Word-formed

"We are a word-formed people. Our children are word-formed people. We as mothers must be very careful what we speak into our children. They will become what we speak into their lives...
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...children will shrivel up with negative words or they will thrive on our encouragement. As they grow, we will reap the rewards of the words we have continually spoken into them."

-Power of Motherhood, Nancy Campbell

I know, I know, you are thinking, I still have to discipline and correct my children! And God has a sovereign plan for their lives even if I mess up!! Yes, yes, yes! But, I know in my mothering, it is sometimes MUCH easier to criticize than to praise. I am more likely to say, "Your shoes are on the wrong feet," than "Great job getting your shoes on!!"

Lately, I can really tell a day that has been full of nothing but criticism by the look on my childrens' faces at the end of the day. They each process it differently, but I can also tell on my childrens' faces a day that has been full of laughter, praise, tickles, and hugs.

Personally, my love language is words of affirmation, so I have a special ability to understand how words affect people...but, that unfortunately doesn't always translate to praising others well.

I spent the weekend, in fact, questioning my husband about our family's church-going and our intimate relationship...I wanted answers! I wanted him to tell me what I wanted to hear...I did not consider how my demands and questioning would ultimately make him feel...like he wasn't a good leader...the way I phrased my questions showed my frustration and anger, instead of my trust and love for him.

We have word-formed relationships with our kids and word-formed relationships with our husbands. Our words (our tongues) are so powerful. I am working on controlling that power...through prayer and God's refining, I hope to get better daily in this realm.

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV) says,
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."

Thank you Lord for your word and for giving us instruction how to use our own words in our families. Lord, help me to keep my mouth shut like Thumper says when I don't have anything nice to say. Help me have measured and edifying words for my children. And when I don't, help me seek you out for guidance and peace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

For a list of many other Bible verses relating to taming the tongue, go here:
http://www.openbible.info/topics/taming_your_tongue
I will be meditating on these verses extensively this week. I pray that God's word penetrates my heart and my MOUTH!!!!! (I told Scott this morning, I wish I could undo all the words I said yesterday. He said, "It was hard to hear, but through all that will come growth!!" What a good husband. I pray the growth is mine, and that I will learn to keep hurtful words and tones to a minimum in our home.)