Trying New Things Tuesday: Taking Care of the Careless Words

I am going to menu post consistently, which was my trying new thing for last week.  I'm going to menu post tomorrow for last week's meals.  We went out of town over the weekend, my grandmother cooked, so everything we ate that three days was perfection!  I'm excited to share.

This week I'm focusing on words.  I write, I talk, I use a lot of words.  I vacillate between being an introvert and an extrovert, so I either don't want to talk at all or I'm the definition of verbal vomit.

With four kids, I'm not 100% pleased with the way of my words lately.  I put this book on hold at the library after running across the blog, and I have been reading some tips.

I'm not a yeller, exactly.  I don't yell at my kids daily, I don't generally rage.  But we don't spank, so if I blow my top, yelling is where I tend to end up.  (There was this one time one kid pushed me over the top, so I grabbed that child's butt cheek then realized no matter how mad I was, I didn't want to break my no spanking commitment.  I only bring that up because one of my children might one day say that though I didn't spank them, having their butt cheek grabbed only then to have mom break down in the giggle fits and lay on the floor laughing until she started hysterically crying and then hugging the kid while still crying was weirder to deal with than being spanked.)  Also, if you spank your kids, I don't care.  It's just not my thing.  Discipline on, however that works in your house.

Anyway, though I'm not a yeller, I'm a snapper.  And I'm sarcastic.  Sarcastic snapping, well, it's maybe not the most pleasant combo.  This problem has gotten worse at times and not been so bad during others.  However, I'm a realist in this:  I have four kids; they all need something from me, usually at the same time; they are loud little people.  The needing and noise and the sometimes overwhelming feeling that comes with it are triggers for me.  I start to snap.  I don't take the time to fully assess the situation because I need to change a diaper or cook a meal or shower.  If I don't deal with this, it's not going to magically go away.  Whatever illusions I had as a newbie parent about that next phase they would all get in where it would be 100% smooth sailing because no one would have problems or throw sass or be obnoxious or only eat ketchup at a meal, where their sin nature would just dissipate therefore giving me no reason to say anything harsh, well, I'm over that.  I believe in that phase as much as I believe I will one day have no cellulite.

My goal this week is simple: no words I don't want to have to answer for.  Matthew 12:36 has inspired and convicted me in this department.  It needs to be tattooed on my face.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak...

If you're in line behind me that day, bring a book.

Seriously, I know Jesus paid the price for me.  His grace is enough.  However, this feels like a pretty important part of my sanctification process.  Besides being more careful of my words to my kids, I want this to apply with every word I speak, what I say to and about people.  No masking gossip as simply venting.  No verbalizing the worst instead of looking for the good.  No sarcastic defense when an honest, heartfelt response would go further.

So if we happen to speak this week, hold me accountable.  Bring duct tape.  Do what you got to do to keep me on track.