Thumper

"If you can't say somethin' nice, ...don't say nothin' at all."
Thumper

And cue the crickets.

So, I decided rule #2 (maybe I shouldn't call them rules...that is the teacher in me...goals, goals would be better) would be the "Thumper Rule".

Why not, that seemed easy enough...I am sure you are thinking the same thing.  It is amazing to me how wrong I can be sometimes.

So, this morning I decided I would start on this goal...and remained very quiet already.  I truly had no idea that some of the things I say out of habit could be "not nice", but as I am thinking very hard about what I say, I realize that although I don't curse, name call, etc.   I do criticize or question.

Oh Geez, I'm a cactus!

Ooooooo come closer to my pretty flower so I can PRICK YOU WITH MY SPINES!

Proverbs 10:19  When words are many, transgression is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

If my friends were reading this, they would not believe that I was able to remain relatively quiet this morning.  Although not a morning person, I am also known to talk...a lot.  Enough that my husband this morning was concerned for my health...geez.

"Wouldn't it be better if...", "Shouldn't you...", "Sigh, I'll do it..."

And these were just a few of the phrases that I kept myself from uttering this morning...sure to follow with some way I could do it better.  And then I complain that my husband doesn't help around the house. No WONDER!  If someone followed me around saying these phrases to me all day, I'd be like, "Go ahead and do it all then!"

So as my husband says on his way out the door, "Are you feeling alright honey, you've been awfully quiet this morning?", I vow to continue trying to live by Thumper's rule. 

Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.