Pet Peeves...

Okay now...fess up! What's your Pet Peeve? Everybody has something that just sets them off. We see others doing the stupidest things and we wonder what on earth they were thinking at the time.

Most of my pet peeves have to do with driving. For those of you who are not aware, I was a high school driving instructor for five years, and I think I can honestly say I have just about seen anything and everything a driver can do while behind the wheel of a car. I have seen people eat food, change clothes, read books, watch movies on portable DVD's, put on make-up, shave, talk on cell phones, text messages, and a few other things I'll not mention here. Talk about multi-tasking!

As far as driving goes though, I guess my biggest pet peeve has to do with turn signals. I have come to the conclusion that most cars don't have them (must have been optional equipment!) Part of my teaching was trying to explain something called 'Defensive Driving' (that is being prepared for anything), but how can you be prepared when the other driver doesn't even know where they are going or what they are doing?

My wife has learned to read the signs - she knows when I've encountered drivers without drivability (that is drivers who have either forgotten everything their instructors taught them, or they just don't care). She claims my jaw clamps tight, my knuckles turn white as I grip the wheel, and my eyes narrow as I watch these accidents looking for a place to happen.

While I still tend to sneer at drivers without drivability, my pet peeves have turned to other interests. As I have grown older and more involved in my church, I can't help but wonder why people don't go to church. Oh, they make excuses. For example, I was working with a group of teens a few years ago and we were talking about church. Every single one of them told me that they like the church services, they enjoyed the hymns and songs, they loved the time we set aside for children, they even like the older poeple of the church. Their only complaint: church was too early (our worship starts at 10:30 am and they thought this was too early?)

Sounds like excuses to me. And the problem with teens using these kinds of excuses now is that they will develop them into a lifestyle that omits corporate worship and a relationship with God.

So...now that I've spouted, what's your pet peeve? Is it people? Actions? Work? Drivers? The girl at the checkout? Professional sports and spoiled players? TV commercials that are twice as loud as the show you were watching? Well, here's your opportunity to shout it out. Yeah, go ahead...yell out as loud as you can. What ticks you off?? :-)