Where Did He Learn That?

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 NIV

"Oh **** it," comes the talk out of a young child.

My mind is blown away, how could someone so young be learning these words. Apparently, the older children in my care thinks it's funny to teach the younger ones the words I don't allow.

It wasn't that long ago when the worst thing I had to correct the kids on were "Shut-up", "Oh my God", and "Fart". Now I know these sayings may not offend you, but for our house they are words we don't say.

Today though this group of kids are saying things much more offensive. Shockingly, I realized the words these elementary kids are saying, I didn't hear until high school. How come the change?

Could it be it's everywhere? People use these words as if they were part of every day conversations. Now a days no one even apologizes for the use of these words. No more, "I'm sorry ma'am it just slipped out." No sir, now it just pops out and no one even apologizes. They look at you funny if you even react to it.

Why do we even need to say cuss words anyway? Sure there are times when I get upset and have slipped out a "Geez".

I have a friend who slips out some interesting sayings, "Golly Whopper" or "Biscuits and gravy" or something else very interesting. Her sayings never offend anyone. In fact, while having a procedure done, the doctors and nurses were in hysterics just waiting to see what would come out of her mouth. A much better way to be, don't you think?

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I'd really like to go back to the days when "**** You!" or "God **** it" were not a part of every day talk. I think maybe even the God of the universe might like it as well, since we should talk to build each other up instead of tear down.

So the next time we hear someone say something offensive, maybe we can have the courage to help them change or at least apologize.

Waiting is No Fun

Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV

She walked over to the update screen once again this time she did a little dance in hopes the information we were craving would be different. Instead it remained the same. Then another in the room tried, she thought maybe if she went up to it somehow it'd be different.

Time clicked by as we waited and waited. Finally, when we were involved in conversation the information on the screen changed. The wait was longer than we desired, but at least the results were good.

I wonder if the disciples and the women who were with Jesus felt the same way that first Easter. Mary may have kept wondering outside on the Sabbath to see how far the sun had moved. "Why is today just ticking by? I need to prepare Jesus' body. We just left him in that tomb wrapped in a cloth. I need to get there and purify his body."

The others may have anxiously watched the time tick by as well. Probably asking themselves, "How could this happen? Wasn't he different? And now it's all come to end, what are we to do?"

The grief and anguish they must have felt.

As soon as the reds of the morning sky appeared, they headed for the tomb. They weren't sure how they would even get in, Roman soldiers were guarding it and there was that big stone they'd have to deal with.

Imagine their surprise when the stone was rolled away and no guards were in sight. "Oh thank you God for making this easier on us." They may have said to themselves.

Mary ran ahead only to discover Jesus wasn't there. "He's supposed to be here, this is where we left him." Her heart must have been leaping as she tried to figure out if she was even at the right place.

Then she heard those words, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead. He is not here, He has risen from the dead."

In those moments all of our lives changed. The good news of the risen Savior has made a way for each of us to have a personal close relationship with the Savior. He open the gate to heaven and gave all of us a chance to enter.

Don't wait to long and miss your ticket.

The Heart is What Matters

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

As we as citizens of the USA narrow down the presidential candidates, we begin to hear negativity, slander, and misrepresentation of each person running in the race. We are upset when the media tries to predict who the two candidates will be for the major parties. At times mud slinging happens and friends turn their backs on each other. This is why we are warned about talking politics.

I'd like to share with you who I plan to vote for in a couple weeks, but I won't. As each election day approaches I try to educate myself on each candidate or issue that is being presented to us. I also try to figure out the character of the person running.

I want to know how does he/she act when no one except his/her family is around? Does he/she lash out at those who mean the most to him/her? Or does he/she take the time to listen to what his/her spouse or children are telling him/her?

I also want to know if he/she attends church. Does he/she take his/her spiritual life seriously? Does he/she pray? These are the things that are important to me. Maybe they aren't important to you, but for me they are. I feel that if an elected official has a close connection to God then the trials he/she will face will be made a little easier.

Funny, how the lessons I teach the children become an important message for me as well. Last week we learned again about "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", but I had to change it a little bit because for some reason each of them want the other to be mean to them. So now we are saying, "Do as Jesus would do," because he wouldn't be mean to others.

This week we've learned about producing good fruit. No one likes rotten apples or oranges. Rotten fruit is pretty nasty! Yesterday in fact, we said you can tell which kind of fruit is in a person's heart by the way he/she acts.

So as each of you prepares to head to the polls, it is my hope that you at least look at what kind of fruit your candidate is producing. If you're alright with his/her inward appearance then by all means vote for that person, but if not please chose one who produces good fruit because the heart is what matters.