Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt.
As a wife and mother, I often ask myself, "What values are being communicated by what (I) say?"
I heard the crashing sound of the Hummell figurine, and my mind raced back to my grandmother. She had purchased the "Little Apple Girl" back in the early 1930s when she was in Germany. I had received it after her death, and of course it was very valuable to me.
I'll never forget the day I saw an ad in the newspaper saying that "Little Apple Girl" was worth $15,000. I put ours up high in our bedroom-supposedly in a safe spot. (Later, we found out that our figurine was much smaller-worth only $150!) But as I heard it break that day, I knew that "Little Apple Girl" had developed a split personality. I felt like wringing the boys' necks-I had just reminded them they couldn't play ball in the house.
When I arrived at the scene of the crime I found the guilty party, Samuel (then age four), sheepishly awaiting his sentencing. I told him to go sit on his bed because he was going to get a spanking. I picked up the pieces of my Apple Girl. Holding them in my hand, I went to Samuel's room, took his precious blue-eyed, blond-haired face in my other hand and said, "Samuel, do you see this?" His eyes became little blue saucers, probably wondering whether his fate would be electrocution or hanging.
He nodded. His eyes met mine and I made my point: "I want you to know, Samuel Rainey, that I love you more than this." Glancing down at the remnants I cradled in my hand, I went on: "And I love you enough to spank you for disobeying me."
Dennis said he was really proud of me for the values that scene represented. It would have been so easy for me to have overreacted! I don't know if Samuel will remember that day or not. But I do thank God for His power that enabled me to model for Samuel values worth imitating.
Prayer:
Lord God, you are the Source of all true values. Help me model Your standards and to instill them in our children. In Jesus' name. Amen.
-Barbara Rainey Moments together for couples
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt.
As a wife and mother, I often ask myself, "What values are being communicated by what (I) say?"
I heard the crashing sound of the Hummell figurine, and my mind raced back to my grandmother. She had purchased the "Little Apple Girl" back in the early 1930s when she was in Germany. I had received it after her death, and of course it was very valuable to me.
I'll never forget the day I saw an ad in the newspaper saying that "Little Apple Girl" was worth $15,000. I put ours up high in our bedroom-supposedly in a safe spot. (Later, we found out that our figurine was much smaller-worth only $150!) But as I heard it break that day, I knew that "Little Apple Girl" had developed a split personality. I felt like wringing the boys' necks-I had just reminded them they couldn't play ball in the house.
When I arrived at the scene of the crime I found the guilty party, Samuel (then age four), sheepishly awaiting his sentencing. I told him to go sit on his bed because he was going to get a spanking. I picked up the pieces of my Apple Girl. Holding them in my hand, I went to Samuel's room, took his precious blue-eyed, blond-haired face in my other hand and said, "Samuel, do you see this?" His eyes became little blue saucers, probably wondering whether his fate would be electrocution or hanging.
He nodded. His eyes met mine and I made my point: "I want you to know, Samuel Rainey, that I love you more than this." Glancing down at the remnants I cradled in my hand, I went on: "And I love you enough to spank you for disobeying me."
Dennis said he was really proud of me for the values that scene represented. It would have been so easy for me to have overreacted! I don't know if Samuel will remember that day or not. But I do thank God for His power that enabled me to model for Samuel values worth imitating.
Prayer:
Lord God, you are the Source of all true values. Help me model Your standards and to instill them in our children. In Jesus' name. Amen.
-Barbara Rainey Moments together for couples
