Loving God When Your Positives Turn to Negatives

My daughter-in-law & I were matching socks and having normal conversation.  We typically spend a day together throughout the week doing laundry, chasing kids, and catching up on the latest.  I asked her about her pregnancy a few times throughout the day and her response was minimal and lacked any enthusiasm.  If I would have taken the time to access what I had seen & heard from her body language in the last few weeks, I would've known right away, but I didn't.

I continued to ask til finally I laid down the obvious in question form...
Why are you not excited about this baby??
Why don't you ever talk about your pregnancy??
You know you can be happy around me, right?


I certainly thought this must be about me.

Why else would she be harboring joyful feelings about a new baby?

We found out they were expecting again just recently.  It was a tough time just because we had lost our own pregnancy one month prior.  Although we were happy to be having another sweet one on the way, we were reminded of what we also just lost a few short weeks ago.  I was certain that she was being careful around me because of that and didn't want to rub it in that she was pregnant.  How selfish my heart can be at times.

She barely looked up at me and said, "I just don't know how things are going to work out..."

What could she mean?
Finances?...things will always work itself out.
Housing?...they do have a small place and will need another bedroom.
Work?...Juggling a schedule, 2 kids, a home, and possibly school in the fall...
All of these things are factors that can be overcome, she must know that.

Then she spoke, still with her face downward pretending to focus on the socks...

"The Dr said that I am probably losing the baby."

What!! 

My heart sank deep and a range of emotions set in.  For two weeks this dear girl, my own daughter, had known her baby was possibly dying and not saying a word.  I couldn't believe it.

Infertility and pregnancy loss has always been a part of my married life.  With 11 losses and 17 yrs of infertility experience, I am a seasoned veteran in this arena.  This is what I know, who I am, this is my area of expertise.  It's been my scarlet letter, my identity, my testimony... how can my daughter sit across from me for weeks and I miss all the signs?

A few days later I rubbed her back and sat with her as she labored in the passing of my grand baby.

Trusting God while hating infertility is a tough combination.  A friend of mine explained it to me like this the other day...

A women hates infertility which causes her excruciating pain and loss, all the while she loves the God who can save her from it, One who can take it all away but chooses not to.  It's a tough balance.

Infertility and pregnancy loss is about trusting God.  Bottom-line.
Every testimony you hear, every story you read, every article, diagnosis, every failed cycle or blank pregnancy test is about Him.  The One who gives life and the One who can chose not to give it.  It's about learning to rely on and give glory to a God who loves you even when He tells you no.  Even when He allows your womb to be closed and your positives turn to negatives. 

It's the same as any loss or disappointment you may face in life.

You can look forward into the future, you can look behind you into despair, or you can tilt your chin upward and see hope.  God's tenderness in times like that are only seen if you look up.  If you look too far ahead you may see fear, afraid to trust God because of what you have already gone through.  If you look behind, you may feel anger, reminding yourself of what you wanted rescued from, but had to endure.

But.  If you look up; you will see truth.  You will see that you are not being punished, not being disciplined, and not being unworthy.

Your heart will soon start to see that you are not only set apart for God's great purpose but you are actually favored.  Set aside, not as you are in trouble, but as you are the star pupil, the leading role, and the blessed one.  The trusted one.  The one that when the enemy cowers before the Lord and asks permission to test you, God says yes...because He knows your heart.  He hears the conversation between you and Him and He knows that as much as you want to have a baby or be a mother again; you want Him more!  And He is willing to show the world that you are His girl!

If you look up, you will see that while you are running this race with calloused soles and swollen joints; He is standing at the finish line with a bouquet of flowers and a name time for your shirt that says, Mine.

It's never been about us, about you.
It's never been about me...its always been about Him.

Guest Blogger from the BabyWise Network; Shea Moses on Potty Training

 

 Please welcome our guest blogger, Shea Moses, as she gives insight on her experience with potty training.  She is a fellow BabyWise mom and comes to us from the BabyWise Friendly Blog Network.  Please visit her page to learn more about her passion for parenting and for the Lord.

Hello! 

