Hey I'm back again. Two days in a row. Woo hoo for me - and you :). Monday night wrap-up - had a great day off. Made challah French toast, whipped cream, and bananas foster for breakfast for the family and Anna's friend and her mom who are visiting from the Netherlands. I only had one piece with a bit of orange - its Monday and weigh-in day at WW so I'm extra careful on Monday's. Then I just spent the day leisurely - worked on some new cake pop ideas, played games with the girls, and then headed to Manhattan for the dreaded day with the scale. Well turns out I lost .6 this week :). Surprise surprise!!! I'm down 8.2 and I am prepped and ready this week to be down 10 next week. Let's see what happens.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the sermon this past Sunday. We are studying the book of James and this week we read James 3:1-12. These verses talk about our tongues and how out of the same mouth come praises and curses. In verse 5 it says- "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." The pastor brought up the saying we learned as kids about stick and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. How untrue that saying is. Physical wounds heal but words said against us stay in our minds and hearts for a very long time, some never going away. And the words we say about others can affect not only them but even others perception of them when we gossip. It was all so deep yet so simple and true. I personally can remember something hurtful said to me almost 20 years ago and when I see that person the sentence always comes back to my mind. Words really do scar our insides. We should use our words to lift others up, to defend others when people speak ill of them, to give praise and words of encouragement. The pastor challenged us to go a week without grumbling and complaining, without gossiping, without speaking negatively of others, without boasting about ourselves, not to make excuses, and to basically control our tongues. Upon leaving church, I got my eyebrows threaded ( basically plucked with a string for those of y'all who don't know). The lady was very slow which made the pain more uncomfortable. As soon as I left I began to complain to my boyfriend about it. But then I remembered what I heard only minutes earlier. To which of course I replied, I'm not complaining, I'm just staing the facts. Lol. I guess that makes it ok? No it doesn't....well....whatever. The point is our words have very powerful effects. When we are negative, we affect others moods and feelings as well. Whether we are putting someone down behind their back, which skews other perceptions of that person, or being negative right to someone such as judging them or spewing angry words we don't really mean in a moment of rage, our words really do have impact. The same can go in reverse- we can give a compliment that brightens someone's day- even a stranger, or defend someone being spoken poorly of, or lavish praise and affection on someone we love who we may not show it to enough. How many times in the past day did you complain and grumble as opposed to the amount of times you complimented, praised, or simply made someone smile? It's something to think about. I keep having to check myself when I start to open my mouth negatively. It's another stumbling block I have to work on as I'm sure we all do. So think about it before you say it. Will it help, or will it harm? We can't take back the words we speak. There's no rewind and erase button. So take a moment before you complain, curse, grumble, argue, yell, degrade, or begin a negative sentence. Really, what will it all mean in the end? Let's all take the challenge.
Let me know how you do :)
Goodnite
Xoxo
- me
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