The Power of Words

I have spent a lot of time this week still thinking on the subject of friendship. Mostly about that defination from the encyclopedia that says "to prevent mutual harm" I have found myself more often then not this past week pondering that very concept. To prevent mutual harm....of course the last thing I would ever want to do is harm someone, especially someone I call friend...yet I know that more times then not my mouth sometimes gets ahead of my mind, and the wrong thing gets said, OR, I say nothing at all. The Bible tells us that the tongue is the hardest thing to tame. I often wonder why it is so easy to say something hurtful to those people that mean the most to me, my friends. Not that I go around saying mean awful things, but I think we have all been in a position where we say something, and know immediately after it came out of our mouths that we shouldn't have said it. I don't know, is it that we get so comfortable in our relationships that we think we can just let words fly? Or is it that little part inside each of us that wants to see just how far we can push that other person. Maybe it is simply we had a bad day and they rubbed us the wrong way. I am certainly glad that the people that have choosen to be in my life are people that are forgiving...because goodness knows I need that grace. I also know that sometimes not saying anything at all is just as dangerous as saying the wrong thing. Sometimes a friend may need encouragement from me and I don't give it....that is almost as bad if not worse then saying the wrong thing. I have spent a lot of time over the last year or so of my life really watching my words. I have been blessed with a few new friends that have really taught me how import the positive, encouraging words are. Words are such a powerful thing. The can make you feel loved, important, needed. They can always make you feel beat down, self conscience, and horrible. I just pray that God always helps me choose my words wisely, that I always lift up those that are important to me, and then when I fail He points it out to me so I know to ask for forgiveness and grace. But most of all I ask that God makes me real. That I am not saying things just to gain favor, or stay on someone's good side. But that I speak with truth, love and honesty. Let me not use my words to manipulate, or deceive....

Friendly vs. Friendship

I was honored one day last week to get to have lunch with a woman that I have come to know and love. We had quite an interesting conversation while we were dining. I am not sure how it came up but we were talking about church, and how it is supposed to be a "friendly" place....I piped up with "what friendly like the guy at Wal-Mart" I guess because that is the thought that comes to mind for me when I hear the word friendly.


I have to say a day has not gone by since that lunch when I haven't thought about the conversation. I started to do some reading about what it means to be friendly, friends, friendship all of those things. You would be amazed how much is out there about the topic. My favorite has to be how the encyclopedia Britannica defines the word friendship...."To prevent MUTUAL harm" Wikipedia states "Friendship is a term used to denote a co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more beings-a relationship involving MUTUAL knowledge, esteem, affection, loyalty and respect." I find interesting that both of these sources include the word mutual. I have to be honest for a long time in my life (up until probably a little over a year ago)I seemed to divide my friends into two catergories...those that were there for me when I needed them, and those who only wanted me around when they needed me. I learned through a dear dear friend of mine over this past year that true friendship is MUTUAL....it has to be two sided to exisist, or feelings get hurt.



I also looked up the word friendly and it has many different meanings...Personally the one I liked the best for the church enviroment is the one that says, "cheerful and comforting" If anything the church needs to be comforting.



I like to think of all three of these words as more of a verb (an action word). To ACT as a friend. Jesus tells us that there is no greater love then to lay down ones own life for his friends. That's some action isn't it? I know after spending the last week reading about friendship I take my role as people's friend a whole lot more serious then I once did. I challenge anyone who has taken the time to read this to really evaluate those relationship where you use the word friend. Are your relationships two sided as they should be? If they aren't are you willing to make them that way? Are you willing to SHOW those people you call friend what it means?

I know we have heard this quote millions of times but it bears repeating....
"Don't walk in front of me I may not follow"
"Don't walk behind me I may not lead"
"Walk beside me and be my friend"

Harvest

I love this time of year....while the state I live in is without beautiful mountains or the draw of the ocean, we contain the beauty of fields ripe for picking. I used to not have such an appreciation for corn fields and bean fields when I was younger. It wasn't until several years ago did I come to look at them a little differently. A friend who had moved here from California seem to be completely enthralled with the beauty that she saw in the fields. She arrived in Illinois at harvest time. I remember her words that she had never seen anything like it, too look out across fields, the sun hitting the golden leaves, she said it looked like gold for as far as the eye could see. Since that conversation I have looked at those fields, that seem so ordinary to me, (being I have had once in my back yard since I was born)a little differently.

I enjoy my drive each weekend to the barn where my daughter Anna and I horseback ride every Saturday. It is those peaceful moments amongst those fields that I enjoy the sight of them. Today I was reminded on our drive just the significance of the harvest. As I watched a lonely combine with one lonely farmer driving through a field bringing in his harvest, I thought about what Jesus has said about the harvest...."the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few" I had many thoughts run through my head when I was thinking about that line in the word. Especially as I watched the lone farmer. It isn't by chance that I my history class is also covering the era right after the Civil War. I was thinking back to a sad time when there was slave labor....it made me think about how many people it used to take to bring in a field. And just how far we have come to a single farmer handling acre after acre alone. It made me think of church this day and age. How it seems like we have become the "one farmer" harvesting....we sit in the pews and get fat on the hog, while we expect someone else to do the harvesting..... Honestly when is the last time any one of you have thought about just where our food comes from? I sure have a better appreciation for that lone farmer out there in the fields harvesting what will in some form end up on my table, without my work. How many of us sit at the table and not realize who is doing the actual work?

I know how difficult witnessing is. I have seen "Christian" after "Christian" cringe at the sound of the word. But you know what it really isn't that difficult. I am not talking about standing on the street corner and asking passer by's "hey you have Jesus" I am talking about our actions. Jesus calls us to one simple commandment....when we follow this commandment all the rest fall into place...."Love one another" How hard is that? I don't think it is hard at all.

I challenge any of you that have actually taken the time to read this, to take a moment and enjoy those sights around us that this wonderful season has brought to us. I also challenge you to be very deliberate about loving everyone. Maybe for some that means giving up your seat on the bus Monday morning...or offering to rake the yard of an elderly neighbor...its that simple. Ninety nine percent of the time our actions speak louder then our words.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.....Ok...so I am sure there aren't many people who want to really log on and see what I am writing about or why. But still for some reason I like the idea of starting a blog. So here it is. I promise there is more to come especially as I currently find myself at home for the next three weeks with nothing but time on my hands. One can only watch television so long, and check myspace and facebook so much....so this is my hand at blogging. I
Peace
Tracy