       

           My name is Shea Moses, and I am so thrilled to be guest blogging here today! I am a mom to 4 daughters ranging in ages 6 yrs -1 yr and I am an expert at nothing, but a lover of all things parenting has to offer. I use BabyWise principals and philosophies in my home, and I am excited to be a part of a blogging network that is BabyWise friendly. I have a little family blog at www.themoseshome.blogspot.com where you can find me should you ever have interest!  I am a work in progress, and like most of you, just trying to do right by my husband and little girls. I am taking a little bit of time here to share some potty training tips and a bit about my experience in this department. Remember, I am NO authority on this topic, I share strictly from my own experiences.

       Back in March, My husband and I geared up for our 3^rd round of potty training. We had a pretty good idea of what to expect, and so we prepared for the “fun” just ahead.  I have read a few different books on potty training philosophies, and I feel like I have picked a few things from several of them that have made our potty training experiences fairly quick and less painful than you would expect it to be.  I wanted to detail some key concepts that we have taken away from having done this 3 times with 3 different personality types. 

Gauging Readiness

       Gauging readiness for potty training can be so tricky. You can have a young toddler “showing” you that he understands what happens in the bathroom. He may even talk about the potty.  You may set this same toddler on the potty, thinking this could be the beginning of him really learning how to use the potty, and he flips out at the idea of being anywhere near the potty. Or, you may have a toddler who has never shown a bit of interest in the potty, and then one day she comes up to you and tells you she needs to go before she is wet. They can fall anywhere on the spectrum.  Some books say 18 months is a good time to begin training. Some say don’t even try until they are 3.  So, with all the confusion that surrounds knowing if your toddler is really ready, these are the basic things I personally try to look for:

           1.      Their diapers are consistently dry after nap time, and usually dry in the mornings when they wake. This is a good indicator of bladder control. Can their little bodies hold it for a longer period of time than they used too? Can their brain effectively communicate to the bladder to store urine, and not release it, for several hours at a time? Be mindful of how long your child goes between diaper changes – and take into consideration the amount of liquids they have been given. Also, is your toddler pretty “regular”? Does their body usually release around the same time of day? This a good sign of readiness, so that YOU can be alert and ready and expect that to continue on when they are in underwear.

          2.      I like to evaluate verbal/communication skills too. When I think we could be getting ready for the potty training “event”, I like to think about how well they can talk with me about what is going on with them. If they can tell me they need a drink, and I can clearly understand – that usually lets me know they are aware of what their body is telling them, and they can go a step further than just knowing – they can ask/tell an adult to meet whatever need they have. Can they follow simple directions, such as, “Go get your shoes” or, “Let’s get into the car”? If so, this points to being able to work with you on completing a task successfully. Pay attention to just what exactly they are capable of. When you start paying attention, you will be surprised at just how much they can do!

            3.      Think about their age. I am a believer that every child is different and that readiness can come for one child much earlier than the next, but in general, I think it’s safe to begin thinking in this direction anywhere from 20 months on up. My nieces were training at 21 months, but my girls were never ready until about 28 - 30 months. Some are later than this. Don’t be discouraged if they are, just start to think in that direction! I promise, your baby won’t go to kindergarten in a diaper! It is important that you are not stressed about it, which brings me to my next point.

            4.      Gauge when MOM is ready. Mom’s readiness is just as important as the tot’s readiness is for potty training. I think you know if YOU are ready if you can find a way to get EXCITED about helping your child accomplish such a task. If you find that you are more focused on the child being fully trained than dreading the actual training you can feel confident that you are prepared emotionally to walk your child through such a big life change! When you are not stressed at the thought of training and you get to a place where you just want the training to be over with, you are probably of sound mind to get the job done!

When you know you & babe are ready 

and its time

            Carve out several days and devote them to nothing but training your child. Staying at home and honing in on the process for a long weekend will really result in a lot of progress and once you have perfected the art of going potty at home, you can take the next step to getting out and about with a potty trained child. Say no to play dates, PTO meetings, or even Sunday School if needed. Clear your schedule. The only thing you will be doing is getting knee deep in training your child.

