As a parent we’ve all done it haven’t we?  As I stand in our kitchen and go on and on about my frustration with the constant asking for a piece of Easter candy I see the eyes of 4 of my children (Katherine is too young to ask for candy!) glaze over and they look like zombies.  I have clearly been tuned out.  Who teaches them how to do that at such a young age?

Anyway, once I’m done ranting I head into the living room to sit down and text daddy.  I look at my phone and I see a text already started but not yet sent.  As I read the quite lengthy text, the words are very familiar to me.  I realized that as I was ranting in the kitchen about the dreaded candy question I had hit the voice text button on my smart phone on accident.  It recorded my entire rant in a text to daddy!  I had to laugh out loud and share that with my kids but I didn’t send it daddy.

As I sit here tonight reading my bible, I’m thinking about my rant and how my children were able to turn it off and just stare at me.  Sometimes I wonder if that is how God feels… however, the Lord does not lecture.  He laid out His words for my life in His bible and it is anything but a rant.  His word is filled with love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and a hope that can only come from Him.

The Lord is also showing me how my words affect those around me; for better or for worse.  My lecture bug did not, in any way, convince my children to stop asking for candy.  It only confirmed for them that they have mastered the skill of tuning mommy out.

I don’t want to tune out my Lord and Savior.  As I reflect on my words to my children today a few verses come to mind that I truly need to memorize and have ready when the lecture bug starts to crawl out of her hole and give my family an earful.

 Prov 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick tempered exalts folly.

To be honest, I’m not always slow to anger… ask my husband.  When I am short tempered, I try to step back and figure out if I’m stressed, overwhelmed or not feeling well.  Most of the time one of those 3 is the root cause of my frustration, rather then the people around me.

  Prov 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

This one is especially helpful to teach children, but I’m amazed how much I need to be better about practicing this wise Proverb.

  Prov 19:11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

Another good one… overlook a transgression.  In other words show mercy.  I think this is especially hard for children.  Not that I’ve mastered it by any means but children are still learning to communicate their emotions and to tell them to overlook a wrong done to them is challenging.  None the less, very wise.  I’m not saying we should be doormats but discretion is important in all aspects of life.

Phil and the kids love the song “Words” by Hawk Nelson.  It’s a catchy tune but if you really look at the words there is such truth to it.  What do you think of these lyrics?

“Words”

They’ve made me feel like a prisoner
They’ve made me feel set free
They’ve made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They’ve lifted my heart
To places I’d never been
And they’ve dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice