Speech

Today. Friday, March 20, 2009.

The sun was out, finally!!! Goodness, it had been cloudy it seems like for a month! I went home to Michigan a few weeks ago and when I arrived, it was cloudy there...the entire time I was there. And then I get back and it's cloudy here. Is there a black cloud that keeps following me around?

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice! YAY!! I plan on running around 8 miles. I am running in the Cherry Blossom 10-miler April 5th and I'm no where near where I should be for my training. I can barely run 6 miles in an hour. Not good. 

Speaking of home, I have been missing it lately. I guess I kinda wish my parents lived closer to here. I get lonely sometimes and just really need to be around a family. I'm grateful for the Cole's who are my second family. I lived with them when I first moved out here. I have a room whenever I want to spend the night there. I'm grateful for that. But I still miss my parents and the familiarity of my home. Sometimes, it's hard being so far away, but I know it's necessary. I know I can't go home, especially with the economy the way it is. There are absolutely no jobs in Michigan, and I definitely do not want to go back to being a server at Chili's. 

Today was a pretty good day. I worked and on my lunch break, I went to take back a zoom lens I had gotten for my camera. I really want to have a photography business someday so I'm trying to get the right equipment to make this happen. Next on my list is a photo editing program. But praise God! I found a lens that I need on e-bay for half of what it would be in the store!! I was really excited about that. 

OH!!! And, I got an email that said my cap and gown for graduation will be in by MONDAY!!!!!!

I can't believe that it's almost over. Now, I'm just trying to trust the Lord with what will happen next. 

I didn't run today. I have been running everyday this week so I decided to give myself a day off and not run. Instead, I indulged in a yummy Black and White milkshake from this new place on the Hill called, Good Stuff Eatery. Mm...heavenly. The owner of the place was on Top Chef... or something like that. 

Tonight, we had youth group. Daniel spoke on our words and our speech. It was a good lesson I needed to hear. I have such a hard time controlling my tongue as I often use it in sarcasm. Though I'm not meaning to hurt anyone by what I say, it can often come across that way. Also, I was convicted on how I use my speech. I am using my speech to build myself up? Or am I using it to build others up and Christ? This week was a sanctification week as I have seen more sin in my life. I've often walked to and from work thinking about my words and actions and just realizing how much I really do need a Savior. 

Well, after the talk, we split into our small groups, which was pretty much the guys and girls split. (Our youth group is really small) The girls were talking about how we can fight the temptation to use our speech in bad ways. Someone had mentioned the act of love and speaking in patience. I remembered this passage that I had been studying for my Inductive Bible Study class. The passage was Mark 11 where it talks about Jesus cursing the fig tree and then taking over the temple when they were using it to sell things. In this passage, we see that Christ has a right to be angry and frustrated. His Father's house was being used as a "den of robbers", as he puts it, when it is supposed to be used for prayer. He could have easily let his anger take over by using angry words, but what struck me the most was the fact that he didn't yell at them. In verse 17 it says, "And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." What struck me was the fact that he TAUGHT them. And as we know the character of Christ and his teaching throughout the Gospels, we know that when he taught, he welcomed all, and was patient with all. He taught with love and kindness. He didn't yell at them, but simply taught them. One more thing to add is that he taught them from the Word as we see where he says, "Is it not written...". This indicates that he is teaching them from the Word. 

So I thought that (obviously) Christ was a good example for us to follow in using our speech with love and patience. 

♥