Courageous 2

As I was growing up, I really didn't see my dad much... maybe once a year, though there were a couple of years when I did see him a few times (he was in the military and so moved around the country quite a bit).  Phone calls were few and far between, and always at the prompting of my dear step-mother.  How would I know that, you might be asking?  Because every phone call began like this, "Hi, Dad."  "Hey, Wen.  Ruthann told me it was time to call..."  or some such variation.  It was always said somewhat jokingly, and my response was always some joking thing about doing what his wife said...

After years and years... a lifetime, really... of hearing that, a person becomes numb to the affect of the words, but the message becomes crystal clear with each passing year:  'I'm not important enough to you for you to think of calling me by yourself.'

I've been so convicted of the affect my words (and tone) have on others (mostly because I have a tendency to say the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time), and especially the affect my words have on my children... my desire is to practice daily Proverbs 31:26 ~ "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."  and to be aware of Proverbs 12:18 ~  "There is one whose words are like sword thrusts, but the words of the wise bring healing."

Blessings~

W