Uff Da!!

I knew that rain dance that Tracy was doing yesterday afternoon would work!  I had to convince the boys she wasn't having a seizure..."No Isaac and Alex ,that's just how mommy dances waiving her hands like that and moving around."  I haven't heard the rainfall amounts, but it was a substantial rain and the moisture was sorely needed!  I know we've been talking about the need for rain too much when in the middle of the shower Isaac tells grandma and grandpa on the phone, "It is raining, so the farmers should be happy now."  Well, the farmers will be happy for awhile at least! 
How refreshing it was to have a nice rain shower.  Everything always seems cleaner after a rain.  The anxiety of a failed crop is abated for awhile, and all can seem well with the world again.  It would be an easy transition here to talk about the forgiveness of God cleansing us like a much needed rain.  In order to keep you guessing I'm going to take a different track.  My sermon this past Sunday was on the 6th commandment, "Thou shalt not murder."  And while that is most definitely a commandment against murder Jesus expands it to the killing of each other with words.  What we say has immense power.  Sometimes we can't take back when we say something mean spirited, and no amount of washing and refreshing rain can completely wipe away the negative affects of hurtful speech.
Throughout the day Sunday after the sermon I found myself reflecting on times when my sarcasm and my words came across as mean spirited.  I found myself thinking about the times my words cut someone down, hurt someone, or even when someone else's words hurt me.  Many times each incident wasn't intentional and usually a result of miscommunication, but the damage was done.  I was reminded all day that words have tremendous power and we need to be reminded of that from time to time.  I also found myself wishing all the past mistakes could just be washed away like Tracy's car was cleaned off in that rain shower.
Take a minute and think before you speak.  You see, all we really needed to know about life we really did learn in kindergarten!  Also, in today's world take a minute and think before you type and hit "send."  Would you want that said about you?  What message is that going to send?  Is there a way you can reach out to that person instead of cutting them down with words?  Be mindful of the power that our words have to build up and to tear down.  We might be hurting someone and not even be aware of it.