Last Words

The scripture is full of wisdom on the importance of using our words carefully. Proverbs, especially, is filled with this instruction. A few things we are told:
* Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)
* Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. (Proverbs 25:15)
* A person finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word! (Proverbs 15:23)

I was pleasantly surprised last night when I watched one of my favorite shows - How I Met Your Mother. It won me over from the very first episode with its contemporary comedy, but it seems of recent to have reached a level of enjoyment for me as there seems to be more heartfelt moments. Last night's episode dealt with the significance of your last words.

When it was over, I turned on Facebook - still emotionally numb to a certain extent - only to notice that a friend posted that her friend had died over the weekend. I went to his FB page to see what his final post was. I had to laugh when I read, "I don't wanna be a Pisces. Not that there's anything wrong with that." Do you think he would have chosen that to be his final post?

So, it really got me thinking: our words have such power. We can do so much good - or bad - with our words. I hope you come away from this random little blog with a gentler word to speak because we never know when it might be our last.

New. Year. Resolutions.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:2-5, NIV)

The New Year: That delightful time when we make ourselves promises we don't expect to keep. Right!? I'm optimistic, so I'd like to believe that resolutions are made when we take a moment to "test" our actions and we see that we fail in some area. Good for us!

Unfortunately, we don't continue to work at these goals, for one reason or another. Laziness? Fear? Distraction? Excuses? All of the above, and then some!

What I keep discovering is that I have to chose to live the life I dream about - it's not about a year. I need to daily do what I want to be. If I want to be rich, I save money. If I want to be healthy, I eat well and exercise. This is not rocket science, and yet we all struggle with it.

Along with a whole list of other things, I want to be someone who is able to carry other's burdens and take pride in myself. It starts this new year, and more importantly, it starts today.