Entitlement is flabbergasting

I hate when my husband comes home frustrated.  I really don't like it when it is because of others lack of care, or rather, care of what others think as opposed to what is right.  My husband's UIL competition is next Friday.  8 days from today.  The dates have been on the calendar (for the band, the school, the district) since last August.  Parents sign the handbook in August stating they have received notice of the dates, that their children will attend barring any emergencies, and that these competitions make up MAJOR grades for their children.  Then, he gets called today to speak to the principal because his UIL sanctioned competition interferes with (get this) hair, nail and dinner appointments for the girls (I am assuming) and boys that are going to the 8th grade dance that same night.  His competition is 3 hours before this dance, and if the kids are really pressed for time, the parents can pick them straight up from the competition.

There are numerous things that are frustrating.  1) Why wouldn't a UIL competition that these kids have been working on all semester be more important than an 8th grade dance.....for both the administration and the parents?  2)  It is belittling to my husband and the entire program that the PTA should be given precedence, when his date has been on the calendar for 8 months.  3)  It is frustrating as a wife as our family time revolves around all these competitions, yet the children who signed up for this program aren't expected to give it the same respect.

That right there is frustration enough going into a Friday.  He's expected to make some calls and try to get either a) an earlier time on Friday or b) move it to Saturday.  My husband's cousin has a baby shower in Corpus that Saturday, and since we haven't been able to go down there in over a year, this was going to be a day trip to see our family.  But, what is most frustrating to me as I watch my husband go through this over and over is the lack of commitment to his program.  Each time they have an event outside of class, there is ALWAYS a parent calling/emailing the day of with an excuse for their child.  Then, getting angry at my husband when he says the child will receive a zero for the grade.  And even angrier when there is no make up.  Do parents not understand when their child doesn't show up, it affects the whole sound of the group?

I know this is a rant and I'm sorry, I just hate to see Eric frustrated.  He mentions today when we're speaking how these 8th grade dances are like what our proms were like in high school.  Last year, they had to limit the number of LIMOS that dropped kids off at the school.  This is a dance in the school cafeteria for goodness sake, for thirteen year olds. One year, at another junior high in the area, a parent called to see if their child could be dropped off in a HELICOPTER.  Are you kidding?  The children are being taught that responsibility is great, unless it interferes with something really important like dropping a few hundred, or thousand, dollars on something as spectacular as a school dance.  Or, it's great to belong, but only until we don't have time for that.  Eric's second group has their UIL competition this Saturday (like in two days) and not one chaperone has signed up.  So, that's another day away from our family because parents don't want to be involved.

This is just so hard to take after yesterday's post.  There are children lying in beds fighting cancer alone, and we are worried about 13 year old nail appointments interfering with a competition.  Or, children across the world, that just need some shoes, or a little food, and are praying to receive these things we assume are dire needs, yet they are used to going without.

I'm not trying to be on a high horse and say I have this all figured out, because I know I don't.  I have my own idols in my life (more on that in another post that is started and I just can't finish), things that I give more importance that they should, but I just see our culture continuing to move this way.  Self-worshiping, without care of others.  It hurts my heart, knowing that this is part of the sin in the world.  Our fallen lives we leave.

Lord, be near.  In Romans 8 it says we are hostile towards you when our mind is set on the flesh and not on you.  Be with us, each day, in every part of our day, turning our eyes to you.  Your spirit gives us life.  Be with Eric as he bears this burden.  Keep giving him a kind heart and gentle words.  Help him to be bold to declare your gospel.  Help me to hold my tongue when it only makes things worse.  We love you, and want to serve you alone!