The Mennagerie

I just read an excellent post by Mrs. Fuentes over at "A Wise Woman Builds Her Home" (www.proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com ) about praising our children. I heartily agree and have been trying to do better about this with the toddlers this week but I realized after reading her post that I have not been trying hard enough to praise the older children. So I am agreeing to her Praise Project to purpose to praise my children more, to hold my tongue when a negative comment is on the tip and not to yell. One verse that I have told the children this past week is definitely one that I need to memorize and hide in my heart that I might not sin against HIM, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29

It is so easy to think that my words to my children and the tone of my voice do not qualify as "corrupt" but as I looked it up in the Greek the meaning of the word corrupt is "worthless, bad" so if I am saying things to the children that are not edifying or imparting grace to the hearers then my words are corrupt and not pleasing to the Lord. They will just fall on deaf ears as my children tune me out. Do I like it when people talk to me in a condescending tone? No, I do not. Does being criticised for my actions make me want to change? No it does not. What is my goal for my words? It should be to train and encourage my children to choose God's ways, not the worlds and I think Mrs. Fuentes is right on that the best way to do that is through encouraging and praising our children as we teach and train them.