           

 Expect the first day to be messy and exhausting. This is the just the reality of what you are getting into. The first day is a means to an end. The first day is hard, but it is so so so so key to the success of potty training. Your perspective will need to shift – you will need to look at the first day that is full of accidents – as opportunities for teaching and training. Understand that you would NOT be able to train your child if they did not have an accident(s) first. When they have an accident, remind them that pee pee and poop belong in the potty, not their undies. Then place them on the potty. Press repeat all day long. The goal would be to get them on the potty so that they can at least finish up in the potty – because anything that makes it into the potty is something to be celebrated! Spend the rest of the day asking them to tell YOU when they need to go – as this will place some power in their hands, and giving them a tiny bit of control will go a long way for you. I avoid placing them on the potty every 30 minutes or any time interval, really. It does no good for them to sit on the potty and not have a reason to be sitting there. It teaches nothing, so it’s a waste of time – and will most likely cause the toddler to lose interest pretty quickly, as it could turn into more of a game for them in doing so. 

Don’t just commit the days to training, but commit the time during those days to really focus, because you will learn a lot about your child if you do. You will learn how they handle doing something drastically different than they ever have before. You will see how they react to being in charge of regulating their own body. You will also have the advantage of seeing some non-verbal “I gotta go” cues.  I remember feeling at ease because this ended up being a game changer about mid-day of day 1. As the day progressed, I noticed my daughter would cross her legs at the ankles and then she would look up at me and tell me she needed to go. So, I took advantage of her cue here. As soon as I saw her cross her legs at the ankles – I moved her to the toilet. Those few extra seconds of time were huge! They saved minimal and major messes! I would have never noticed such a slight change in body language had I not committed myself to not taking my eyes off her during the time I had set aside to get this done. It turns out, my 2^nd and 3^rd daughter also had some non-verbal cues when it came time to train them. My 2^nd daughter would stand straight up, like at attention right before she needed to go. So, as soon as she would stand up straight we knew to get her to the toilet STAT! My 3^rd daughter would grab at her backside and start waddling around. Again, when we saw this happen we moved her quickly to the toilet and were able to get her there in just enough time. Moving your child to the toilet as soon as they feel that sensation of needing to go makes their tiny brains begin to associate the toilet with releasing and so the process works beautifully

Make this a fun and positive experience! Spend your time praising the successes your child has, and take NO TIME focusing on the accidents. Ignore them all together.  As stated above, accidents will happen. If you shift your thinking of accidents as nothing but a mess to being a necessary step to your child succeeding, you will find that potty training will be a much more fun journey than you would have ever thought.  Let them pick out their own undies. Let them have sugary drinks that they probably do not get to have on a regular basis. Make a sticker chart for every time they get it. Go all out. If you make it a fun and special time for the both of you, it can actually be hard work that is fun in its own way.

 By Day 2, you will see great strides from the beginning of day 1. That will give you the motivation to keep going strong. You will realize how capable your child is, and you will be so proud. I remember with my first, I realized how little I gave her credit for being able to do! It is amazing to watch your child grow exponentially in just a few days time! It will be a time you will probably never forget.

Some tips as you move beyond

1. It is typical for kids to have a “final test” right when you begin thinking they totally have mastered training. Don’t worry, they have. Many children on somewhere between days 8-12 or maybe even further on than that, have a few days of many accidents. It is if they are saying, “Are you sure, mom, this is it? No more diapers? Ever? Even if I start messing up a lot?!” Stay consistent. Pay no attention to the mess, and encourage them a lot when they make it to the potty during this time. It’s a quick quick phase, and NO – they have not lost all that they have learned. They will pick back up in no time.
2.  Keep a little portable potty in the car with you. This has been a saving grace for us time after time after time! We keep a little potty with us, and let me tell you, we have gone potty in parking lots of all kinds. At Every park in town. On the very side of the road. It has been so handy to have with us – and keeps us consistent with getting them to the toilet ANY time they need it!
3.  Try to stay away from Pull-Ups as best as you can. They only cause confusion. Pull ups are basically a diaper – in every way except the tabs. If you can, try to go all or nothing. It’s the most effective. Remember that only training half way will only get you half way results. Why mess with paying for pull ups all while still cleaning up accidents all the time for months on end, when you can knock it all out in a few days if you fully focus? Trust yourself and your kiddo. They can do this, and so can you!

Shea Moses

Lessons in Mushroom Hunting

(A favorite post from my archives)

I went mushroom hunting the other day.

As I was putting on my boots, I imagined great success in gathering them all up and frying them with a touch of butter & salt in the skillet. 

A few days ago we went with a group of our neighbors and scoured a huge woods in the the hopes of bringing home dinner.  As everyone started inching themselves along, I found myself alone and out of view of the others.  I started talking with God about the mushrooms...sounds goofy I know, but why not.

