about that empty, rattling can

Sometimes when one of my kids are in trouble, or they come to me with a deep question, or they need some theological or spiritual counseling, things just don’t come out of my mouth right.

Everything gets jumbled up.  I hear myself saying things and I think, “Self, you have no idea what you’re talking about.  It’s time to shut up now.”

But then I just keep on flappin’ my jaw like a runaway 18 wheeler with no brakes.  It’s like watching a disaster happen over and over again on the news.  You know at some point you should turn it off, but you just can’t.  
Or won’t.

So I just keep on speaking.  Keep spouting off my self-proclaimed wisdom.  All the while sounding more and more like the village idiot.

Then there are other times. 
Times when what comes out of my mouth seems so perfect, timely, and wise that I know, without a doubt that God has put those words in my mouth.  Because if I were actually that wise and that well spoken there would never be those disaster moments where my mouth runs off with itself.

And I thank God.

I thank Him for reigning in my tongue.
And for working His purpose even in my disaster moments.
And for not giving up on me even though I’m as flawed a mother as they come.
And for expecting better of me, and showing me the way.

I thank Him for giving me such forgiving children and I pray they stay that way even as they grow into adults.

And that I can learn a greater capacity to forgive from them.

And I pray that the next time I’m running my mouth about nonsense I’ll listen to that inner voice telling me to shut up.

Tagged with: her job

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