Retarded

I recently learned that this week has been set aside as a week to encourage people not to use the word 'retarded' in reference to a mood, feeling, a person in jest, or anything else of the sorts. A friend has a post on her blog about their amazing kiddo and how the word has come to effect their family in this last year. Check out her blog (because she says it a lot better than I would), http://oliversfamilytwist.blogspot.com/ and hear her heart. It is a good reminder how much our words can unknowingly hurt other people. I remember after my brother passed away I would shudder when I heard people make remarks like, "I just wanted to shoot myself"...or seriously, "I would kill myself if that happened". The remarks wouldn't have caused me a second thought some years ago, but now they just don't seem as funny-or funny at all, really. I am queen of 'talk now, think later' and sometimes I am in need of a good reminder of how powerful my words really are. Possibly you are too, blessings!

Walk in Love
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, and offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. But fornification and all uncleanness or covetnousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Ephesians 5:1-4).