I was asking Him to highlight them to me so that I may be able to spot one.  Sure enough almost as soon as the thought left my mind, I spotted a big spike with a nice yellow stalk..standing so tall and proud.  You get so excited when you find one, maybe its because there are tons of foliage all around and so very few mushrooms.  Its like finding gold in a pit of mud, he just stood out & appeared so valuable.  I was hesitate to tell anyone I found any, for they all swarm so quickly in hopes that its a good patch.

I picked him up and carefully put him in my plastic sack, wanting him to stay nice and safe so I could show him off  later.  As I went to wander off in search of more, I heard a challenge in my mind to stay put and ask God again to highlight another.  I didn't see the harm in it so again I asked the Lord, please show me another for I don't know where they could be.

Sure enough another spike stood tall!

This time I thought that if I stood on the spot that He just showed me, and looked around, waiting... that maybe I could spot another.  One led to another led to another to another and soon I had large amount of mushrooms.  All along I was in conversation with God about how much it pleases me to find one in the midst of this forest community. 

As I stooped to pick up a beautiful spike barely peeking out from underneath some leaves, I heard the verse...."Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  I listened as God showed me that life is very much like the "game" I was playing with Him in the woods.  Each choice is like a mushroom, if I ask Him which way to go, and listen..and sometimes wait...He Will show me the next step.  Each time I stand where He places me, He will highlight the way for the next spot. 

Sometimes as I found one, I would see another just a bit off...and He would tell me, pick the one I showed you first then gather the next one.  Pick them in the order I show you.  He would tell me how important it was to take my eyes off the 2nd one until the first one was safely in the bag.  I could see how vital it was to pay close attention to the step I was on and to take care of that task first before looking ahead to what was waiting for me.  Once I was so excited about what I saw in the distance that I left the first one and practically tripped over my feet for the 2nd & 3rd one to find out that they wasn't mushrooms at all, they were merely leaves mocking what I was looking for.  It caused me to fail the step I was supposed to be on..only to be deceived into grabbing for something that was not what it seemed.

My last spot of the day had me waiting for quite a while for the next "pick"
I kept asking, please highlight it to me...and I would wait. I saw some downed logs nearby and thought that it looked like the perfect area for molds to grow so I tromped over there knowing the small voice in my mind said to remain where I was.  Ignoring my instinct, I rushed over and searched rapidly for a quick peek.  After several minutes and no avail, I remembered a lesson I have learned many times before and that is "If you don't know where God wants you to be, go to the last place He put you...and wait."  I humbly walked back seeking for the exact spot I found my last pick...as I knew I couldn't find it & that the sun was going down, I decided to call it quits.

As we walked out of the woods I was thankful for what I just learned.

The next morning I went to the Dr. and was told our baby's chromosome testing had came back.  She was a healthy girl...but we would never know her this side of heaven.

Heavy information...my mind fluttered of images that played out inside my head.
What our lives could of looked like...
What she would have looked like...
What her voice would of sounded like...
How happy Ilana would of been to have a baby sister...
How even more empty the nursery is, now that I know she is a girl...

The burden is so hard to bear.  I cried to God...what should I do, how can I stop this from happening again..why is my body rejecting my own children???

I stood on that spot of questions and waited, and because of the teachings from the day before, I know that it's best for me to remain here til He highlights my next "pick".

 Where should I go Lord...What should we do...We are waiting on You.


You can find me linked-up on these fabulous blogs!
http://www.intentionallypursuing.com/2015/05/intentional-tuesday-linkup-week-18/
http://fdeanhackett.com
http://cornerstoneconfessions.com
http://hollybarrett.org/2015/05/testimony-tuesday-bethany-boring.html
http://timewarpwife.com
http://purposefulfaith.com/
http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com/search/label/Linky%20Party
http://raisinghomemakers.com/
http://teachingwhatisgood.com/earnestly-seek-you/
http://www.adelightsomelife.com/2015/05/a-return-to-loveliness-85.html
http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2015/05/268th-inspire-me-tuesdday.html#more
http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/
http://womenwithintention.com
http://www.w2wministries.org/
http://jenniferdukeslee.com/tellhisstory-a-love-letter-for-a-second-born-child/
http://www.paintedteacup.com
http://www.givinguponperfect.com/tag/works-for-me-wednesday/
http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com
http://raisinghomemakers.com
http://www.ducksnarow.com
http://tsuzanneeller.com
http://3dlessons4life.com/
http://creativekkids.com
http://www.domesblissity.blogspot.com/
http://ichoosejoy.org/
http://saving4six.com
 http://www.treasuretromp.com

Raised from the dead; a true story!

