Words

I recently took an in-house census.

And do you know what the results showed?

I have four girls.

Four girls.

Cute aren't they?

 Know what else?

Girls use a lot of words.

A
lot
of 
words.

With each other.
About each other.
In love.
Sometimes in anger.
Occasionally through tears.
Often with drama.


Three of these girls sleep in the same room.
And do school together in the same home.
And have many of the same friends.

That's a lot of time together.
And a lot of words.

And then there's the other little girl.
She may only weigh 25 pounds but I'm convinced 24 of those pounds are pure lungs.
She's got words and she's not afraid to use them.

And lately, it seems we've spent the better part of our days learning to let [our] conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6) instead of always full of self-righteousness, seasoned with jalapenos.

Because as we're also learning, words can sting.

So while it's becoming increasingly apparent that all the girls in my little census sample (present company included) need to guard our tongues more carefully and check the source from which the river of our words flow (that is, our hearts) I have to say that it is also quite encouraging to see how words, full of grace, seasoned with salt can make home a wonderful place to be.