I need your help with something.....

That's what the old preacher said when he called the kids to come down to the front pew for a little children's worship time.  It was a Sunday night service a couple of years ago, and my kids headed down right away, ever the volunteers.

What the preacher went on to show the kids has stuck in my mind ever since....and theirs.  I think of it every day...when I brush my teeth.  Here's his story paraphrased as best I can remember it.  I tried to include some pics I made to make it more visual for you....although it's not the same as seeing the shock and awe on the faces of the kids when the preacher did it at church that night.

He took out his bathroom kit and pulled out a toothbrush.

Then, after fumbling around trying to unscrew the toothpaste and get everything situated atop a napkin on his knee, he managed to ask one of my kids to volunteer to help squirt some toothpaste on his toothbrush.  Which they did, but before he closed up the toothpaste, he decided it needed just a tad bit more....

And so he would up with this mess.....and then asked the kids to help him.  Again....eager to be chosen to help, all three of my kids shot their hands up in the air.   They just wanted to help.....but they didn't know that he was going to ask them to do was impossible.   The chosen child hopped up from the front pew to offer his assistance (I'm sure he thought he would just be asked to clean up the mess). 

It was then the preacher said, "I need you to put the toothpaste back in the tube".  

With wide eyes and a look of disappointment on his face, my child shook his head and said, "I can't".

And immediately he spoke of our speech life, how it's a lot like this toothpaste.....once we've let our words come spewing forth from our mouth, there is no way to put them back in....we can't.

 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips."  ~~Psalm 141:3

Words are very powerful.  They can be very uplifting or extremely destructive. 

 As a mother, I take my job of family cheerleader very seriously.  Over the summer I read a devotion about family that said words are like seeds, whatever we "plant" or speak, will grow.  Do we want the critical, negative words to grow in our children, among our friends and family, our co-workers? I don't think anyone would say that they want that....but it's exactly what happens when we speak that way, our realm is soon surrounded by negativity.  The devotion went on to say we needed to look for the good in our children, husband, family.  I would add that is also true for our friends, co-workers, church members, etc.  We seek out what is good and speak it, becoming a cheerleader, because everyone needs a cheerleader. 

I know there have been times I have spoken a harsh word to my husband or children....when if I had only corrected with more of a cheerleader spirit....giving them more positive comments to go along with the negative one.  The devotion had a great acrostic to the word THINK that I thought I'd share and close with...

THINK before you speak:

T      = is it True

H     = is it Helpful

 I      = is it Inspiring

N     = is it Necessary

K     = is it Kind