The Power of a Word

New Year’s Day is just about here.  A day for resolutions…  Nope, not for me!  Although, perhaps a few goals in life would be helpful.  I know should start one in the weight loss/exercise category, but honestly, I just don’t want to talk about that!!:)

I have a good friend who inspired me to think of a theme for each year.  Last year my theme was “celebrate the everyday”.  I don’t know how to measure how that worked out in a practical sense, but I did think of that phrase often, and tried to notice and appreciate every day things more.

A few months ago I decided what I want to focus on this coming year.  It all started with this sign I found on Pinterest:

“Four Things You Can’t Recover:  The STONE after the throw.  The WORD after it’s said.  The OCCASION after it’s missed.  The TIME after it’s gone.”

I have pondered and pondered that after I first read it.  I don’t know about you, but I can say with confidence that my mouth has often landed me in a heap of trouble.  Sometimes I wish I could just reverse time and hit the “Delete” button!  Oh, how I long to be more careful with my words…

Words are powerful.  They can tear down, shatter, and condemn.

~OR~

They can build up, calm, and forgive.

I want my words to be the latter.

It all starts with the heart… for “out of the heart, the mouth speaks”…

I so want to set my heart on things that will result in building up others…encouraging them…and offering hope.  …  Perhaps my first goal is to try to listen more and speak less… That’s what I want to work on this year (and every year, for that matter!).

Today my friend who inspired me with this whole “theme of the year” concept came over for a coffee time chat.  She shared with me her “theme”.  In fact, she had it put on to a beautiful necklace that she was wearing…and then she gave me a matching one:

“HOPE”.

It seems that without meaning to, our themes “co-ordinate”!

 

1 Corinthians 13:13 “…Now these three remain:  faith, hope and love…”

Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”