Bouts of Conflict: Jesus our Referee

Conflict. I hate it.  I love peace, and I have been known to try and keep “peace” even when a little honesty and airing of disagreements would have served the relationship far better.  So if there are any of you out there who looked at the very TITLE of the post and didn’t want to read it, trust me, I get it.  

The Party Pooper

The holiday bully is a particularly evil form of female predator.  Do you know any? She seems to get a perverse delight from hurting others.  Her tools are psychological - a well placed comment or an arch look. She can instantly size up an unsuspecting cousin or sister-in-law.  Ten extra pounds, an ugly Christmas sweater, a kid who isn't college material, a scorched casserole - it is all fodder!  She pounces!  

Drama Queens

We have outlawed two words at our house.  Those words are "always" and "never."  Does that sound silly?  Perhaps it is, but conversations with my oldest daughter had started to sound like this:

 "Mommy, can I have a cookie?"
 "No, supper is almost ready."
 "I'll never have a cookie again!"