Food for Thought

My friend Melanie shared this on her blog last week. I found it to be something that convicted me, and really made me think. I hope it provides you with some food for thought too.

My daily devotional was great today. Exactly the kind of thing I needed to reflect on and I though there might be other mom's out there who need to hear it as well.

Feb 10th: "My Child, how I will rejoice if you become wise. Yes, My heart will thrill when you speak what is right and just." Prov 23:15-16

My oldest son, Chad, owns a twelve-year-old white Pontiac Bonneville. It's served him well during his post-college years, carrying him to camping trips on the West Coast, friends' weddings on the East Coast, and back and forth to the high school where he teaches every day. But with over 160,000 miles on his car, he suspected that it might be approaching its demise. Recently, after his car failed an emissions test, Chad concluded that the car had indeed reached the end of the line.

When Chad showed me the charts and graphs he received from the Illinois Vehicle Inspection Station, I better understood the reason for emissions testing. The inspection station tests cars for carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) and hydrocarbons (unburned fuel that causes smog and contributes to eye and throat discomfort). A dictionary definition of the word emit is "to utter or exhale." After I read that, I got to wondering, What would happen if we moms were required to have periodic emissions testing on our speech? What if someone listened to us and tested the words that we utter throughout the day?

Would our words be full of kindness, truth, wisdom, and blessing? Or would they be found to be full of criticism, rumors, flattery, and anger? Although we probably all have days that we would fail the test, here's the good news: our problem with words is one of the reasons Jesus Died for Us! As we confess our sin and look to him for wisdom with our words, he will help us. A failed "emissions" test doesn't mean the end of the line for us! If we turn to Jesus, he will help us with necessary repairs.
One Year Devotions for Moms: Ellen Banks Elwell

Hope you enjoy that. ~Melanie

The original post is found at the Waltz Family's Blog

My kids are always saying things that I wonder "Where on earth did they come up with that?!?" Oops. Mama you need to watch what you're saying the Boy is especially fond of picking up on those things. I'm grateful that they can be my "emissions testers", but I do wish they would not pick up on those things. Especially since it is so difficult to get them to stop using the "foul emissions" that they pick up on. It is helping me to remember to curb my sarcasm and keep my tone kind and at a normal level instead of yelling so much. Kids are a great mirror for us. I look forward to seeing the good things that they pick up on too.