Barking, Hissing, or a Gentle Answer?

He’s barking at me in the kitchen as he chops meat on the cutting board. Heat rushes to my face. I feel like a cornered cat with my back arched and fur sticking out. 

Defensive thoughts race through my mind—running into a traffic jam of angry words in the back of my throat. Just as I’m about to “hiss” angry words—I hear a familiar whisper inside my head. 

A gentle answer turns away wrath…

In a flash an old video reel plays in my mind’s eye. We’re standing in the kitchen—barking and hissing at each another. He leaves the house frustrated, slamming the door behind him. I collapse on our bed in tears, our angry miscommunication feeling like a bowl of tangled spaghetti.

“ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?”

His barking voice snaps me back to the present. I look at his face—contorted in anger. I feel the urge to defend myself tug against the whisper. It’s my moment of decision. How many times have I regretted not listening to that little whisper? I take a breath and send up a quick prayer for strength—to yield!

Immediately the traffic jam in my throat disperses. I feel “the fur” on my back go down as my shoulders relax. Another whisper floats by my inner ear. Love is patient, love is kind… I give in to the words, and I feel them as I speak.

“Yes, I hear you.”

I see a flicker of surprise in his eyes as we lock gazes. His inner battle plays out on his face as he weighs his decision. I hear the clock in the living room—the one we bought for our first anniversary so many years ago. Tick—tick—tick.

His jaw relaxes. “Well, okay then,” he says.

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

Afterthought… This is one of the times I succeeded in heeding “the still small voice” that some believe is God, me being one of them, but I did not learn to heed without failing. As the saying goes, I am a work in progress—as we all are. So, don’t go beating yourself up for failing to heed yesterday. (I’m talking to myself as much as you.) Today is a new day. Pick yourself up and try again!

“Supposing you have tried and failed again and again. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” 
~Mary Pickford

Mr. FLU: 7 Tips to Prevent This Unwelcome Guest

An unwelcome guest stopped by last week—and he won’t leave! He insists on staying and making me miserable. I hear he can stay one week or even two, more if my immune system is weak.

How did I manage to let him in my door? I’m not sure, but I discovered with a little investigating that he’s very sneaky—and quite the acrobat.

Mr. Flu propels himself at speeds up to 60 miles per hour in the sneezes and coughs of friends and strangers. He hides on surfaces for up to 8 hours waiting for his next victim. Any surface will do—door handles, keyboards, or countertops. He lurks, waiting for someone to pick him up. Then he latches on to them when they touch their face or rub their eyes—or worse. Unsuspecting victims inhale his vile mist and take him home with them!

Unfortunately, Mr. Flu may be with you a full day before you know it. Suddenly, you begin to feel fatigued and achy. Next the fever and chills set in—and your uninvited guest boldly makes his presence known!

What can you do to escape this unwelcome guest? Health professionals recommend the flu shot. If you decide to get one, remember, it may take up to 2 weeks to take effect—so you still need to exercise prevention.

Check out the following tips I've gleaned from my research. (For complete information, always consult your health care provider.)

My favorite tip is—SMILE! Smiling and laughter are proven to boost your immune system. So, whether you’re trying to keep Mr. Flu out—or he’s already moved in—watch your favorite funny movie or stand-up comedian. It’s the one remedy that’s sure to cheer you up!

In fact, I’m forcing Mr. Flu to watch cute animals doing funny things on YouTube while I drink fizzy vitamin C drinks. I’m pretty sure he hates it. I figure it's only a matter of time before he leaves... ;-)

More flu info:  www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm
More smiling benefits:  http://healthiermn.com/5-health-benefits-of-smiling

Sticks and Stones

The old childhood saying goes: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

Recently I experienced the cutting pain of sharp words. I lay awake at night struggling to stop the words from replaying in my head. Part of me wanted to forgive and let go—the other part wanted to hold on and smolder. 

One night I couldn’t sleep, so I got up at 3 AM to pray. I prayed for the person who hurt me, and I prayed for help to let go. As I prayed, this question came to my mind: If this were my last night on earth, what would I say to this person?

I opened my laptop and wrote an answer that surprised me.  Here are the words that came down my arms and out my fingertips:

May you sense the holy presence of God. May you feel His great love for you. You were born for a reason. God wanted you here. You are precious in His sight. He made you who you are, and He put you where you are for a reason. Never forget that—and never forget that every person that crosses your path was created by God. He wanted them here too.

If I am that someone, I am crossing your path for a reason. He put me here. Even though we are both flawed creatures—He loves us more than we can fathom—and loving one another is the best way we can love Him back. 

I wish only good for you. I pray for your health and well-being. May God bless you and grant you peace.

In the short time it took to type these words, I found the relief I sought. As peace settled over me, Jesus’ words came to mind: “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (Luke 6:28, NLT).

Sticks and stones may break your bones and hurtful words may cut like a knife, but the Lord will heal the wounds we surrender to Him.