1.10.2010

Restraint of tongue (and pen)

I heard a little saying today. Each of us has in our hands a bucket of water and a bucket of gas. When an event or something flares up, i.e. confrontation, worries, someone/something bothering us, we can either use our bucket of gas to fuel this fire or our bucket of water to help to stop the fire. This is so important in life and in sobriety. When we come across an event or person or thing that starts to flame up, or starts a fire with us, WE are free to choose what tool to use. To be calm and to help the situation with our water is what is going to help us be better people, and live better lives. I have heard that God stands next to us with His arm over our shoulder and His hand over our mouth! How true this is.

This practice is easier when we are confronted in life by someone/thing in person, but what about an email or letter or something else? In this day and age, it is easy to lash out with our keyboard or "pen". To respond quicker and not even think about what we are saying or writing. In a meeting yesterday I heard a man say that his sponsor told him not to write any e mails after 5 oclock! It was something that helped him to think more after a hard stressful day. With me, I often try and wait 24 hours before I respond to an e-mail I find flaring, if I have that long, if not I really try and type how I would calmly speak to the person in front of me. I am not even close to perfect in this, however, I really can hold my "pen" the longer I wait to respond. In this age of texting, e mailing, blackberry PIN, and instant message, we need to guard our words in electronic form, just as close as those that come out of our mouths!

Today I am grateful for:
  • Renewing a commitment I made with myself.
  • Hearing a message about God this morning that I really needed to hear.
  • Knowing that I can pause and think before responding, and that is my best tool in my belt today!
  • God doing for me, as long as I try and listen!!!

2 comments:

  1. That spoke to me as well this morning....I too often pick up the gasoline bucket and will make stronger efforts to pause and think about the water bucket in a time of frustration.

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  2. This is perfectly stated! I think you really may have a talent for writing. A fallback career! I have really tried to not take the bait these days. I find my beliefs attacked daily by people who are so called friends. It is very hard for me not to jump back. Thanks for the thoughts..I love the idea to wait 24 hours at least!

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