A Family Thing

If I had to choose my favorite gift in our family, it would be the gift of gab  ... in other words, we talk. We talk a lot, we talk loudly and we all talk at once. It isn't so important what we say as it is that we say. Whatever is on our mind has to be voiced. It doesn't really matter if anyone is listening or not - so long as we  give our opinion.  Our family get togethers could easily resemble a stand up comedy try-out.

I have friends who freeze up when they are asked questions or put on the spot. They cannot seem to get the words out. Frankly, I do not believe I have ever in my life not found words. Granted, they are often the wrong words, many times ponounced incorrectly, but never, ever do I find myself unable to utter something - no matter how ridiculous.  Many are the times I wish I had not found the words but alas, my mouth opens on its hinges and words start to fly.

There is however, an upside to this communication gift. Several actually. One, people know where I stand. Good or bad, there it is. More importantly, I know where I stand - it is all there when I yell it out and hear it for the first time as it hangs in the air. Watching the faces around me as they try to digest what they cannot believe I just said  is always an adventure. What they don't know is, its an adventure on this side too - normally I can't believe what I just said!

The moral of this little story - if there is one - is that we should take our gifts from God seriously and develop them in a way that pleases Him. Peter was a great communicator but it took a while for him to develop that gift to the point he was not being told to get lost. But, he did learn and we have all benefited from his lessons. So, there's hope for all of us stumbling speakers and writers who have words in our hearts and minds that sound very different when spoken out or written down. Words that carry life but somehow get tangled in our emotions and sound like something from the dark side instead.

A few years ago the Lord gave me a special scripture that has helped me to trust Him when I open my mouth.

Psalms 81:9 & 10

There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shall thou worship any strange god.


I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.  (emphasis mine)

Open my mouth wide..... got it.... letting Him fill it.... still working on that one. But Peter made it, so there's hope for me!

Lovin' the season....