Once upon a time we had a litter of Great Dane puppies. 

Unfortunately we were careless and went on a outing for dinner from 5-9pm. We came home to our girl already in labor.  7 puppies lay dead.

We thought she had another week until she was due, and so were were shocked and very upset that the puppies didn't survive.  She went on to deliver 5 more puppies, by the time we have everything set up...warming pads, bedding, heat lamp, towels, etc it was around midnight.

Around 1 in the morning I asked my husband to go get the puppies that were dead.  Looking at me like I was insane, I just stated, "I just want to see if they were boys or girls." They had been gone between 4 to 8 hours at this time.  Their paws were white and mouths were hanging open, it was hard to look at. We carefully washed them off so I could look at them closely and placed them inside a laundry basket with towels. 

I stared at the basket saddened by such a loss. I thought of my own children that never was able to experience life in this world. I have always pictured them perfect in every way, just as these little babies seem to have everything they needed except the breath of life in their bodies.

My husband looked at me with concern, I did feel a little weird about bringing them up to the house...even more so that they were now tucked in snugly. I placed the basket on a kitchen chair and wanted to wait til morning to bury them. I really don't know why.

My daughter was still awake, for we had been rushing around and failed to tuck her into bed  As she walked past the basket on her way upstairs, she stopped and asked if she could see the puppies.  I didn't think it was a good idea...but she was persistent. I explained to her that they were not alive and they will look as if they are sleeping.  She instantly had compassion and talked about how sad it was. Death is never pretty or easy to explain.

Then as she turned to go to bed, she said "Wait! We should pray for them!"

My mind raced for some excuse to tell her why praying wouldn't be a good response, but I couldn't find any.  I was mostly worried about what to tell her when her prayer request failed, for she has never doubted God's capability or desire to fill her requests.  This was way too big of a prayer though and I was sure I was going to have to come up with some convincing theory to explain why God is not responding.

She prayed, "Dear God, please wake these puppies up so they can play.  Amen!"

Then she skipped off to bed.

I tucked her in while conversing with God in my mind..."now what are we going to tell her?"
Then we fell asleep.

At 4am, at least 6 hours after we came home and found the litter, I hear a faint cry.

I went downstairs and found 2 of the seven puppies had "WOKE UP"
They were struggling to breath, we ran them under warm water, administered oxygen, and rubbed them constantly.  An hour later they were nursing!

We now had 7 live healthy puppies, I didn't know which 2 pups were the ones that were given permission by God to be part of this miracle. I was so excited and in disbelief that I never marked them, I just gave them to their mother to nurse.

The next morning I couldn't hardly contain myself to tell my little girl!  I woke her up early and said "guess what?.."  She didn't seem at all surprised by it, she just smiled like she expected it and went to see them.

I realized that I am often surprised by Gods miracles, which if I was honest with myself, means that I probably have disbelief in my heart in some areas.

I don't know where you are in your prayer life and relationship with God, but I hope this story makes whatever doubts you have about Him, smaller.  He cared about those pups, about Ilana's prayer, and about my doubts.  Since this is true, He must care about you, your big things, and your little things.  And if you have a hard time believing this, He really must want to be bigger to you then you have allowed Him to be.

I am working on my disbelief daily, by praying frequently about things that are out of my reach.  I try to not be surprised when I  hear about miracles that He has done or prayers that He answers.  I want the shock factor to fall away, because I know that it's a hint of doubt.  I want to KNOW that He can do anything...and that He wants to.  

I want to pray, skip off to bed, and know when I wake up, that He took care of it...and not because He has to prove Himself to me, but because He just loves to see me smile and be confident in Him as my source.

Be bold in prayer...He really really wants you to!! 

