The grandgirl had an attitude.
With her mom.
And then with me.
I sent her to her room.
She came out in a while, asked if she could come into my office, and apologized.
“I let my actions take over,” she said.
Yes, yes you did. And that’s a really good insight. Where did you learn that?
“From my counselor.”
Well, she’s pretty wise.
We talked about how we can ask God to help us control our behavior.
And then she said, “Words are like bullets.”
Wow! Did you learn that from your counselor, too?
“No. I heard that on Family Guy.”
I’ve never seen Family Guy, and I don’t know where she saw Family Guy or if it’s appropriate for her to see Family Guy.
But powerful words nevertheless.
We talked about it some more.
About how words can sting like a hornet.
How they have power and how they can pierce someone’s heart.
How they can injure someone’s spirit in a way that can last a long time.
How they can be so very hurtful.
We can even shoot ourselves with our own thought words, especially when they don’t agree with God’s assessment of us.
And then we talked about words that encourage.
Words that build people up rather than rip them apart or tear them down.
Healing words.
And we decided that those words were like honey.
Better yet, like kisses.
Butterfly kisses.
Would you rather take a bullet or have a butterfly kiss?
“Butterfly kiss.”
Hands down.
We can even say the same thing in a different way, using different words.
Like in this video.
What a difference our words can make.
Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise. ~Proverbs 12:18 (Message)
Omigosh – FABULOUS video. And lovely post, as always. Thanks for your tips about the pictures in PIcasa. I’m fiddling with it now – but I’ve got this weird problem. I switched to a gmail account for all my email to land in about 3 years ago. But I started my blog (which was an assignment from my boss, actually, and ignored quite a lot while I was working, except for reproducing public prayers and a few sermons) on my former verizon account – and I can’t switch it now, as Blogger is a google program and so is gmail. So …trying to switch back and forth is a royal pain…the joys of learning new techno things when you’re not a particularly techno person. :>) I’m also trying to figure out how to use Feedburner to put an email sign-up linky thing on my sidebar. Still looking… I have appreciated your fine work and your sweet spirit of cooperation. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Diana. Don’t you know I am such a techno flunkie. Most of what I can do is by trial and error. Except now I’ve got a great blog webmaster who can run whining to. 😉
What a powerful video! Thank you! Amazing. I think I needed that this evening.
Blessings
It really is powerful. I cried.
Wow. How true. Powerful words and the video brought tears. I couldn’t help but think as I read your words about the power of His Word to comfort, encourage and strengthen and how important I start each day with His Word, so that mine will reflect His throughout my day. Beautiful, Sandra. Absolutely beautiful.
So true, Cecilia. We can’t share sweet words unless we’ve been in His word.
LOL. She really shouldn’t be watching Family Guy. Even me, at age 21, shouldn’t be watching it.
That may have been the ONLY good moral Family Guy has ever taught.
Powerful video though, Snady!
Ha! Well, I’ll be sure to pass that on. No telling where she saw it. I remember when her mom was about 10, she went to an overnight birthday party. The mom had rented R-rated movies for the girls, and my daughter told her she was not allowed to watch them. So the mom had her sit in another room. Abby feigned illness and had us come pick her up. She never stayed there again.
Bullets indeed. I think I’m going to send my boys to your house so you can send them to their rooms.
Duane’s right. He shouldn’t be watching Family Guy. (My kids are quick to point out, when they get the eye from me for quoting Family Guy, that they “just heard it somewhere, don’t know where.”)
And Sandy, bless you for your amazing grandmomming.
That’s funny, Lyla. And thanks.
good lesson for all of us, thanks so much for sharing it.
the video was a well done example.
i enjoyed the quote you left…
Adventure is not outside man; it is within. ~George Eliot
oh…
and i know a blog called bullets and butterflies
http://bulletsandbutterlflies.blogspot.com/
by russell holloway
Hi Sandy –
Love this post! I’ll definitely take the butterfly kisses. 🙂
Remember the old saying, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never harm me?” Wrong. Words can do more damage than a punch because they strike at your heart.
Blessings,
Susan
Perhaps most encouraging about this post is the knowledge that no matter else what we lack, from which to share with others, we do not run out of the ability to kiss others with our words.
Wonderful video.