What Is Up With The Big F?

Pet peeves. We all have them, and there’s a good chance ours might be different.

pet peeve :: a particular and often continual annoyance

What is your biggest pet peeve?

What is the thing that grates on your nerves or bugs you the most?

One of mine is when my name is mispronounced or misspelled.

Do you, like me, find it’s a bit harder to extend grace to others when they play a part in your pet peeve? That’s something I can struggle with, and sometimes have to work at. And, what gets me the most is when I do the very things that bug the bejeebers out of me!

My last name is constantly mispronounced or misspelled.

Constantly. I guess I really shouldn’t expect anything different with it being Lefebure. My maiden name was a doosey, too. So, I’ve dealt with this all my life. You’d think I’d just get used to it, but each time it happens it brings a twinge of displeasure and a desire to correct. And, sometimes it feels on the verge of an unintentional insult. It actually catches me off-guard when someone pronounces it or spells it correctly!

I can’t begin to count the times over the phone I’ve spelled my last name as, “Lefebure. L, e, f as in Frank, e, b as in boy, u, r, e.” And pronouncing it for people has been fun too… “Lefebure. Lef-a-bure. The ‘bure’ sounds like ‘sure’.” It’s no wonder, just for fun, one of Bill’s friends calls him Billy Left-with-a-beer.

“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie

I submitted a written piece last year for a book publication. Goodness, I was completely excited for my work to be included in this project. You can about imagine how thrilled I was to find the pre-ordered copy of the book in my mailbox one Tuesday afternoon.

Tearing open the package, I scanned the Table of Contents, and flipped through the pages to find where my words would be found. The suspense was enough to make my fingers fumble in finding “my” page.

I couldn’t believe what I saw next. My last name was misspelled! Julie LeFebure. (My last name doesn’t have a big F in it.) No, no, no. I didn’t submit it this way. Why on earth did someone choose to take my small f and make it big? Ugh.

What is up with the big F?

Disappointment overshadowed my excitement. Don’t get me wrong. Being an author who is published is an honor. It’s a HUGE deal! The reward would have been greater, however, if my name was spelled correctly.

And then this… I received my business cards for my new job this week. You guessed it, my last name is misspelled again with a big F. Really? Can we just spread the word that there’s no big F in my name?? I won’t be handing these cards out to anyone.

My pet peeve in all its splendor.

In the big scheme of things I know a mispronounced or misspelled name is not that big of a deal. Really, it’s not. For me, however, it’s important, and it makes a difference. Yet, not that long ago I misspelled a co-worker’s name in a newsletter. I did the very thing I despise. You can imagine how bad I felt! I had to work at extending grace to myself.

I realize no one intends to make me feel bad by saying or spelling my name incorrectly. No, others aren’t intentionally misspelling my name to upset me. So, I continue to show patience and grace as I trust others will do the same for me when my actions infringe on their pet peeves.

People are not perfect. Let’s continue to show others grace.

Even when they bring out our pet peeves. Even when they do what bugs us. And, yes, even when they misspell my name.

God extends to us His grace, and let’s extend that to others.

So imitate God and be truly compassionate, the way your Father is. Luke 6:36 VOICE

Now it’s your turn. Share below a pet peeve of yours. How is God teaching you through it, or how have you shown grace to others in it? How may I pray for you through it today?

Thanks for stopping over, friend. You are a blessing!

Julie