You can find me linked-up on these fabulous blogs!
http://timewarpwife.com/ 
http://cornerstoneconfessions.com 
http://purposefulfaith.com/
http://hollybarrett.org
http://www.intentionallypursuing.com
http://teachingwhatisgood.com
http://www.w2wministries.org/
http://jenniferdukeslee.com
http://holleygerth.com/
http://momsmorningcoffee.com
http://www.simplifiedlife.net
http://kayleneyoder.com
http://countingmyblessings.com
http://lauraboggess.com/
http://amamasstory.com
http://www.proverbialhomemaker.com
http://www.blessedbutstressed.com

WASHING OUT THE POTTY MOUTH!

There I was, I'm presuming innocent, sitting on top the toilet lid in our cold bathroom with a bar of Ivory hanging out of my mouth.  I remember thinking and maybe even saying out loud, "I like the taste of soap," with a nasty little grin, looking at my Mother as if her punishment would not stop me from saying whatever vile phrase that put me there in the first place.  The good thing was my parents disciplined us for saying things such as fart, shut-up, and stupid...so I am most certain it was probably a slip up of one of those 3 infamous words.
 
My Mom however knew something I didn't, as she wasn't at all concerned about my rebellious outbursts against her discipline.  She confidently knew that I wouldn't like the taste of soap for very long.

I'm not sure how many minutes it took on that toilet seat, but there was definitely a progressive transformation that happened that day.

First, my taste buds gradually changed from a flavor of freshness to a numbing chemical-like essence.  I bit down harder on the once tastier bar and tried to distinguish what exactly was happening.  My cheeks became slightly inflated, my lips rapidly fattened, and drool started pouring out the sides of my mouth and off my chin like a faucet.  My teeth were coated with a slimy film and were barely hanging on to the once hard & firm bar of soap.  Every indention and crevice in my front teeth were now filled with a gummy texture.  They steadily sank deeper into the now slimy ball of nastiness.  I didn't dare swallow the thick residue, so a fountain of spit & despair flowed down my face and into my lap.  My Mom peeked around the corner as if to say, "you still liking that soap?"

And there it was, the beginning of my defeat.

The sorrow began to bubble in my mind and its first reaction started in my mouth as the discomfort increased.  It then trickled down into my heart reminding me that I didn't want to be a potty mouth, and then the tears began to well up my sad eyes and they fell overflowing down my cheeks, my blubbering apology quickly followed.

Mom had the victory!!

Unfortunately, since my younger years I have learned many naughty words and phrases.  I also have been a contributor to the habits of gossip, slander, and coarse jokes.  For a long time this was just a life-style and I had no remorse.  Things changed when I surrendered my life to Jesus and became aware that this practice was harmful to those He loves.

And I was reminded again that I don't want to be a potty mouth.

As Christian woman we are urged to refrain from communicative sins.  This includes those that I mentioned earlier, but also those that are more silent; such as eye-rolling, head-tilting, and shoulder-shrugging, etc.  I don't need to go into detail explaining these non-verbal contributions to everyday dialogue.  I am sure you recognize them and can spot negative body language a mile away!

Any form of communication that is attached to a bad attitude is most likely not a Godly response and is chalked up as sin.

And so we clean up our potty mouths because God asks us to; actually He Tells Us To!  

~I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..  (Matthew 12:36) 

 ~Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  (Ephesians 4:29) 

~A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.  (Proverbs 16:28)

~Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.  (Proverbs 20:19)

I am sure you can agree with me when I say that I don't want to be a corrupt, dishonest, whispering, slandering, secret-telling, babbling, strife spreader!  I don't want to be known for that, nor do I want to infect the people around me with it.  It is always wiser to want what God wants for you; more then doing what may come easy, it's often the subtle sins that move us out of God's favor.  He certainly gives us these verses for our own benefit.

It's not ideal for us to walk around with ivory bars in our mouths, or better yet stuffing them into other people's mouths.  So we are just going to have to clean up, I'm speaking to myself, and do the right thing without it!  

So the next time you are in a less then loving conversation, or you start a sentence by speaking something like, "I probably shouldn't say this but..."

STOP RIGHT THERE!!

Take a second, shut your eyes and picture a fat-lipped, tear-filled, little blubbering girl with saliva dripping onto her lap.  Simply change your subject, your expression, or your tone and allow God to have his way in cleaning things up.  You no longer have to be a potty mouth!

You can also find me linked-up on other fabulous sites by clinking on the "find me here" link on my sidebar, Thanks for reading!!