as he felt he might have looked. I think he did an excellent job and I have this portrait hanging in our bedroom as it has hung for the past twenty nine years. My high school pal Randy gave this to me. He worked for a local Christian book store and  I have always treasured it. I hope you will pray for my co worker Theresa as I continue on my journey of realizing respect for those I am with during the work day for eight hours five days a week.
Come visit Ms. Jenny and participate with all of us while we share the letter "R" today! I am remaining respectful to my co worker and praying for her. I hope and pray that  respect will catch on where I work! Aretha Franklin sang it best when she belted out the hit song  R-E-S-P-E-C-T ! In the society we live in today it is often difficult to find some respect. So as I leave you tonight here are a few quotes about respect:

"Respect commands itself  and it can neither be given or withheld when it is due." Eldridge Cleaver

"There is no respect for others without humility in one's self." Henri Fredric Amiel

"When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom." John Gray


13 comments:

Jeanne said...

Hi Anne, My prayers go out to your co-worker. Sometimes you find that a person who has come off of a bad relationship for a long period of time, they seem to just make choices they usually might not make. I hope things work out for the better. Prayers are always a positive action. Your post is a good reminder about how we must stay true to God in all things.

Surprise!!! You won my giveaway on Pink Saturday. Please email me with your address so I can mail your gifts. We are leaving to go out of town tomorrow but I will have my computer. The package is already to be mailed and I will take it with me and mail it where we are staying. My Email is...jeav@earthlink.net

Congratulations my dear blogging friend.
Blessings, Jeanne

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

Sorry you are having a hard time with co-workers... mine just like to complain about everything ... so I feel your pain!! :)

Simone said...

It is the hardest spot to be in and I have been there. I have felt uncomfortable with doling out advice yet, I realize that God had me there for that very reason. Praying that He will give you patience and the desire to listen and she shares from her experiences. Maybe this will be a turning point in her life. Praying for you in dealing with her. (I have a co-worker who I would love to hide from because of her issues so I do understand.)

Denise said...

Saying prayers for you, and your co-worker.

SarahBeth said...

Oh dear! It's sometimes hard to work every day with someone you don't really care for, but you are being a good friend to your co-worker as she faces what sounds like a difficult time.

VBR said...

Hoping that prayers and positive energy coming your way will help you to find an answer how to be deal with this coworker.

Judie said...

Anne, I TOTALLY agree with you about setting one's self up for failure by making bad choices. If we could only remember to "ASSESS CONSEQUENCES." XOXO!!

Lmkazmierczak said...

You are both on my prayer list....May the Holy Spirit guide you in all your endeavors♫♪

Splendid Little Stars said...

respect--for oneself as well--so important.
ASAP--I will remember that!

Unknown said...

Feel for your co-worker -hope she slows down to find a GOOD husband. This rendition of Jesus is better, and more fun (they forget that he was a thirty-something) than most I have seen:)

Anonymous said...

Hopefully this new health scare will be enough to shock your coworker out of the self-destructive cycle you describe. That said, I do hope it turns out to be nothing more than a scare for her.

Jim said...

Hi Anne ~~ Yes, I will pray for your coworker, Theresa.
She obviously needs help and prayer is the help that we can give her from the distance.
..

Jenny said...

Gosh.

So little life...so many lessons.

I will be happy to send prayers for your co-worker. There is a good organization called CODA (co-dependents anonymous) if that might help.

Thanks for sharing your really lovely and compassionate heart.

A+