chapel time

haha...so I started this on Wednesday and never finished...

I really appreciated today in chapel. The speaker talked about the importance of controlling the words that come out of our mouths, especially with our culture's emphasis on being funny by saying "smart" and often hurtful retorts. He may as well have been talking to me alone...funny how God plans these things. I've been trained since childhood to retort back to everything--far from being punished for talking back, my dad encouraged it, especially if it was quick and amusing. I've gotten pretty good at twisting people's words and shooting them back at them, often in painful, but "humorous" ways. Sometimes I can tell I've gone too far, but today made me really think about all the comments when people don't show that they are hurt, but still feel it all the same. It really convinced me that it's not worth the laugh to say something mean...let's see how long I can remember and practice this...

James 1: 22 says "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves."

James goes on to write in verses 26-27, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

The world tells us that these types of sarcastic, cutting jokes are humorous, but really, they are often hurtful...keeping myself unstained by the world means not caving to the pressure of being "cool" or fitting in by cracking such jokes. This is going to be especially hard with my kids, since many times we interact by making fun of each other...but I'm going to try! And maybe I'll be able to be a good influence on them as well--I'd like to be the type of teacher they can look back on and not necessary just remember some cool lady they used to hang out with, but someone that was actually a role model to point them to Christ. How cool would it be for the to look back in 10 years and say "You know, Miss K never did make those jokes...and that must have been God's doing!"

We'll see. I'm going to be praying for the strength to do this...if you read this and see me later, ask me about how it's going! It'll be a good reminder for me...